Nurses Unveil New Advertising Campaign Against Schwarzenegger-Nunez “Individual Mandate” Plan
The Words of Sen. Barack Obama Critique Concept of Forcing Patients to Buy Insurance
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee today launched a new statewide media campaign featuring the voice of Sen. Barack Obama commenting on proposals to force individuals to buy insurance.
Individual mandate schemes lie at the heart of the healthcare deal crafted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez—and endorsed by most California insurance corporations.
The media campaign of radio spots will run in major media markets across California, coinciding with Senate hearings and a vote on the ABX1.1 bill. CNA/NNOC opposes the bill which would require all Californians to buy health insurance or face substantial penalties. As the ad puts it, “Don't let the politicians force you to buy insurance you can't afford and which won't help you when you're sick.”
The ad also quotes Sen. Obama noting “some folks who said that it's not possible to provide universal healthcare coverage unless there's a mandate. Their essential argument is the only way to get everybody covered is if the government forces you to buy health insurance. If you don't buy it, then you’ll be penalized in some way….The reason people don't have health insurance is because they can't afford it.”
Under the Schwarzenegger-Nunez deal, ABX1.1, insurers would gain millions of new customers and hundreds of millions in additional profits while failing in its promise of solving the state’s healthcare crisis, says CNA/NNOC.
Supporters of the bill include seven of the state’s biggest insurers: Kaiser Permanente, Health Net, PacifiCare, Blue Shield, Cigna, and Molina Health Care.
"Individual mandates are not a humane or sound health care policy. Californians desperately want real healthcare reform, but AB x1.1 is not it,” said Zenei Cortez, RN, a member of the CNA/NNOC Council of Presidents. “Sadly, AB x1.1 is a prescription for more financial risk, denial of care, and heartache for California patients. As patient advocates, RNs will continue working to defeat ABX1.1.” The ad also calls on Californians to join with nurses in working for genuine healthcare reform, such as SB 840, a bill that will be heard in the California Assembly later this year.
The full text of the ad reads:
(voice over) The nurses of California agree with Senator Barack Obama: The government shouldn't punish people who can't afford health insurance.
(Sen. Obama) I know that there have been some folks who said that it's not possible to provide universal health care coverage unless there's a mandate. Their essential argument is the only way to get everybody covered is if the government forces you to buy health insurance. If you don't buy it, then you’ll be penalized in some way. And the reason people don't have health insurance is because they can't afford it.
(voice over) So why are Gov. Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Nunez proposing a law, AB x 1.1, to force you to buy insurance which would pad the pockets of the insurance companies? AB x 1.1 is not the path to the universal healthcare we so desperately need. Don't let the politicians force you to buy insurance you can't afford and which won't help you when you're sick.
Join California nurses in calling for real healthcare reform.
Go to guaranteedhealthcare.org.
Paid for by the California Nurses Association which is responsible for the content of this ad. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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