Depending on which ads one watches, the enemy of American health care is either the federal government or insurance companies, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The Club for Growth, a conservative group, warns in a $1.2 million advertising campaign that "Life-and-death decisions should be made by patients and doctors, not politicians and bureaucrats," while the liberal group MoveOn.org, has distributed footage of "sharks slithering through the water" as a narrator describes health insurance companies."The same old Washington politics of 'find an enemy and go to war' is a major step backward, not a step forward," said Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry group.
While MoveOn, the Obama administration, which points to industry "abuses" and "record profits" and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who called the companies "villains," attack health insurers, the industry is quietly fighting back, the Associated Press/Durango Herald reports.
"Industry lobbyists are using influential allies, a thick wallet and a strategy of avoiding blatant confrontation to block or weaken the proposal [for a public health insurance plan which they and Republicans oppose], which Democrats say would drive down costs by offering an alternative to private companies." Though some insurers and Republicans who oppose the overhaul plans say insurers should be more aggressive, the industry has remained outwardly supportive of "vaguely described bipartisan" reform (Fram, 8/9).
Insurance Insiders Give Views On Health Reform
In an interview with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington state Insurance Commissioner called the American health system out-dated.
In an interview with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Washington state Insurance Commissioner called the American health system out-dated.
The White House and the pharmaceutical lobby had earlier agreed to an industry contribution of $80 billion in savings over ten years, but House Democrats passing legislation have said they aren't bound by the agreement. Drug makers, meanwhile, asked the White House to publicly reiterate that the industries contribution would not top $80 billion (Kirkpatrick, 8/10).
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Fraud In U.S Home Health Care Industry Being Investigated
According to experts, the home health care industry of New York though booming, is dangerously under-regulated.
According to experts, the home health care industry of New York though booming, is dangerously under-regulated.
For example, "[a]n ad from Patients First, a project of the conservative Americans for Prosperity, uses alarming warnings that have become increasingly common from those opposed to health care reform… 'Do you trust Washington with your life?'" (Mascaro, 8/9).
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Majority In US Want More Government Intervention in Healthcare: Poll
The overwhelming majority of Americans support substantial changes to the country's health care system, including a government-run health insurance option, a new opinion poll found.
The overwhelming majority of Americans support substantial changes to the country's health care system, including a government-run health insurance option, a new opinion poll found.
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