Campaign for an American Solution - Latest News

Politico: Insurance Outreach Will See 'How Public is Feeling'

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: "The unprecedented effort by America's Health Insurance Plans, called the Campaign for an American Solution, includes a nationwide listening tour, advertising and an intense recruitment effort aimed at signing up Americans who are satisfied with their private insurance coverage…"

"The let’s-all-play-together approach is a marked departure from the Dr. No persona that helped insurers kill President Bill Clinton’s health care reform plan nearly 15 years ago..."

"Group officials have been quietly briefing health care leaders about the coming campaign, including former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, who gave it a positive review. The industry’s efforts and others are crucial, she said, to push health care reform to the forefront of the presidential debate so that it becomes a top priority for the next administration. 'Look, [insurers] already have considerable clout. They don't actually need to do this. I think they believe that they're going to learn something by doing this,' Shalala said. 'They want to get a feel for how the public is feeling out there.'"

To read the entire article, click here.

Columbus Dispatch: Health-Insurance Industry Wants to Show It Is Reform-Minded

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Columbus Dispatch: "...Insurers know their industry will be front and center when the presidential candidates debate what to do about rising health-care costs and uninsured Americans. More important, they know that their industry will be front and center when a new president and new Congress will have the first real chance since 1994 to pass a comprehensive overhaul of the health-care system."

"That's why America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group, is launching a national campaign this week that will extend from the politics of the presidential race into next year's Washington public-policy debate."

"The group is going to do the only thing it can to participate in the debate with credibility: sit down with all comers at public events and take its lumps as it tries to persuade everyone that the industry is serious about helping more than its bottom line."

To read the entire article, click here.

Health Insurance Plans Kick Off Health Care Reform Campaign

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today will launch the Campaign for an American Solution by participating in a roundtable discussion with people who are uninsured and community leaders in Columbus, Ohio.

The campaign is a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the Americans people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

“It is unacceptable that 47 million Americans are uninsured,” said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP. “We look forward to hearing directly from the people of Columbus about their personal experiences and to sharing ideas about fixing health care.”

Today’s discussion with uninsured Ohioans is the first of many events that will take place this year. The campaign will engage in conversations with Americans from all walks of life—those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and working families from diverse communities.

The campaign today also announced a new print and online advertising effort to call attention to the challenges facing the U.S. health care system and encourage Americans to join the campaign.

According to Urban Institute and Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured estimates based on U.S. Census Bureau March 2006 and 2007 Current Population Survey data, slightly more than 1.2 million Ohioans are uninsured, or 11 percent of the state’s population. The same report estimates nearly 47 million Americans or 16 percent of Americans do not have insurance coverage.

Over the past two years, AHIP’s Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to cover the uninsured, make health care more affordable, improve the quality of care and guarantee access to coverage in the individual market.

AHIP’s plan to cover the uninsured is based on building on the strengths of the current system to make health insurance accessible to all Americans. Key elements of the plan include:

Making eligible for Medicaid every uninsured American living in poverty.
Strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program to include all children from low-income uninsured families.
Creating a health care coverage tax credit for working families.
Giving workers real portability with a new tax-free portable health account that can be used to purchase any type of health care coverage. Individuals, employers, the federal government and state governments could all contribute to the account.
Establishing a new federal performance grant program to assist states in expanding access to coverage, reducing costs and improving quality.

Today’s discussion in Columbus is unscripted, on-the-record and open to members of the news media. The uninsured Ohioans and community leaders participating in the roundtable are not being compensated.

About the Campaign for an American Solution
The Campaign for an American Solution is a non-partisan, educational and grassroots initiative of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national trade association whose members provide coverage to more than 200 million people. The Campaign’s goal to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles supported by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

AP: In Ohio, Insurance Industry Touts Health Reform

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Associated Press: "The health insurance industry is entering the campaign debate over how to make health care more affordable while retaining a large role for the private sector."

"America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry lobbying group, begins a nationwide tour in Columbus on Tuesday to seek comment on its ideas from uninsured Americans."

"The industry, whose famous "Harry and Louise" TV ad campaign helped scuttle President Clinton's efforts to reshape the health care system in the 1990s, says it wants to be less partisan."

To read the entire article, click here.

Campaign for an American Solution Announces Series of Ads

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Campaign for an American Solution announces the launch of its nationwide listening tour with a series of ads.

To view the new ads, click here.

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Health Insurance Industry Launches Own Reform Drive in Ohio

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: The health insurance industry wants you to know it feels your pain before the next president makes it feel some pain.

To get ahead of the election debate on health-care reform, the nation's main health insurance trade group kicks off a nationwide health-care reform drive in Columbus today with a public meeting between its CEO and a group of uninsured Ohioans. America's Health Insurance Plans is planning events and TV ads throughout the country but picked Ohio to launch its campaign because it's a battleground state that demographically reflects the nation.

Health-care reform ranks just behind the economy and Iraq war as the most important issue to voters, according to a nationwide poll released last week by Quinnipiac University. Health care advocates believe the next president will make changes.

To read the entire article, click here.

CQ: AHIP Announces New Campaign to Provide Health Insurance for All

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Congressional Quarterly: Insurance lobby America’s Health Insurance Plans has entered the ensuing debate on how to overhaul health care with the launch of a new grassroots campaign designed to provide high-quality and affordable insurance for all.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

National Underwriter: AHIP Unveils Outreach Campaign

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From National Underwriter: America’s Health Insurance Plans representatives today traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to launch an effort to make its case to voters.

AHIP, Washington, introduced the AHIP Campaign for an American Solution initiative with a roundtable discussion that included community leaders and uninsured people from Columbus.

The campaign also includes new print ads and new Web ads.

AHIP has been trying to counter arguments in favor of a single-payer health system by supporting efforts to provide different types of help for different types of uninsured people.

To read the entire article, click here.

BNA: Insurance Association Launches Campaign to Increase Support for Reform Proposals

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Reproduced with Permission from BNA's Health Care Daily Report: America's Health Insurance Plans, a lobby group for the insurance industry, kicked off its Campaign to gain grassroots support for and get feedback on the association's proposals for health care reform July 22 in a discussion with uninsured individuals in Columbus, Ohio.

The "Campaign for an American Solution" stop was the first in a number of roundtable discussions with citizens across America about the association's plans for universal coverage and more affordable, higher quality care, which focus on the private sector and the government both playing a role.

"People are looking for a blend of the best of the public and private sector strategies," AHIP Chief Executive Officer Karen Ignani said in a teleconference with reporters about the campaign. "The issue of healthcare is front and center for regular people and they are going to be expecting the next president not only to prioritize it but to get the job done."

Protest

Health Care for America Now, a coalition of unions including the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union, and other organizations like MoveOn.org, protested the event in Ohio.

"Americans know that the last people we can trust to fix the health care mess are insurance companies," Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager for Health Care for America Now, said in a statement.

AHIP's proposal is to guarantee coverage by creating state-sponsored Guarantee Access Plans to cover the highest-risk individuals, those with expected claims that are two times the statewide average or more, and having health insurance companies guarantee coverage to all other applicants, according to the Campaign's Web site.

The plan would also limit rescissions, the retroactive cancellation of a holder's health insurance plan because of mistakes or misrepresentations on their application, and would create a third-party review process to resolve disputes about pre-existing condition exclusions and rescissions.

Strategies to repair the safety net, development of refundable tax credits for working families, and plans to address cost and quality issues will also be discussed during the campaign's meetings with consumers, Ignagni said.

Reproduced with permission from BNA's Health Care Daily Report, Vol. 13, No. 141 (July 23, 2008).
Copyright 2008 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
(800-372-1033)
http://www.bna.com

Modern Healthcare: Campaign for Reform

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: As the lobbying group for health insurers embarks on its coast-to-coast "listening tour" and launches an advertising campaign to build support for its healthcare reform ideas, providers said they were encouraged yet still skeptical about the industry's motivations.

The campaign started last week in Columbus, Ohio, where America's Health Insurance Plans held a roundtable discussion with uninsured Ohioans at a local YMCA. Those uninsured attending the hourlong session included a recent college graduate, a woman who lives at the YMCA and an attorney. Outside, about 200 protesters picketed the event.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Detroit Free Press: Health Insurance Trade Group Meets Detroiters

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Detroit Free Press: April Readus just had a child. She worked that Friday, she said, gave birth on Saturday, and was back to work on Tuesday to earn money for pediatrician visits.
Oneida Gorecki left her job in June. She said she kept her hours low to keep her husband eligible for Medicare. She relies on Mercy Primary Care Center, a facility on Detroit's east side that serves uninsured people.

Charilyn Goolsby is insured through her husband's work, but said she can't afford to give health insurance to the workers at her small business.

Readus, Gorecki and Goolsby were three of six women who met at Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit at the request of the health insurance industry group AHIP, America's Health Insurance Plans. They talked to Chief Executive Karen Ignagni about their health care and insurance issues. This was AHIP's second meeting on health care reform in its Campaign for an American Solution.

The women's message: We need better and affordable health care and coverage. We need to be treated equally, regardless of our insurance status. We need universal health care.

AHIP's response: We need more federal funding to shore up the safety net of public programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and MIChild.

We need better subsidies. We need to cap health care expenses. We need tax credits for working individuals who earn up to $80,000 to use toward health care.

To read the entire article, click here.

WJR Detroit: CEO of America's Health Insurance Plan on "The Big Story"

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From WJR AM760 Detroit: Karen Ignagni, CEO of America's Health Insurance Plan, was interviewed on The Big Story on WJR AM760 in Detroit, Michigan.

To download audio or read a transcript of the broadcast, click here.

Politico: They're Back...

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: Harry and Louise – that fictional Everyman couple that starred in ads widely credited with helping to kill health-care reform in 1994 – are returning to the small screen. This time, though, they’ll be urging that an overhaul of the health-care system be the nation’s top domestic priority.

The spots, featuring the same actors and kitchen table, will run through both Republican and Democratic national conventions, airing between August 24 and Sept. 7, said Stephanie Cathcart, spokeswoman for the National Federation of Independent Business.

To read the entire article, click here.

Politico: Harry and Louise II

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Politico: The new Harry and Louise ad we told you about yesterday is now on the Web. In the 30-second spot, the two chat about "Lisa’s husband," who was diagnosed with cancer but can't afford coverage because he joined a startup.

"Too many people are falling through the cracks," Harry says.

"Whoever the next president is, health care should be at the top of his agenda. Bring everyone to the table and make it happen," Louise replies.

The original Harry and Louise ads were credited with helping to kill health care reform in 1994 and were paid for by the now-defunct Health Insurance Association of America, a forerunner of America’s Health Insurance Plans.

To read the entire article, click here.

Ignagni Joins Ad Sponsors at Press Conference

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today welcomed a new ad campaign by a broad stakeholder coalition that urges the next president and Congress to put health care reform at the top of the national agenda.

Sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, Families USA and the National Federation of Independent Business, the ads feature the fictional characters Harry and Louise.

Appearing with the sponsor organizations at a news conference at the National Press Club, AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni applauded their focus on cooperation and consensus building.

"We fully support this campaign because the seeds of workable reform are planted in efforts like this: diverse stakeholders from across the spectrum working together to find common ground," Ignagni said.

"Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care. Our plan is coverage you can afford, coverage you can keep, coverage for all Americans," said Ignagni.

"While offering solutions is important, we know that real progress will not happen unless stakeholders reach out and work together. That’s why we are pleased to be here to lend our support as the AHA, the American Cancer Society, the Catholic Health Association, Families USA and NFIB come together to launch this new campaign," said Ignagni.

C-SPAN: Harry & Louise Healthcare Ads Return

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From C-SPAN: Harry and Louise, the fictional couple who helped to defeat the Clinton health reform program, return for Campaign 2008. A coalition of health associations and the National Federation of Independent Business, which created the original campaign, discuss the new ads at a National Press Club news conference.

To watch the discussion, click here.

CBS News: Health Care Ads Go Retro, With a Twist

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From CBS News: They were television icons back in the 1990s - a fictional couple starring not in a sitcom, but in political ads that transformed a very real national debate, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews.

Fifteen years ago, when President Clinton was proposing universal health coverage and First Lady Hillary Clinton was selling it to Congress, the Harry and Louise ads instantly unified the opposition by labeling the Clinton plan a government takeover.

"The government picks health plans, then we have to pick a plan from their list," Louise used to complain to her husband.

To read the entire article and view video from the CBS News piece, click here.

Modern Healthcare: Getting the Party Started

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: Healthcare interest groups, lobbyists and politicos are pumping millions of dollars and an untold number of hours into an effort to keep healthcare a major part of the agenda at the upcoming Democratic and Republican nominating conventions.

With the headlines currently dominated by the struggling economy, the lending crisis and military action by Russia, the conventions—the Democrats in Denver and the GOP in Minnesota's Twin Cities area—may be the industry's best chance to capture the attention of the country's leaders before the election. Both of the presumed major party candidates, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, have released plans for reforming healthcare, but the conventions will allow the nominees and the party to fine tune their messages for the final thrust before the November election.

"Conventions and the presidential debates, that's when the public pays attention," said Allan Lichtman, professor of history at American University in Washington.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

Press Release: Uninsured Report Highlights Urgent Social and Economic Challenge for the Nation

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release – Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), today released the following statement on new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau showing that more than 45 million Americans are uninsured:

"Today's report showing that 45 million Americans are uninsured highlights a critical social and economic challenge that the nation must address. While the Census Bureau reports a modest decline in the uninsured rate, this does not reduce the urgency of the crisis. Over the past two years, our community has put forth a series of proposals to cover the uninsured, improve quality, and reduce skyrocketing health care costs. We need coverage for all Americans, coverage they can afford, and coverage they can keep."

L.A. Times: Number of Americans Without Health Insurance Falls

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Los Angeles Times: Thanks mostly to expanded government health coverage for children, the number of people without health insurance fell in 2007 for the first time since President Bush took office, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday.

In all, the number of people without health insurance dropped last year to 45.7 million, from 47 million in 2006, according to the bureau's annual report on income, poverty and health insurance. That's a drop to 15.3% of Americans from 15.8%.

Some healthcare experts had expected the number of uninsured to increase as the long-term erosion of private, employment-based coverage continued. Instead, the figures showed a shift toward government coverage that added fuel to the debate over how to best expand access to healthcare.

To read the entire article, click here.

Modern Healthcare: Census Bureau Finds Decline in Ranks of Uninsured

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Modern Healthcare: The number of uninsured people declined 3.2% to 45.7 million, or 15.3% of the population, in 2007 from 47 million, or 15.8% of the population, in 2006, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

"We haven't completely evaluated the causes" for the drop in the number of uninsured, although expansion in public health insurance is a likely reason, David Johnson, chief of the bureau's housing and household economic statistics division, said during a news conference.

The percentage of those covered by government health programs increased to 27.8%, or 83 million, in 2007 from 27%, or 80.3 million, in 2006, the Census Bureau found in its report Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007. In other findings, the number of uninsured children declined 6.9% to 8.1 million from 8.7 million. The numbers of those covered by private or employer-based coverage did not change much from 2006 to 2007.

While some healthcare experts were encouraged by the report, Karen Ignagni, president and chief executive officer of America's Health Insurance Plans, cautioned that a modest decline in the uninsured rate does not reduce the urgency of the healthcare crisis. "Today's report showing that 45 million Americans are uninsured highlights a critical social and economic challenge that the nation must address," she said in a written statement.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).

KCPW News: Small Business Owners Share Health Care Frustrations

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KCPW News: Small business owners gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Wednesday afternoon to share their frustrations about health insurance. Rocky Snow, who owns a small confection broker, discussed the problems he faces with Utah's Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool.

"The premium I face with this particular program is $648 a month and basically covers nothing. I've got to be just about dead before they're gonna step in and do anything. My wife, because she is on two different medications, was denied coverage," said Snow. "I finally worked with SelectHealth on that, and got them to where they will cover her, but it's basically after a $3,000 deductible. Basically, she's gotta be dead, too, before she gets any coverage."

Snow said he still pays much higher premiums than he did a decade ago even though he's much healthier.

Karen Ignagni is the CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing 1,300 health insurance companies. Her organization has launched the Campaign for An American Solution, which is collecting health care stories across the country. She addressed Snow's concerns, along with several others.

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Listens to Health Care Concerns of Utah Small Business Owners

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) today met with Utah small business owners at a roundtable discussion on health care issues at the Salt Lake Chamber.

The roundtable is part of the health insurance industry's Campaign for an American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"Health system reform is our top priority," said Lane Beattie, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. "By employing private market principles and expanding accountability at all levels of the health system we can contain costs and improve quality of life."

"Affordable coverage for small businesses must be at the center of health care reform," said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP, the national association of health insurers. "We have offered a reform plan that would not only make coverage more affordable for small businesses, but would also make it easier for their employees to accept coverage when it is offered."

Today's discussion with Utah small business owners is the latest in a series of conversations the health insurance industry is having with Americans from all walks of life — those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and families from diverse communities.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the employer-paid portion of health insurance premiums for a Utah family was $10,975 in 2006, or double the rate in 2000. In 2006 alone, health care costs in Utah increased by twice the rate of earnings and more than double the rate of inflation. In Utah, 60% of businesses offer coverage to their employees today, down from 70% eight years ago. Gaps in coverage exist between large and small firms. While 90% of companies with 50 or more employees provide coverage, only 32% of firms with fewer than 50 employees provide health care for their workers.

AHIP's Board of Directors has developed comprehensive health care reform policy proposals that would ensure access to coverage for all Americans, reduce its cost and improve quality. Small businesses would benefit from AHIP proposals for health care reform that would:

Create a health care tax credit for working families. This proposal would help employees contribute to the cost of employer-sponsored coverage, thus reducing the number of workers who forego such benefits because they cannot afford to pay their share of the premium. Tax credits could also prompt more small businesses to offer employee health benefits in the first place.
Give workers real portability with a new tax-free portable health account that can be used to purchase any type of health care coverage. Individuals, employers, the federal government and state governments could all contribute to the account. This proposal would also assist individuals in taking up employer-sponsored coverage and help them keep their coverage when they are between jobs.
Encourage states to allow product flexibility so health insurance plans can offer a wide variety of affordable coverage options to small businesses. If state regulators allowed more flexible products more small business owners could afford to offer coverage.
Provide $50 billion for a new Federal Performance Grant to assist the states in expanding access to coverage. These funds would be used to support a wide range of innovative initiatives, including reforms targeted to help small employers.
Invest in comparative effectiveness to give all employers and employees better information about the safety, quality and cost-effectiveness of competing medical treatments and technologies.
Reform the medical liability system to help control costs.

The Salt Lake Chamber actively engages in health system reform. To further the objectives of H.B. 133, Health System Reform, and at the request of the state legislature, the Chamber is working with the business community to form a consensus and present specific recommendations on health system reform.

About the Campaign for an American Solution
The Campaign for an American Solution is a non-partisan, educational and grassroots initiative of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national trade association whose members provide coverage to more than 200 million people. Our campaign is grounded in reform principles that are shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability. Please visit www.americanhealhsolution.org for more information.

About the Salt Lake Chamber
The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah's largest business association and Utah's Business Leader. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber has been standing as the voice of business, supporting its members' success and championing community prosperity for over 100 years. The Chamber represents over 4,200 businesses statewide and one in every three jobs in the Utah economy. Chamber affiliate organizations include the Downtown Alliance and World Trade Center Utah.

Deseret News: Lawmakers, Executives Discuss Health Care Reform

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From Deseret News: In an effort to show they are part of the health-care crisis solution, not the problem, a contingent of medical insurance executives spent Wednesday in Salt Lake talking with a contingent of small business executives and state lawmakers.

Invoking the historic natural alliance of the insurance industry and business — the most common source of insurance coverage for Utahns and all Americans is workplace-endorsed medical plans — options for fixing the numerous gaps in health-care access, quality and affordability were on the lunch menu at the Salt Lake Chamber offices.

"Health-system reform is our top priority," Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the chamber said after the meeting. "By employing private market principles and expanding accountability at all levels of the health system we can contain costs and improve quality of life."

To read the entire article, click here.

KCPW News: Health Insurance Industry Executive Advocates for Federal Policy Changes

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KCPW News: Local business owners and care providers who are aggravated by the state of health insurance coverage shared their struggles with an industry executive this week. They gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday to speak and listen to Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing 1,300 insurance companies.

To read the entire article, click here.

To download the complete audio of a conversation with Karen Ignagni, right-click here.

To download audio excerpts of a conversation with Karen Ignagni, right-click here and here.

KUER News: Small Business Owners Gather at Salt Lake Chamber

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From KUER News: A handful of small business owners gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber today, worried about the high price of health care and access to insurance.

Rocky Stone runs a local confections company in Salt Lake. He says health care providers and insurance companies need to be more flexible on who they insure and how much they charge.

To hear Rocky Stone speak about the cost of health care, click here.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 32 percent of Utah businesses with fewer than 50 employees provide health care for their employees.

Today's meeting was organized by a national health insurance association which is pushing for national health care reform.

To visit the KUER site, click here.

Mainstreet Business Journal: Health Insurance Industry Listens to Small Business Owners

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From The Mainstreet Business Journal: America's Health Insurance Plans last Week met with Utah small business owners at a roundtable discussion on health care issues at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

The roundtable is part of the health insurance industry's Campaign for An American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

The discussion with Utah small business owners was the latest in a series of conversations the health insurance industry is having with Americans from all walks of life - those with coverage and those without, small business owners and employees, union leaders and members, physicians and other providers, and families from diverse communities.

To read the entire article, click here.

Michigan Chronicle: Detroit Families Target of AHIP Campaign

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Detroiters recently shared their personal healthcare stories during a roundtable discussion held at Second Ebenezer Church.

It was moderated by New York Times journalist Dirk Johnson and hosted by the America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution. Karen Ignagni, president and CEO, will take these stories back with her to Washington.

"There's going to be a lot of discussion in Washington in this campaign season as well as post November about where healthcare should rank on the priority list," Ignagni said. "What I'm going to try to do is reflect the personal stories here about why healthcare has to be one of the (foremost) issues. I think it has to be a (top) priority."

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Health Care Reform in Albuquerque

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution today hosted a roundtable discussion in Albuquerque at which local government, business, health care and community leaders shared ideas about health care reform and reducing the disparities in care experienced by diverse communities.

"Reducing health care disparities needs to be a part of the health care reform discussion," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "In addition to offering reform proposals, health insurance plans are working with all stakeholders to close the gap in the quality of care experienced by culturally diverse populations across the country."

The roundtable discussion, which was held at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, was the sixth stop on the listening tour of AHIP' Campaign for an American Solution, a new national grassroots and educational initiative to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (AHCC), the Association of Commerce and Industry and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce joined together to advocate a balanced solution to reducing the disparities in health care delivery. We see this event as an opportunity to continue the discussion around health care without endorsing one approach over another. In the end, our goal is to help find a way to reduce the costs for small businesses to provide quality care for all of their employees," said Alex Romero, President and CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Reducing health care disparities is a top priority in New Mexico, where chronic conditions such as diabetes disproportionately impact the state's Hispanic population. The New Mexico Department of Public Health's 2007 Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Report Card shows that New Mexico's diabetes mortality rate is higher than that of the United States and that a large percentage of New Mexican minorities have not received recommended vaccinations.

In addition, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 22% of New Mexicans were uninsured in 2006, compared with 16% nationally. Of non-elderly uninsured individuals, 45% were Hispanic, compared to 33% nationally.

By 2050, racial and ethnic minorities will represent 50 percent of the U.S. population. This demographic shift will make it even more important to focus on strategies for delivering high-quality, linguistically and culturally appropriate care. For the past five years, AHIP has led a multi-faceted initiative, Addressing Disparities in Health, which provides technical support for health insurance plans and other health care organizations. The initiative focuses on:

the collection of data on race, ethnicity and primary language;
cultural competency training as a foundation to improve care;
model designs for quality improvement activities to reduce disparities; and
communication approaches that address the cultural diversity of America's growing racial and ethnic population.

To learn more about these efforts visit www.ahip.org/disparities.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to provide all Americans with greater access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage. These proposals can be viewed at www.AHIPBelieves.com.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Insurance Giants Have Own Ideas on Reform

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: If Wall Street ever rights itself, the next president might shift his attention to fixing the nation's health care mess.

Until then, the nation's top medical insurance companies will be waiting with their ideas. The industry's trade group has been working on this issue for two years, promoting a plan to cover all Americans, holding roundtable discussions across the country and trying to prepare for whomever moves into the White House in January.

"The reason we're doing that is we're recognizing that the current system is not working for everybody," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for AHIP, the Washington-based trade group. "People are falling into the cracks."

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Rhode Island Working Families and Small Business Owners

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: Working families and small business owners today shared their health care stories and their priorities for health care reform at a roundtable discussion in Providence, Rhode Island, hosted by America's Health Insurance Plans' (AHIP) Campaign for an American Solution.

"Families and small business owners in Rhode Island and across the country are urging policymakers to make health care reform a top priority," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "We presented our health care reform proposals and received valuable feedback from concerned citizens in Providence. Rhode Islanders agree that we need coverage for every American, coverage they can afford, and coverage they can keep."

The roundtable discussion, which was held at the Rhode Island Quality Institute, was the seventh stop on the listening tour of AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution, a national grassroots and educational initiative launched in July to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to cover the uninsured, improve the quality and safety of health care, reform the individual health insurance market, and reduce rising health care costs. At each stop on the listening tour, AHIP is sharing these proposals and soliciting feedback from the participants to ensure they are addressing the key health care challenges facing Americans across the country.

To learn more about AHIP's health care reform proposals, visit www.AHIPBelieves.com.

Rhode Island -- and New England -- has fewer uninsured residents than the rest of the country, with 10% of Rhode Islanders and 11% of New Englanders lacking coverage, according to the 2008 National Health Statistics Report. In 2006, the average Rhode Island family paid 20% of the premium for health insurance coverage offered through work, or $2,387, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This was nearly $500 less than the national average. Among small businesses in Rhode Island, 57% offer health coverage to employees, as opposed to the national average of 43%.

WLNE-TV: Healthcare Reform in Rhode Island

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From WLNE-TV: We begin with talking about healthcare reform in Rhode Island. Members of the insurance industry are meeting today to discuss ways to provide more Rhode Islanders with health insurance. The discussion is part of the group's campaign for workable healthcare reform. The meeting is set to take place at Foundry in Providence at 12:45 this afternoon.

To read the entire transcript and view the video, click here.

Press Release: Health Insurance Industry Discusses Strategies to Lower Costs and Expand Coverage with Arkansas Governor’s Roundtable on Health Care

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Press Release: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni today met with the Arkansas Governor's Roundtable on Health Care to discuss the health insurance industry’s proposals to reduce health care costs, improve quality and ensure that every American is covered.

"I'm pleased to join this distinguished panel of leaders to exchange ideas and solutions on how we can make the health care system work better for all Arkansans and all Americans," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP. "Health plans have made specific proposals to ensure that all Americans have quality, affordable health care. I look forward to discussing these proposals with the roundtable and hearing their feedback and discussion."

Ignagni's participation in today's discussion is the latest stop of AHIP's Campaign for an American Solution national listening tour. The Campaign is a grassroots and educational initiative launched by AHIP in July to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability.

"The Governor's Roundtable on Health Care embodies the approach that is needed across the country." Ignagni said. "We also believe that the only way to solve our health care challenges is to work together to build consensus. The partisan politics of the past won't work," Ignagni continued.

Over the past two years, AHIP's Board of Directors has developed a range of comprehensive policy proposals to provide all Americans with greater access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage. These proposals can be viewed at www.AHIP.org.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 17% of Arkansans are uninsured, compared to 15% nationally. Fifteen percent of Arkansas's gross state product is expenditures for health care, and these costs are growing by 9% per year on average.

The Arkansas Governor's Roundtable on Health Care was formed to help improve Arkansans' health and productivity through optimal program development, community support, and empowerment of individuals.

The Roundtable has been meeting bi-monthly to identify, develop, and implement strategies to improve health, deliver care, and enhance both worker productivity and the business climate to advance the state.

National Journal: Tax Changes for Health Care?

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

From National Journal: America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) President and CEO Karen Ignagni is among the experts offering an answer to this question - "Is there a sensible way to change the tax treatment of health care that would be palatable to both Republicans and Democrats?"

To read the entire article, click here.

CNN: Health Reform: What's Next?

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From CNN: A look at President-elect Obama's health care plan and the medical community's response. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.

To watch the clip, click here.

Washington Post: Senators Hurry to Keep Health Care in Forefront

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Washington Post: Two of the Senate's most influential leaders are working separately behind the scenes on legislation that would dramatically alter the way Americans get health care, hoping their early efforts -- including the release today of a position paper -- will push President-elect Barack Obama to move rapidly on the issue and spare the incoming administration some of the missteps that killed Bill Clinton's health reform initiative in 1994.

To read the entire article, click here.

MarketWatch: Senator Outlines Health-Reform Proposal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From MarketWatch: A prominent Democratic senator released a much-anticipated framework for health-care reform Wednesday that would eventually go one step further than President-elect Barack Obama's health proposal in guaranteeing coverage for all Americans.

Max Baucus of Montana, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, released an 89-page "Call to Action" that he said represents his vision for reform.

To read the entire article, click here.

Press Release: AHIP Statement on Senator Baucus’ Health Care Reform Proposal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Press Release: Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), today issued the following statement in response to the new health care reform proposal released by U.S. Senator Max Baucus:

"Now is the time for health care reform. We commend Senator Baucus for putting forth a comprehensive reform proposal that addresses the key health care challenges facing the nation. We look forward to reading the plan and participating in the discussion to ensure all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable health care coverage."

To read a summary of the proposal, right click here and select save.

To read the full proposal, right click here and select save.

Press Release: Health Plans Propose Guaranteed Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions and Individual Coverage Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Press Release: Health plans today proposed guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions in conjunction with an enforceable individual coverage mandate.

Under the new proposal, health plans participating in the individual health insurance market would be required to offer coverage to all applicants as part of a universal participation plan in which all individuals were required to maintain health insurance.

Health plans also said that premium support for moderate-income individuals and broad spreading of risk was necessary to promote affordability and maintain premium stability in the individual health insurance market.

To ensure that all Americans can access coverage, health plans also reiterated their long-standing support for making eligible for Medicaid every uninsured American living in poverty and strengthening the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

"No one should fall through the cracks of our health care system," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). "Universal coverage is within reach and can be achieved by building on the current system."

The announcement follows a nationwide listening tour conducted by AHIP as part of its Campaign for an American Solution. Concerns about coverage for pre-existing conditions, continuity of coverage for those between jobs and maintaining affordability for those with insurance were raised repeatedly across the country.

"AHIP's Board of Directors is responding to the concerns of the American people by offering a workable solution to ensure that no one is left out of the health care system because of their health, age, income or employment status," said Ignagni.

The new proposal builds on the series of comprehensive reform plans that AHIP's Board of Directors began releasing in November 2006. Further reform proposals addressing the affordability, accessibility and quality of health care are anticipated in the weeks ahead.

Summary of AHIP's Proposal to Guarantee Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions and Promote Affordability in the Individual Insurance Market:

Guarantee-issue coverage with no pre-existing condition exclusions;
Establish an individual coverage requirement with an insurance coverage verification system, an automatic enrollment process and effective enforcement of the requirement that all individuals purchase and maintain coverage;
Promote affordability by: providing refundable, advanceable tax credits for moderate-income individuals and working families; and promoting tax equity whether coverage is obtained through an employer or the individual market; and
Ensure premium stability for those with existing coverage through a broadly funded reimbursement mechanism that spreads costs for the highest-risk individuals.

Background on the Individual Market and Guarantee Issue

AHIP's survey of the individual market shows that individually purchased health insurance is far more affordable and accessible than is widely known. The survey found that 9 out of 10 applicants undergoing medical underwriting were offered coverage. The plans commonly purchased by consumers provided substantial financial protection and a wide range of benefits, including coverage for behavioral health, prescription drugs and preventive services.

Some individuals are unable to purchase individual health insurance coverage in the private market because of their health status. One approach taken by states to address this issue has been the enactment of guarantee issue legislation requiring health plans to offer coverage to all applicants. These well-intentioned reforms have often resulted in severe unintended consequences, including significantly higher costs for all policyholders.

A report by Milliman, Inc. found that enactment of guarantee issue laws in the absence of requirement that individuals purchase coverage may incentivize people to defer seeking coverage until they have health problems – a situation which unfairly penalizes those who are currently insured. According to the report, states that implemented these laws saw a rise in insurance premiums, a reduction of individual insurance enrollment and no significant decrease in the number of uninsured. To learn more about the individual market survey and the Milliman report, please visit www.ahip.org.

AP: Insurers Make Pitch for Health Coverage Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From The Associated Press: The health insurance industry said Wednesday it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage.

Lawmakers have signaled their intent to craft health care legislation early next year, and the insurance industry's support would make passage easier. That legislation is expected to closely track the proposals of president-elect Barack Obama. However, Obama separated himself from his Democratic challengers by opposing an individual mandate for adults to buy health insurance.

More lawmakers may agree to a mandate if it means the insurance industry will back those efforts. They'll remember it was the industry's opposition 15 years ago that helped scuttle former President Clinton's health plan.

The board of directors for America's Health Insurance Plans agreed to the trade-off Monday night. The board endorsed the proposal after a series of hearings in various states.

To read the entire article, click here.

C-SPAN: Karen Ignagni on C-SPAN's Washington Journal

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From C-SPAN: On November 12, 2008, Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, was interviewed on C-SPAN's Washington Journal program.

Please view the video of her interview:

CongressDaily: Health Insurers Group Backs Universal Coverage With Mandate

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

From CongressDaily: Health. Health insurers lined up today behind a proposal to guarantee coverage of pre-existing conditions as long as Congress arms them with a mandate for everyone to purchase insurance. Both proposals are part of Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus' plan to overhaul the healthcare system and provide universal coverage. "No one should fall through the cracks of our healthcare system," Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, said.

To read the entire article, click here (Please note that the story is password-protected.).