Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Association of Washington Business leads astroturf effort to kill health insurance reform

A new astroturf effort dubbed Employers for Quality Healthcare has appeared on the scene to ensure that the corporate interests are protected and the health insurance system is not reformed. The group is a coalition of state chambers of commerce and “employer organizations” including, among others, the Association of Washington Business. In fact, AWB President Don Brunell is prominently featured in the group’s initial press release.

“Our health care system is just too expensive right now for many reasons, and we have to reduce costs,” said Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business. “At AWB, we feel it like all small businesses when we attempt to budget health, dental and vision care for our 34 people. And we know our 6,600 member companies are also struggling to meet the needs of their employees. We need health care reform, but it must focus on private-sector solutions.” [emphasis mine]

It should come as no surprise that a business organization like AWB is promoting a private-sector, market-driven solution which would continue to emphasize corporate profits over delivery of care. According to Brunell’s logic, there is no reason to ensure affordable quality health care for everyone when insurance companies can continue to deny coverage and pad the bottom line for shareholders. The private sector solution of which Don Brunell speaks is not health care reform, but a continuation of the status quo. As I’ve said before, the system Brunell is advocating rewards a select few (shareholders) who get rich off of the pain and suffering of the masses. Having a bunch of private governments in charge of the health care delivery system, with no accountability to anyone other than shareholders (or due process for that matter), promotes corporate greed at the expense of the general welfare.

In fact, the group sent a letter to President Obama and members of Congress, which is more about giveaways to business than improving the quality and affordability of health care for the consumer.

The press release also notes that the corporate interests oppose an American option that provides a public alternative to private insurance because it would “shift millions of Americans off their existing private plans”. Let me translate for the uninitiated. What these business groups really mean is that an American option would cut into corporate profits and rich shareholders would suffer. But does it really have to be that way? If insurance companies provided quality care at affordable prices, would millions of people leave their providers? Probably not.

So the bottom line is this: Would you prefer that your health care be provided by a system that focuses on delivering quality care to you, the patient, in consulatation with your doctor? Or would you prefer private insurance that denies you care in order to keep costs down and maximize profits for corporate shareholders? How much is your life worth?

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