Humana Gives Up Its Seat at the Table — Wants No Apparent Role in Political Fix for Nation’s Health Care Woes

WASHINGTON, April 20 -- The National Center for Public Policy Research issued the following news release:

At today's annual meeting of Humana shareholders, in response to a question from a representative of the National Center for Public Policy Research, CEO Bruce Broussard all but gave up the insurance giant's seat at the table in the national political dialogue about repealing and replacing ObamaCare.

"I was extremely disappointed in Humana's response," said National Center General Counsel and Free Enterprise Project (FEP) Director Justin Danhof, Esq., who attended today's Humana shareholder meeting and questioned Broussard. "Humana and other major health insurance companies crafted, promoted and ultimately defended ObamaCare. With that law now in a death spiral, Humana should feel it has a duty to work with President Trump and Congress to help create a better path forward for the American people. Companies that foisted ObamaCare on the American people have a moral obligation to repair the damage that law caused for millions. It's that simple."

At the meeting, Danhof noted:

Humana shares a responsibility for the pain that ObamaCare has caused the American people. Therefore, it is incumbent on the company to be part of the solution.

The current political climate offers a unique opportunity for both private industry and health care consumers. President Trump has vowed to repeal and replace ObamaCare with a more patient-centric approach to provide greater options and use market forces to control prices. The first attempt at this effort may have stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives, but the American people still deserve a solution to ObamaCare's broken promises.

I have a few quick questions: Will Humana seek a seat at the table by working with the Trump Administration and Congress to promote this new health care agenda as it did during the Obama Administration, and what specific reforms would you suggest to the new President?

Danhof's entire question, as prepared for delivery, is available here. Audio of Danhof's exchange with Broussard is available here.

"Humana is abdicating a moral responsibility to help improve America's failing health care infrastructure," added Danhof. "Liberal politicians, together with the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries, crafted ObamaCare. Politicians such as Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi certainly deserve blame for the pain so many Americans are now experiencing under ObamaCare's market-distorting mechanisms. But they left office or are out of power and aren't going to be part of finding a solution to the mess. Companies that worked with them, such as Humana, are still around and have a stake in the outcome. They ought to use their considerable influence to work with President Trump and his team to craft a free-market-based health care plan."

Earlier this year, another health care provider indicated to the National Center that it would be willing to work on replacing ObamaCare. Walgreens Boots Alliance Chairman James Skinner told Danhof at the pharmacy giant's annual shareholder meeting that his company would be willing to work with the Trump Administration in finding a free-market alternative to ObamaCare. Following that meeting, Danhof joined former congressman J.D. Hayworth on "Newsmax Prime" to discuss why it is so important for corporations to work with the Trump Administration on health care reform.

Launched in 2007, the National Center for Public Policy Research's Free Enterprise Project is the nation's preeminent free-market activist group -- focusing on shareholder activism and the confluence of big government and big business. Since 2014, National Center representatives have participated in nearly 100 shareholder meetings to advance free-market ideals in the areas of health care, energy, taxes, subsidies, regulations, religious freedom, food policies, media bias, gun rights, workers' rights and many other important public policy issues. The Humana meeting marks FEP's fifth shareholder meeting attended so far in 2017.

FEP activism has yielded a tremendous return on investment:

* FEP's highly-publicized questioning of support for the Clinton Foundation by Boeing and General Electric helped trigger an FBI investigation of the Clinton Foundation's activities that dominated the 2016 presidential campaign.

* FEP inquiries prompted Facebook to address political bias against conservatives in social media.

* Company executives acknowledged media bias at ABC News (Disney), the Washington Post and CNN (Time Warner) in response to FEP's challenges, which helped to bring about more objective reporting and more balanced political representation.

* FEP's "Employee Conscience Protection Project" strengthened protections for the political beliefs and activities of over five million workers at 13 major U.S. corporations.

So far in 2017, the FEP has been featured in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Variety, Newsmax TV, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Breitbart, Denver Post, Drudge Report, Business Insider, Orlando Sentinel, National Public Radio, American Family Radio and SiriusXM. In 2016, the FEP was also featured in the Washington Times, the Fox News Channel's "Cavuto," the Financial Times, Crain's Chicago Business, the Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Newsmax, the Daily Caller, Lifezette, the Seattle Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Chicago Tribune among many others. The Free Enterprise Project was also featured in Wall Street Journal writer Kimberley Strassel's 2016 book The Intimidation Game: How the Left is Silencing Free Speech (Hachette Book Group).