Busy Fall Ahead For Health Reform Advocates

Obama's Plans To Monitor Insurance Companies Pick Up Support From Big Coalition

by Anna Edney

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008


Regardless of how the Democrats' presidential standard-bearer eventually frames the health care debate, one thing is clear: This might be a long fall campaign for insurance companies.

The health care proposal by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama calls for a watchdog group to monitor insurance companies.

"Private insurance companies are antithetical to truly guaranteeing health care for all with a single standard of care," said Norman Solomon, a national board member with Progressive Democrats for America and an elected Obama delegate from California's 6th Congressional District. "They're in the business of limiting and denying health care, while maximizing profits."

But one of the largest and newest health care coalitions is just fine with Obama's approach to insurance firms.

Health Care for America Now, a coalition of community groups, think tanks, labor unions, women's groups and others, has sought to have a strong presence this week and stands by Obama's plan to keep a keen eye on insurance companies.

"We think there has to be a real watchdog on what insurance companies can do... that the costs that the insurers add on need to be monitored," said Heather Booth, director of AFL-CIO's health care campaign. The labor organization is a member of Health Care for America Now.

The coalition's plan is to spend $25 million on advertising through Election Day and to place 100 organizers in 45 states.

Health Care for America Now is looking to frame the debate as whether Americans favor "a guarantee of quality affordable health care for all" or are "for leaving us on our own to buy private health insurance."

Kerry Greeley, the national development director for Health Care for America Now, said group leaders plan to ask as many state parties and delegations that will meet with them just that this week.

Despite the scorn, Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans said his organization made no plans to defend itself at this week's convention.

AHIP will continue to travel the country promoting its own plan for health reform, just not in Denver this week.

  •  
  •