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Patients With Live Pigs to Call on CA State Regulators to Cut the Pork Out of 'Piggish' PacifiCare/UnitedHealth Merger

Posted on: Thursday, 25 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

News Advisory:

-- Patients With Live Pigs to Call on State Regulators to Cut the Pork Out of "Piggish" PacifiCare/UnitedHealth Merger

-- At a Public Hearing Today, Patients and Two Live Pigs Will Protest Merger Bonuses and Reserves Large Enough to Provide Health Insurance to 200,000 Californians for an Entire Year

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 25

Press Conference: 10 a.m.

Public hearing begins at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: City of Santa Ana Council Chambers, 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92702

Meet at North End of Parking Lot at Santa Ana Blvd. & Ross St. b Outside front door to Council Chambers.

WHO:

-- Jerry Flanagan and David Fink of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR)

-- Pat & Dave Parker of Orange, Calif. - PacifiCare Medicare members

-- Deni Mosser of Los Angeles b PacifiCare member & small business owner

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Two Live Pigs

Patients, business owners and live pigs will protest $230 million in executive bonuses and $389 million in excess reserves at a press conference prior to a public hearing regarding the proposed merger of the HMOs PacifiCare of California and UnitedHealth Group, Inc. The proposed merger would form the nation's second largest HMO and is the second merger of a California HMO in the last year.

The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights will call on the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) to halt the proposed merger unless key commitments are made, including guarantees that patients will not face rate increases to pay for the cost of the merger.

The meeting is the first of two public hearings to hear from consumers and business owners about their concerns. The DMHC, whose director is a Schwarzenegger appointee, has the authority to approve or deny the merger. PacifiCare has contributed $78,500 to Gov. Schwarzenegger.

FTCR recently launched an Internet campaign giving consumers a chance to fight back against HMO profiteering. To view an animation, titled "Pig People from Outer Space" ("PPOs"), and an on-line petition go to: http://www.ConsumerWatchdog.org/healthcare/ PigPeople. Last year, FTCR led the fight against $600 million in executive bonuses proposed in the Blue Cross of California merger.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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