Insurance industry kicks off campaign with Ohio event

America’s Health Insurance Plans kicked off a national campaign promotings its "Campaign for an American Solution" in Columbus with CEO Karen Ignagni attending a roundtable discussion of about a dozen uninsured Ohioans.

The insurance industry trade association’s proposal to address the rising number of uninsured Americans calls for, among other measures, mandating that all residents making below 100 percent of the federal poverty level be eligible for Medicaid and providing federal financial assistance on a sliding scale for those making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $80,000 for a family of four).

Prior to the roundtable discussion with uninsured Ohioans, Ignagni held a meeting with legislators, community leaders and policy experts to discuss AHIP’s plan.

“The last time there was a serious discussion about health care, in 1992, our community was in a reactive mode,” Ignagni said.  “The ‘coin of the relm’ now is to come up with solutions, not beat each other over the head.”

Marching outside the AHIP event in Columbus were protestors organized by Health Care for America Now, a coalition of labor unions and activists that formed last month to promote its own plan to increase health care coverage and favors tougher regulations on private insurers.