Representatives from the health care industry were unpleasantly surprised Thursday when five UConn students showed up to protest the Health Insurance Fair being held in the Student Union ballroom with their own unique twist.
The students arrived dressed to the nines, with faux-champagne glasses and cigars, masquerading as the grassroots activist group Billionaires for Wealthcare. The students were completely in-character, donning satirical names like Johnny Morebucks and Evona Richman.
"Today we were there to support the insurance fair that was going on, cause we appreciate recruiting young students to work for the insurance companies," said Amanda Stauble, an 8th-semester political science major. "I particularly enjoyed handing out apples to people."
The group handed out apples to students. Their justification: an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
"Billionaires for Wealthcare is a grassroots network of health insurance CEOs, HMO lobbyists, talk-show hosts, and others profiting off of our broken health care system. We'll do whatever it takes to ensure another decade where your pain is our gain. After all, when it comes to health insurance, if we ain't broke, why fix it?" reads a short blurb on the organization's website.
The health care representatives responded to the protest with a mix of amusement and indifference.
"They just ignored us, but then one person from an insurance company asked to take a photo with us," said Brittany Florio, a 9th-semester agriculture and natural resources major.
Turnout for the event was minimal, so the billionaires took their show to the rest of the Student Union, traveling around the building, through the food court and then finally out onto Fairfield Way.
Student response was mixed. "A lot of the students seemed confused about what we were doing," said Stauble.
But some did find the demonstration rather amusing. "Some people videotaped us, and asked if they could put it on YouTube," said Florio.
Health care is undoubtedly one of the most important issues affecting college students. "A lot of students are under their parent's plans, or the UConn plan," said Stauble. "Most of them don't think about what will happen in a couple of years when they have to find their own."
The protesters were not affiliated with any UConn organization. They initially decided to attend the protest two days prior on a whim. But for most of them, this will not be the end of their activist activities.
"We have a lot more health care-related stuff coming up," said Stauble.
But regardless, this was an excellent opportunity to learn about one of the most ubiquitous-and most hotly contested-issues in America.
"It was an opportunity to get people thinking about healthcare and health care reform," said Stauble.
For more information about Billionaires for Wealthcare visit their website, www.billionairesforwealthcare.com.
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