Operation Destroy Reform: New Blue Cross Concern Troll Campaign

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

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.

read more