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Hollywood health push: Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde join MoveOn in ad for Obamacare
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
09/22/09 3:10 PM EDT
MoveOn.org has just released a new ad, featuring several top Hollywood stars, which makes a strong plea for the passage of a public option in national health care reform.
The ad is in the form of a sarcastic public service appeal on behalf of insurance company executives. "Something terrible is happening," Ferrell says at the beginning. "Health insurance executives are getting a bad rap."
Another voice continues: "As the health care debate heats up, we need to remember who the real victims are: health insurance executives. People are saying a lot of mean things about health insurance companies and their executives, and it's got to stop."
"These great businessmen are American heroes," the ad continues. "So why is Obama trying to reform health care when insurance companies are doing just fine, making billions of dollars in profit?" The actors go on to mock-praise insurance companies for having the good sense to deny coverage to the truly needy. "Insurance companies need our support, because they keep our selfish priorities in check when we can't," the ad says. Ferrell continues: "And insurance companies are detail-oriented enough to deny claims for things like typos. If you spell something wrong, do you deserve surgery? I don't think so."
"Eighty percent of the American public support the public plan, because it would give quality care people can actually afford," says Hamm. "The public option would make insurance companies lower their prices and give better service in order to compete." But Ferrell responds, "Insurance company CEO's have a right to their American dream: five houses, a private plane, $500 million in your pocket…"
"So join us in the fight to protect our insurance company profits," Ferrell concludes. A full-screen message says, CALL CONGRESS: TELL THEM WE NEED A STRONG PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION NOW."
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