Ads Hit Airwaves Making the Case For, Against Health Care Reform
Leaders from the health care industry, business groups and organized labor on Wednesday launched a television advertising campaign to support an overhaul of California's health care system, MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News reports (Zapler, MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News, 5/31).
An ad petitioning Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and the Legislature to "get something done" this year will begin running in Sacramento and in several weeks will air statewide (Rojas, Sacramento Bee, 5/31).
Members of the coalition include:
- AARP California;
- Bay Area Council;
- Blue Shield of California;
- California Labor Federation;
- California Medical Association (MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News, 5/31);
- California Teachers Association (Sacramento Bee, 5/31);
- Health Net;
- Kaiser Permanente;
- Services Employees International Union; and
- Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
The group has not thrown its support behind a specific proposal, but MediaNews/Mercury News reports that the coalition could face difficulty backing a plan because of diverse interests among the members (MediaNews/San Jose Mercury News, 5/31).
The coalition's ads come one week after Blue Cross of California launched an ad campaign to oppose proposals by Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers that would require insurers to sell policies to everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions.
Blue Cross, the state's largest insurer, says it supports 80% of the health care reform proposals by Schwarzenegger and the Democrats. The insurer on Wednesday launched radio ads in Sacramento (Sacramento Bee, 5/31).