Insurance Companies' Reaction to Congressional Plan: 'Hallelujah!' That Ain't Good.
By Susie Madrak Monday Aug 24, 2009 2:00pm
I am thoroughly disgusted by Obama's lack of effective leadership on this - and Congress's willingness to lard the bill for their contributors at our expense. It's very important that we keep the pressure on, because if we don't, we're going to be saddled with a very expensive dog of a health care "reform" bill.
I suggest you send this story to your congress creature and ask what they intend to do to protect our interests:
Reporting from Washington - Lashed by liberals and threatened with more government regulation, the insurance industry nevertheless rallied its lobbying and grass-roots resources so successfully in the early stages of the healthcare overhaul deliberations that it is poised to reap a financial windfall.
The half-dozen leading overhaul proposals circulating in Congress would require all citizens to have health insurance, which would guarantee insurers tens of millions of new customers -- many of whom would get government subsidies to help pay the companies' premiums.
"It's a bonanza," said Robert Laszewski, a health insurance executive for 20 years who now tracks reform legislation as president of the consulting firm Health Policy and Strategy Associates Inc.
Some insurance company leaders continue to profess concern about the unpredictable course of President Obama's massive healthcare initiative, and they vigorously oppose elements of his agenda. But Laszewski said the industry's reaction to early negotiations boiled down to a single word: "Hallelujah!"
The insurers' success so far can be explained in part by their lobbying efforts in the nation's capital and the districts of key lawmakers.
The bills vary in the degree to which they would empower government to be a competitor and a regulator of private insurance. But analysts said that based on the way things stand now, insurers would come out ahead.
"The insurers are going to do quite well," said Linda Blumberg, a health policy analyst at the nonpartisan Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. "They are going to have this very stable pool, they're going to have people getting subsidies to help them buy coverage and . . . they will be paid the full costs of the benefits that they provide -- plus their administrative costs."
One of the Democratic proposals that most concerns insurers is the creation of a "public option" insurance plan. The industry launched a campaign on Capitol Hill against it, grounded in a study published by the Lewin Group, a health policy consulting firm that is owned by UnitedHealth Group. The lobbyists contended that a government-run plan, which would have favorable tax and regulatory treatment, would undermine private insurers.
More Kabuki. After reading Taibbi's article, It's clear the public option is already gutted and not worth fighting for in its present form.
[...] Undermining support for the public option wasn't the only gain scored by insurance lobbyists.
In May, the Senate Finance Committee discussed requiring that insurers reimburse at least 76% of policyholders' medical costs under their most affordable plans. Now the committee is considering setting that rate as low as 65%, meaning insurers would be required to cover just about two-thirds of patients' healthcare bills. According to a committee aide, the change was being considered so that companies could hold down premiums for the policies.
Most group health plans cover 80% to 90% or more of a policyholder's medical bills, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. Industry officials urged that the government set the floor lower so insurers could provide flexible, more affordable plans.
[...] Consumer advocates argue that a lower government minimum might quickly become the industry standard, placing a greater financial burden on patients and their families.
"These are a bad deal for consumers," said J. Robert Hunter, a former Texas insurance commissioner who works with the Consumer Federation of America.
Meanwhile, companies would probably see a benefit by providing less insurance "per premium dollar," Hunter said.
"It would be quite a windfall," said Wendell Potter, a former executive at Cigna insurance company who has become an industry whistle-blower.
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Death Books for Veterans...No joke. Check it out below.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2652
Scroll down on the C&L home page and you will see a post about that subject and what a crock of shit the whole thing is.
Boycott Tyson Foods of Arkansas who gave Mike Ross $37,000 for his campaigns. Call lobbyist for Tyson Foods Chuck Penry 202 393 3921 and tell him politely that you refuse to buy Tyson chicken until Mike Ross D-Arkansas the leader of the Blue Dogs on health care gets the entire house and senate conservative Democrats to help get HR 676 enacted into law. Tell others to call. Send me email after you call to info@democratz.org
Boycott American Express who gave Max Baucus $50,000 for his campaigns. Call Joanna Lambert at 212 640 9668 and politely tell her you will not use any American Express cards until Max Baucus gets HR 676 enacted into law. Email me after you call.
See our blog http://blog.democratz.org
America has been tilting towards a right wing corporate country for the last 35 years plus....
Put the blame where it rightfully belongs--on the political/economic structure of the nation.....Boycotting Tyson Foods is irrelevant to the current structural crisis of America.
His staffers told me to quit harrassing them years ago.
And I made sure to say nothing that I wouldn't have said on tape.
But I used to call at least once a week.
It seems that they don't like my kind...
Not even McCain's or Kyl's office did that. Though Kyl's staffer LOL at me when I said we went to Iraq for oil.
Funny stuff, that.
"Sit down and shut up. You did your part by voting."
I'm gonna be patient. And I'm gonna hope Obama and Biden both grow a spine.
... rather than having the rest of their loyal constituents read the tea leaves. I am kind of tired of approaching national politics as if it were a dating scene.
sorry for laughing but that is right on!
Biden loves to give out all that foreign aid as Americans die in the streets!
... are going to win because most of our reps are on the take including Obama. He could have put forth Medicare for everyone, but then we would win. Giving it to the congress to write another bill take Obama off the hook.
I am not going to vote for him again. This isn't the only thing he reneged on... transparency bull shit.
The Hamilton Project at Brookings Institution is the Democratic Party's parallel organization to the American Enterprise Institute--a right wing think tank.
The Hamilton Group and the AEI have joint conferences and agree on most economic and financial issues as well.
I suggest you all become familiar with the Hamilton Project at Brookings Institution. Go to the Brookings Institute website and do a search for the Hamilton Project. In 2006, Obama spoke to the Hamilton Project at Brookings Institution, in front of Larry Summers and Robert Rubin and Peter Orszag.
My (R)'s town hall is tomorrow. I looked up his campaign contributors for 2009-2010 election and boy was I surprised to find the largest PAC contributions he received were from the insurance industry. I'll ask him about it if I get the opportunity.
Kind of cool though, The Texas Democratic Women in my town are turning out in force. And trust me, this is not only the reddest of the red states but possibly the reddest of the red cities here. Should be fun.
.
I'll be waving my flag patriotically with my AK47 strapped on, screaming nonsensical shit at my rep, ya know right wing style. An AK47 is the appropriate weapon for town hall meetings, right?
but for a lasting impression, bring a bazooka!
But NOTHING frightens the right wingers like an intelligent, well reasoned argument.
And you're just the one to do it!
:)
Don't worry Mick, I plan on NOT acting like the stupid tea baggers. If I do get a chance to speak that fucker won't know what hit him because I will sound reasonable and well informed.
I live in Massachusetts, where people are required to purchase health insuance- or face FINES. The fine is cheaper than the cost of buying health insurance- the fines being at $1000 a year, with the fines going up next year.......
So many people just opt to pay the fine...
I lack health insurance, and have had illnesses in the past when i should have visited the hospital-but didn't, as I knew the bills would break me finacially...
I guess the rest of the country is headed that way
Yes people pay fines so these scumbag lawmakers and their corporate whore sponsors can wash their "clean" hands and ensure they will not face lawsuits in the future when people die because they cannot afford the costs of being sick.
We live in a sick society today here in America. America is a very mentally disturbed nation run by ingrates posing as "elites."
Go to my friend Dianne's website at: www.masshealthlawtruth.org
She'd love to hear your testimonial.
Here's evidence of the fact that Obama is using the Mitt Romney/Ted Kennedy model for a template for the rest of the country:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_o...
Say Hello to Right-wing Romney Care as America's National Healthcare Policy with Obama's Signature...
Did we need months of this nonsense just so one could be allowed to go buy health insurance? And still not be necessarily treated for an illness or ailment?
Gimme a break already....Americans love their misery!
If Obama caves in on Republican demands, and guts the health care reform, this Democrat would sooner NOT vote for anyone in 2012 than cast another vote for Obama- should he re-run...
He is inches from losing support from many on the left...
that is why I doubt Obama will lose any sleep over such threat.
Actually, I'll probably just stop voting altogether (the Carlin Principle). I'll just have to be content to watch the Empire crumble from the sidelines. Still fun.
on the minute chance that enough disaffected people would do the same
and scare the shite out of the Republicrats.
If nothing else, voting Green might just get them qualified on state ballots or for federal funds. Every little bit helps.
I've decided to stay registered as a Dem though, just to f*ck with 'em in the primaries by voting for libruls instead of blue dog/DLC drones.
Reality Bites....Go now...time is up....
I know this does not apply to those who are truly afflicted, but as for sickness and decay, there is nothing like eating organic vegetables, eliminating red meat (or meat entirely), taking good vitamins (not cheapies), exercising daily, getting regular chiropractic care to maintain the body, and drinking/bathing in clean water (this would mean investing in a water cleansing system for the whole house). It all adds up. A Healthy body system can overcome most illness. As we have seen here, the Government officials are totally in this for the money and glory. This bill was not addressing the legal Tort system that is totally whack. It also was not touching Big Pharma who sells drugs to US citizens at 2 to 3 times the rate they sell to other nations. Civilian, FEND FOR THYSELF!
I've had many friends who lived a "healthy" lifestyle (i.e. macrobiotic, vegan, high endurance athletes) succumb to cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. As for pharma.. I take a medication that essentially saved my life. I think this health bill does include preventative issues but without the public option it's basically useless.
Loath_GOP,
How about some loathing towards the spineless Democratic Party?
thanks to you and other libs who wont stfu, in 2010 we will again have a repuke congress and then obama can pull a clinton
god...i am so sick of the left of the dem party
bunch of fucking whiners who think obama can repair the ills of the past 30 years with just a wave of his mighty pimp hand
Just asking? I haven't seen many of these people since the days of Woodstock...I wish that a true left actually existed and those whom are still left on the left as leftists are not that many and those few are not heard too often unless one does a search for Michael Parenti or Ira Chernus or Francis A. Boyle or Frida Berrigan or Jim Lobe or Howard Zinn or David Barsmian or David Harvey or Robert McChesney or Ralph Nader or Slavoj Zizek or John Pilger on the web.
The Doors - Light My Fire
You know that it would be untrue
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Girl, we couldn't get much higher
Come on baby, light my fire
Come on baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire
The time to hesitate is through
No time to wallow in the mire
Try now we can only lose
And our love become a funeral pyre
Come on baby, light my fire
Come on baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire, yeah
With the resignation of Nixon the Right decided to destroy the Left. Darth Cheney pledged to his evil minions right then and there that they would exact their revenge and over the course of 30 years they accomplished their mission. It culminated with Bush proclaiming from the House floor "if you're not with us, you're with the terrorists." And the response from the Democrats...[crickets].
You know it..that Lewis Powell memo as well....from 1971...
I'm having deja vu all over again.
It's really sad to watch.
... if the Dems lose seats in 2010 it will be the fault of those pointing out how the Dems are failing to do their jobs?
Is that it?
The Dems are not failing?
Yes, those Dems are not that spineless, unless they are running away from the Republicans....
and even the non-dem left;
good ole scapegoat, the left.
they screw up all the fun, always mocking and never doing.
I always had a sneaking suspicion you were a right wing plant. Thanks for finally coming clean Joe.
Anyone who would take the name of the most villainous right wing demagogue in our history must be suspect to be begin with.
Joe Mccarthy!!!! Puhleeeeeze…
Libs!!!, there is a right wing term for you. "stfu", is this a democracy? You STFU… Right wing troll…
Repukes…
Let's just call the Republicans and their Democratic Party Cohorts what they are, Corporatists.
In 2010 I sincerely hope that the 80 or so respectable 'progressives' in the House can be reinforced by at least getting rid of the Republicans masquerading as Democrats.
We have a right wing party and we have an ultra right wing party.
Obama needs to stand straight and do the right starting immediately.
I will give him credit when credit is due, so far there has been precious little reason.
Status Quo:
FISA criminals pardoned - check
Bush security programs maintained - check
Indefinite detention - check
Continuing and even expanding the perpetual war - check
Banksters with Beaucoup de Bailout Billions - check and double check
No investigations of torture, war crimes or corporate crime wave - check
Military Industrial Complex in full
retreatforward motion - checkMedical Industrial Complex bought off in full - check
Obama IS Clinton.
scary, isn't it?
and something tells me green energy will include coal.
I think we still have a repuke congress. Especially in the Senate.
it's game over for the working man. Costs will double, benefits will then be dropped. Then it's a game of russian roulette, accumulating assets only to have them taken at the first emergency.
...if this is such a great deal for the insurance companies, why are they fighting against it with such vigor? I smell a public relations disinformation campaign, so when reform goes down it flames the Insurance Cos can say, "Gee! Wasn't our fault, we wanted it...it was going to make us all super-duper rich. Why would we have wanted to kill it?" That, of course, is my point, right? If reform is such a great deal for the insurance corps, why are they funding all the fake outrage? Riddle me that, please...anyone...anyone?
who the MSM represents so why is it a surprise that this propaganda is in the headlines of the LA Times? Susie, I still think you want too keep us on top of things but why are you using the MSM to scare us. This is more of what we have been seeing all week and you act like it's breaking news.
The Public Option is a massive giveaway to the Health insurance Companies and the Pharmaceutical Companies ..
AND a drain on the Public Treasury ..
ANOTHER GIVEAWAY TO BIG BUSINESS
HR 676 "Medicare For All" gives FREE BASIC HEALTHCARE to All American residents, mandates bargaining with pharmaceutical companies, allows easy access to ANY doctor, clinic or hospital, AND pays for itself.
No...No...and No....
America is an insane nation with insane people...and run by ingrates posing as "elites."
these insurance executives are gloating and celebrating something that has not happened yet.
My take is that these outbursts of exuberance will be used against them and their Republican employees.
Its all downhill from here to a public option.
Those opposed to reform are tiring and will not win the marathon that Barack is running.
They just can't concentrate that long and with kids going back to school and fall coming most birthers, bigots and the rest of the used will move on to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping as it serves their daily needs and emotions.
It's just another bailout.
Who's your Daddy? United Health Care Group, Wellpoint, Aetna, Humana, Cigna, etc., etc.
just sent out a big glossy brochure about how wonderful they REALLY are.
And, wouldn't you know, they claim that they are really wonderful!
No explanation as to why my lifetime limit is drawing near.
I guess that I'm abusing the privilege of being seriously injured.
That'll teach me...
When I still had my COBRA coverage I tried on 3 separate occasions to get Blue Cross to send me one of the books that tells you which doctors you could go to (technical note: that's not "rationed care"). Did I ever get it? Of course not.
Once I had to cancel my coverage they did managed to find my address somehow to send me piles of glossy plans that I could re-up with. Why wouldn't they? I gave them thousands of dollars over the couple of years I could afford the coverage, and with my wonderful $2500 yearly deductible, never cost them a cent. I was the perfect "customer" for them.
No wonder they're smiling at the largesse from the 'Merican taxpayer they're about to receive. More suckers on the hook, this time with Big Brother watching their backs instead of keeping them honest.
No, it's a "gift", not a bailout. The insurance companies aren't hurting or on the brink of collapse.
I sure hope we have a Bill, because it will be fun tearing it apart afterwards and seeing who "wins" and who "loses"....
But let's just get some kind of Bill.
and finacial ruin for working Americans WHY the hell do you want to see it passed??????? What right wing Democratic Congressman do you work for anyway?
to have health insurance without offering a public option?
It seems to me that conservatives might take objection to this ( except that they will be making a bundle from it) --- I mean don't Republicans object to even the suggestion of requiring all students to do some sort of charity work or public service?
they'd speak to America and tell them that the efforts to bring working Americans relief on healthcare have been for naught. that the repubobstructionists and right wing Dems have destroyed any hopes for meaningful reform. That they will try again another day once America elects Representives who represent the people. And then shut down ALL bills currently in the Senate and the House until there are the votes to pass HR676 MEDICARE FOR ALL. They key here being to make sure the American people are aware WHO killed reform!
Here here Terrible, excellent idea.
Did FDR fall to his knees and grovel to republicans when he tried to pass social security legislation? Repugs called FDR a socialist, but he stood his ground....
Obama could learn a few lessons from FDR (and LBJ's) examples..
second coming of FDR.
Obama is a pragmatist, I personally do not think that is a good quality to have in a president, because it is a polite way of justifying a lack of stand. That is why we have no f*cking clue what his ideology is, what his stands are, and what the tone of his policies are going to be.
This is shaping to be just like when the Dems lost to Gingrich et al in the 90s, and Clinton sold his soul to Dick Morris and decided to govern by focus group, ideology be damned. That is why you end up with a supposedly "liberal" president Clinton coming up with a presidency whose majority of policies ended up being to the right of Nixon's. I really think this whole "governing by focus group" is what Obama is doing, it certainly explains his lack of fortitude, since he really is not fighting for policies he believes in... but rather for policies he thinks people want.
What works for business doesn't necessarily work for government, and vice versa. Mr. Obama better get that in his head. Although I don't think his governing style is going to change. In a sense, with his appeasing efforts and lack of fortitude, a case could be made that Obama is more like Hoover than FDR.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeguOPBE-vs
elelle I reasshererheee ealalskeregg
Amen!
Although I have no clue what this vid had to do with the subject at hand.... god being mysterious and all.
Use of the word hallelujah
And what looks like in the picture to be a revival tent meeting.
Do we start fighting AGAINST this reform effort now? Do we call and write our representatives and tell them to stuff it and start over? WTF?
Mandatory health insurance is a guarantee of social unrest. Since we apparently aren't going to tax the rich and corporations like Eisenhower did in the good old 50s:
1) The middle class should be _very_ afraid. It's going to be "bleed 'em 'til they faint" time since the D.C. Beltway seem to be living in another reality and don't understand that the American people are getting tapped out by now. A trillion here and a trillion there and pretty soon it starts to add up.
2) The poor should be downright terrified. Presumably, the government, as a bag man to the insurance companies, will try to shake down people making $11,000/year ($170 over the 2009 poverty guidelines, and, hey, it's expendable income they should responsibly be spending on life insurance don't you know).
The sad thing is that health care reform should _save_ us money by putting us in line with first world countries (really, why still include us in those ranks by saying "other" first world countries?), but that's not the American way anymore, is it?
for 'affordable' health insurance by these new insurance companies you've never heard of before? A lot like the 'credit counselor' companies that have been popping up like weeds in an empty lot.
Vultures.
hey,
insurance companys....what about drug companys..
wasnt that guy,
Donald Rumsfeld,
The CEO of a drug company?
Searle pharma?
yup..
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/05/...
like in this article here?
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