Christy Hardin Smith at Firedoglake reports that AHIP, the monstrous health insurance industry interest group, is launching a seven figure campaign, which includes their website http://www.americanhealthsolution.org.
It claims to be a grass-roots effort to bring high-quality health care to every American. Of course, AHIP is overseen by a board of directors made up of multi-millionaire health insurance executives. I believe that part of a health care strategy should include uncomfortable attention paid to these companies and their lobbyists in addition to efforts aimed at Congress.
AHIP does actually invite ideas:
info@americanhealthsolution.org
or 1-800-289-1136.
Let them know what your ideas for health care are. Including, perhaps, your ideas on multimillion dollar corporate lobbying.
Other contact info:
America’s Health Insurance Plans
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
South Building
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004
Switchboard: 202.778.3200
Fax: 202.331.7487
Email: ahip@ahip.org
I also have a cut and paste from a previous post about Blue Cross Blue Shield lobbyists.
Jack Ericksen
jack.ericksen@bcbsa.com
202.626.4780 (or 4787)
is Vice President of Federal Relations for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.
Ericksen oversees representation of the Association's policy positions to Members of Congress and other officials. He is responsible for leading the federal lobbying staff in developing and executing winning strategies on federal legislative issues and also heads up the Association's "grassroots" advocacy and coalition activities.
Prior to joining BCBSA in 1996, Ericksen was Vice President of Federal Relations for Aetna, where he was responsible for legislative and regulatory issues affecting Aetna's property/casualty and life companies.
Prior to his service at Aetna, he was Chief Executive of Family Services of Duchess County, New York. Before joining that agency, he directed a juvenile justice program; coordinated drug education for a New York public school system; and served on the New York City Mayor's Urban Action Task Force.
Naturally, he oversees a small army, but here are some key phone numbers
All extensions begin 202-626-xxxx
Market Reform (Enzi, Durbin-Lincoln, etc)
Federal Charter, Small Business Coverage
John Cerisano (lobbying) – 4786
David Korsh (state services) – 8639
Greg Gierer (policy) – 4817
Kris Haltmeyer (policy) – 4814
Federal Regulatory Issues
Jane Galvin (regulatory) -8651
Washington, D.C. Office
1310 G Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
They represent just a few of the people who want to crush public health care. The BCBSA in-house lobbyists are only part of the army of lobbyists that the company deploys.