{"id":688,"date":"2009-10-01T19:42:20","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T13:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.stier.net\/?p=688"},"modified":"2011-07-23T22:04:54","modified_gmt":"2011-07-23T22:04:54","slug":"hcan-big-insurance-sick-of-it-rallies-in-pa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/?p=688","title":{"rendered":"HCAN Big Insurance: Sick of It Rallies in PA"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">On Tuesday September 22, HCAN, in over a hundred events around the country, thousands of people took time off to say <strong>Big Insurance: Sick of It<\/strong>. They say that they are angry insurance companies for denying people care and coverage, for paying their employees more to deny care, and for using our premiums to lobby Congress in opposition to health care reform and a public health insurance option.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">In Pennsylvania, we had well attended events in Philadelphia, Williamsport, Erie, and Pittsburgh.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" align=\"center\" src=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/slideShow\/index.gne?set_id=72157622369264363\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/><center><small>Created with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickrslideshow.com\">flickr slideshow<\/a>.<\/small><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Over 750 people from Philadelphia and its suburbs rallied, chanted and marched in support of health care reform. They came together to demand that CIGNA and other health insurance companies stop denying care and coverage to Americans and end their opposition to real reform that includes a public health insurance option.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><!--more-->Speakers included: form CIGNA executive Wendell Potter; Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice-president AFL-CIO; Pat Eiding, President Philadelphia AFL-CIO, Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, President-elect, National Physicians Alliance; Wayne Macmaniman, District Supervisor of SEIU 32j, Wendell Young IV, President UFCW Local 1776, and Stacie Ritter, a Manheim, PA, mother of twins afflicted with leukemia whose care was denied by CIGNA Insurance and Marc Stier, PA State Director of HCAN.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Before the rally began, a delegation of leaders from the event&#8217;s coalition of union labor and progressive groups, including Jeff Blum, national co-chair of HCAN, Marc Stier, Antoinette Kraus of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, and Amy Ringenbach of MoveOn presented CIGNA CEO H. Edward Hanway with this list of demands:<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><em>&#8220;We are here to demand that CIGNA CEO H. Edward Hanway, who made $ 22,716,454 in 2007 to deny care to CIGNA customers, agrees to the following, effective immediately:<\/em><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><em>1. CIGNA will not stand between a doctor and a patient when it comes to deciding what care that patient needs. If a qualified physician recommends care, no one at CIGNA will substitute his or her judgment for the judgment of the patient&#8217;s physician in deciding if care is medically necessary.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>2. CIGNA will not deny or drop coverage for a pre-existing medical condition.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>3. CIGNA will terminate any policy or incentive that rewards employees financially or otherwise for denying care and rejecting claims.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>4. CIGNA will not use any resources\u2014including funds, employees, and facilities\u2014to oppose any aspect of the health reform proposals supported by President Obama and being considered by members of the United States Congress. &#8220;<\/em><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Wendell Potter, the CIGNA whistle-blower and Philadelphia resident, was met with a roar of cheers from the crowd. He thanked the assembled for their health care reform efforts, and he briefly recounted his own bold decision to speak out against CIGNA&#8217;s &#8216;money-first, people-last&#8217; policies.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO, forcefully delivered her message for a strong commitment to health care reform for all of America&#8217;s citizens.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Stacie Ritter shared story gut-wrenching report about how CIGNA would not pay for medical care for her daughter who were diagnosed and treated for cancer at the age of 4. That treatment destroyed their pituitary glands. To grow normally need human growth hormone treatment, which CIGNA has refused to pay for.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">After the rally, everyone marched a few blocks to CIGNA&#8217;s headquarters at Two Liberty Place, chanting along the way and picking up additional supporters including many in cars who honked their support.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">This event was jointly hosted by a members of the Health Care For America Now coalition including ACORN, the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, MoveOn, Organizing for America, PennAction, the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, UFCW and others<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Daily News Report <a href=\"http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/news\/60553002.html\">http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/news\/60553002.html<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Philadelphia Inquirer <a href=\"http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/business\/60551357.html\">http:\/\/www.philly.com\/philly\/business\/60551357.html<\/a> (A picture that appeared in the Inquirer is in the photo slideshow.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><br \/>\nFox 29 Coverage <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=K1YtvklK5Z0\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=K1YtvklK5Z0<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Fox 29 and NBC 10 sky cam: coming soon.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Youtube video of the rally and march shot by Dolores Lombardi:<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=j6kSYaar3g0\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=j6kSYaar3g0<\/a> HCAN PA state director Marc Tier and HCAN PA Chantmaster Jeff Garis of Penn Action.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AOe19PlUq4U\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AOe19PlUq4U<\/a> Philadelphia AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fkeCu3L6L20\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fkeCu3L6L20<\/a> AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YKBtUzj_gkU\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YKBtUzj_gkU<\/a> Introduction of Wendell Potter<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TDzgBhy4pXk\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TDzgBhy4pXk<\/a> Wendell Potter, former CIGNA executive<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #6\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=83umh23yg7M\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=83umh23yg7M<\/a> Chanting<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=noYEe0ZUTAo\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=noYEe0ZUTAo<\/a> Stacie Ritter<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lgWjvLcjS9E\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lgWjvLcjS9E<\/a> Dr. Valerie Arkoosh<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PD1DTcWTeQo\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PD1DTcWTeQo<\/a> Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, continued<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #10\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c_NAW2zt5Yw\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c_NAW2zt5Yw<\/a> Wayne Macmaniman of SEIU 32bj<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #11\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=12y8jamD3VY\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=12y8jamD3VY<\/a> March to CIGNA<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Clip #12\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ccViE_ibQdI\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ccViE_ibQdI<\/a> Wendell Young at the CIGNA Office<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>Pittsburgh<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Pittsburgh held a 105 person Sick of it Rally in the rain, with Fred Redmond, International Vice President for the United Steelworkers as the keynote Speaker, Activist and Singer Anne Feeney performed several selections about health care including my favorite, &#8220;We&#8217;re Nursing as Fast as We Can,&#8221; followed by Hospital Nurse Michelle Boyle, Georgeanne Koehler, whose brother died of a heart attack because he had no health care coverage, and several other people who stepped up to the mike to tell folks their health insurance horror stories.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">People attended from USW, NEA, AFSCME, SOAR, AARP, PHAN, ACORN, SEIU, Mon Valley Unemployed Committee.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Wilkinsburg Borough Councilperson Denise Williams and Allegheny County Council President John DeFazio also joined us.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">The rally lasted an hour, then those attending it broke up into three groups The first group 1 delivered the demands to CIGNA, the second group visited Senator Casey to thank him for his strong support of the public plan and the third group #3, who visited Senator Specter&#8217;s office to thank him for his support of health care reform and the public option.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>Williamsport<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Forty people came out to the offices of Highmark insurance to present their demands. The rally at noon with some chants, had some speakers, got lots of honks and thumbs up from passing cars and trucks, and generally had a good time. Participants included veterans, retired union members, nurses, students and college professors \u2014a small but strong group from small-town\/rural north-central PA.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Speakers included, Charles Mercer, a Baptist minister; Barbara Hemmendinger and Karen Kirk, medical office staff; Catherine Rossiter, the wife of a surgeon, who once had a job selling corporate jets to insurance company execs; and Tom Reeder, an Episcopal priest.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">See the coverage in the Williamsport (PA) Sun Gazette, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sungazette.com\/page\/content.detail\/id\/532818.html?nav=5011\">http:\/\/www.sungazette.com\/page\/content.detail\/id\/532818.html?nav=5011#<\/a>.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\"><strong>Erie<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">Forty three people attended a rally at that Big Insurance &#8211; Sick of It Rally at the Highmark Blue Cross Blue<br \/>\nShield office in Erie.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">The\u00a0 rally featured a &#8216;physician&#8217;s overview&#8217; of the current health caresystem\u00a0 by Erie&#8217;s Dr. Stephen Keister.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">You can see the rally it on YouTube\u00a0at:<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">_<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iBJeVrrmT_o&amp;feature=channel_\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iBJeVrrmT_o&amp;feature=channel_<\/a><br \/>\n(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iBJeVrrmT_o&amp;feature=channel\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iBJeVrrmT_o&amp;feature=channel<\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family:Arial\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Tuesday September 22, HCAN, in over a hundred events around the country, thousands of people took time off to say Big Insurance: Sick of It. They say that they are angry insurance companies for denying people care and coverage, for paying their employees more to deny care, and for using our premiums to lobby Congress in opposition to health care reform and a public health insurance option. In Pennsylvania, we had well attended events in Philadelphia, Williamsport, Erie, and Pittsburgh. Created with flickr slideshow. Over 750 people from Philadelphia and its suburbs rallied, chanted and marched in support of health care reform. They came together to demand that CIGNA and other health insurance companies stop denying care and coverage to Americans and end their opposition to real reform that includes a public health insurance option. <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/?p=688\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-care"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p35YuU-b6","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=688"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5792,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions\/5792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcstier.com\/blog2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}