Coalition for Medicare Choices
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This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin. |
The Coalition for Medicare Choices is a project of America's Health Insurance Plans, a lobbying group that represents the interests of companies that sell health insurance. The group opposes health care reform.
In an emailed press release sent out during the first week of December, 2009, the Coalition for Medicare Choices described itself only as "a rapidly growing organization of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries." The press release cited a study done by Emory University Rollins School of Public Health into proposed Medicare Advantage payment cuts in 2007, and stated the study indicated “if Medicare Advantage payments were reduced by Congress to mirror fee for service Medicare rates, which is proposed in the [health reform] bill passed by the House, 3 million seniors would leave Medicare Advantage nationally, including nearly 2 million as a result of increases in premiums, reductions in benefits or withdrawal of their Medicare Advantage plan from the market." Health insurance companies benefit financially from the Medicare Advantage because they get extra federal subsidies that are supposed to pay for extra services the Medicare Advantage beneficiaries get. The study the press release cited was commissioned by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, the lobbying group for Blue Cross Blue Shield, one of the nation’s largest insurers, which opposes health insurance reform. [1]
The Coalition for Medicare Choices shares the same physical address as the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (not to be confused with the front group Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare) and America's Health Insurance Plans.[2][3]
The Web site GovernmentContractsWon.com says that the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare was awarded a government defense contract in the amount of $42,200 in 2008.[4]
Sourcewatch resources
External resources
Contact
The Coalition for Medicare Choices
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (866) 441-3070
email: info@medicarechoices.org
References
- ↑ Joe Ciavaglia ARe Citizen groups being upfront with the truth? Phillyburbs.com, November 12, 2009
- ↑ The Coalition for Medicare Choices Contact Us, Web site, accessed December 8, 2009
- ↑ GovernmentContractsWon.com America's Health Insurance Plans
- ↑ GovernmentContractsWon.com Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare, 601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 500, S. Bldg WASHINGTON, DC 20004], accessed December 8, 2009
