"Insurance Jive": Make the Match

by Courage Campaign Issues

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Supporters 6,651
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Together, the California Nurses Association and State Senator Sheila Kuehl have pledged to match the first $6,000 donated to place “Insurance Jive” on the air in San Francisco in the next 48 hours — just as thousands of health insurance executives gather in the city for their annual convention.

Please watch “Insurance Jive” now and — if you like the ad — consider contributing $25, $50, $100 or more on ActBlue now to help us get it on the air and make this $6,000 match.

The match has been hit. Now can we go for more? If we hit $7,000 we can expand the ad buy into Los Angeles.

The Courage Campaign's latest television ad is not what you might expect. It's not traditional. Or typical. The ad features a nurse (actor Beth Broderick of "Lost") who - reminiscent of the Barbara Billingsley character in the 1980 movie "Airplane" - translates insurance jargon for a hospital patient and her husband.

Sounds funny, right? Well, "Insurance Jive" also packs a punch. That's why, together, the California Nurses Association and State Senator Sheila Kuehl have pledged to match the first $6,000 donated to place this powerful ad on the air in in San Francisco in the next 48 hours - just as thousands of health insurance executives gather in the city for their annual convention.

The premise of “Insurance Jive” is based on the true story of Patsy Bates. Health Net canceled - or "rescinded" - Patsy's health insurance policy after this 52-year-old grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing Patsy to halt chemotherapy for several months while piling up $129,000 in medical bills.

A judge recently ordered Health Net to pay Patsy a whopping $9 million in mostly punitive damages.

But her victory is a rare blow to an industry that routinely seeks to profit at the expense - and physical well-being - of its customers. For example, according to the Los Angeles Times, Patsy's lawsuit revealed that Health Net had "linked cancellations to employee performance goals," an illegal policy that helped drive more than $35 million in denied claims between 2003 and 2006.

Fortunately, Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has initiated a lawsuit and criminal investigation into Health Net's decisions to drop, deny or delay health care.

Rocky Delgadillo is talking to these corporations in a language they can easily understand: "lawsuit". That's why we created "Insurance Jive" to spread the word about the City Attorney's helpful website for consumers.

If you like this powerful new 30-second ad, please consider contributing $25, $50, $100 or more at the top of this form so we can put "Insurance Jive" on the air in the next 48 hours.

The Courage Campaign is uniting with the netroots and the grassroots to build people-powered online infrastructure in California. One way we're building progressive infrastructure is by using and supporting ActBlue, the online community tool that empowers anyone to fundraise online for progressive candidates and causes.

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