Joe Lieberman, Senator from Connecticut Insurance

[Allen Ivey]

An example of Lieberman's approach can be found at http://airamerica.com/theronreaganshow/blog/12-15-2009/joe-lieberman-loves-campaign-cash-more-voters/   Here is a critical presentation of of Lieberman's connection with insurance companies...

NOTE HOW THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN HACKED WITH LOUD MUSIC. LIEBERMAN AND INSURANCE DON'T WANT US TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

This one from CT is a good place to start as it gives a fairly clear indication of Joe's relationship with Connecticut insurance. It is current and we all should remember that CT is THE insurance state.

With the option of joining a Republican filibuster that would need 60 votes to block, Lieberman stands at the vortex of the fierce debate over whether Obama can achieve victory for his signature goal of health care reform - or if the biggest health care change in decades will once again elude the grasp of reformers.

The insurance industry, as The Hartford Courant's Matthew Sturdevant tells us, is also a big player in the debate. He filed the following dispatch: Like Lieberman, the insurance industry has opposed a  government-run health-insurance plan, or so-called "public option," which would put the federal government squarely in competition with private health insurers. In the alternate plan that Lieberman also opposed, the government would expand Medicare coverage to people aged 55-64.   Additionally, the federal Office of Personnel Management, which handles federal employees' benefits, would negotiate with private insurance companies to provide coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.

A full account of the compromise public option hasn't been disclosed, which leaves many questions and has kept insurance companies from commenting on the latest additions. Insurers have been against a public option because, they say, it could destabilize the health insurance industry, and it doesn't solve the problem of rising medical costs.

America's Health Insurance Plans says as many as 100 million people might ditch their employer-based plans in favor of a government plan, said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for the national association which represents private insurers covering about 200 million Americans.

Zirkelbach would not say whether and to what extent AHIP has been in contact with any specific lawmakers, including Lieberman.

Government plans such as Medicare and Medicaid tend to under-reimburse, which leaves doctors and other treatment providers to make up the shortfall by charging more to those who have private insurance, Zirkelbach said.

Lieberman has said the public option is too expensive, and the way to fix healthcare is to make insurance more affordable. Similarly, America's Health Insurance Plan has also been in favor reducing the cost of insurance by urging Congress to require healthcare providers to justify medical costs which ultimately drive premiums. HERE IS THE INS. COMPANY'S MIXED MESSAGE... THEY SAY THAT MEDICARE UNDERPAYS PHYSICIANS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WANTING MORE JUSTIFICATION FOR PHYSICIAN DECISIONS.

Lieberman apparently isn't opposed to the public option because it would hurt insurers - at least, that's not what he's been saying. His concern is that, as a form of government bureaucracy, it would be too expensive.  Most people agree the public option would do more to expand access than control rising medical costs.

CIGNA Corp. spokesman Chris Curran said, "While we support the President's goal of expanding access, controlling costs, and improving the quality of care, we do not see how that can be accomplished through a government-sponsored plan.  CIGNA and the industry have already put forth a plan that requires and guarantees coverage for everyone, including for people with pre-existing conditions, strengthens the safety net so that no one falls through and provides subsidies for those who can't afford it, without adding to the debt burden of the country."

Government-run healthcare doesn't solve the problem of rising costs, said Mohit Ghose, a spokesman for Aetna Inc. Premiums have risen as a function of growth in cost for hospital care, out-patient services, pharmaceuticals, and general medical expenses intended to protect doctors from litigation.

Now let's look at how Joe got started politically--William Buckley, Jr. was a major supporter in Joe's grab for power.

Lowell Weicker was a wonderful Republican Senator in Connecticut

http://en.wikilib.com/wiki/Lowell_P._Weicker%2C_Jr.  presents  the history.... here you will find that Weicker was a very independent thinking Republican, important in the Watergate hearings--AND Buckley and conservative Repubs hated him and thus funded his defeat by Lieberman. You can read there about Lieberman's dirty campaign as well.

His son is a former CT. governor

http://healthyamericans.org/newsroom/releases/?releaseid=197  Son's speech supporting health care)

Let's look at Lieberman's connection to the insurance companies

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/12/14/joe-lieberman-mass-murderer/  Cato Institute defense of Lieberman. Note the style, typical of the radical right.

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-369124  Lieberman and Netanyahu

Let's look at his wife

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/11/jane-hamsher-calls-for-jo_n_388872.html  Joe's wife's good deal

The head of the Foundation is Hala G. Moddelmog, Director of Amerigroup Corp and AMN Health care services.

AMN is the largest private company hiring health care service workers in our country.

Now, let's look at Amerigroup  http://www.realsolutions.com/Pages/Home.aspx

Guess what it has articles talking about the importance of private insurance!!!

Americare is a major insurance company--http://www.healthquote360.com/Health_Insurance_Companies/AmeriGroup_Health_Insurance_Company.php

Allen

Allen E. Ivey

www.allenivey.com

The men (and women) the American public admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men (and women) they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth. (H.L. Mencken)