Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has gone from expressing a "wait and see approach" to SustiNet, CT's robust public option -- approved over a Republican veto by the state legislature in 2009 -- to attacking it with the full force of a politician intimidated by sleazeball mega-profit insurance company CEOs.
As you might remember, I wrote last week that Malloy was hanging the public option out to dry by expressing the same cost concerns as Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini, who has threatened, like a classic bully, to move jobs out of CT were a public option to pass.
Now, though, the situation is much worse and this is absolutely CODE RED. It is put up or shut up time for progressives when it comes to "real" health care reform. The big profit-insurers are so scared of this public option that they are conducting the "mother of all fear-mongering campaigns" against the public option.
Our friend and supporter Wendell Potter warned us this would happen to SustiNet without aggressive action from progressive defenders of the public option.
More below the fold on Malloy's most recent betrayal of CT's long-abused patients, as reported by the CT Mirror.
According to the CT Mirror, Malloy seems to be putting the final stake in SustiNet's heart (and, while you read, please pay attention to the cynical way in which this Aetna-bought politician is constructing his argument):
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy used his strongest language to date Monday night to question the wisdom of placing control over state health care, a significant and growing piece of the state budget, in the hands of the proposed quasi-public SustiNet Authority.
"The idea we would move these cost centers from direct government control, particularly our relationship with our employees, and turn it over to a quasi-public entity over which we have no direct control is a bit of a stretch -- as in it's never been done before," Malloy said in a town hall meeting on his proposed budget.
Here's the smoking gun that makes me want to scream: "The idea we would move these cost centers from direct government control, particularly our relationship with our employees, and turn it over to a quasi-public entity over which we have no direct control is a bit of a stretch..."
Excuse me, Governor?! You are fear-mongering against a public option that would save the state of CT almost $300 million dollars/year in 2014 by arguing that it will result in less much-needed government control and regulation of insurance.
Could this Democratic-turncoat politician more cynically and transparently attempt to goad proponents of real reform into thinking that he is "doing what's best for them" by doing what's best for Aetna?! The rhetoric is shocking and illogical -- I don't support a public option, because it would put health insurance into a scary public authority that is somehow less reliable than "direct government control." Well, Governor, where is health insurance NOW?! It's not under "direct government control" -- it's under direct Aetna control, and CIGNA control, and WellPoint control.
Take a second and let your head stop spinning.
The same man who told a congregation after his election that "health care is a right," is now saying he just supports the universal coverage "goals of SustiNet," which we all know are impossible to achieve in a mega-profit insurance system dominated by mega-profit corporations.
The governor repeated his support for the goals of health-care reform, while suggesting in a lengthy exchange with a minister that the timing and content of SustiNet make it something he cannot support.
The Rev. Joshua Pawelek of the Unitarian Universalist Society in Manchester began the exchange by praising the governor on his overall approach to the budget, then challenging him on SustiNet.
"I'm wondering why your administration is backing off from SustiNet, and isn't it about time that we built a health care system in Connecticut that's based on providing health for our residents, not profits" for corporations, Pawelek said.
His comments were drowned out by applause in the packed auditorium of Manchester Community College.
"Listen, I have to be clear. I support the goals of SustiNet," Malloy said. "I don't think the current version of this legislation is perfect by any stretch of the imagination."
This is absolutely horrible -- Malloy is now directly and clearly admitting -- unlike last week -- that he "cannot support" the public option that would have been first in the nation.
Most sickening of all is that in one week (was Aetna buying him dinner?), the governor has gone from waiting for a "financial note" on SustiNet to completely shutting the door:
"I pledge to work with you," Malloy said. "And I pledge to implement the federal system. And I'll pledge to get to the point where no one in Connecticut is denied services."
"At this time, I have difficulty doing that," Malloy said. "But you ask a very reasonable question, and I'm trying to give you a very reasonable answer."
"I think you have," replied Pawelek. "What I'm hearing is that you re not closing the door. You want to see numbers and costs... You need more information, and I appreciate that."
But then Malloy told the minister he didn't want to leave the wrong impression: He has a fundamental concern about yielding so much control over health care for so many people to an unprecedented quasi-public authority.
A premise of the plan is that having a common authority overseeing the health plans and a large insurance pool would provide the leverage to save money and produce delivery-system changes."
You see, even the Reverend was confused! Last week, Malloy told the press and citizens he just wanted to see costs, but now Malloy is saying that he's concerned about a new quasi-public authority controlling SustiNet -- which one is it, Governor? You can't change your argument in seven days without looking like an Aetna sellout.
And that's what Governor Malloy is -- a true sellout to the mega-profit insurance industry. And that's why SustiNet now has to be killed Boehner-style -- through non-funding of the law -- so that federal, pro-profits insurance reform can dominate the CT landscape:
Administration officials said a month ago they share the goals of SustiNet, which was created to produce universal health care and is now being pitched as a public insurance option that could promote delivery system changes and reduce health care costs.
But they say they're looking to the federal reforms to achieve those goals, and say SustiNet needs to be re-examined in light of the federal law.
Clearly, another Democrat has decided to throw millions of the hardworking people who elected him to the wolves of the insurance industry. Ned Lamont lost again -- and Joe Lieberman (errrr....Dannel Malloy) is taking a hatchet job to the public option the people were promised, and, in CT, is actually the law of the land.
Let's not let Governor Malloy think we're going to allow him to kill this public option without a fight.
IT IS RED ALERT TIME -- CONTACT HIS OFFICE NOW! Demand that he follow the law and implement SustiNet, CT's public option, as planned.
Let's keep the phones and email boxes humming all day long!
Contact Governor Malloy
State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
Telephone
Local: 860-566-4840
Toll-Free 1-800-406-1527
Send Joe "Public Option Killing" Lieberman (errrr....Governor Malloy) an email here.
Also, remember, this isn't just about CT, it's about national reform. If Aetna and CIGNA win this battle, they will be emboldened in their wars against single-payer California One Care and Vermont's single-payer Green Mountain Care.
Today is the day we fight back.