Minnesotans condemn UnitedHealth’s efforts to stop reform

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4182

By Barb Kucera, Workday editor
22 September 2009

MINNETONKA - When many Americans can’t afford basic health care, is one insurance company executive worth $744 million? That’s the question demonstrators asked Tuesday outside the headquarters of UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation’s largest insurers.
“We have a question for (United Health CEO) Stephen Hemsley,” said the Rev. Grant Stevensen. “How much is enough?”

Clearly the more than 150 protesters who converged at UnitedHealth’s posh Minnetonka corporate offices had enough of insurance company efforts to block Congressional action on health care. They joined thousands around the country in coordinated demonstrations under the theme, “Big Insurance: Sick of It.”

In Minnesota, protests were held at UnitedHealth in Minnetonka and OptumHealth in Duluth. Minnesotans also participated in a rally at the Blue Cross Blue Shield offices in Fargo, N.D.

“We need to shed light on the fact the insurance companies are profiting on our losses,” said Laura Askelin, president of the Southeast Area Labor Council in Rochester. “They’re making money off sick and dying people.”



Nurse Diane Johnson (center), the Rev. Grant Stevensen and labor leader Laura Askelin led marchers to the front door of UnitedHealth Group headquarters.



FULL story at link.

[pleah]

1. K&R

[robo50]

2. Pretty neat demonstration! Why didn't we hear about this in the

M$M.???

[Bjorn Against]

3. I am asking why I didn't hear about it

I live in the Twin Cities and am involved in actions like this every single week but I didn't hear about this one. You are right though, the teabaggers get ten times the coverage we do. We are only able to make the news if one of our people is facing jail time for honking their horn, all the teabaggers have to do is make a bunch of ignorant statements. A couple of weeks ago Obama was in town and we had as many people out demonstrating for single payer health care as the teabaggers had out demonstrating to deny people health care. The coverage in the Star Tribune however gave the Teabaggers a half of a page while us single payer advocates were only briefly referred to as "Obama supporters with battery powered megaphones" and the words "single payer" were not even mentioned.