[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 152 (Tuesday, November 4, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP OPPOSES HEALTH REFORM--WORKS WITH FOR-PROFIT 
                INSURERS TO DESTROY CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 4, 1997

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, following is a memo from a staffer at the 
for-profit insurance lobby demonstrating how the Republican leadership 
is soliciting money to defeat consumer protections designed to provide 
a minimal floor of quality and protection for America's families.
  Once again, those who profit off of insuring only those who are 
healthy and who resist any effort to provide minimal consumer 
protections reveal their cynical hand. Undoubtedly we will be flooded 
with literature in the coming months trashing proposals to require 
insurers to comply with simple rules against gagging what doctors can 
tell their patients and others, minimal consumer protections.

                Health Insurance Association of America


                                  memo

     Date: October 22, 1997.
     To: Michael Fortier.
     From: Melody Harned.
     Subject: Government Run Healthcare.
       The message we are getting from House and Senate Leadership 
     is that we are in a war and need to start fighting like we're 
     in a war.
       Republican Leadership is now engaged on this issue and is 
     issuing strong directives to all players in the insurance and 
     employer community to get activated. Earlier this week, I met 
     with Keith Hennessey (Sen. Lott) along with the NFIB 
     coalition. Hennessey will be working with House and Senate 
     leadership to coordinate the advocacy effort. Senator Lott is 
     well aware of the issue of mandates, incremental health care 
     reform, etc., and is very concerned. Lott told Senator 
     Jeffords that he could not introduce his ``Quality Bill'' 
     this session and was advised to work less with Sen. Kennedy 
     and more with his fellow Republicans on the Senate Labor 
     Committee. Sen. Lott has also spoken with all Republicans on 
     the Senate Labor Committee and told them to get involved and 
     express their concerns. Sen. Lott also said that Senate 
     Republicans need a lot of help from their friends on the 
     outside, ``Get off your butts, get off your wallets''. Keith 
     Hennessey believes that it is critical that employer/insurer 
     grassroots occur during recess (Nov & Dec) so that Members 
     are prepared when they come back to town in January.
       At the NFIB Coalition meeting today, Mark Isokowitz (NFIB) 
     informed the group that he had been summoned to the Hill by 
     Missy Jenkins (Rep. Gingrich), Dean Clancy (Rep. Armey), 
     Stacey Hughes (Sen. Nickles) and Keith Hennessey (Sen. Lott). 
     Staff gave him four directives to take back to the coalition: 
     (1.) Hold a briefing for Republican health LAs in 2 weeks; 
     (2.) Implement heavy grassroots during recess; (3.) Meet with 
     groups of Senators (e.g., Sen. Coverdell health care 
     coalition) to report on what each organization is doing to 
     fight these bills; and (4.) Write the definitive piece of 
     paper trashing all these bills. Mark Isokowitz's overall 
     impression from the meeting was that the Leadership was 
     looking for signs of serious commitment on our part before 
     they go out on a limb.

     

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