As the public option makes a comeback in the House and Senate, a new video by MoveOn Political Action features actress Heather Graham revising her role as the public health insurance option.
The video, released in advance of the White House Health Care summit, shows that the public option is making a political comeback thanks to its continued popularity with voters, and reinforces the message that the public option is the best way to help lower costs for American families and keep private insurance companies honest by forcing them to compete.
Heather Graham first played the public option in a television ad released by MoveOn in October. You can see the original ad here.
While many thought it was dead, in the last few weeks the public health insurance option has made a remarkable comeback, with 22 Senators and 119 members of the House of Representative signing letters urging the passage of the public health insurance option through reconciliation. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said that he would support holding a vote on the public option if health care moves via reconciliation, something he said on Saturday was likely.
The video, which states “the public option is making a comeback,” depicts lazy and out-of-shape insurance company executives from CIGNA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Health and Humana being forced to compete in a track meet with Heather Graham playing the public option.
"This video shows, in a creative way, that the public option is making a comeback: because of its popularity and because competition helps lower the price of health care," said Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn. “With insurance companies continuing to dramatically raise their rates, it’s obvious that the insurance industry will not reform itself. While we wish the President had included the public option in his plan, Congress can and should act and use reconciliation to pass real health care reform including a public option.”
You can see the new video here.
