[Nyclocal] Report-BAck GHI/HIP Merger

[William Wharton]

Friends,

I spent most the day today attending a hearing
organized by the NY State Superintendent of Insurance
regarding the proposed conversion of GHI/HIP into a
for-profit corporation.  

I had prepared myself for a small gathering mostly of
"experts" or officials from the concerned unions. 
However, when I arrived at 10a at the headquarters of
HIP I found a line of more than 100 people assembled. 
The majority of the crowd were retirees fearful of
having their health coverage either reduced or made
more expensive.

I handed out a few flyers as I made my way towards the
registration.  Then, as I was about 5 people away from
the desk an official from HIP intervened and announced
that the room had hit the 200 person fire code and
that the meeting was now closed off.  Needless to say
people were upset even incensed at the news.  A fairly
ferocious argument ensued.

I intervened and asked to speak to an official from
the Department of Insurance.  I was told that they
refused to come down.  I then phoned Greg (at home in
his sick bed) and asked him to find the number for the
Department.  I then went up and down the line handing
out flyers from the SP and asking people to call the
Department to register a complaint.  We then did the
same thing with the news service NY1 (with the
assistance of Greg and Denise).  Another person
developed a protest petition and had everyone on the
line, now around 100 people, sign it.

As more HIP officials appeared the situation became
more tense.  Finally, after it became clear that the
lobby was not going to be cleared - several people had
begun knitting, others taking breakfast and others
organizing discussion circles - HIP magically
discovered more room and we were allowed to enter.

Once inside, I was able to hear the testimony of the
Deputy Mayor.  He vowed to fight the merger "using
every means at City Hall's disposal."  However, he
also stated that should the conversion go through the
city would like a share of the proceeds (GHI/HIP have
used 30 years of tax breaks to amass a vast amount of
money).  Most of the mainstream healthcare groups
advanced the same position - no conversion but...if
you do please give us some money.  The exceptions to
this position came from Healthcare Now! and Physicians
for National Health Insurance who articulated sound
calls for a single-payer system.

The most amazing part of the meeting came once the
retirees and base level union reps spoke.  Through
anecdotal evidence, folksy stories and sound reasoning
they painted a picture of the damage that would be
done if the merger and conversion go through.  It
became clear to me that the left had seriously
underestimated the degree to which working people
understand the way in which the system works.  Thanks
to movies such as SICKO and their own experience
people understand in intimate detail what is wrong
with this system.  One person's testimony even
included direct quotes from SICKO including a demand
for the "French system."

Ronald, a frequent participant in our study group,
gave a very impassioned testimony from the perspective
of a retiree from the union DC 37.  He managed to give
a little wake up call to both the state and GHI/HIP
panel.  Eventually, after 5 hours, I gave my
testimony.  I received some amount of applause
afterward.  Sadly, I was the only person in the room
from an organized left party.

I was able to make several important contacts in the
trade union and healthcare sector.  Hopefully we can
organize a broad coalition to defeat this merger.

So, today was a very good day.  It made clear that a
much broader section of the population than I
originally thought is vocally supportive of
single-payer national healthcare.  Hopefully, as part
of that broader campaign we can put the brakes on this
merger.

Peace,
Billy
 


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