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Like a boomerang that just keeps coming back to hit its thrower in the head,  legislation that will benefit Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (the Blues) at the expense of everyone else in Michigan is back in the headlines.

The Blues want the Legislature to pass legislation that would:

• - Let Blue Cross raise rates more freely and quickly
• - Limit oversight from the state Insurance Commissioner and attorney general
• - Allow Blue Cross to avoid its responsibilities as the tax-free insurer of last resort in Michigan
• - Force everyone in Michigan to pay more for health insurance while adding to its huge reserves, already in the billions of dollars.
  
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  What's New: Insuring the Uninsured - A PowerPoint presentation overview of the bill packages Individual Market Reform - Key issues The package of bills includes: HB 4934 HB 4935 HB 4936 HB 4937 HB 4938 HB 4939 HB 4940 HB 4941 HB 4942 HB 4943 SB 579 SB 580 SB 581 SB 582 What Others are saying: Detroit Free Press says Avoid rush on insurance cures Detroit News says Michigan must wait on sweeping health care changes Lansing State Journal says it's time for a compromise Background and white papers on the Blues bills: AHIP 2007 State Data report: Insurance data from around the nation A short history of Blue Cross Associations and Chambers that receive payments from the Blues (useful for thinking about conflicts of interest)

  Put Michigan People First, a coalition of consumer organizations and senior advocates, supports additional discussion and hearings when lawmakers can take their time and examine the issues carefully.
  
  The Michigan Senate and House both have introduced packages that address some aspects of individual market reform. We are working with both chambers to make sure our concerns are addressed. Hopefully by later this year, we will see some progress that will truly make health insurance more accessible and affordable for our members who are in the individual market.
  
  A little history:
  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) was created as our state's insurer of last resort. As the insurer of last resort it is their "mission" to make health care available to all residents in our state. In return for this public obligation, BCBSM receives tax-exempt status from all state and local taxes.
  
  Because they are exempt from taxes, the Blues have been able to corner 70 percent of the state’s insurance market – a monopoly in anybody’s book. The company’s control of the insurance market has let it amass billions in reserves and pay executives millions of dollars. They have bought out-of-state for-profit companies, and now they want to buy even more.
  
  HB 5282-5285 would let the Blues shove their public obligation onto all insurers in the state, while allowing the Blues to retain their tax-exempt status. BCBSM and their affiliates already control 70% of the commercial insurance market in Michigan and have made consolidated profits of over a million dollars a day, before federal income taxes, over the past 5 years.
  
  The real problem in health care:
  Put Michigan People First members believe the real problem facing health care in Michigan is the availability and accessibility of insurance. We need to do more to make sure everyone in Michigan can purchase affordable health insurance – not to make sure Blue Cross can increase reserves and pay executives more.
  
  Contact Your Legislator
  
  In short, our coalition is asking Blue Cross Blue Shield to Put Michigan People First. And we need your help. By clicking on the link above, you will help us tell your lawmaker it’s time to Put Michigan People First. Let’s not let the Legislature toss a boomerang that will hit all of Michigan – right in the pocketbook.