Obama, Democrats Shift Health Debate to Target Insurance Companies

In a new turn, Democrats are using public mistrust of insurance companies as a tool in the health reform battle. The tactical shift is clear in their rhetorical shift.

We're suddenly hearing about health insurance reform instead of health care reform. And who doesn't have a frozen spot in their heart for insurance companies? Who wouldn't like to see them forced to change?

President Obama made the switch Wednesday night at his press conference and sustained it Thursday at a town hall meeting near Cleveland. In addition to changes in energy and education, he said, "We are pursuing health insurance reform so that every American has access to quality, affordable health coverage."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is on the same page, or getting there. "What is important is the American people need health care reform -- health insurance reform," she said at a news conference Thursday.

The Democratic National Committee is leading the way. It used the phrase "health insurance reform" six times Thursday in announcing a new national cable TV ad that warns of "the cost of doing nothing." One of the alleged costs: "Insurance companies dictating more and more medical decisions, denying you coverage while their profits soar."

Obama has tried to make partners out of former opponents of health reform, including insurance companies. But deadlines are slipping and doubts are rising as conservatives hammer Democratic plans as a socialistic government takeover that will sink private companies and insert government between people and their doctors.

It was time to fight government-as-villain with something else as villain, and why not the insurance companies that already are firmly lodged between doctors and patients?

They are a natural choice for demonization, polling data confirms. When it comes to public confidence that insurance companies would recommend the right reforms in health care, Gallup found last month that they are scraping the bottom. The only group less trusted was Republican leaders in Congress.