Bill Moyers! ...Rec and Kick if you want SPHC.

Video of tonight...
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/05222009/watch2.html

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2009/05/singlepayer_is_nationalized_he.html

Did ya watch him tonight? I did and I am mad as hell. It's time to declare war on the health insurance companies. They want to take our money and let us die ...and they are the only ones that our government is listening to. Their solution will not work ...I guarantee it. The health insurance companies own congress and the senate and they always will unless we fight them with all we got. All the arguments against single payer health care are bogus. They are so full of bull shit that it's squirting out their ears. Do you really think SPHC is failing in Canada, France, UK, etc? Prove it ...damn it all to hell! It's time to declare a holy and moral jihad against both the health insurance companies, congress and the senate, and a jihad for SPHC.


Check out the link above. Check out the comments.

Check out the poll...
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2009/05/poll_do_you_support_the_obama.html

Another good article to check out...
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2009/05/bill_moyers_michael_winship_rx.html

Aetna's Ron Williams - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $24,300,112

Details: Williams earned $24,300,112 in total compensation for 2008, with more than half of that ($13,537,365) coming from option awards. He also received an additional $6,456,630 in stock awards to go along with his base salary of $1,091,764.

Personal use of a corporate aircraft and vehicle, as well as financial planning and 401(k) company matches added up to $101,487 for Williams.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetnas-ron-williams-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-stock-falls-q1-09-despite-strong-profits/2009-04-30
<2> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-pay-5m-over-underpaid-out-network-charges/2009-02-03
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-will-pay-20-million-over-use-ingenix-data/2009-01-16
<4> http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/aetna-enters-phr-market-with-medical-info-option/2008-03-17


H. Edward Hanway - CIGNA

Total Compensation: $12,236,740

Details: Hanway took a significant pay cut from 2007 to 2008, due mainly to a drop off of more than $11 million in his non-equity incentive plan compensation. Still, his base salary of $1,142,885 surpasses that of Aetna's Williams, and is supplemented by just over $3.6 million in option awards, and just over $820,000 in non-qualified deferred compensation earnings.

Also, nearly $21,800 in "other compensation" included the use of a company car with a driver, in-office meals, and emergency assistance services relating to medical exams.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/cignas-h-edward-hanway-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/cigna-first-quarter-profits-drop-80-percent/2008-05-02
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/cigna-aetna-deliver-improved-profits-q2/2008-08-05


WellPoint's Angela Braly - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $9,844,212

Details: Braly, like Williams, earned more money in 2008 ($9,844,212) than in 2007 (9,094,271), increasing her option rewards by nearly $1.5 million, and also receiving a $200,000-plus bump in base salary, from $922,269 to $1,135,538. Braly's stock awards dropped from $2,160,159 to $1,750,015 because, according to the SEC, "performance-based restricted stock units awarded in 2008 were cancelled because our ROE target for 2008 was not met."

Braly's "other compensation" comprised use of a private jet for her and her family on business trips, just under $10,000 for legal services relating to her employment agreement and cash credits.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/wellpoints-angela-braly-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/health-plans-need-new-approaches-to-profitability/2008-05-14
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/wellpoint-pushes-stock-prices-not-profits-raising-premiums/2008-09-10
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/wellpoint-loses-money-q2-still-pleases-investors/2008-07-25

Coventry Health Care's Dale Wolf - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $9,047,469

Details: Wolf is the only CEO on this list who is no longer employed with his associated health plan; he retired from his position on Jan. 30 <1> of this year after serving in that role since Jan. 1, 2005, and was replaced by former CEO Allen Wise.

Wolf, whose total compensation dipped quite a bit from 2007 ($14,869,823) to 2008 ($9,047,469), was pleased with the direction the company was headed in at the time of his departure.

"I am proud of what a talented group of people have accomplished over the past 13 years of my association with the company," Wolf said, "and I am confident that the fundamentals which are in place today will carry the company forward to continued success."

Wolf carried a base salary of $965,000 in 2008, and earned just over $1.9 million in stock awards. His "other compensation," which amounted to $486,447, included transportation on the company's airplane, a company match retirement savings plan and a company match 401(k) plan.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/coventry-health-cares-dale-wolf-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/press-releases/dale-wolf-resigns-president-and-ceo-coventry-health-care
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/if-health-plan-profits-keep-falling-selloffs-may-begin/2008-11-18

Centene's Michael Neidorff - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $8,774,483

Details: Neidorff, who's base salary remained at $1 million, received increases in both his bonus ($1.25 million, up from $1 million) and his stock awards ($4.7 million, from $3.98 million) in 2008. According to the SEC, "Neidorff's agreement was amended twice in the past twelve months; (1) to eliminate the non-compete and non-solicitation requirements if there was a ‘hostile change in control' as defined in his agreement and (2) to add language to the agreement to make it compliant with Internal Revenue Section 409A."

Neidorff's "other compensation" of just over $418,000 comprised of use of the company airplane "for all travel," life insurance benefits, security services, and tax preparation services, among other things.
Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/centenes-michael-neidorff-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14

AMERIGROUP's James Carlson - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $5,292,546

Details: Despite a lawsuit regarding Medicaid fraud that cost the Illinois plan $225 million <1>, Carlson himself earned roughly $2 million more than he did in 2007. All aspects of his compensation increased in 2008, from his base salary (up from $608,000 to just over $761,000) to his non-equity incentive plan compensation (up to about $2.8 million from $1.98 million a year ago). Carlson's bonus also grew quite a bit, going from $225,000 in 2007 to $520,312 in 2008; much of that amount was based on long term incentive program goals being met.

Carlson's "other compensation," which nearly tripled (going from about $7,000 to just over $20,000), included his employer 401(k) contribution, life insurance premiums, an executive health screening, flight services and a medical insurance stipend.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroups-james-carlson-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroup-pay-225m-medicaid-fraud-settlement/2008-07-24
<2> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/press-releases/amerigroup-reaches-agreement-principle-settle-illinois-qui-tam-litigation
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroup-pay-225m-medicaid-fraud-settlement/2008-07-24

Humana's Michael McCallister - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $4,764,309

Details: Despite its pick ups of two smaller health plans (OSF Health Plans of Peoria, IL and Cos/Cariten Healthcare of Knoxville, TN) <1>, Humana's McCallister earned roughly $5.5 million less in 2008 than in 2007. While his base salary ($1,017,308), option awards ($3,078,897) and "other compensation" ($668,104) all increased, his non-equity incentive plan compensation and his nonqualified deferred compensation earnings totaled zero dollars. The latter represents a discontinuation of the Officers' Target Retirement Plan, according to the SEC.

McCallister's "other compensation" included personal use of the company aircraft for him, and sometimes his family; company contributions to the Supplemental Executive Retirement & Savings Plan and the Humana Retirement & Savings Plan; a once-a-year physical, financial planning assistance, and more.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/humanas-michael-mccallister-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/humana-hungry-buy-provider-owned-health-plans/2009-01-14
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/humana-hungry-buy-provider-owned-health-plans/2009-01-14
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-insurance-industry-consolidation-potential-threat-providers/2009-04-08

Health Net's Jay Gellert - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $4,425,355

Details: Gellert, whose company is considering selling off divisions in at least four states <1>, earned nearly $740,000 in additional compensation for 2008. His overall base salary increased to a little more than $1.2 million from about $1.18 million in 2007, and his stock awards also rose (from about $1.4 million to more than $1.8 million).

Gellert's "other compensation," which totaled $131,526, included, but were not limited to, a $53,000 housing allowance, a corporate car and tax reimbursements of nearly $41,000.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-nets-jay-gellert-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-net-consider-selling-divisions-four-states/2009-04-07
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/healthnet-realigns-executives-duties-response-poor-q3-earnings/2008-11-05
<3> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/health-net-considers-selloff-assets-stock/2009-01-14
<4> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-net-consider-selling-divisions-four-states/2009-04-07

Universal American's Richard Barasch - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $3,503,702

Details: After taking a pay cut from 2006 to 2007, Barasch more than doubled his total compensation for 2008, jumping up from $1,564,293 in 2007. Barasch's base salary jumped up to $857,851 from $798,340 in 2007; his stock and option awards also increased, as did his "other compensation," which reflected a car allowance, relocation benefits and a matching contribution to his 401(k).

Also of note for Barasch was the fact that his non-equity incentive plan compensation earnings totaled $1,195,147; in 2007, he did not receive any money in 2007 for such compensation, but took home $1.1 million in 2006.
Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/universal-americans-richard-barasch-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14

UnitedHealth Group's Stephen Hemsley - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $3,241,042

Details: An $895 million class-action lawsuit over stock-option back dating <1> aside, Hemsley still manages to make the cut for this list at No. 10. The UHG CEO's base salary was $1.3 million in 2008, to go along with a non-equity incentive plan compensation worth just over $1.8 million and "other compensation" amounting to slightly more than $119,000.

Hemsley's other compensation was a combination of the company matching his contributions under the 401(k) plan and the company matching contributions under his executive savings plan. According to the SEC, "in May 2006, the amount of Hemsley's supplemental retirement benefit was frozen based on his current age and average base salary and converted into a lump sum of $10,703,229." Because of this, "there was no increase in the benefit payable to Mr. Hemsley under his supplemental retirement benefit" in 2008.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/unitedhealth-groups-stephen-hemsley-ceo-compensation/2009-05-14
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/unitedhealth-settles-sec-charges-no-fines-involved/2008-12-24

to save us two trillion dollars over the next ten years by trimming their cost increase plans by 1.5% per year !!

Well, where did they go on their corporate jets over the last ten years? Where were those "voluntary restraints" they promised us after stomping out single payer/ universal health care the last time we got a Democrat into the White House?

Perhaps the darling executives were too busy raising prices before the next Democrat got into the White House, so they'd be ready to offer some "generous compromises" to squish the next attempt at Single Payer or Universal health care.

Some things he has done I agree with, but for the most part the really significant things that require dramatic changes are being ignored. I would include Social Security reform. The contributions should be extended to include taxes without any cut off. Health care is a primary issue and Obama is just selling out to the insurance giants. What about rescinding those tax cuts for he ultra-wealthy? How about increasing the tax on the these corporate thieves? THE MORE THINGS CHANGE THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME.

corpse health care since.....Get the corporations out of our health system.
I have also been saying we need to eliminate the lobbies and the campaign bribe system since runnyraygun...
I have been watching / experiencing privatly insured health care for years.
After I have lost everything including home and job, I am now on Medicaid and Medicare and am now disabled. I would not likely be disabled if I were able to get healthcare when I NEEDED IT!

Let the Health Insurance Industry go the way of whalebone corsets.

sw

and shit will always stink. It's the stink of death that's produced by sociopathic health care insurance companies and the elected assholes that only care about the money they think they need for their re-election campaigns.

Thanks for posting this. Be sure to spead this video onto big newspaper sites where the whole spectrum is.. otherwise it will not reach those who need to hear it most.

Thanks for posting this. Be sure to spead this video onto big newspaper sites where the whole spectrum is.. otherwise it will not reach those who need to hear it most.

Instead of our leading motivation being saving the medical insurance industry and their profits,
let us let it be simplicity in guaranteeing medical care as a basic human right in the USA. Finally.
Single payer now.

Permutations can be added in later.

Step One-- Emergency treatment-- Single Payer!

Hospitals and doctors are private entities whose client would be us, the taxpayers. Not a third-party that is motivated primarily by quarterly profits.

Single Payer First !
After a while the insurance companies, who seem to have employees valuable enough to deserve multiple millions in annual pay, will come up with ways to provide services to sell to supplement our guaranteed medical care.

note the comment that where they have a public option along with a private option, I think it was Massachusetts, that isn't working. We need single payer. We have a handful of people in congress who will take this on, but the majority is afraid of the big insurance companies. We need a strong leader to fight this. Thanks for the video. I recommend that even if you think you have good coverage - you might want to watch this. K&R

DU does feed and flog my masochistic tendencies because I really get off on being mad as hell and depressed. It does play havoc with my blood pressure though, but who wants to live forever?

is to get local. With single payer, with campaign finance reform, with a lot of things.

Big money manipulates us because it's easy when all the power is concentrated in DC. We need to take that power back home.

They showed tonight that we have a model already that proves the "disruption" of the health care system to be a bogus argument against single payer.

That model is Medicare.

Prior to the passage of Medicare, America was warned by the industry that the disruption to the health care system would be extreme.

What happened is this: people who had no insurance signed up for Medicare. People who already had private insurance switched. Within a YEAR the majority of eligible citizens were assimilated into Medicare.

Don't let Obama get away with that bogus argument. Disruption. Pshaw!! The lives of the uninsured are disrupted. That's disruption.

Health care should be a public good like roads and schools.

We are ALREADY PAYING for universal health care--we just aren't GETTING it!

:patriot:

I don't have tv reception thats worth a darn, and it wasn't live-streamed. K&R big time, this is the most important issue going, and one left,right, and center should embrace and would if they understood, this show was a great educational device! 60 people a day dying because they couldn't get the healthcare they needed as they were ininsured is something I can't stomach and won't shut up about!

I liked the suggestion that we take the good parts from all the other SPHC plans in effect in other countries to make our own. How hard can that be.

In fact much easier the private/public option Obama et al would like...

Money or Lives ? The status quo is Profit Care first, Patient Care last. I mean after all we are just talking about peoples lives anyway... www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62

the doctors and nurses in front of Congress in the mainstream media and that we are being ignored by all those pols we voted into office in November.

Thanks for posting that video.

in fact, canadian system (i.e., SP) is less efficient than other forms of universal coverage practiced in virtually every industrialized nation.

...even the poor and those with pre-existing health problems. Bottom line is ...no one should die because they don't have money. We will get a 30% reduction of costs by removing the health insurance sociopaths and a further reduction of cost as a result of preventative care and also a reduction in ER costs because people won't wait until their condition is critical.

and thus allows the low cost to all...

This IS war. We need to get on buses and go to the CEO's of these tyrant co's and call them out. Dog the hell out of these criminals and make their lives a living hell. We need to make utube video's of these folks whenever they step outside the doors to their limo's or when they come out of the gates of huge estates. We need to form our own lobbying forces and out maneuver the big money as we have proven we can do in the last election as far as putting our money where our mouths are. After we have supported our candidates into office we need to form as powerful a lobby as big business to keep the strays from going over to the dark side and let them know their are consequences. We need to let congress know we are on to their kabuki dance of having lots of grandstanding bills to keep their voting records in the democratic column while voting against public interests on the few important bills for which they get paid handsomely to do. We have way more tools today than we have ever had; We just need to learn to use them.

As FDR said; "I agree with you, now make me do it".

Making the case for "Single Payer Now!" plain for all to see.

that the younger population have less health problems and so the increase in health care costs for everyone is not double or triple the existing cost of Medicare. We don't know what that cost would be but we do know it will not be that much more than what Medicare is costing us now. Many older people with health problems would not have them if they were to have had preventative health care in their youth.

I have already e-mailed Obama, telling to watch himself 6 years ago when he made sense. I trust the two doctors over any elected official. They have spent decades of their lives fighting for single payer, which every other industrialized country has. Why? Because it is the credible answer. Even Obama is bought and owned by the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. These yahoos in DC have already decided it will not be discussed even though 60% of Americans want it. That is not democracy or change we can believe in. The best was Senator Baucus making a total jerk of himself at the end of the piece. Of course it cannot pass if it is not even considered. He was nailed/third highest recipient of health insurance money.

How can we stand by and let these people usurp Democracy while we see our friends and relatives die? I saw my best and longest known friend of 50 years die for lack of health care.

very impressive . . .
Did you see the clip of Sen. Baucus . . . "Single Payer can't be at the table

because there's no point -- it would never happen" -- !!!

I'd like to see us have the power to make his health care benefits disappear!!!

Everyone in Congress should have the same health care as citizens --

Medicare for All -- or nothing!!

IF we don't get organized -- and may be Howard Dean's the primary/best place to do it???

And I think Democrats for Progressive Democracy have something going/? ---

Is there anything else?

IF we don't -- if we don't get out in the streets -- we won't get it!!

http://pdamerica.org/articles/news/2009-05-23-12-25-24-news.php

<snip>That didn’t take long. Less than two weeks have passed since much of the medical-industrial complex made a big show of working with President Obama on health care reform—and the double-crossing is already well under way. Indeed, it’s now clear that even as they met with the president, pretending to be cooperative, insurers were gearing up to play the same destructive role they did the last time health reform was on the agenda.

So here’s the question: Will Mr. Obama gloss over the reality of what’s happening, and try to preserve the appearance of cooperation? Or will he honor his own pledge, made back during the campaign, to go on the offensive against special interests if they stand in the way of reform?


I don't know about you but I'm not holding my breath while waiting for SPHC backing from Obama. I plan to push for Kucinich 2012 if he will run. What we need in office are people who will stand on principle, not re-election campaign money from health insurance sociopaths and big pharma.

usually someone will post something like that --

Anyway, I agree with you overall -- and sadly also think the answer to your question

is I'm also not holding my breath.

a "birthday present" of a $30 per month increase in premiums for my high-deductible policy, the deductible of which I have NEVER used up in five years of being enrolled--and it's not even one of those birthdays that ends in a "0" or a "5." That's about That's about a 14% increase, WAY above the rate of inflation.The premium is now twice as high as it was five years ago, even after my raising my deductible.

I want SPHC more than ever. :grr:

No SPHC = incumbent Dem vote.

and if current trends continue, my monthly premium will be $300 in a year or two.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother: Even $5000 in medical bills would wipe me out, and I'd be equally bankrupt paying %5000 or 5 million. I could actually buy a lot of health care for what my company charges in premiums.

But if we get Massachusetts-style corporate welfare, then I won't be allowed to drop coverage. :grr:

I think they have a universal health care system too.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/02/mass_healthcare_reform_is_failing_us/

Mass. healthcare reform is failing us
<snip>MASSACHUSETTS HAS been lauded for its healthcare reform, but the program is a failure. Created solely to achieve universal insurance coverage, the plan does not even begin to address the other essential components of a successful healthcare system.

What would such a system provide? The prestigious Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, has defined five criteria for healthcare reform. Coverage should be: universal, not tied to a job, affordable for individuals and families, affordable for society, and it should provide access to high-quality care for everyone.

The state's plan flunks on all counts.

Not 20,000 dying per year, it's 100,000 Americans dying per year due to lack of healthcare.

It's now the 21st century and we need to catch up to the civilized countries ... single-payer healthcare now.

Finally deciphered SPHC, so I clicked the thread but too late.

This is no surprise. The rest of his corporatism is a big let down, however.