FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 12, 2024
CONTACTS: Unai Montes, u.montes@peoplesaction.org, 310-962-7369 (bilingual)
Daniela Ruiz, daniela@communicationsshop.us, 202-945-8320 (bilingual)
People’s Action Institute Addresses the Health Crisis Caused by Corporations that Put Profits Over People Instead of Prioritizing Care Over Cost!
Outpouring of anger against care denials and profit-seeking insurance companies online shows need for urgent changes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The health care system in the United States has been broken for years, with private health insurers—like UnitedHealth—denying care at an alarming rate of over 248 million times annually. This widespread practice is not just an inconvenience; it’s a matter of life and death. Millions of Americans are being forced to make unbearable choices: delay or forgo necessary medical treatment, struggle to afford basic needs like food and rent, or face financial ruin.
The need for systemic reform has never been more urgent. That’s why the People’s Action Institute hosted an exclusive press call to spotlight the devastating impact of care denials. During the call, patients, advocates, and organizers shared powerful firsthand accounts of how health insurers’ refusal to pay for essential treatments is destroying lives and driving families into crisis.
“For years, People’s Action Institute has stood with Americans suffering under a health care system that prioritizes corporate profits over patient care,” said Domenico Romero, Chief of Strategy and Partnerships. “The tragic killing of Brian Thompson is a stark reminder that we face crises on multiple fronts—gun violence and health care injustice. We extend our condolences to his family and demand action on both fronts. People across the country are denied the care they need by a system that puts profits above people.”
The Care Over Cost (https://careovercost.org/) campaign by People’s Action Institute has been mobilizing communities to confront the injustices of our broken healthcare system and demand action from political leaders for two years. By empowering individuals to fight back, exposing the failures of private insurers and holding them accountable, the campaign is building momentum to reform and ultimately overhaul the system.
“In 2022, People’s Action Institute launched the Care Over Cost campaign to address the growing crisis of care denials,” said Aija Nemer-Aanerud, Care Over Cost Campaign Director. “While insurance coverage has expanded, too many Americans still can’t get the care they need when they need it. Insurance companies, driven by profit, often deny necessary treatment, leaving people with heart-wrenching stories of delays and unaffordable bills. We’ve fought back by holding insurers accountable, but despite meetings with major companies like UnitedHealth, they refuse to make meaningful changes. That’s why I was arrested outside UnitedHealthcare’s office this July. It’s clear: the government must act to fix a system that puts profits over people’s health.”
The time to act is now. People’s Action Institute is calling on lawmakers at all levels to take bold action to hold private insurers accountable, ensure access to necessary care, and reform a broken system that prioritizes profit over people’s health.
“The government has the power to curb this epidemic of care denials in privatized Medicare, privatized Medicaid, marketplace and employer-run plans,” said Megan Essaheb, Director of Federal Affairs at People’s Action Institute. “We’re calling on policymakers at every level to take on corporate greed in the insurance industry. States can end claims denials in Medicaid and ACA plans, and Congress can regulate privatized Medicare, stopping the harmful practice of prior authorizations that delay care. The solution is simple: government action to hold insurers accountable and protect people’s health.”
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