Conservative Health Care Attack Group Hires Industry Lobbyist To Coordinate Strategy On Killing Reform
Conservative Health Care Attack Group Hires Industry Lobbyist To Coordinate Strategy On Killing Reform
Today, CNN obtained a memo from Conservatives for Patients’ Rights (CPR) sent to tea party organizations and conservative think tanks urging a coordinated approach to attacking health reform. The memo argues that a synchronized messaging strategy will help “to deliver a decisive ‘knock out’ punch” to health care legislation. CPR was started this year by health clinic and hospital executive Rick Scott, who helps to self-fund advertisements dishonestly smearing health reform. Although Scott has focused his attention on killing the public option, he has never acknowledged working directly with the health insurance industry.
However, yesterday CPR filed its third quarter lobbying disclosures with the U.S. Senate, revealing that the Swift-Boat style attack group has contracted veteran health insurance lobbyist Brian McManus. McManus, while at the same time advising CPR, is currently the Director of Federal Affairs at the Council for Affordable Health Insurance (CAHI), a private health insurance trade group advocating Health Savings Accounts. So while CPR has paid McManus at least $60,000, he continues to also collect an income from a private insurer-backed group.
CPR’s call to target an anti-reform message comes on the heel of news that Senate Republicans plan to kill reform by delaying a vote for as long as possible. A Roll Call article today explains that the GOP plan is to “delay, define and derail” health reform:
Senate Republicans, acknowledging they lack the votes to block a health care reform bill outright, have implemented a comprehensive political strategy to delay, define and derail. [...] The Republicans also plan to use the time between now and a final floor vote to deliver a narrowly focused message via a series of floor speeches, press conferences and media appearances. And even though GOP Members will discuss their counterproposals for health care reform, criticism of the Democratic bill will be the priority.
Despite the “hatchet job” report last week distorting the Finance Committee bill, the health insurance industry has tried to pretend it still supports reform. However, with the revelation that industry operative McManus is working with CPR, it appears the overall strategy for the insurers is to have Republicans slow down debate so that attack groups will have more time to air ads undermining reform.
McManus has a history of coordinating efforts among right-wing outside groups with lobbyists inside DC to advance legislation favorable to the private health insurance industry. After serving as the Vice President of Golden Rule, a subsidiary of health insurer giant UnitedHealth, McManus founded the “Health Care Freedom Coalition,” a network of astroturf front groups and think tanks. The Coalition works in tandem with organizations like FreedomWorks to promote a deregulation approach to health reform that would hurt consumer protections while adding to insurer profits.
ThinkProgress has documented how insurers have long used a “two-faced” campaign to, on the one hand present themselves to the public as committed to producing change, while at the same time orchestrating front-group based attacks on reform.
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Of course, how dare we try to even think of curtaling the giant gravy train the health insurance cabal has up and running?
They are entitled to extreme wealth and power, don’t you know?
If you get sick, it’s because you are an evil person who has incurred the wrath of the Almighty.
“Blessed are the health insurers, for they will inherit the earth.”
The silence of the churches across the board on this issue of a Public Option is deafening, and it is quite disheartening.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:06 pmisn’t Rick Scott a proven fraud?
i pity the poor saps who’d buy into his shtick,
and it’s criminal that someone’s paying him good money to go out and repeat his crime in public.
he and his benefactors deserve nothing more and nothing less than indictment and prosecution.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:12 pmTime for another Maddow investigation.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:18 pmYes, I think Rick Scott was the one who had to pay a 1.7 billion dollar fine for fraud in Medicare.
One more thing: those Health Savings Accounts are terrible: needless, endless paperwork, and then after the whole thing is over and done with, a year or so later, you will get a message that you had not offered the paperwork backing for a bill that neither you nor the health provider can find. And still they claim they will turn you into the IRS if you don’t pay a few hundred dollars on a bill you did not owe.
Full of fraud.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:20 pmThe repiggies admire frauds and shysters.
Look at what they stuck in the White House the previous eight years
October 19th, 2009 at 8:20 pmThe time has come for the Democrats to shut down ANY and ALL legislation which Republicans need or want, especially bacon-to-bring-home to their districts and put it all in the queue behind health care reform.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:25 pmConservatives for Patients’ Rights urges an attack on health reform. Do they even realize how absurd their title is when they are doing everything to destroy patients’ rights & health care improvement? My God, those conservatives are liars & haters. It’s all about greed, not patients.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:26 pmA repug would be the last person I’d consult with about health care.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:37 pmRepublic party creed:
Obscene profits for the few
October 19th, 2009 at 8:42 pmcharity to none.
Eric Holder needs to get off his lazy ass and start pressing charges. Why aren’t these criminals in prison? Why is there no rule of law?
October 19th, 2009 at 8:47 pmJesus! What a disgrace. Can’t they find ANYONE in the Repug corner who is a criminal or has a stain in their past?
October 19th, 2009 at 8:54 pmChange it to delay, redefine, and deny and you have the mantra of the health insurance industry. These goons have pulled this once too often. There are conservatives out there whose friends or family members have either died, or gone bankrupt, or both, due to the current abusive system.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:56 pm45,000 people DIE each year because of lack of health insurance! The more they delay, the more people die. THAT is class warfare plain and simple. Screw these people. We have waited long enough.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:04 pmActually he was removed from his company by the board of directors and his company had to pay the fine. The amount is correct and one of the largest in history.
Rick Scott is a criminal bastard that would go to prison if he were not a business man.
You rob a loaf of bread you will see jail. Rob the country and the taxpayers using a corporation you get to come back and rape us all again!!
This sh|t has to end.
We need a Constitutional Ammendment removing the power of corporations from government influence and insuring the power to lock up executives and board of directors for criminal activities.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:12 pmRaw Sewage.
Those are the only words I can come up with right for this pair.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:13 pm*
Empires are built on the wealth of the people and fail because that wealth is robbed by said empire.
Empire is a zero sum game.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:17 pmShouldn`t it be conservatives against patients rights?
October 19th, 2009 at 9:17 pmI mean seriously, how can anyone think that repugs care about a person getting healthcare. They care about the private insurance company`s making as much of a profit as possible.
Its like reagans trickle down BS. The bigger the profit for the insurance co. the more cash that trickles down to the repugs pockets.
There shouldn`t even be a debate. Americans are dying due to lack of healthcare. How the fck can anyone be against giving their fellow citizens healthcare.
Yeah, I just uncovered another astroturf group fighting climate change legislation. You know, if conservatives spent as much time, energy and resources coming up with actual solutions to our problems instead of fighting them with these phony grassroots groups funded by Koch Industries we’d all be better off.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:24 pmAnd in other news.
Poll finds majorities support two key, controversial points in health reform
Many back public option, insurance mandate
Queue the Wambulances for the Whiners. (You know who you are)
October 19th, 2009 at 9:27 pmDude in the left picture looks like he could be at a fascist rally. What’s he doing with his right arm?
October 19th, 2009 at 9:42 pmso, what’s the process to PREVENT this “delay, define and derail” ???
harry?
October 19th, 2009 at 9:44 pmHaven’t these CONservers done enough with their tea bagging parties?
The more they try to derail, the further they fall.
Isn’t there 5 or 6 HC insurance lobbyist for every person in Congress?
The idea Medicare part E, Medicare for everyone is catching on… hearing more and more about it on Thom Hartmann’s and Nicole Sandler’s show. This form of a public option would be the big threat the HC insurance lobbyists and industry would not want to face.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:55 pmand here goes…
Republicans seek health bill change
October 19th, 2009 at 10:05 pmReuters – Susan Heavey – ?3 hours ago?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US Republicans will seek amendments to parts of the Democrat’s healthcare reform they oppose, rather than push for an alternative plan to overhaul the $2.5 trillion system, a key senator said on Monday. …
http://www.reuters.com/article/Washington09/idUSTRE59I4Y720091019
Rethuglicans and corporate prostitutes are all criminals.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:06 pmkilling reform is enabling the evil doings of the HC insurance industry. You would think the obvious deaths and the others sentenced to death due to the wicked, immoral practices of the HC insurance industry would be enough to eliminate them altogether. I am finding it unbelievable there is even a question or defense of keeping business as usual.
Doesn’t this say a lot of who is really running the show?
October 19th, 2009 at 10:06 pmanyone see this yet? i won’t click on anything rupert…
‘Someone Else’s Mess’
Wall Street Journal – James Taranto – ?6 hours ago?
A reader passes along this video of President Obama speaking at a Democratic fund-raiser in San Francisco last week. …
deja vu? or a rerun?
October 19th, 2009 at 10:08 pmConservatives live to screw things up for everyone.
Wingnut Threat Level
October 19th, 2009 at 10:10 pmkasinca says:
Rethuglicans and corporate prostitutes are all criminals.
It is all too obvious… and yet these corporate evil doers were allowed a seat at the table to help write the health care bill…. while the single payer advocates were put in jail for trying to speak their mind.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:16 pmHealth Insurance companies have had many years to get this right, but instead have used the same tactic of delay, define and derail the health care of their customers. Time is up, get the greedy criminals out of the system. Medicare for all.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:21 pmThey are entitled to extreme wealth and power, don’t you know?
The silence of the churches across the board on this issue of a Public Option is deafening, and it is quite disheartening.
And very predictable. As more and more people are kicked off their private insurance, they will turn to God for healing. More church-goers = more donations on Sunday.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:33 pmEventually, health insurance and health care will cost more than the market will bear. When that happens, when employers discontinue coverage for millions, driving them to emergency rooms for the simple and the chronic, the system will collapse.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:37 pmIt’s time for the free unregulated markets to hire the hitman. We’re the f uckin Republican party. We don’t fight symmetrically . We own the reps. The people don’t pay shit for those congressmen, we do.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:42 pm…scum
…slime
…destroyers of America
…haters of American citizens
…lovers of greed, money, power, dictatorship
I’ve don’t have enough words to describe how evil people like these are.
October 19th, 2009 at 10:42 pmOlby Sucks says:
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
bla, bla, bla
Do you swallow Limpy’s stupid when you give him a blow job on his cyst?
October 19th, 2009 at 11:01 pmAt comment #15 I called for an amendment to the Constitution.
Why?
To get around the corrupt federal courts, including SCOTUS, that are in the pockets of the corporations.
Simple laws will be overturned by the courts. An amendment cannot be overturned by corrupt, reich-wing federal judges that always vote pro-business.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:02 pmRick Scott? No way – not even he would be this stupid…
You can’t fool me – that’s really Daniel Tosh, and this is another of his jokes!
October 19th, 2009 at 11:07 pmIntrepid says:
bla, bla, bla
Do you swallow Limpy’s stupid when you give him a blow job on his cyst?
Say you’re sorry now you sick puppy!
October 19th, 2009 at 11:08 pmAmending the constitution in that way would be unconstitutional. Since corporations are people, the founders envisioned their control of representation because our reps couldn’t possibly handle hundreds of thousands or millions of emails or telegrams. A few lobbyists and big checks streamlines the process.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:12 pmRick’s gonna get skin cancer on his nose. And that’s a pre-existing condition.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:16 pmWho wants to support Rick Scott’s greed, to every ones deficit? Tea baggers? Bushies? Republicans
October 19th, 2009 at 11:23 pmI reckon the feller on the right might be wantin’ some taters.. Umm hummm
October 19th, 2009 at 11:23 pmWhat the GOP REALLY means … says:
Intrepid says:
bla, bla, bla
Do you swallow Limpy’s stupid when you give him a blow job on his cyst?
Say you’re sorry now you sick puppy!
Ummm…… No.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:47 pmGolden Rule, my ass. After excluding any urinary tract claim for one year because of a kidney stone I passed in 2002, they raised my rates 15% last year and 17% this year. When I send in my payment, I make it payable to “Golden Screw”. So far, they haven’t cancelled me for that. As soon as my kid is in college, I’m moving back to Spain.
October 19th, 2009 at 11:55 pmdbadass says:
I reckon the feller on the right might be wantin’ some taters.. Umm hummm
October 19th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Spot on Sling Blade reference. :-D
October 19th, 2009 at 11:57 pmThe insurance companies will raise your premium as your age advances as well, getplaning.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:44 amAs a parent of a college senior, my advice is to move back to Spain while you still have enough money for airfare. College expenses can blow through your savings like a republican’s mistress, in the U.S., and the internship and job market for new grads is almost non-existent.
Besides, I’d move there in a minute if I could.
What a beautiful country,
and a culture that still appreciates what “quality of life” means.
I’m a proud member of P enisWorks … led by a Dick Armey.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:57 amMmmm, Spain. . . . .
October 20th, 2009 at 1:07 amTapas in Madrid, at midnite,
fresh squeezed Valencia orange juice and pastries,
Barcelona markets with manchego cheese and pan de orno
calamari and cold steamed white asparagus,
paella and sangria in Costa del Sol. . . .
Mmmm. . . . .
americans will line up to vote against their own best interests
that is what makes american the greatest nation on earth
ask any american we are best in everything
we even know how to make mega corp and personal profits from the sick and needy
we even call ourselves a christian nation making mega profits from the sick and needy
we even have the largest industrial military complex in the world as jesus taught to do
we want dominance in the world as jesus taught
we whorship at the altar of capitalism as jesus taught
yep we are a christian nation all right
now lets invade iran and steal their oil like we did in iraq like jesus taught.
watching a country self destruct can be very sad when it is your country
October 20th, 2009 at 1:15 amIf I had a Dick Armey, I’d take over Spain and eat and drink
October 20th, 2009 at 1:16 amwhatever I wanted to in a villa in Costa del Sol.
Yes, it is researcher, it’s heartbreaking.
October 20th, 2009 at 1:26 amAfter a day of debating ethics, (which is what political divisiveness has become) on local sites here in the bible belt,
I was entertaining myself with a mental holiday in Spain.
okie dokie
What do you suggest is best way to travel between Madrid and Barcelona?
Bus or train?
October 20th, 2009 at 1:35 am.
TRICK or TREAT!
Kiddies, Be a CEO! Be THAT Top 1%. Wear a three piece suit and hand out business cards with the name of your favorite Health Insurer CEO.
Parents, dawn the costume of Death, scythe and all and hang a sign around your neck scrawled on a panel of wood that says…
… “Health Care Claims Adjuster”.
h/t cheeseflap
October 20th, 2009 at 1:48 am:)
#324 katy,
Well, they do say, “Time to fish or cut bait”…
… I guess the G(no)P opted to ‘try’ to cut bait.
They haven’t been too keen on actually fishing for it.
I guess the only thing the G(no)P can say in 2012 is that they at least had a hand in the process.
Remember, this is the “NEW” G(no)P we’re still dealing with. They’re still Liars, Cheaters and yes, not only do they still have a front man, Mr. Steele, they’re happy when they can come up with ways to steal your monies, too! To date, I really don’t see a “CHANGE” in their future other than from the outside. This time, they get to see how “Progressives” and “Liberals” do it, just like we’ve been doing for over a decade.
.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:01 amOops…
… meant: “…like we’ve been doing(watching) for over a decade, FROM THEM!”
.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:06 amSorry, johny dol1ar, I was catching up on the other threads.
I haven’t travel directly from Barcelona to Madrid.
I was on a tour that made a loop south from Barcelona,
down to Costa del Sol, then inland, and ended in Madrid.
I’ve heard that the train is better. I’ll ask around and get back to you.
Make a trip to Toledo or Cordoba, while you’re there, if you can.
Sorry to be so O/T.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:34 amI guess I’m developing lying greedy facist corporate paid traitor rhetoric fatigue.
Don’t these a$$holes ever run out of pasty white guys in cheap suits to do their dirty work?
October 20th, 2009 at 2:41 amI think the RNC is “spawning” them here, RUCerious.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:54 amThey are incredibly white. Pinkish, really.
Maybe it’s a “Boys of Brazil” thing.
Anyone else seeing Nazis in the photo of this post? Yowzer!
October 20th, 2009 at 6:23 amThese are the boomers killing us with this non-sense:
http://americaspeaksink.com/2009/10/baby-boomers-the-virus/
October 20th, 2009 at 6:58 am56
okie dokie
Don’t trouble yourself. Thanks for the suggestions.
I just thought to ask you since you mentioned it.
With the Euro hovering around $1.50 USD, I’ve checked fares for both train and bus but they seem rather expensive when compared to similar distances in the US.
Thanks again.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:24 amThose who support Wall Street getting huge bonuses (like Glenn Beck does! He says it’s the law!) are the ones who are killing our nation right now.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:59 amIf we don’t get either the public option or single payer, it’s war.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am‘evgt’ wrote:”…shall inherit the earth.” Agreed, 20%!?
Reason for public option, or what are various typical results, from encountering sickness:
1) the individual, suffers a short-term illness;
2) the individual, suffers a long-term disability;
3) lower-level pandemic; results in partial social dislocation;
4) lower-level pandemic; results with top-to-bottom, social re-structuring;
5) pademic, results with (our) extinction!?
October 20th, 2009 at 9:41 amyes.. this is incredibly OT
and Yes, I hate the fact that I have become ‘one of those’..
but folks.. I think it’s time again that we get to the TRUTH.
It’s been years since the events of 9/11… if you haven’t looked into it in awhile.. it may be time to revisit the information.. 1000’s of professionals.. government officials .. decorated military officers .. and 9/11 victims question the ‘official story’..
I watched this today.. I think you should too..
http://www.ae911truth.org/flashmov11.htm
this is not ‘conspiracy theory’.. this is simply learning and facing the facts.
… otherwise.. I do apologize for the interruption of your regularly scheduled trollcast.. =)
October 20th, 2009 at 9:43 amjohnny dol1ar says:
okie dokie
What do you suggest is best way to travel between Madrid and Barcelona?
Bus or train?
Train. If you love scenery, take the Talgo.
If you want to get there quickly, take the AVE. It’s like flying across the ground, and it’s so smooth, you have to look out the window to tell if you are moving or not.
Another thing I would mention about Spain. All the women look like Penelope Cruz.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:21 amAren’t these conservatives supposed to be ‘pro-life’? Apparently the 45,000 people who die very year for lack of health care don’t count when it comes to multi-million dollar paychecks.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:47 pmAt Town Hall Meetings, the heat is turned up by individuals who sole focus is preventing that civil discourse. estetik News reports of lawmakers shouted down at town hall meetings capture more airtime than reports on the details of the health care reform proposals. burun estetigi And we hear the incredible myths about reform plans gögüs büyütme ameliyatlari Obama wants to kill your grandparents, Obama will ban private insurance, Obama will ration care and so on gögüs estetigi. Groups such as Freedom Works, Patients First, Recess Rally, Tea Party Patriots and Operation Embarrass Your Congressman are behind the organized protests. They are conducting what is known as Astroturf Lobbying. gögüs küçültme ameliyatlari Just as astroturf resembles real grass, astroturf lobbying may look like genuine grass-roots lobbying but is created and funded by corporations, industry trade associations, and public relations firms. vajina daraltma ameliyatlari During the Clinton Administration, front groups like “Rx Partners” and “Coalition for Health Insurance Choices” fought against health care reform. Both groups were created by public relations firms. lazer epilasyon Today, fact-checking groups like Media Matters find that industry representatives serve on the boards of the organizations out to defeat health care reform. karin germe estetigi Recently a former heath insurance corporate executive confirmed the insurance industry’s efforts to scare Americans away from meaningful health care reform. estetik Wendell Potter was a long-time executive with one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies. karin germe estetigi Wendell realized he was on the wrong side of the health care reform debate after witnessing Americans waiting in long lines to get much needed free health care. saç ekimi He observed that many in line thought they had decent health insurance until they got sick and were “purged” by their insurer. gögüs büyütme estetigi Others were told by their insurer to seek charity care and others simply could not afford health care coverage. gögüs diklestirme estetigi In a Public Television interview with Bill Moyers, Wendell shared the insurance industry strategy to create fear of reform gögüs küçültme estetigi: “The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possibly happen to them, that you’re heading down on the slippery slope towards socialism. vajina daraltma ameliyati So they have used scare tactics for years and years, to keep that from happening.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:11 am