<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Please forward to others in your group or area. Lots of us are not close to Portland, but the issue affects everyone in Maine. Thanks.
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">Dear Friend,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">It's ANTHEM vs. MAINE, and Maine needs your help. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">The cost of health insurance keeps skyrocketing, and Anthem keeps profiting. Now, they are suing the State for the right to charge Mainers even more for the health insurance we <b>ALREADY</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> can’t afford. <b>But</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> <b>Anthem and Maine will square off in court on March 19, and Maine needs your help! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "><a href="http://www.changethatworks.net/node/314/view">JOIN THE PROTEST – SIGN UP TODAY BY CLICKING HERE!</a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">For the last year, thousands of Mainers have been fighting Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield's attempts to jack up their premiums as much as 35% on individuals. We have worked together to get the state to make Anthem keep the rate hikes down, but now Anthem is suing Maine for a guaranteed 3% profit. Dozens of organizations, faith leaders, and hundreds of activists are calling for a two-day mobilization in Portland right before the court hearing to show Anthem that Maine will <b>NEVER</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> back down in the fight for quality, affordable health care for all. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "><a href="http://www.changethatworks.net/node/314/view">JOIN THE FIGHT - CLICK HERE TO GET INVOLVED!</a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "><b><u> MARCH 18, 5pm - RALLY & PROTEST!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> </span></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">The night before the hearing, <b>join hundreds of Mainers</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> outside the Cumberland County Courthouse <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">to <b>protest</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> Anthem's greed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "><b><u>MARCH 19, 8am - PACK THE COURTHOUSE</u></b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">Help us <b>fill the courtroom</b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; "> and the park outside to support Maine <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; ">in its fight against the greed that hurts our families. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s the skinny: Last year, Anthem asked for an 18% rate hike for certain policyholders.<span> </span>After holding hearings, Maine’s Superintendent of Insurance denied that request but did grant Anthem a 10.9% rate increase. <b>That wasn’t enough for Anthem!</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> They decided to file a lawsuit against the state of Maine to ensure a guaranteed profit at a time when many Mainers are struggling just to make ends meet. That case hasn’t even been heard yet, and Anthem has already requested an additional 23% rate increase on the same policyholders on top of what they are suing for. </span><b>Wellpoint, Anthem’s parent company, made $2.7 billion dollars just in the 4th quarter of 2009, yet they are now asking Mainers to pay even more.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>We have a unique opportunity.</b><span style="font-weight: normal; "> The March 18 rally will have a strong impact by reminding the public that, without reform, they are left to the whim of Anthem’s greed. Without passing health care reform, our elected officials will also be letting us down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Now is the time to take a stand, and every person can make a difference. It will be exciting, historic and memorable<span> </span>- but it takes all of us standing together.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></b></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri; "><a href="http://www.changethatworks.net/node/314/view">NOW IS THE TIME – CLICK HERE – HELP MOBILIZE – TELL YOUR FRIENDS</a></span></div></body></html>