Insurers Join Campaign to Sign Up New Customers

Insurers spent a lot of energy fighting health care reform, but now they’re jumping on the bandwagon—along with pro-reform groups—to get as many Americans covered as possible. America’s Health Insurance Plans, the big industry group that’s been a vocal reform opponent, has signed onto Enroll America, a 50-state effort to sign up new customers organized by the group Families USA. “We are participating,” an AHIP spokesman tells Time. “The goal is get everyone covered.”

Drug companies and hospitals are expected to help out as well. “All of these groups have a business reason to do this,” says the head of the effort, saying the coalition will include “many groups that don’t really see eye-to-eye.” Labor and progressive interest groups meanwhile will be launching a group to educate voters about reform. “If we can teach the public what’s in it, it can help trump the politics of repeal,” says ex-White House communications director Anita Dunn. (More America's Health Insurance Plans stories.)