WellPoint engages in reform lobbying effort with beneficiaries

Sure, you expect to get robo-calls from politicians when they're trying to get your support on a key issue or simply get elected. But this set of calls, in which the country's largest health plan has reached out to drum up support for an anti-reform message, may be a first.

WellPoint, which has 8.3 million beneficiaries, made 3 million computer-generated calls last week to explore how its members feel about reform. Critics say the calls are also an effort to find patients who will speak out against any reforms that don't favor the insurer's agenda.

Such political activities aren't new to the company, which spent $2 million in 2007 to help defeat Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign to require all state residents to buy health insurance--and insurers to issue policies to anyone regardless of their health status.

While some have criticized WellPoint's efforts, the company says that all it's doing is making sure the public is "well informed," according to vice president of public policy Elizabeth Hall.

To learn more about this lobbying effort:
- read this Sacramento Bee piece