Healthcare Action Arrests I

Nine Arrested at Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Demanding Financial Transparency

Nine people including four Catholic Workers were charged with criminal trespass in the lobby of Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield today. They are:

Ed Bloomer, 62, Des Moines Catholic Worker

Kirk Brown, 29, former Catholic Worker of Waukee, Iowa

Robert Cook, 66, Des Moines, Iowa

Frank Cordaro, 58, Des Moines Catholic Worker

Renee Espeland, 48, Des Moines Catholic Worker

Christine Gaunt, 50, Grinnell, Iowa

Mona Shaw, 58, Des Moines Catholic Worker

Leonard Simons, 67, Athol, MA

Frankie Hughes, 11, Des Moines Catholic Worker

Those arrested were part of a group of about forty that filled the lobby at Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield to "hold Wellmark accountable for the suffering and death caused by the denial of claims and coverage of Iowans." The group walked to the lobby after a 1:00 p.m. Rally in Nollen Plaza on Monday, July 27, 2009. When the group arrived, several Wellmark employees as well as several police officers were waiting in place. Frank Cordaro, a member of the group asked to see John Forsyth CEO of Wellmark, Inc. to ask him for the corporate information they had requested weeks earlier by letter. Then the group read a statement that included the comment, "It is our moral responsibility, as involved residents of Iowa, including previous and current policy holders, to examine and evaluate the competence of your stewardship over such a large and pervasive public trust."

The statement also reiterated the information they had requested in the previously-sent letter. They statement also said there were some present would not leave until their questions were answered.

After reading their statement, the group was advised by Richard Werth, Director of Physical Security, that neither Forsyth nor any of Wellmark's Board of Directors or Financial Officers were available. Werth then went on to inform the group that if they did not disperse and leave immediately that the Des Moines Police would be instructed to arrest them. All but nine of those who had filed into the lobby then left, and then remaining nine were taken arrested and taken to Des Moines Police office where they were processed and released. All but was one is scheduled to appear for arraignment on August 3, 2009. Leonard Simons was given an August 10, 2009, appearance date.

On Friday, June 19, 2009, Des Moines Catholic Workers and other activists went to Wellmark headquarters in downtown Des hand-delivered a letter addressed to John Forsyth. The letter was handed to an administrative assistance on the second-floor lobby of the Wellmark offices. The letter demanded transparency and accountability for the profits gained and the decisions made for the healthcare needs of the Iowans Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield serve. The letter gave Forsyth until July 20, 2009, to respond. To date, Forsyth has not responded to or acknowledged the letter.

A copy of the letter is at this link: http://www.desmoinescatholicworker.org/page69.html

Featured speaker at the 1:00 p.m. rally was Dr. Margaret Flowers, the pediatrician arrested May 5, 2009, at Senate Healthcare Reform hearings, and who appeared on "Democracy Now" and MSNBC's "The Ed Show" about her own arrest for urging Senators to consider single-payer at a Senate Healthcare Reform hearing in April. Dr. Flowers also gave a talk on Sunday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, 321 Euclid Ave., Des Moines.