June 23, 2009
Senator Kay Hagan worried about our friendly health insurance companies
Mark Binker over at the Greensboro News and Record had a nice story this past weekend: “Sen. Hagan hedges on health care reforms.” The title says it all – the Senator has been identified as being one of the Democrats who is expressing the most doubt about health care reform. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. In her years in the NC Senate, especially as Appropriations Chair, Senator Hagan developed a reputation as a very conservative business-friendly Democrat. Back in 2005 she even pushed for a budget that cut taxes on the wealthiest North Carolinians while removing Medicaid coverage from 65,000 aged, blind, and disabled people in poverty.
So, Hagan is pretty conservative, especially about health care. No surprise. But does she have to be this conservative in Binker’s story?
“Sen. Hagan is looking at all the public option proposals,” said spokesman David Hoffman. “She’s going to be working with her colleagues to ensure private health insurance isn’t going to be destabilized.”
Isn’t this the whole point of health reform, especially in a state like North Carolina where one insurer, NC Blue Cross, insures the vast majority of people in NC? People who like their Blue Cross coverage should keep it – but Blue ought to feel threatened by some competition finally in NC. They might get leaner, stop paying millions in salaries to top executives, and worry about keeping premium increases down to levels people can afford, even if they aren’t 25 years old.
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HAGAIN IS PROTECTING HER OWN $180,000 INVESTMENT IN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES
June 16, 2009
Top of the morning
Posted at 6:50 AM by Chris Fitzsimon
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/06/16/top-of-the-morning-120/#comment-38103
North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan made the Washington Post this weekend as one of 30 lawmakers playing a key role in health care reform who have significant investments in the health care industry.
Hagan is a member of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee that will begin its health care debate today on Capitol Hill. The Post says Hagan owns at least $180,000 in investments in health care companies.
If you are uninsured and does not have insurance, you should check out the website http://UninsuredAmerica.blogspot.com -California
Senator, Hagan, we CANNOT AFFORD this massive takeover of our health care. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE think about what you are voting for…..we, the American people, do NOT want all the stuff that is in this bill. We all agree that health reform is necessary….but do not throw out all that is good with our health care to put some needed changes in. The bottom line is that our country cannot sustain all this spending that is taking place. If there is waste and corruption in medicare and medicaid, then let’s go after this and bring it back on firm ground BEFORE we tackle changes to health care. Our priorities need to be getting people back to work, helping our small businesses that create jobs and getting our banks back to lending again. These things must take precedence over health care.
hai
It never seems to make sense to me that these types of executives get paid so much to do a job. Half of their salary could insure many low income families for many years. Yet their priorities seem to remain about making more money rather than providing a needed service to the community.
It took courage to back the health care plan. My congratulations to Senator Hagan. I’m conservative ,also, but unless we get these health care companies under control, small business doesn’t stand a chance in the years ahead.