MoveOver.orginize

As the health care debate moved out of Washington in August and onto the airways and into the streets, special interest groups from both sides have tried to stake out their positions, rally their troops, influence their legislators and in some cases directly pressure the insurance industry. One way to do all of that was seen around the country tuesday (21st)

as MoveOn.org held a National Day Of Action, with three rallies here in Maine. The rally/action in the Portland area was outside the offices of Anthem Blue Cross / Blue Shield, (in South Portland ) which is a subsidiary of Wellpoint, Inc.

The group ( many of whom are Anthem members) hoped to hand over a "Policy" addendum to higher ups which would advocate three items
1) "if a qualified physician recommends care" Anthem BCBS would not substitute its judgement
2) "Anthem BCBS will not deny or drop coverage for a pre-existing condition... or incentivize or reward employees
3) Anthem BCBS " will not use any resources to oppose" reform proposals

Well they got some press and a spokesman was allowed into building and left a packet at the reception desk but even the Anthem PR spokesman wouldn't agree to a brief meeting!

Maine's Olympia Snowe, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, had been a urging a slow down in the process so that the revised version of "Baucus" bill could have a final $ amount attached to it by the Congressional Office, but republicans lost a procedural vote on thursday, in committee, on the slow down.