The trial for Joe Szakos, Virginia Organizing Project‘s director, who was arrested for trespassing while attempting to ask his health insurer, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, why his rates were raised 14.1%, was supposed to start yesterday:

Szakos immediately had some questions for Anthem. Chief among them, why is Anthem using its resources to lobby against health care reform with a public health insurance option while at the same time increasing rates by 14.1%?

Szakos, along with three other Virginia Organizing Project board members, went down to Anthem’s offices in Richmond, VA to ask. He left in handcuffs. Watch the video:

Szakos, a customer, couldn’t get an answer from Anthem. There was no justification for raising rates on one hand, and spending money lobbying against health care reform on the other. And instead of trying to offer Szakos an explanation, they had him arrested.

Yesterday was supposed to be the start of Szakos’s trial. However, the main witness for the prosecution, the Anthem employee who asked police to arrest Szakos, failed to comply with a subpoena to show up in court and explain himself. The trial was postponed for two months.

Here’s Szakos’s statement:

“I showed up in court today hoping to put this trial behind me, but unfortunately, the key witness for the Commonwealth — an Anthem employee who asked the police to arrest me — must have had more important things to do today. Now the case will be continued until November 23, 2009, wasting more time and resources. I don’t understand why the prosecution’s witness was not in court today. If I did not show up to court today there would have been serious consequences.

“The proceeding today was a shame, a disgrace and a waste of time. This entire process has wasted a lot of taxpayer money.  Virginians are already paying outrageous health insurance premiums through Anthem. They should not be forced to pay for the court costs involved with Anthem’s crackdown on customers who question their business practices. I think that Anthem should apologize to the people of Henrico County for making them foot the bill for this nonsense. And then Anthem should apologize to the Virginia Organizing Project for taking up our time and resources with this trial.

“This trial is yet another example of an insurance industry that is out of control and accountable to no one. The fact that a paying customer can be arrested and taken to trial for trespassing on their own insurance company’s doorstep says a lot about the relationship the health insurance industry has with its customers.

“Unfortunately, my mistreatment by Anthem is not unique. Thousands of Anthem customers have experienced rate increases, rejected claims and denied coverage for pre-existing conditions with consequences far worse than having to stand trial.

“The insurance companies don’t care about our health and the health of our families.  The private health insurance industry has given us a greedy health insurance system where customers have to deal with skyrocketing premiums, denied claims, and even trespassing charges for asking to speak to a representative in person.  We all deserve better than this. ”

I concur. Anthem raised rates by double-digits. Szakos, a customer, showed up to ask why. Anthem had him arrested. And then Anthem wastes everyone’s time and money by failing to comply with a court order.

Any normal person acting this way would face serious consequences, but health insurers openly flout authority to line their pockets. And they’re using Szakos’s money to lobby Congress against health reform and a public health insurance option.

This needs to change. If they win, we lose – it’s that simple.