Prove You're Not Evil, Google
You can't really blame Lauren Turner the Google-ista who breathlessly begged HMO’s to let Google help them fight back against SiCKO and block that horrific push for universal healthcare. But you can blame Google. “Do no evil, Google?” Let's see how you can make your motto true...after the jump.
When Google backed off from Turner's blog, your official spokesperson wrote:
In fact, Google does share many of the concerns that Mr. Moore expresses about the cost and availability of health care in America. Indeed, we think these issues are sufficiently important that we invited our employees to attend his film (nearly 1,000 people did so). We believe that it will fall to many entities -- businesses, government, educational institutions, individuals -- to work together to solve the current system's shortcomings. This is one reason we're deploying our technology and our expertise with the hope of improving health system information for everyone who is or will become a patient.
So, you are the largest corporation in the world, with progressive employees, incredible financial independence, and a corporate motto to “do no evil.”
And you take on the nation’s largest, life-and-death problem by:
a) sending 1,000 employees to a movie and
b) doing a little categorizing of health information???
Sorry, Google, this does not “demonstrate corporate responsibility on a major issue of our time.”
But here’s how you can.
1. Realize you don’t live online—you live off-line. You do business in a nation where thousands are killed each year by a broken healthcare system. Your customers are hurting, and so are your employees and your family. From a business angle, the American economy is at a major competitive disadvantage with every other nation because we are funding an unnecessary health insurance sector. Get serious about this issue, and I’m not talking about selling more ads to health insurance corporations.
2. Become the business that changes everything—you have the chance to make money *and* make a better country. Use your famed lobbying prowess to change the culture and bring guaranteed health care to all Americans.
Yep, you might step on the toes of a few right-wing think tanks, and some ideologically-driven conservative businessmen. But this could also be the biggest PR/branding gift your company has ever gotten--and you could actually demonstrate corporate responsibility and live up to your motto.
Here’s where we are right now: a coalition of big businesses are blocking health care reform, or are proposing health care reform that might pad their bottom line a little, but won’t really help customers.
Meanwhile, other companies like Ford are just throwing their hands in the air and moving to Canada because they can’t afford our broken healthcare system.
The irony is, that there is a proven solution to the health care crisis, but no one in the business world has the guts to stand up and say it. Except, that is, for BusinessWeek which admits that, “France, Britain, and most other Old World countries long ago took the plunge into universal health insurance and have made it work, with varying degrees of success.” Other than them, there are a few CEO’s here and there who support guaranteeing healthcare on the single-payer model, but no one has shown leadership on this issue. So why don’t you? What's the alternative?
According to E-commerce Times:
Google's bottom line, in large part, has to do with its street cred. In other words, it may act like a big business, but it doesn't necessarily want to look like one. The current uproar -- as silly at it may seem in the eyes of some in the business community -- could have a negative impact on Google.
"Google is making a very tricky transition from a relatively young company to an established company, Jeffrey Johnson, partner at Pryor Cashman, told the E-Commerce Times.
"This transition is risky: If they do not handle the transition well, Google may go from being perceived as an "upstart" company with cutting-edge technology that helped bring Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and other corporate bullies down to earth, to a bully that is no better than Microsoft," he remarked.
Sounds like a brand disaster in the making. Or a revolutionary and profitable business strategy in the making. Your choice.
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I've just posted a diary on Kos promoting HR 676
I'm not a member of the CNA, but I am on your email list. I just posted a diary on Daily Kos that uses the email as a hook to get people looking at their congress person's stance. If you use Daily Kos, by all means stop by and recommend the diary.
Good on ya...
Just saw SICKO tonight and more power to CalNurses in carrying this fight forward. I lived in Canada and now I live here. What is the difference? About 7% of the Gross National Product (US 16% Canada 9%) which (here) goes to profit for Health Insurance companies and doesn't save a single life.
Good luck on your campaign to move HR676 forward.
Hey, Google, I use gmail & REALLY want you to do right by HR 676
and, btw, the HR 676 thread on Daily Kos was helpful - thanks, mbayrob
plus there's a new post on the MA blog BlueMassGroup on this topic at http://bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=7840
It's a bit strange but helpful in its own way; at least it "outs" Families USA. It's about time.
Next, it's the group "Health Care For All" (a Massachusetts 501c3) turn to be outed. With their $2Mil-plus annual budget, much of it coming from the insurance and hospital chain industries and Families USA-type sources, HCFA MA has routinely and repeatedly given political cover to fake reforms like our current "Individual Mandate" law...yeeech
So Google and everybody else, the sides are being drawn and it's time to take a stand - are you for healthcare justice or for the HMO's and their healthcare profiteering that's killing people?
We're listening for your answer. Thanks.
Using the blogs effectively
Ann,
Much thanks. I am, however, beginning to think that we need a bit more strategy in using large blogs like DailyKos.
It looks like my diary was the most commented on of the day on the topic (although not the most recommended: this diary by AnnKat did better today. Both of our diaries did better than a really good diary by nyceve, and this very diary, by California Nurses Shum.
I don't think we suffer from a lack of good diarists on this issue: there are at least 3 or 4 more people who do an excellent job. But given the way a large site like Kos works -- and I don't fault the front pagers on this, it's just the way things work -- it might help if we're a bit more strategic in how we use these sites.
I don't know if any of you are going to be in Sacramento for the DFA training, but most likely, I'll be. It would be good if a few of us got together and figured out how best we can increase our "mind share".
Low the cost by taking a pay cut
If you really cared about people. Why dont you take a pay cut next time you write a new contact. How about working for free during your vaction time. This will low the cost of heathcare. I mean nurses make alot of money which is passed on to the sick people. I work in fast food and only make $6.00 hour and have no heathcare. While a nurse friend of my is making like 30.00 hour. If all nurse made 6.00 hour would that not make heathcare cheaper for everyone. You tell insurance company not to make a profit on sick people but you doing the same.
Ignorant
this is such an incredibly ignorant comment...did you go to school for years and put your life into hock to work at your job? Do you carry the responsibility of people's lives with your work?
Think.
Stop being a simpleton and use your brain to assess the facts.
Universal Healthcare, HR 676
I'm a type 1 diabetic and I am uninsured because I couldn't afford to pay monthly premiums to a plan that refused to cover any of my supplies or visits to a specialist for a year. After the 1 year pre-existing condition limitation period I would then have to pay all costs for suplies up front with the hope that they would reimburse me 70% of my costs, after the $250 deductible of course.
This plan was only available to me because I had a job with a huge manufacturing company for a short time, before signing up I had specifically asked if there was a "pre-existing condition limitation" and was told no. Whats the point of wasting money on a plan that wont pay what I need it to pay for??
After being laid off I elected cobra coverage to keep this plan, since I was near the time to re-order my supplies. I order the supplies only to be told that the insurance co (AETNA) is denying coverage due to my pre-existing condition. I dropped that plan like a ton of bricks.
In shopping around for some kind of major medical/prescription coverage, I have found ZERO companies that will underwrite me. The Texas Risk-Pool is closed to me due to my recent Cobra eligibility, and even if I was able to go under the risk pool it is financialy unattainable for me at a $600 a month premium.
I have yet to find one Dr who will see me without insurance & few that will charge a reasonable fee based on me paying cash.
All low cost or free clinics are closed to me because I make $22k a year net. Assistance programs are similar. I don't qualify for Medicaid/Medicare because I'm not pregnant. I pay taxes and I am in need of assistance yet I am not elligible while untold numbers of undocumented immigrants pregnant with future American Citizens stay healthy on my dime. There is a severe inequality here.
I live with an emoitionally debilitating disease that requires constant attention and daily injections. I often find myself thinking about overdosing on my insulin just to find some peace.
There is no relief in sight, and I am having to ration what supplies I do have left until I can find an answer to the financial conundrum I am in.
One point of light, Canadian pharmacies offer my insulin at half the cost American pharmacies charge, and that includes the refrigerated shipping charge.
HR 676 is the first workable solution that addresses all the failings of the current system. I appluad that it even pays for retraining and placing the displaced workers when insurance companies are made nearly obsolete.
I hope that this is only the first of legislation that will stop the flow of blood money into the pockets of the undeserving. Big Pharma needs a head check to, stop pushing a treatment and truthfully work towards a cure.
There are centers in Europe that have already developed therapies that offer cures for MS, Spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and Type 2 Diabetes and its complications including Diabetic foot syndrome and leg ulcers, Erectile dysfunction. www.xcell-center.de
They are using science that our government has crippled with ignorant legislation.
Until this HR 676 becomes law, 3 years of failing to make it to committee is not promising, Americans have little hope for relief from the strangle hold the insurance industry has over us.
In the mean time I will be saving what money I can to go to Germany and undergo a treatment that will possibly cure my diabetes.
Interested in donating to my treatment fund visit my homepage, see the blog titled "Tracking the Fund Raiser"
I live and work where ANYONE
I live and work where ANYONE and EVERYONE is taken care of to the best of our ability no MATTER what they make and can afford. Most of our patients are indigent. We are here to help the sick and injured and we do. Healthcare is NOT an entitlement. Guess who is already paying for these people? Me and everyone that has a job and pays taxes. I know and have spoken to people who live in Canada, and not one single one says one single good thing about their healthcare system. It is a fact that with their socialized system...the one YOU want .....people have to wait YEARS to see a doctor about a hurt neck or back.....not days or week...years for just a consult. This is true.
re: I live and work...
Canadians do tend to view health care as a human right. Our healthcare system is fantastic. It should be an embarassment that Americans pay more than twice as much per capita as we do on healthcare, yet have higher infant mortality and shorter life expectancy. Canadians don't have to wait years for anything. Wait times are posted on Health Canada's website, hospital by hospital, for many different kinds of procedures. Of course, there are no comparable wait time statistics for the US, because your insurance companies don't think you should have this information. And for many Americans, wait time is infinity.