Operation Destroy Reform: New Blue Cross Concern Troll Campaign

Surprising no-one, Blue Cross is emerging as the biggest impediment to health care reform legislation in California. They are transitioning from simple anti-reform rhetoric to full on campaign mode. Blue Cross is playing concern troll. Just check out this language from an upcoming print ad.

"Unintended consequences do happen," the new ad says. "Other states have tried healthcare reforms like 'guaranteed issue' that sounded good. They now have the highest premiums in the country while California has the lowest. Sound familiar? Remember how the rash deregulation of the energy market in California spawned power outages and soaring rates? Let's not go there again."

They are intentionally sowing fear in an attempt to keep the legislature from doing anything to spoil their profit making machine. Salladay rightly points out that the comparisons to energy deregulation are not apt. The deregulation was pushed forward without Capitol insiders really understanding the issue. That is not the case with health care. People are extremely well-informed on the issue and there is a bevy of data to dig into.

Health Access skewers into Blue Cross, calling them Enron in this analogy.

But if the energy crisis is the analogy, then Blue Cross is Enron, taking advantage of an unregulated California market and leading to a blackout of coverage for millions. But even the now-disgraced Enron never had the gall to run ads arguing that they should be allowed to continue to manipulate the market.

Because there are so few rules on insurers now, Californians are concerned now they are one job change or life event away from facing a blackout of coverage. We have over 6 million Californians in a coverage blackout. Frankly, we have tolerated deregulation for too long: new and fair rules would increase the security that Californians have now with their coverage, so they are not denied because of their health status.

We are talking about increasing regulation here, making sure companies like Blue Cross do not continue to run roughshod over those they are supposed to be covering. They have proved to be incapable of acting honestly. Read the rest of Anthony Wright's post for more on how wrong Blue Cross is on the numbers. They are comparing apples to oranges.

CMR says we should expect, print ad's like the one quoted above in the Sac Bee and other newspapers. They will be backed with radio ads, with TV spots to come. Arnold's former Republican staffers are behind the campaign, Rob Stutzman and Donna Lucas. There is sure to be a website with an "blue washed" name, something that really shows concern. Maviglio predicts it will be "Coalition for Responsible Health Care Reform". More like "Companies for Profits Instead of Health Care Reform".