Health Insurance Giant Aetna Paying $80,000 For Health Reform ‘Town Hall’ Moderated By CNN Host Tony Harris
Health Insurance Giant Aetna Paying $80,000 For Health Reform ‘Town Hall’ Moderated By CNN Host Tony Harris
Tomorrow, health insurance giant Aetna is sponsoring a “town hall conversation on the national health system reform debate” at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. CNN anchor Tony Harris will moderate the panel, which features lobbyists from the health insurance industry and opponents of reform:
– Panelist Mohit Ghose works for Aetna as the VP of Public Affairs, the lobbying division of the company. Ghose has served for years as a spokesman and lobbyist for the health insurance trade group AHIP. Ghose helped push focus-group tested attacks against Michael Moore and his movie SiCKO as part of the industry’s campaign to marginalize the impact of the film.
– Panelist Dr. Sheila Robinson is a representative from the Georgia Medical Association, an organization led by Todd Williamson. Williamson has gone on the record attacking health reform, and has been heavily involved in an anti-reform front group known as “Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights” (CPPR). CPPR is managed by the lobbying firm DCI Group, which has set up “Smokers’ Rights” groups in the past for the tobacco industry.
The event, which is being funded by an $80,000 grant from Aetna, is co-hosted by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, a group that also counts Aetna as a corporate sponsor.
This town hall is the type of “listening tour” event the insurance industry has encouraged to make the public believe that insurers support reform. Aetna is one of the companies on the “Strategic Communications Committee” for AHIP to help devise communication strategies to derail health reform. The committee coordinates positive messages from the insurance industry, while secretly funding and planning stealth attacks against reform. (Check out ThinkProgress’ report on the insurance industry’s “duplicitous” campaign to kill meaningful reform.)
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I demand Aetna wait a minimum of 72 hours before holding this event!
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 pmTony Harris: You’re not part of the solution. You’re part of the problem.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pmAll, Tony Harris is actually a very good journalist and I frequently watch his show so I’m hopeful it will be balanced.
At this point I am interested in WHO will be representing health care reform.
I’ll bet you and I could come up with several questions I would love to post to the anti-group…
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pmAetna needs the 72 hours to pre screen all attendees.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:19 pmAtlanta has been invaded by carpetbaggers before….
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:24 pmfearful na-da says:
Care to list how many Repiggie hands are in the “health-insurance cookie jar?
*crickets chirping*
Didn’t think so.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pmWasn’t Rush Limbaugh just caught with his hands in his pants?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pmMy current (employer sponsored) health insurance is through Aetna. At renewal time Aetna announced that our premiums for the 2010 renewal would rise 27% despite a favorable claims history. We fired them and went with another insurer. Wonder why a fine company like that would oppose reform.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pmTexasRick @3 says: At this point I am interested in WHO will be representing health care reform.
I was just about to ask the same thing – for it to be a proper panel, there should be a like number on the opposite side of the fence.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pmWasn’t Glen Beck just caught with his hands clenched?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:27 pmExcuse me but I must respectfully disagree with texasrick@3. IMHO Tony Harris is a bumbling fool which makes him perfect for this job. I suppose we shall see.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:27 pmWasn’t Michele Bachman just caught with her hands waving in the air attempting to contact the mother ship?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:29 pmI’d like to see Tom Hartman, Barney Frank or Al Franken on that panel.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:30 pmwasn’t angry trannie annie coulter caught fondling her balls in central park recently?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:30 pmAsking irrelevant and reality-free questions is fun.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:30 pmNo wonder trolls do it so often!
Fearful naq-da says:
We are waiting for you to list the Repiggies with their hands in the health insurance cookie jar.
We are prepared to wait til Hell freezes over for your answer.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:31 pmis co-hosted by the 100 Black Men of Atlanta,
At least we’ve identified the “thousands” of Black teabaggers.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pmtexasrick says:
At this point I am interested in WHO will be representing health care reform.
I’ll guess Alan Colmes, professional attack dummy.
.
texasrick says:
All, Tony Harris is actually a very good journalist and I frequently watch his show so I’m hopeful it will be balanced.
If he’s a good journalist, then I’m sure he won’t mind disclosing on all future reporting regarding health care reform that he took this paying gig. Think he will?
.
paleolib says:
At renewal time…
That just reminds me, is there any other industry in which consumers only get to make a buying decision no more than once per calendar year? Imagine if you had to shop for everything that way. Talk about a brake on competition.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pmExcept for the thread that Punked by Fred (aaronk) has taken over this has been a pretty amusing day at TP.
Lot’s of good laughs today posters – thanks one and all.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pmFrom above:
I’m pretty sure there are more than “100 Black Men” in Atlanta. Whadup with dat?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pmThose were his pants?
I thought they were the pants of a thirteen-year-old Dominican boy.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pmThey should call it ‘Unhealthy Rescission’ instead of health insurance.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pmIt’s the illness assurance industry.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:37 pmI gush with admiration toward Aetna. They are paying for US- for US-to recieve the best information possible. Shouldn’t you liberals be grateful? Or should Aetna grate you?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:37 pmralph, did I say that Rush was wearing his pants? No, you made that assumption. Rush is a very sharing and caring person and he let the Dominican boy wear his pants for a while. And gave him some money, too.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:37 pmCNN
Corporate News Network
Says it all.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:39 pmfear nada says: Republicans are FOR health insurance
Yes, we know. We know.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pmThis was either a very difficult admission on your part or a very large Freudian slip. I hope you didn’t hurt yourself either way. (You’d be taking money from the industry to patch you up if you were.)
Xisithrus says:
They should call it ‘Unhealthy Rescission’ instead of health insurance.
All ‘recission’ means is that the insurance company makes an incision in your policy to make sure it’s the best fit for you. It’s like surgery on your insurance policy. Everyone and everything goes in for a tune up, see?
Learned it from the company glossary.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pmfear nada says:
“Republicans are FOR health insurance,”
you forgot to add the “companies raping the american public with thei premiums and ‘pre-existing conditions’”
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pmI’d like to see Howard Dean sit on that panel.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pmso, fear nada,
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:41 pmthis: “Republicans are FOR health insurance,” must mean you’re for a public option, correct?
Finally!!
I’ve been waiting and waiting for an eloquent presentation, directed at the American Public, that explains to them in easy-to-understand terms how and why paying more and getting less equals freedom, and how important it is that there are companies like Aetna paying executives millions and millions of dollars a year so people can go to the Doctor.
I’ve always understood clearly how if these insurance comanies weren’t paying millions and millions of dollars to Executives, it would be nearly impossible for a Doctor to treat my illness, but I’m glad the public will finally get its chance to understand those important connections the way I do.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:41 pmfear nada,
what “scandal” is this? if it’s so well known, you’ll be able to provide a credible link, right?
this means no faux, no drudge, no world nut daily.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pmlet’s talk about your scandalousness instead, mr. nada.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pmfear nada says:
You’re all too cowardly to address the reid scandal.
Why don’t you address it first by posting a link to the supposed “scandal”? Or are you too cowardly to do so?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pmaww – that’s cute.
if only you had 9 friends mr. nada.
you’d really be able to not-prove something by voting down a comment on a blog.
i don’t understand why people aren’t more stoked to pay more and get less, either. (prolly ’cause they’re gay, right??)
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:46 pmYay, they assure investors they will screw you over when your ill.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:46 pmThere’s only one thing to say about this town hall meeting that’s being staged by Aetna.
YOU LIE!
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 pmAw, there’s troll pooh on this thread too–and I voted fear monger down here also.
fear monger–what a senseless waste of human life.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 pmfear nada says:
You’re all too cowardly to address the reid scandal. Shocker!
You fear anything a square inch outside your basement. STFU, stupid communist.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 pmWhats the bridge dwelling Lush Lintball psychoderm bleating about?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 pmIt’s just going to be a bunch of this, except in person.
.
fear nada says:
You’re all too cowardly to address the reid scandal. Shocker!
I’d love to address it. WTF are you talking about? Link? Anything?
This game is old. Wingnut complains about how we’re ignoring something vague, refuses to explain what they’re talking about, and when we finally find out there’s nothing there to begin with.
Just put up or shut up for once in your misbegotten life.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 pmI’ve lost count of how many times f.n. has changed his nickname. It’s like having to count for every breath you take during the day.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:50 pmi guess “fear nada” does fear something…apparently being asked to provide a credible link. he bagged ass rather quickly.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pmWhy would anyone fear the national association of automobile dealers (NADA)?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:52 pmfearful nada says:
Repukes are for enormous health insurance company profits
There, I fixed it for you, a thoughtful ‘thank you’ is not necessary.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:52 pmWait, this must be the “Reid scandal” that fear nada is talking about. It’s the only thing I could find on Google dated later than 2006.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:53 pmHey, remember when Reid became Senate majority leader, and Republicans thought it was a giant scandal that he owned part of a company that sold some land?
Good times.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:54 pmOff Topic,
I just received an e-mail response pertaining to my support of HR 1020 the “Arbitration Fairness of Act of 2009.” In it, my p.o.s. congressman tells me exactly what the act stands for and concludes by telling me he’ll keep me informed.
I already know how this major ahole republican is going to vote – though he neglects to mention that in his e-mail.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:54 pmIts more of a hedge fund for some MBA to pay his cronies and play Ponzi with than ‘health insurance’
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:55 pmWow. Sounds like a “seminar” that I went to a long time ago about ADD and ADHD that was sponsored by the makers of drugs that (surprise!) treated ADD and ADHD.
No conflict of interest there, eh?
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:57 pmSounds to me like Ice Cream is being debated by Ben and Jerry.
I’m just rather disappointed that Moorehouse is allowing itself to be used in this manner.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pmIt would be more fitting in they held this in Las Vegas
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:07 pmTownhall? More like a reciprocal butt scratching event.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 pmHarris: “My first question to the panelists: We already know that so-called “reform” will send seniors to death camps and ration health care so that virtually no-one receives it. My question to you: How many millions of Americans will die in the first year of this reform effort, and how many millions more thereafter? Isn’t it true that eventually, every American will die?”
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:27 pmI’d like to see Howard Dean representing our side. Actually I would have loved to have seen Howard Dean POTUS these last few years.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:31 pmI live in GA and know a lot about Morehouse. There are some sharp minds in that medical school. They can expect to hear some strong support for hcr. They may be surprised at the support there for Obama also.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:33 pmScrew the money grubbing, bloodsucking criminals from AETNA. I’ll die before I give them a red cent. They do nothing to earn it and they use their excess profits to lobby against my best interests.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pmmajii says:
That may be, but I’m sure Aetna will either screen them out or only take prescreened questions. No reason to let the riffraff speak.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pmMajii, I’m originally from GA also. By reputation I would definitely agree with you.
But when I look at this “event” it seems like they’re letting all the cards be stacked against them before it even starts. I definitely hope I’m wrong.
OTOH – remember the recent republican event where the first 2 rows were lilly white republicans ?
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:37 pmIt’s a big combo agitation & propaganda (agitprop) show combined with a focus group.
The focus group end of it consists of recording and analyzing what fact and truth people seem to be sticking with, and if it has negative implications for the industry, developing a new propaganda line to quash it.
The agitprop side will be pretty evident.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:50 pmfear nada says:
It isnt a scandal. You are just a moron. Senator takes money from industry STOP THE PRESSES. Your miniscule brain may be incapable of understanding, well, mud. Reid isnt advocating a single payer system so he IS for health insurance. Try to keep up
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:24 pmso why does this idiot fear “nada”
do Spanish words make him nervous?
is he simply afraid of the emptiness of his arguments?
inquiring minds want to know
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:27 pmSenator Ron Wyden
Phone: 202-224-5244
Then click here to report your call:
http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSOR_1&cp_id=1120&id=17304-6437254-dVivs3x&t=2
I finally got thru… and my question was:
Is Ron Wden on board with public option yet?
The staffer’s comment: He is open to public option.
My comment: Being open keeps us in limbo whether he is for or against public option, doesn’t it?
The staffer then took down my zip code and said he would relay the message.
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:30 pmEugeneDebs says:
It isnt a scandal. You are just a moron. Senator takes money from industry STOP THE PRESSES.
I keep searching pages off of Google for “Reid,” and haven’t found anything yet. If there is such a scandal, it’s sure well hidden.
I did find this, but it’s hardly a surprise. Perhaps this is more informative; of all the donations to Reid by category, insurance comes in last.
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:05 pmAnd that $80,000 will come out of recissions, no doubt!
September 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pmOh I get it, the Health Insurance Lobby elected the Repugnants and not their constituents. It’s all clear to me now, thanks queer nuts….
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Dear nada says:
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Uncle Ho says:
Republicans are FOR health insurance, Reid, not so much, though he still takes money from them. See the difference, hack? Keep your head plunged ever so deep in the sand, ok?
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 pmWow, $80,000 is a lot of money.
September 24th, 2009 at 8:06 amThat is until you compare it to President Obama’s Bozeman, Montana Lobster-fest Town Hall.
A healthy debate of this most critical issue is needed in all communities. It is the intent of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. and key supporters to always provide opportunities to inform, educate and empower our youth, their families and the communities in which they live. We have all witnessed the passionate health system reform debates that are taking place around the country. As we engage in respectful, and much needed dialogue, we must accurately report facts.
Fact: The Town Hall Meeting taking place in Atlanta tonight is an annual event that takes place in conjunction with the organization’s largest fund raising activity, which is the football game between Tennessee State Universtiy and Florida A&M University. This event supports the programs of Projects Success, while bringing much needed dollars to the schools. As part of the 100’s health and wellness initiative, an Annual Town Hall Meeting is conducted to educate the public on health issues impacting the African American Community. This forum is always free and open to the public.
Fact: Aetna is a long time partner of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc. The partnership extends well beyond tonight’s event and has always included health education components, community outreach and scholarship.
Fact: The Town Hall Meeting is being held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta, not Morehouse School of Medicine.
Fact: The Town Hall Meeting is not sponsored by Aetna at the sum of $80,000, as mentioned in your online article. Aetna has provided 100 Black Men of Atlanta a grant to support a wide variety of community programs that will be executed throughout the year.
To learn more about the programs of Project Success, the 100’s collegiate preparation and tuition reimbursement program, visit http://www.100blackmen-atlanta.org
September 24th, 2009 at 4:23 pmtware says:
Fact: Aetna is a long time partner of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inc.
Then maybe they should have held the town hall on a subject that isn’t of critical business interest to the sponsor. This is a clear conflict of interest, and creates the appearance that integrity of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta is for sale.
September 24th, 2009 at 11:18 pmRE: ElBruce @74:
Don’t you remember that Ronnie Raygun legalized conflicts of interest back in 1983?
September 25th, 2009 at 1:28 amThank you for your sharing.!
September 29th, 2009 at 6:33 amHealth care reform: Young adults a key to health care reform. vajina daraltma
September 30th, 2009 at 11:54 am