Healthcare Workers to Protest Kaiser Permanente ‘Losing its Way’ April 29-30 at Two Events in D.C.

Dozens of employees from Kaiser Permanente are bringing their national campaign about the healthcare giant losing its way to two local hotels when company executives appear Monday, April 29 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, and Tuesday, April 30 at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C.
 
Kaiser Permanente employees will carry signs and distribute leaflets to passersby outside while Kaiser executives speak April 29 at the World Health Care Congress at Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, and CEO Bernard Tyson will be a featured participant April 30 at the Wall Street Journal Health Forum at the Four Seasons.
 
Workers are concerned that despite its “non-profit” status, Kaiser posted $6.3 billion in profits the last two years, is sitting on $31.5 billion in reserves and pays 36 executives more than $1 million annually—the types of numbers that are typically associated with “for-profit” companies. Kaiser also serves a very low percentage of Medicaid patients, suggesting its profits are boosted by excluding the nation’s poorest people. For instance, Kaiser’s Medicaid patient volume is just 9.6 percent, even though Medicaid funds healthcare for 21 percent of Americans.
 
These actions are part of a national campaign to raise awareness about Kaiser Permanente. Over the last two months, workers have led seven actions outside events where company executives were appearing, including in Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
 
WHAT: In Washington, D.C., dozens of healthcare workers from Kaiser Permanente will hold signs and distribute leaflets to passersby about the company losing its way, while raking in billion-dollar profits.
 
WHEN: Monday, April 29, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
WHEN: Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Rd. NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
 
WHEN: Tuesday, April 30, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHEN: Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C.
2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20007