This morning, AHIP, the insurance industry’s front group and lobbying arm, said this:

Steve Champlin, a lobbyist for the Duberstein Group who represents AHIP, declared that the road to a bipartisan health care reform bill was, essentially, dead. And he urged GOP members to keep it that way.

“There is absolutely no interest, no reason Republicans should ever vote for this thing. They have gone from a party that got killed 11 months ago to a party that is rising today. And they are rising up on the turmoil of health care,” said Champlin. “So when they vote for a health care reform bill, whatever it is, they are giving comfort to the enemy who is down.”

This afternoon, AHIP said this:

AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni today affirmed health plans’ strong support for comprehensive, bipartisan health care reform that covers all Americans, improves quality, and makes care more affordable.

One of these statements represents AHIP’s true position, and one is a lie. I think you know which is which.

Meanwhile, hundreds rallies outside of AHIP’s conference in DC in support of health reform and a public health insurance option, demanding Karen Ignagni, the insurance industry’s top lobbyist, meet with seven families who’s lives have been turned upside down by insurance company bad practices and who traveled thousands of miles to be in DC today. Ignagni never showed.

Here are the pictures: