Congressional Documents and Publications Insurance News Net (press release)
Thank you Chairman Harkin, Senator Enzi, and members of this committee for inviting me here today. It is truly an honor.
The City of Fonda is a small community of 648, located in northwest Iowa. The city has provided its 3 full-time employees with group health insurance for many years. The premiums kept increasing, year after year, sometimes at an increase of 30%. In an effort to contain costs the city has had to change insurance companies, raise the deductible four different times, they went from a cost split of 90/10 to an 80/20 cost split, they began to self-insure a portion of the deductible and they have discontinued offering dental insurance. The city has been with Wellmark BCBS of Iowa for many years.
* 22 years ago the city began offering the employees Group Health Insurance. It was a Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield policy. The deductible was $250. The City of Fonda paid 100% of the premium and continues to do so, only differently.
Fast forward to 2005.......
Chicago TribuneObama Uses Podium to Push Health-Care ReformQUESTION: Two of the key players in the insurance industry, America's Health Insurance Plans and Blue Cross/Blue Shield, sent a letter to the Senate this morning saying that a government health insurance plan would, quote, "dismantle," end quote, Best 5 Tip To Save Money On Health Insurance The knives and knaves are out Fight for our Right to Healthy Care (and yes, I know it's not as -
New York Times12:55: Providing insurance for the uninsured or for people who are struggling to maintain health coverage is "wise policy," Obama says. 12:54: Obama says he can "provide better care at a cheaper cost" by "reallocating dollars that are being spent in Highlights: Obama's Press Conference Text of President Obama Tuesday Morning Fix: Press-ing the Reset Button
ABC NewsHealth Care ShowdownWhat's more, they overwhelmingly favor precisely the feature of Democratic plans that Republicans denounce most fiercely as “socialized medicine” — the creation of a public health insurance option that competes with private insurers. State of Play: Health Hearings Heat Up, Public Weighs In Head-Knocking Time Krugman: "Centrist" Democrats will kill health care reform if we -
