House To Investigate Anthem BC/BS Over Obscene Rate Hike
The Obama administration has already sent a sternly-worded letter to Anthem Blue Cross over the company's excessive rate increase for individual policy holders in California. How excessive? Up to 39 percent. But that's not all. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield also informed their customers that they are changing their practice of adjusting rates annually, and as of now are reserving the right to raise premiums basically whenever they feel like it.
You got that? They want to do exactly what the credit card companies were doing.
There's little beyond sternly-worded letters that the administration can do, other than something like maybe advocating strongly for some kind of legislative remedy, say in the form of serious competition to private insurers in the form of a robust public option for health insurance. But there's something Congress can do, and that's put the insurers on the hot seat and investigate. From the Speaker's blog, The Gavel:
As Secretary Sebelius pointed out, WellPoint [parent company to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield] reported a staggering $2,740,000,000 in profits for the fourth quarter of 2009 alone – eight times more than the last quarter of 2008 – and more than $4,750,000,000 for all of 2009. In fact, the company reaped these record profits even as it lost more than 1.4 million members.....
Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak announced that the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on February 24th regarding the premium rate increases.
The hearing, conveniently, will be held on February 24, the day before the bipartisan White House healthcare summit.
and the teabaggers scream, "Keep yur gobermints hand off muh medycare!"
the house will only be investigating so that they can figure out what their personal cuts of the loot are going to be. You have to know what they have available before you shake them down for bribes.
In other words: you are f*cked. I really do not understand why America can't get the insurance companies in check. Is it that f*cking hard?
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
not if we had a functioning political system.
but we don't.
on one side we have the corporate lackeys, the GOP, with their rabid attack dogs, the teabaggers...
and on the other side of the aisle:
more corporate lackeys with a peppering of Vichy Dems.
loudly and often!
but the answer is simply. Our politicians are owned by corporations like the health insurance industry.
is intended to be a factual statement
Because the people we elect, to public office are nothing but hookers at the corporate gangbang.
so that I'm not contributing to the wealth of these corporats.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
The Insurance company IS the government.
This is true.
Wellpoint succeeded in changing their classification from a health insurance company to a financial services company. Why? Because they wanted to open a bank. Why? To manage subscribers' money such as Health Savings Accounts that go along with that high deductible insurance that may become the only thing we can afford in the future.
Not many people realize that the federal government has reclassified Wellpoint.
The LA Times published this in Oct 2008 as part of a series on health care.
Insurers see banking future
Many have found that managing customers' money is more profitable than underwriting medical coverage.
WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health insurance company, ran into a snag last year while pursuing an important new business initiative.
Federal banking regulators insisted on classifying WellPoint as a healthcare company. And that was interfering with its efforts to open a bank.
The Federal Reserve Board eventually agreed that the company's core insurance business could be considered financial services. But what about its mail-order pharmacy and its program for managing chronic diseases, which was overseen by WellPoint doctors and nurses? Wasn't that healthcare?
WellPoint finally convinced the Fed that those activities were merely "complementary" to its main business -- financial services. It pledged to limit them to less than 5% of total revenue.
That a medical insurer would agree to keep a lid on healthcare expenditures so it could get approval to open a bank illustrates a fundamental change in the industry: Insurers are moving away from their traditional role of pooling health risks and are reinventing themselves as money managers -- providers of financial vehicles through which
consumers pay for their own healthcare.
I think this would be a great follow on to Rachel's coverage last night but I don't know how to get her attention.
Link: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/22/busin...
is how to get her attention.
Now that we are having "Healthcare Reform Legislation: Part Two", has anyone been able to convince The Progressive Caucus, Obama, Pelosi, Reid etc. to ALLOW SINGLE PAYER, "MEDICARE FOR ALL" to be on the table at the "Summit"?
John, have you asked Ms. Pelosi if Physicians for a National Health Program or any other organization that is lobbying for "Medicare for All" will be represented at the meeting?
I am reading T.R. Reid's book, "The Healing of America" where he details his travels to France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan etc. to see how they have managed to keep their healthcare systems' overheads at around 5% while managing to cover EVERYONE. Eliminating FOR-PROFIT INSURANCE CORPORATIONS IS THE ANSWER.
Many of these countries DO have insurance corporations, but they are NOT-FOR-PROFIT.
What is so freakin' hard about all this for the Democratic Leadership and the Obama Administration to wrap it's arms around???
Even the REPUBLICANS should want to eliminate profit from our healthcare system in order to bring COSTS DOWN!!!
What is it about "Medicare for All", with the obvious massive job creation that would accompany the program, that those who are in power right now CANNOT UNDERSTAND???
Can somebody please help me here, because I'm about to throw this freakin' laptop off the end of the Venice Pier into the Pacific Ocean pretty soon if I can't begin to understand WTF is REALLY going on here.
If Single Payer advocates get shut out by the Democrats AGAIN, especially after Obama AND Pelosi said they were open to ALL IDEAS, seriously....I'm going to have to join a convent or something or move to Nepal and just ride a yak around in circles while mumbling inanities.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Yaks look itchy to me.
he campaigned persuasively on it several years ago - look it up in YouTube. In exchange for their political 'support' (read campaign cash), President Obama promised the medical industry lobbyists that there would be no government-run plan of any import in the bill that would effect their profits (see NY Times article from Aug) - no single payer, no public option, no expanded Medicare. Obama is the sole reason we don't have a bill with a non-profit, govt-run option.
Obama has excluded anyone who is for single payer from the negotiating table from the get-go, including Howard Dean, the Physicians for a National Health Program, and his own physician (who wants single payer). He lied at his State of the Union when he asked anyone for better ideas; see what happened when Dr. Flowers tried to to present the case for single payer, before and after his offer -
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02052010/wa...
No way will American join the rest of the civilized nations and go the non-profit route as long as Obama is our president. Obama is more interested in being the 'president' and getting re-elected, than in governing.
This is what I read (and copied) when the candidates were asked during the primaries:
Barack Obama
On Health Care:
Every American has the right to affordable, comprehensive and portable health coverage. My plan will guarantee coverage through partnerships among employers, private health plans, the federal government and states.
Hillary Clinton
On Health Care:
I’m going to provide universal health care -- quality, affordable coverage for every American. We can do it by spending our health care dollars more wisely.
Dennis Kucinich
On Health Care:
I am the co-author and co-sponsor of HR 676, the Conyers/Kucinich bill, which will provide for true universal, single-payer health care. All residents of the United States will be fully covered for medical, dental, vision, mental health and long-term care. There will be no deductibles, no co-pays, and no insurance company employees whose job it is to deny you coverage so their company makes more money.
There was two abstract answers, and one answer that wasn't abstract at all. When one hears abstract language, it can be construed in many ways. "Change you can believe in" and "Yes we can" - very abstract. They don't mean anything, yet, they can mean almost anything. Perfect.
Yesterday on the radio a fellow came on and said his insurance was canceled last year, he needed some type of operation (he wasn't specific) and he went back home to Guatamala and had the surgery for $80.
I'm thinking I can go to China, hopefully while our dollar is still worth something.
http://www.truthout.org/article/us-employers-...
" A growing number of employers that fund their own health insurance plans are looking into sending ailing employees abroad for surgeries that in the US cost tens of thousands of dollars more."
I hope it has a nice beach, I'll need time to recuperate. The nicer the beach the longer it will take.
during the primaries - also on YouTube.
.
that's ok then
Yes, Obama did campaign on the public option
with quite a number of people, myself excluded.
Basically, he said to House and Senate, screw it, you guys figure it out.
.
process, beyond making backroom deals. He gave inordinate weight to Baucus and the Senate Finance Committee and worked actively behind the scenes on the horrific Baucus bill, speaking on the phone with Baucus several times a week. His budget director, Peter Orszag, was at Baucus' office so often that he helped himself to diet cokes from his personal refrigerator.
Obama Is Taking an Active Role in Talks on Health Care Plan
And when Reid was on the verge of getting the votes in the Senate for a public option opt-out, Obama/Rahm swooped in and made him take it off the table -
Public Option Success Is Close - But White House Pushes for Snowe's Trigger Instead. Say What?
Espouse a principled position, then abandon it for the first fleeting expedient of the moment that comes down the pyke, or abandon it when you have extracted the vote from the suckers who are your base. After you completed you abandonment of the principle, congratulate yourself on your flexibility, as if it were a feature and not a bug.
you're getting it.
he said he was for the public option.
http://cwavotes.org/cwavotes/issues/barack_ob...
Yes, Obama did campaign on the public option
do you mean it has a title page, index, and citations.
Come to think of it, citations would be pretty funny. This section attributed to Anthem, this one to Kaiser etc...
It's been a year now. We know what the choices are. The only intersecting concepts between Republicans and Democrats is a tax of some sort on employer paid health insurance. I don't see any other "bipartisanship" coming out of this.
That's why the MSM made such an effort to protray him as an unelectable nutcase and why when that wasn't working they so studiously ignored him. Basically, they thoroughly manipulated the system to assure that only a corporatist ended up with the nomination. Hillary was their first pick, Obama was the fall back position.
I'd like to see he and Sanders run in 2012. Obama needs to be challenged. Better, they should run as independents. If enough prominent Democrats who are still actually Democrats were to leave the Democratic Subsidiary of the Corporatist Prostitutes Party and unite behind a third party, it could make a difference and save decades in the party building process.
But that doesn't mean it's an insurmountable obstacle. We shouldn't wait till 2012. Defeat this garbage bill and take Medicare for all into the 2010 elections.
They have the money, but the numbers are on our side.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
I'd really like to vote for Kucinich or Dean (or Franken for that matter).
Obama cannot win re-election without his base. He has betrayed that base in order to pursue a shabby expedient and rationalized that betrayal as an act of "pragmatism". when he loses the next election I'm sure he'll be amply rewarded by the corporations on whose behalf he so thoroughly has prostituted his office.
Screw him. And his personal Rasputin, Rahm Emanuel, too.
"flexibly pragmatic."
but I think his thinking is that people will forget about it by the time 2012 rolls around and/or they'll blame the Blue Dogs or Republicans (part of the reason for the 'summit' - make the other guy look bad). Also - not uncoincidentally - the bill doesn't get enacted until 2013 and, the WH thinking goes, the ignorant electorate won't realize how bad it is until too late.
at least you're on the Venice pier : >
cottage until some profiteer bought the entire block and threw everyone out, then raised the rents aprox. 7 times what we were paying.
Well Venice is a beautiful little spot. Of course the greedy bastards grabbed it. I like Manhattan Beach myself, though some folks there are somewhat arrogant. I guess they are just protective. I like that area because it's far from the freeways (relativley speaking).
I'm at work right now listening to MD's bitching about the HC scene. They are complaining about decreasing reimbursement. I cannot believe the crap coming out of their mouths, threatening that if they don't get more money then they will just quit. They HATE Obama and the Dems, but never say a word about B/C, because when they DO get paid by the few remaining PPO's it's a lot better than Medicare. The greed and entitlement just ooze from these people. They need a few weeks on the unemployment line to refocus their perspective. They don't want universal care because then they cannot invest their booty in surgery centers, and labs, and outpatient clinics. Just like Wellpoint is a financial business and not a HC business (as Mtnwmn noted at 18:31), these docs are BUSINESSPEOPLE as much as they are HC practitioners. So they want their cake and eat it too. "We want more money so we can make more money".
The people of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage." J.K. Galbraith
sure loved that sand hill, but not the short timed parking meters.
It's because of the recession. People are buying cheaper plans because of the recession so profits are down. NO! People are buying cheaper plans because you keep raising the premiums on all plans 17 to 25 percent and they can't afford it anymore so they have no choice but to cut back their coverage and pay less. Bunch of fucking liars.
is intended to be a factual statement
I read Wellpoint's explanation. Essentially, with the bad economy, healthy people (who don't see an immediate need) are dropping their coverage, whereas sick people (who do have a need) are continuing coverage. Hence, within the pool of the covered people, the costs per insured are greater.
This ties into the issue of mandated universal coverage, and no price differentials for preexisting conditions. If people want stable health insurance, they have to buy while they're healthy, as well as when they're sick. If insurance is only bought when sick, then the insured are approaching a "self-insured" situation, although, I suppose the sicker are subsidized by the less sick.
Fortunately, I am under a self-insured employer, essentially a universal coverage/single payer like situation within the employing unit. What makes sense for large businesses makes sense for the nation. The Anthem BSBC situation shows the cost problem today in buying insurance on an individual basis.
But, it's the best health system in the world. We..eeee
Wouldn't their profits be dropping in that case? It looks the opposite to me - they're dropping expensive sick people and keeping cheap healthy people. How t explain the profit rise otherwise?
happening=two different things.
"Sassi said in the letter to Sebelius that the Anthem Blue Cross unit at the heart of the inquiry lost millions in 2009. He declined to offer specifics in an interview."
The whole thing to me stated the case why we need mandated universal coverage. Separately, to break the inflation in health care costs, I think the mandated universal coverage should be of the "single payer" type.
Don't look at my $4b in profits, look over there. Over there. Don't look here, look at that other number.
How much are you Americans paying for insurance average. So i can compare it to my own health care insurance.
Edit: a month.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
I'm single, I belong to an employer sponsored plan (I'm lucky). If I was to pay the premiums on my own it would be $500.00 a month. I don't have deductables for in-network providers but I do have co-pays and limits
is intended to be a factual statement
I pay about 100 Euros a month. 75% covered for most things.
I thought i had a bad deal :)
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
It is a bad deal if you're paying 25% out of pocket, with no annual maximums. If you need a $80,000 procedure, you're out $20,000?
I have copays, $350 annual deductable, but a $1000/year cap on out of pocket, not including the deductable. Then, the insurance pays 100%, no limit for in-network. They'll pay for one annual checkup, where my doctor thinks he can work in all my necessary blood tests. Employer pays it, I pay $35/month. Cobra for the plan 5 years ago was $500/month.
Whether you have a good deal or not depends on the cap.
Don't know how it works when i need a 80,000 operation.
But i can tell you i'm sure not going to pay 20,000.
Here's a two finger salute. We have rights here. :p
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
I don't give a toss.
Nothing will come of the "investigation" except maybe a strongly worded letter
...he uses big words like 'particularly' and 'delicatessen.' -- Jack
We do not approve of your current business practices, so you better rethink them. Don't make us write you another letter.
The investigation will be very useful. Very useful indeed! It will give congress the opportunity to exactly set how much they are going to hit up Anthem BC/BS for this year's bribes. It's a science...they want to bleed them, but not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. congress has to do it due diligence.
I live in Northern California and my retiree portion of my Kaiser Permanente bill just went up $375. per month. It is time to get a third job.
"That's uniquely American"
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness!
WTF? Why not just offer them a #$%& *#$?
Wait till we're all legally required to buy their policies. The rates will go up and up, and the letters will get sternerer and sternerer.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
a stern voice mail.
Howard wielded so much political clout. Go get 'em!
Remember, the American Medical Association owns BCBS.
So they need a bank now, in order to launder their profits from Medicare/Medicaid.
When the gangf**k is finished, the only single payer we have will be BCBS, and the bank will need a bailout for their bonuses.
Why do I see this as a culmination of read-between-the-lines campaign promises?
Why should one expect anything less with the fully demonstrated absolute backing of Nelson, Lincoln, Hadassah (& her dutifully independent significant other) and the neo-con Repuglican rope-a-weenie-Demodope 41 seat super majority?
Tightened your personal budgetary shock seat belt, and keep plenty of barf bags handy.
that people finally take to the streets. Rich criminals asking for more money? Unbelievable.
NOBODY 2012
Living under the interstates, yes, they've taken to the streets.
Anyone else notice that the popularization of citizen news, the Internet, YouTube, and netroots coincided with a new depression?
The best way to keep protesters' mouths shut is to keep them unemployed and desperate. I'd bet my minimum wage that this economic "downturn" was deliberate and organized, and that the bonus-babies were in on the game. Read in depth on the Great Depression, and you'll find the fact, not taught in most schools' history classes, that steel industry heads orchestrated the Crash of '29 to reduce wages and disempower the newly-threatening unions. Their game got out of hand and they lost their hineys along with a huge proportion of Americans.
to prop up it's fake economic system. Without the gold standard it's all a charade.
And how much did Obama take from the Insurance companies to become President? Over $20.000,000. Don't hold your breath.
Roberts court still jumping up and down! And American people drinking too much corn syrup (signature kool-aid of the 4th Reich). Can truly blame five on the court. But moreso, look to the people - what have we done for our country? Didn't vote, didn't care. And look around - most still don't. Hate to sound pessimistic, b/c I am an optimist. The one factor "they" cannot "bank" on is the human factor and unfortunately the American people have become too complacent - they complain and then turn on their TVs to zone out. "They" know this and want to keep it that way. Until the American people change, we cannot expect changes at higher levels.
amen brother. As a Canadian I started to lose interest in American politics when the fools in Mass. voted for the model. Only suckers would consider the republican party as credible alternative.
How about taking most everyone OFF the prescription drugs they are prescribed? They got drugs to get people to quit smoking now that would land you in the rubber room. Get off the drugs and go to naturopath physicians. Most of the prescription drugs can be eliminated, if alternative approaches to health care were practiced. Ways that help the body and mind heal naturally. I don't even see this aspect in any part of the health care dialogue. Not even in the consciousness... It needs to be.
into another perspective. Wellpoint made about $140 profit per insured.
And if you read the linked articles. About 4/5ths of their profit was from the sale of one part of the corporation. Not from insurance premiums.
It is obvious the government is not going to help us. Best way to avoid paying obscene health costs: buy organic and exercise.
didn't help. Face it, you're going to get sick at some point no matter what how you treat your body.
OOOoooohh, they sent a letter, that will teach them!
Most ineffective elected government in the history of the world, EVER!!
So happy the Teabaggers have protected us from the evil gubmint. Fortunately none of them will ever get sick and be refused payment.
IF they get denied payment and are left dying on a hospital bed, they will be grateful that they are dying as capitalist and not socialist. They are rabid.
We are the only country on this planet that allows for profit health care rationing! Every other country in the world has made it illegal to profit from health care.......As it should be!
What country has mandated that health care providers work for free? Or are not allowed to make a profit from their work? Or pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to profit from their discoveries? Or heck even the owner of a clinic or hospital whether they have a degree or just money to invest?
I think you might need to do a little more research. A large percentage of countries with a national or single payer health insurance allows for profit companies to operate there.
Also, the for-profit plans you speak of are supplemental and optional - most people don't have one because they are not needed for necessary healthcare - unlike here.
I'm sure the results will be the same as we've come to expect. Lots of talk, no action: While health care continues to become more unaffordable and people continue to die. Shameful.
like this cycle.
I have been saying for months that we can shut down insurance companies today.
Stop buying the product.
BCBS in California said they were raising premiums to offset the drop in membership to their plans brought on by the recession.
So....they raise prices...more people leave...they raise prices more...again more people leave...
Either you can do it now and kill these bastards today or slowly watch more of your money leave your pockets with ZERO return...but in the end...you won't be able to afford health insurance and you will be left with no choice than to cancel your policy.
I know there are some who absolutely rely on insurance for the care they receive to stay alive. I in no way want them to suffer.
But realize - when push comes to shove, the insurance company you rely on is going to find you expendable VERY, VERY SOON because you cost them money.
When they drop your coverage, you will be in the same boat as if you told them to go fuck themselves today.
When healthy but fearful people quit purchasing the product, the companies will be left with the poor risks.
Unfortunately, when this happened in auto insurance, the insurance companies bought a bunch of politicians and required auto insurance.
The fact that the Dems are trying to make health insurance mandatory is a clue that many people already are on your side.
We need a constitutional amendment which would prohibit corporations or industries from requiring that we purchase their products.
auto insurance.
However, IIRC, the auto insurance requirement came out of the need for financing companies to cover their risk when you had to start taking out LOANS just to purchase a vehicle...and when vehicle speed started approaching that of ICBMs (snark) and folks started getting really injured when those missiles found their way into each other.
An entire cottage industry was born from amazing innovation.
Same for house insurance. It's not to protect you. It's to protect the corporations and THEIR loss should the place burn to the ground.
Shocking, isn't it?
provide medical care - and lost. Not surprising as I live in California. Don't misunderstand me, I wish I had insurance to take care of a few maladies, but they'll drop you every chance they get.
No doubt.
He who hits first wins.
There are ads for TONIK health coverage on this web site. TONIK is Anthem Blue Cross. I am currently on TONIK and expect to be one of the ones that gets hit with the max increase, being 53 and all, and having used my minimal insurance for a few minor maladies and procedures.
Needless to say, the ads piss me off...
Everyone, every single Anthem/Blue Cross member/rape victim
CANCEL YOUR POLICY RIGHT NOW
No really, RIGHT NOW.
Call Anthem Blue Cross, contect to the cancellation department and asked for your policy to be CANCELLED.
You want a revolution? You want change?
BE A PART OF IT. HELP BRING CHANGE.
Tell Anthem to fuck off the best way possible: FINANCIALLY.
If you owe anything to Anthem Blue Cross DON'T PAY THEM.
All right? It's that simple.
Cancel your policy and if you're really outraged about all this
TAKE TO THE STREETS AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR COMMON SENSE.
The president, YOUR government CAN'T DO SHIT.
IT'S UP TO YOU.
http://www.politico.com/livepulse/0210/Report...
"Top 5 health insurers made 12 Billion dollars in profits last year, and dropped 2.7 Million people"
politico.com
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