Pig People from Outer Space (PPOs)

Health insurance companies, PPOs and HMOs are out of control. For example, take a look at Blue Cross of California and its parent company WellPoint:

* Blue Cross takes more than 20% of our premium dollars for profit and overhead;

* Top executives will receive at least $265 million in cash bonuses following a recent merger. Including stock options, CEO Leonard Schaeffer will receive $250 million;

* Blue Cross is holding $1 billion of our premiums dollars hostage in the form of unnecessary "reserves."

Already 7 million Californians are uninsured because of skyrocketing health care costs. Many more of us are underinsured. By 2010 employers will no longer provide health insurance for nearly half of California’s working adults.

We want you to make health care affordable by:

* Requiring health insurers to justify overhead costs like auto and home insurers already do under Prop 103;

* Giving all Californians access to the same lower cost health care policies that state employees and legislators receive through the California Public Employee Retirement System.

Please help Californians like me by getting the fat out of health insurance and providing a low-cost option for high quality health care.