We Must Protect Insurance Companies from Reform

Published September 22, 2009 @ 07:25AM PT

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Yes, I’ve been a fool. Will Ferrell once again has touched me with enlightenment. He’s like a modern Buddha, but covered with frizzy, ‘fro-like hair. Here I thought keeping costs down so the nation doesn’t go bankrupt, covering more of our citizens so they don’t go broke when they get sick, regulating insurers so they curb their most abusive practices, and improving quality were the chief aims of health reform. But I was wrong. Oh, how I was wrong. Clearly, health insurance companies are the real victims of our broken health care system. After all, my favorite TV actors tell me so.

It’s no secret that 2008 was the year of the celebrity political YouTube video. They ranged from the inspirational (Will.i.am’s “Yes We Can”) to the funny (Paris Hilton challenging John McCain and Barack Obama to a debate, or Sarah Silverman’s “The Great Schlepp”) to the annoyingly preachy (the Leonardo DiCaprio “Don’t vote” video springs to mind). Heck, Obama girl launched an entire Web site. Sure, they were beyond superficial, but they kept people engaged. There haven’t been great celebrity videos since the election. We’ve made do with homegrown videos like “Boyfriend with Health Benefits” and “We’re Number 37.”

Into the breach steps Will Ferrell.

Of course it is in the nature of satire that I hear similar arguments being made by people who are quite serious. That insurance companies don’t make that much profit (UnitedHealth made $3 billion last year). That state regulations are what’s keeping really keeping insurance down -- an argument so preposterous, that even AHIP is in favor of new national regulations. We even hear Sen. Orrin Hatch say, with a straight face, that families making over $50,000 should be considered uninsured. It’s their choice not to spend 24% of their pre-tax income on insurance!

So listen to #1 on Maxim’s List of Hot Women, actress Olivia Wilde. When it comes to health insurance, “Believe me, that stuff’s not cheap!”

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Comments (31)

Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!Thank you! Did I say thanks?

Cheokee Fred Jesus

Posted by Cherokee Fred Jesus on 09/22/2009 @ 09:41AM PT
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I hear lot of whining and no solutions.. I think we all regret the fact that health insurance company CEO's have not received due consideration during the current debate for health care reform. The question is, how do we rectify this situation? Well for one, we can make taxpayers subsidize the profits of health insurance companies to make sure their CEO's can continue to live in the style to which they have become accustomed. We can force everyone to buy private health insurance and fine them if they refuse to comply. For people who cannot afford the premiums, the government can make up the difference to guarantee health insurance CEO's never have to worry about downsizing their portfolios regardless of the current economic climate.

Just imagine the stress of having to sell one of your homes to pay for the taxes on another. This should never happen to anyone. Many health insurance company CEO's have yet to realize their dreams of buying their own personal tropical islands. With all the talk about a so called Public Option, these dreams may never be realized. If you think your health insurance premiums are inflating, think about the inflating prices of beach front property in French Polynesia. Instead of blaming health insurance CEO's for all your problems, you should be blaming all the lazy freeloaders who have no health insurance. You're picking up the tab for of all the uncompensated care these freeloaders cause hospitals to incur. Everyone should be paying their fair share of the health insurance industries profits. And please, just because others are paying their fair share, don't expect yours to go down.. Think of that island in French Polynesia.

Posted by Martin Bring on 09/22/2009 @ 10:59AM PT
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Tim, this is great. I was wondering when pop culture was going to get with the program. Also, not sure you are aware of the Billionaires for Wealthcare? I don't think these folks are getting enough media-play. We need unconventional approaches to get people's attention. These folks were doing their schtick at the tea party rallies on the 12th. The idiocracy stopped and stared. Do you think they reached at least some of them?

http://www.billionairesforwealthcare.com/

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/22/2009 @ 11:04AM PT
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LOVE that site. They are hillariously correct.

Posted by Rachel Russell on 09/22/2009 @ 05:37PM PT
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A note for Harold, when he gets to this blog page. Maybe you heard that doctor pay would be capped from Congressmen Tiahrt? People are finally starting to catch on to the b.s. :)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-nellis/video-kansans-laugh-at-re_b_294595.html

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/22/2009 @ 02:29PM PT
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Sure go after the insurance companies. Their returns are average, but the profits could be taken and we could use them to make health care better. We might even be able to get dental, and eye care in the deal!

Did you know United Health Group made 4 billion dollars last year? Of course a lot of this went to stock owners, but if the government owned the stock, we could lower prices and use the money for other things. Wall street doesn't know how to handle money! It's time for the takeover folks! Down with freedom and free enterprise and up with government rule!

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/22/2009 @ 03:02PM PT
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Don't worry, we'll give a tax credit to big insurance companies to provide outplacement training to their employees. Wouldn't you like to retrain? Do you really like your insurance job THAT MUCH? Enough to allow them to screw the American people repeatedly?

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/22/2009 @ 03:16PM PT
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Forget tax credits. Let's close them down with the Public Option. The government can undercut the competition like a Walmart and eliminate them. Then we could run them for profits to pay for all kinds of extras:) Why not, we are running a railroad, some banks and a car company?

It's time to make life simpler.

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/22/2009 @ 05:19PM PT
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people are becoming more savvy and can easily now spot your fear mongering and lack of logic.

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/22/2009 @ 05:23PM PT
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Public Option all the way! Time to pass health care NOW!

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/22/2009 @ 05:28PM PT
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Sorry Scott, I mistook you for an insurance exec writing scary satire. I guess I can't always spot 'em. Glad to see you are for single payer and the public option, but I fear some will mistake your satire for something real to be afraid of. LOL :)

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/23/2009 @ 11:36AM PT
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Wasn't sure what you meant at first but no problem. Press on.

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/23/2009 @ 05:56PM PT
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Scott, What's wrong with the free market? Because of it the United States is more advanced, and has a greater economic engine than all the rest of the countries COMBINED on this planet. Fact!

Note that China, a communist/socialist country, has been undergoing a change to capitalism? Why, because socialism doesn't work? Capitalism isn't the greatest thing ever invented. It's just better than everything else.

Without it, you wouldn't have a voice on this website.

Posted by James Turner on 09/26/2009 @ 02:51PM PT
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I am not totally against capitalism! I love my country and all the people in it! I just want health care passed. Republicans and blue dogs are blocking what is best for us all and that hurts everyone.

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/27/2009 @ 07:20AM PT
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Death Panel bureaucrats. Realistic portayal of the Near Future!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQE0vNEcb8k

Posted by Martin Bring on 09/22/2009 @ 04:32PM PT
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You pull down a politician's pants and there'll be money stickin' out of their hole.

And most of it's bein' put there by health insurance and drug companies.

We're gonna have to work hard to make sure we get a bill that doesn't serve corporate America.

Posted by Martin Bring on 09/22/2009 @ 05:29PM PT
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Amen Martin

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/22/2009 @ 05:31PM PT
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LOL! It is so true!

Posted by Rachel Russell on 09/22/2009 @ 05:34PM PT
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This commercial needs to go on Internet sites as a pop-uo. That's where the real impact would be.

Posted by Scott Flannigan on 09/22/2009 @ 05:44PM PT
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In health there is freedom. Health is the first of all liberties.” ~Henri Frederic Amiel

Posted by Rachel Russell on 09/22/2009 @ 06:28PM PT
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I love this! It's about time there's fighting back. It comedians are going to be the only fighters, so be it! Encore! Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Posted by Rev Bookburn on 09/22/2009 @ 07:11PM PT
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I love this. Rachel Maddow had this on her show last night. This is funny. Maybe satire can open peoples's eyes. We can only hope.

Posted by Barbara McNamara on 09/23/2009 @ 11:46AM PT
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some new satire to add to Billionaires for Wealthcare. Everybody say hello to HAARM

Healthy Americans Against Reforming Medicine

http://haarm.org/

Sometimes it takes sarcasm to get the message through.

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/23/2009 @ 11:49AM PT
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Love this.... lol

Posted by Scott Bailey on 09/23/2009 @ 04:17PM PT
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That was a kick ass video and did anyone else notice that it was done in a style parodying the gathering storm ad aired a few months back ?

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 05:12PM PT
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I hope politicians see this. A FANTASTIC reality here is that Ferrell and everyone in this video is obviously in the very high tax bracket that will be raised to cover the reform legislation.

In legislation, this PSA also says "I will pay to help others and fix this messed up system. Tax me." That is a whopper of a message politicians and insurance companies need to see.

Bravo. Bravo!

The "hard working middle class" Tea Party is flipping out and they will not be affected tax-wise. Those in this video are actually stepping up to bat financially in a big way. Very cool.

Posted by Kendra Kellogg on 09/24/2009 @ 01:45PM PT
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Kendra has reminded me, last night on The Ed Show he was more upset than usual about this thing we call congress. I've never seen him so upset. You could tell he really cares about the lady with the tumors growing in her stomache but lost her job and healthcare (Cantor's Town Hall). Then he revealed that he's in the top 2%. He doesn't mind having to pay more. It's tearing him apart to see what we are allowing the "system" to do to our citizens. He's been fighting hard for us.

Posted by CherokeeGirl for Change on 09/24/2009 @ 02:15PM PT
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Even Ron Burgandy is making fun of Insurance companie executives.....or do they think he's serious?....

Posted by Gregoire Savoie on 09/24/2009 @ 10:30PM PT
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The Republicans and Democrats are not calculating the true cost of our current health-care system. The cost of our current system includes many costs directly and indirectly related to paying claims.

Government, Insurance Companies, and Lawyers each take a cut of healthcare dollars before it gets to the medical facilities. When multiple Government plans are coupled to multiple insurance plans to settle a single claim, a very expensive and confusing system is created.

We are all covered by and pay for thousands of health-care policies every day.

A single injury (i.e. ankle injury) might be covered by a personal health-care policy, auto liability insurance, workers comp, and property liability insurance, depending on the circumstances of the injury. Every car on the road, every property, represents a redundant health-care premium being paid by someone currently paying a health-care premium on him or herself.

Currently health-care policies are plentiful but too fractured and specific. Health insurance is included in personal health-care plans, product liability insurance, property liability insurance, workers' comp insurance, auto liability insurance, medical malpractice insurance, and government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, VA, or Indian health benefits. Gaps in coverage and redundant coverage cause lawsuits, which delay payments and add direct and indirect costs to consumers.

The replacement system should be, each person has and pays for one "No Fault Personal Health-care Policy" eliminating redundant health-care cost and coverage in all other plans. The plan could be sold on the open market through existing insurance Companies, or a single payer Government plan.

The Government would have to make it mandatory that every person has this coverage.

In certain cases government assistance might have to happen, but working with one plan, one agency, and one set of rules there should be savings.

It would still be illegal to create unsafe products or work places and the current laws and penalties would still apply. If long-term injuries occurred Lawsuits for compensation would still happen. Lawyers would still have job security.

The savings from eliminating redundancy should be subtracted in calculating the true cost.

Eliminate the medical insurance from auto and property liability insurance would most likely pay for a single payer plan.

Posted by Mark Knudsen on 09/25/2009 @ 08:04AM PT
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This is a good idea. Everyone buys "no Fault" and the current system structures around it. I love it!

It wouldn't interfere with current structures , except for accommodation by insurers.

Health care stocks (401k's) wouldn't lose money (check around almost anyone has some of their retirement in health care).

The fractures of parties and polar politics would fade away.

And... it would cost hardly anything from the US Treasury.

Nice solution Mark

Posted by M Arnest on 09/26/2009 @ 07:34AM PT
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Love this video -- we had some interesting comments on it from the perspective of an insurer over at ourhealthcaresource.com. Keep in mind that not all insurance companies are the same: http://cli.gs/q7SnJV

Posted by Carrie Johnson on 10/20/2009 @ 09:33AM PT
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Tim has been an online organizer and blogger on health care policy for the Obama for America campaign (during the primaries) and currently for the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare, a labor union for intern and resident doctors. Views expressed here are Tim's, and don't represent the positions of CIR or SEIU.