Kucinich criticizes health insurance system
Originally published in the San Jose Mercury News
Posted on Wed, Dec. 10, 2003
Kucinich criticizes health insurance system
ANNE SAUNDERS
Associated Press
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich used Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to make a point Wednesday that for-profit businesses should not be controlling health care.
The Ohio congressman said Anthem is charging higher insurance premiums in the wake of its announcement it would buy California-based rival WellPoint Health Networks Inc.
"The people of New Hampshire are now paying for the acquisition of WellPoint," he said. "This just shows you how bankrupt this system is."
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Hampshire said premiums have not increased because of the merger.
"Nothing could be farther from the truth," said Karen Brown, director of corporate communication. "Health care premiums are going up as a result of increases in the cost of care." Specifically, she said physicians' fees and outpatient costs are rising.
"Every time we have completed a Blue merger, we've been able to reduce administrative expenses, grow membership and help keep health care affordable for millions of members. There will be no increases in premiums resulting from this affiliation," she said.
Anthem Inc., based in Indianapolis, serves as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Connecticut, Colorado, Nevada and part of Virginia. WellPoint serves California, Georgia, Missouri and Wisconsin.
Kucinich, who spoke to Memorial High School students, favors a government-run single-payer system. Kucinich criticized the other Democratic candidates for offering Americans health insurance not health care.
"Some of these candidates are like insurance salesmen," he said.
Kucinich got one question about New Hampshire's recent decision to import prescription drugs from Canada. Gov. Craig Benson announced Tuesday the state will start reimporting U.S.-made drugs from Canada at lower prices, making it the first state to do so.
Kucinich told students it is absurd that their grandparents pay three times as much for prescriptions as people do in Canada.
"I'm ready to take on the health care companies and the pharmaceutical companies," he said.
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