In early February 2008, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched a fraud investigation into the UnitedHealth subsidiary known as Ingenix.
CUOMO ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY-WIDE INVESTIGATION INTO HEALTH INSURERS' FRAUDULENT REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME
Database Company Ingenix - Used by Dozens of Insurers - at Center of Scheme
Cuomo Notifies Ingenix and its Parent, UnitedHealth Group, of Intent to File Suit; Subpoenas 16 Other Companies
Several months later, on May 12-13, 2008, Tom Daschle, was the Keynote speaker at the Ingenix "meeting" at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Florida.
At the same meeting, Tom was followed to the Ingenix podium by Karen Ignagni the chief lobbyist for America's Health Insurance Plans.
Private citizen Tom Daschle did nothing wrong by being a paid speaker for Ingenix. He was doing his job and receiving big bucks from Alson & Bird. But is it okay for the probable HHS Secretary to be mixing it up with Ingenix (at the time under investigation for defrauding American citizens), UnitedHealth and AHIP? Cuomo recently settled with Ingenix, you can read about the settlement here.
I don't have the answer, you decide.
This morning, the New York Times makes the preposterous claim that if Mr. Daschle is derailed, healthcare reform could suffer. This is nonsense. Is Mr. Daschle the only person who can sing the praises of "individual responsibility" AKA mandates? This is exactly what the insurance industry craves and what "our" representatives are about to deliver to them. So I wouldn't worry if Daschle is sent packing.
If Mr. Daschle’s confirmation is derailed, it would undoubtedly hurt one of Mr. Obama’s major domestic priorities: revamping the health care system. Mr. Daschle has been asked by the president to serve in a dual role spearheading that effort as the White House "health czar."
http://www.nytimes.com/...
And if you don't believe me, if you think Daschle is not going to deliver premium paying bodies mandates into the death grip of the for-profit insurance industry, just listen to Section 8 at about the 2:30 mark of Daschle's remarks to Ingenix.
Many of these bodies will be delivered to AHIP with taxpayer subsidies. It's got to make you laugh--or cry, that the taxpayers will be subsidizing the premiums for those who fall below a (to be decided) income threshold, in order for the for-profit insurance industry to sell them junk insurance, which we all know is insurance in name only.
So where does this leave you and me?
Having just returned from the Families USA conference in Washington, I sadly recognize that the needs of the American people are barely, barely on the radar screen of the souless politicians, that we keep voting for. You and I are totally incidental to the political class and the laws they write.
Healthcare reform is by no means a guarantee. Yes, we're closer, but I can assure you, many if not most of us, will not like the final product--if there is a final product.
The political class doesn't fear us, and this must change.
We're in the homestretch of some sort of healthcare reform, and it's all up to you. Every last one of you who has been reading the healthcare catastrophe diaries for so many years, it's all up to you what will happen over the coming days and weeks. Yes, if anything happens, it's imminent.
The clarion call from healthcare activists in Washington was as clear as anything I've ever heard, you will be called on to mobilize on a dime, whether it's a phone call to a wavering congressperson or Senator (Republican or Democratic), an email or something else, you must respond swiftly. Ultimately, success or failure is in our hands.
I learned a ton being in the midst of the Washington meatgrinder for three days, and I'll write another diary about how things get done, but for now, I want to leave you with the most sobering presentation of the conference.
It was delivered by Steve Hildebrand, who was the deputy national campaign manager for President Obama. He received a standing ovation for the message he delivered.
The Clarion Call:
These are from the notes I took while Steve spoke.
- The only thing that our representative and senators will respond to on healthcare reform is shame. Armies of angry uninsured and underinsured Americans must call them and descend on their offices. Many of these in-person encounters must be videotaped and put up on YouTube.
- This must not be a partisan encounter,being partisan won't be effective. It must be a simple, and based on what is fair.
You have healthcare.
We don't.
We want what you have.
You work for us.
If we don't get what you have, we will take away your job.
- Steve grew up in South Dakota, so he imagined the spectacle of 100 uninsured South Dakotans meeting with John Thune (video camera in hand) and asking him to explain why he has taxpayer subsidized healthcare and they don't.
- He made the point repeatedly that this is a fairness issue, not a republican or democratic issue.
- We must build a coalition led by real people, which will hold politicians accountable. Uninsured and underinsured Americans must mobilize immediately to hold their representatives accountable in "a serious and in your face way".
- Even many Democrats will need to have their feet held to the fire, many he said, are "spooked" by healthcare reform.
- Angry, turbo-charged voices must raise hell. Politicians only respond to two things, a vote or money.
- He ended by saying, "politicians are kept by people in Washington and changed by people back home".
So, it all comes back to you. I'm thinking we need an ongoing series on Daily Kos, called something like, Whose Cage Are We Going to Rattle Today? I got this idea after reading sen bob's diary about his wife who lost her job because she had health insurance. I had a rage induced inspiration.
This would have to be a community wide effort which would regularly target congresspeople and senators. These must not be nuisance calls, the goal would not be to tie up their phone lines, but to do as Steve Hildebrand wisely counseled, and let these people hear from furious voters with a clear and compelling message.
Voters who will admonish them that they dare not vote against the most dire and urgent needs of the American people.
Are you in? And if you are, who needs to be targeted?