SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

SEANC is airing radio ads against the State Health Plan fix.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina's ads criticize Blue Cross Blue Shield and state legislators for proposing to cut benefits and raise premiums.

"It's not just executives on Wall Street who are making millions at our expense," the narrator says. "Right here in North Carolina, big shots at Blue Cross Blue Shield are bringing home multi-million dollar paychecks, while health care costs skyrocket."

The ad notes that Blue Cross made $180 million last year administering the plan.

"Now the State Health Plan is in trouble and the legislature wants to not only cut benefits, but raise premiums, deductibles and co-pays to cover the costs and leave Blue Cross Blue Shield profits untouched," it says. "That's not fair."

SEANC said the ad is airing "in several markets." A version of the ad available on its Web site urges listeners to call House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman.

After the jump, the script.

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It's not just executives on Wall Street who are making millions at our expense. Right here in North Carolina, big shots at Blue Cross Blue Shield are bringing home multi-million dollar paychecks, while health care costs skyrocket.

Last year Blue Cross made $180 million in profits-including money from a no-bid contract to administer our State Health Plan. Not bad for a "non-profit."

Well, now the State Health Plan is in trouble and the legislature wants to not only cut benefits, but raise premiums, deductibles and co-pays to cover the costs and leave Blue Cross Blue Shield profits untouched. That's not fair.

Call House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman at 919-715-0873 and tell him to make Blue Cross Blue Shield pay its fair share.

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by shp123 on April 1, 2009 - 7:28pm.

Just curious when the N&O will reveal that the State contract has a production clause(when BCBSNC doesn't meet the contract stipulations) BCBSNC has to pay. Or when BCBSNC has given the State health Plan TONS of money to pay claims and now NO ONE in the general Assembly can find the money. Claims will NOT BE PAID.....REPEAT CLAIMS will not be paid. If you had a service in a doctor's office or hospital YOU ARE 100% responsible. Not so bad for BCBSNC who gave NC money to pay the claims and they spend it elsewhere. My heart goes out to all SHP members.we really are looking bad. Maybe they need to let BCBSNC run the State Health Plan and let the guys/gals in Raleigh figure out another way to blow our taxes dollars. wake up. Don't call to grip about the money BCBSNC makes call to ask the voted in member of general Assembly what the heck they did with OUR money. Maybe Bev can figure it out...Yeah RIGHT!!!

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by jepthas on March 30, 2009 - 8:04pm.

Are they going to do blood tests to see who smokes? Or will you merely check yes or no? Then be called back because they don't believe you? Can you be weighted nude?

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by thekittybees on March 30, 2009 - 2:08pm.

Bendal, I believe the only way BCBS will be able to find out who smokes and is obese is to dump every subscriber into the 70/30 Plan come July 1, 2009. Then each subscriber will have to PROVE with a doctor visit (30% of which they will pay the cost of) that they are not smokers or are not obese. Can you think of any other way for BCBS to make more money in a rapid turn around than making all subscribers pay 30% of their doctor visit cost?

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by bendal on March 30, 2009 - 12:51pm.

I still want to know how the SHP will find out whether a family member of a state employee is overweight or smokes. Will their doctor be required to report this information to the SHP, and isn't that a breach of privacy between doctor and patient?

While we're at it, what about those with risky lifestyles? Or those who skydive, or snorkel, or go hang gliding? Aren't those health risks too, and could impact the stockholders' profits...oh, I mean, impact the health costs to the program? What if someone has diabetes or asthma, or a child with an incurable disease such as Muscular Dystrophy? Shouldn't they be charged more too?

It's discrimination and acceptable because smokers/overweight people are considered "ok" to persecute. The thought is they did it to themselves so they deserve the scorn. Think about that.

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by goobnav on March 30, 2009 - 12:51pm.

Its seems the N&O is trying to shift the blame away from its friends in the General Assembly. That is the issue, the mismanagement of the funding of this program comes directly from the Government not BCBSNC. What is the N&O protecting, an inept governor, the people have figured that out, the Good Ol'boy network at the General Assembly or are they being manipulated by other corporate entities that are savioring to bilk the people of NC out of more tax dollars that they already cannot afford. I would say all three, its surprising that SEANC is falling for this, they should know better that they are being misled by a bunch of ignorant lawyers who think the populus of this state is a bunch of dumb fools. I have news for them, we are more intelligent than you think and the people will rise up and take back what is rightfully theirs.

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by Corvus on March 30, 2009 - 11:57am.

Maybe SEANC can file a lawsuit based on the fact that this proposed health fix discriminates against smokers and fat people. All the while letting the high ups at BCBS get rich and make contributions to politicians.

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by Cottonelle on March 30, 2009 - 11:35am.

No need to wonder why alcohol is missing from the State's list of health intitiave sanctions even though alcohol kills, ruins families, and yes, makes people fat and stupid. Tony Rand, who sponsored the Health Initiatives bill, has now introduced a bill that will allow the selling of liquor by the drink on Sundays to benefit the restaurant industry and the state's increased tax on liquor by the drink. He seems to think it's all about money, "taking it off" the 60% of overweight people who have sat behind desks doing the State's business and taught its children.

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Re: SEANC airs ads against Health Plan fix

Submitted by Cottonelle on March 30, 2009 - 11:22am.

The General Assembly just passed SB187 which will divide fat/smokers and ideal weight/non-smokers into two plans. This is unprecedented in ANY state in the U.S.
1. If you or anyone in your family does not comply with being thin and non-smoking:
a. that family will pay twice as much in deductibles and other, and then that deductible will be tripled for anyone you pay for on your plan.
b. the state will force compliance as you will be tested at the doctor's office for weight gain and/or evidence of smoking tobacco products

Unbelievable that the state I came to at the time tobacco was the golden leaf lured me to smoke with free handouts of tobacco products in cute little cigarette packs, has the audacity to bait and then switch to punitive measures based on questionable actuary figures that purport that overweight and smoking tobacco are the cause of everybody's medical ills.

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