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Members of the D.C. Statehood Green Party voiced their opposition to the
conversion of CareFirst (Blue Cross and Blue Shield), a nonprofit
organization which serves the public health needs of people in the
District of Columbia, into a profit-making corporation.
"When health care organizations undergo privatization, their chief
mission changes from providing health care to providing profits to
shareholders," said T.E. Smith, a D.C. native and party activist.
"Privatization means cost-cutting measures, higher rates, and fewer
services for the public, in order to guarantee a return for CareFirst
investors. Our private system of insurance companies and HMOs has been a
disaster for Americans, with over 41 million Americans without coverage,
including upwards of 90,000 D.C. residents."
"We see CareFirst's bid for conversion as a raid on a public health
resource, part of a pattern of assault on health care that also includes
the privatization and dismantling of D.C. General Hospital. This is not
an issue of money shortages or high costs, but of political will to
resist corporate greed."
Statehood Greens agree with the objections raised by the Health Care
Now! http://www.healthcarenowdc.org/CAREFIRST.ivnu,
a coalition that has drawn the party's support and participation. Health
Care Now! cites numerous reports and studies, including Community
Catalyst of Boston and the Maryland Hospital Association, that the
conversion will not serve the public interest, especially as CareFirst
cuts costs and services in preparation for acquisition by Wellpoint
Health Networks of California.
Health Care Now concludes that, "Due to the control that Wellpoint
will exercise over CareFirst, it is highly probable that the conversion
would...have a negative effect on several areas of its public
accountability, subscriber service and provider relations in Maryland,
the District and Delaware.... There is concern that CareFirst has
abandoned its original charitable purposes and public service
values."
The Statehood Green Party has called on D.C. Council and Mayor Williams
to expand public health care to cover all residents. In January, 2000,
the party submitted a a detailed set of recommendationsto the Health
Care System Development Commission that urged D.C. government tostudy
how such a plan might be enacted, arguing that systems based on private
profit had failed toprovide for the health needs of District residents.
"D.C. is in the midst of a health care crisis, with high infant
mortality and low average life expectancy for men, 87,000-plus
uninsured, rampant drug dependency, lack of access, and hospitals in
financial crisis," said Steve Donkin, who is seeking the Statehood
Green Party's nomination for Mayor of D.C. "But most of the
measures we've seen, especially from the Mayor's office, are those that
favor private corporations, often at the cost of public services, such
as the privatization of D.C. General Hospital and moving Medicaid
patients into managed care plans that demand a chunk of taxpayers' money
for the profit of investors."
"The Mayor and many Council members worship at the altar of
privatization. We encourage D.C. residents to resist the plunder of our
public resources and services, to demand quality coverage, and to make
their voices heard at hearings, in street rallies, and in the voting
booth."
Rallies sponsored by Health Care Now! are scheduled to coincide with
public hearings on the CareFirst privatization, in front of One
Judiciary Square, 441 Fourth Street NW, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May
22 and Tuesday, May 28.
Contact:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator
202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com
MORE INFORMATION
The D.C. Statehood Green Party http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
1314 18th Street, NW, lower level, Washington, DC 20036, 202-296-1301
Health Care Now! http://www.healthcarenowdc.org
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