Healthcare Reform Debate Hits the Airwaves
As if it's not already filling the airwaves, the next round of the healthcare reform debate is leaving Washington, as members of Congress file out for recess, and is coming to a television near you. Whispers got this ad in today. Created by Americans United for Change, it will be airing this week on national cable. The ad says the current system, which it says the Republicans support, is benefiting rich white guys like former Cigna CEO Ed Hanway.
Tom McMahon, acting executive director for Americans United for Change, says in a news release: "With premiums continuing to soar so guys like Cigna CEO Ed Hanway can make $5,883 an hour, it's understandable that when it comes to reform, the insurance industry and the congressional Republicans in their pocket insist strongly, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' " McMahon adds that his organization is trying to shift the message on healthcare reform so that Americans are paying more attention to the private insurance industry. To date, a lot of the conversation on healthcare has been on the president's support of a public option.
Here's the video and transcript:
Golden Parachute
Why Do the Health Insurance Companies and Republicans want to kill President Obama's health insurance reform?
Because they like things the way they are now.
Ed Hanway, CEO of insurance giant Cigna, makes $12. 2 million a year. That's $5,883 an hour.
Ed makes more in one day, than the average worker makes all year long.
Now Ed's retiring with a seventy three million dollar golden parachute.
The Republican prescription for the health insurance crisis—be as rich as Ed . . . you'll be happy too.
Reader Comments
Healthcare Reform is Our Only Option
Ms. Nikki Schwab is hardly discriminating against, “the white, rich man.” She simply stated the obvious. In 2010, cancer will become the leading cause of death. How can we overcome cancer, if we can’t provide the proper care to treat this deadly disease?
After factoring in the astronomical costs to undergo treatment or chemotherapy (ballpark figure = $10k, for one week of chemo & that’s cheap) – a nationwide epidemic is inevitable. Imagine this scenario and picture it, as if it were you… You’re a middle-class, blue-collar worker for 30 years at the leading beverage manufacturing company. After your long tenure, you retire, and instead of vacationing off to a distant tropical destination – you are diagnosed with testicular cancer…without health insurance. Considering the pre-existing medical conditions that now exist, health insurance is completely out of the question. Plan B – obtaining a grant – depending on the amount of income you previously earned, more than likely, you won’t qualify. If in fact you do…which it is a BIG “IF”, you might get lucky and qualify for a $2k grant. Yet, here’s the clincher… in order to receive treatment, the remaining $8k must be paid in full before undergoing chemotherapy. By the way, that’s only for one treatment.
Essentially, your entire life savings will go straight to hospital bills, medication, and the many other costly factors that accompany cancer.
So, this recession we speak of, clearly are heading in the wrong direction and in no way is recovering. Understand one thing – I am in no way undermining the accomplishments of Mr. Ed Hanway – but whatever happened to “Unite & Fight”. One thing is for sure, we as a Nation, Americans, & people – have lost touch with what really matters most in life. For, in the end, all we have is each other. Being ignorant to ignorance truly is bliss.
How can our economy sustain itself without addressing one of the most crucial issues at stake? Sure, we can bail out the auto industry, but to hell with all the uninsured dying Americans. Who needs them anyway…right? Answer…Wrong. We have two options: To Ignore or To Participate. I choose to Stand. And I will continue Standing, until my voice is heard and cancer is addressed with the level of importance it contains! For without Faith, Hope, & the Power of One – we have nothing. Today, I believe. The Power of One is the power to do something… Anything.
http://cancerawarenessadvocate.blogspot.com/
Why is his race important to this article?
Who cares if he is white, black, brown or green?
If is salary out of line? Is his retire comp out of line? One of have to look a Cigna and determine what type of company it is and what its performance has been during Mr.Hanaly.s tenure.
Looking at Cigna in yahoo finance we find that Cinga is a Fortune 500 company that is involved in health insurance, life-insurance, financial services, mail order rx, dental insurance, re-insurance. Cigna employes 33,000 world wide, has a current market value of 7.2 billion,
Read the 10q.s and you can determine if he worth the $$. Nocking an American company that has been around since 1792 and has insured, employed, and contributed to US ads nothing to this debate.
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