Health insurers mobilize 50,000 employees to lobby Congress, defeat the public option.
Health insurers mobilize 50,000 employees to lobby Congress, defeat the public option.
The LA Times reports that health insurance companies, on the cusp of defeating the threat of a public option and after winning a set of important legislative health reform battles, is “poised to reap a financial windfall” for their efforts. Big insurance companies have outflanked proponents of reform with a flood of lobbyists, advertising, campaign donations, and, it appears, a well-organized strategy of coordinating their employees to contact lawmakers:
– AHIP, the lobbying juggernaut representing the industry, says 50,000 employees have been engaged in writing letters and making phone calls to politicians or attending town hall meetings.
– UnitedHealth, one of the largest insurers, organized a hot-line for employees to be directed to protests and town hall meetings. In Ohio, the number directed people to attend a radical tea party protest, sponsored by religious fundamentalist Dave Daubenmire, outside the office of Rep. Zach Space (D-OH).
Earlier this month, AHIP President Karen Ignagni threatened Democrats by declaring that if lawmakers vilify her industry, “members of Congress will come back to Washington without a strong sense that health care reform is doable.” Investors and analysts now seem confident that health reform won’t cut into the high profits of the insurers, but instead, will actually be a billion dollar “bonzana” for the industry.
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It’s nice to finally be sure about who our elected officials REALLY represent.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:57 amwell i am hoping that WE THE PEOPLE out number 50K went it come to writing, calling etc… our electric officials.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:04 amI thinking and hoping the tea baggers astroturf movement (bowel) well be shutting out here.
They want to defeat the public option even though there will be a requirement that everyone obtain health insurance, thereby increasing the enrollment numbers.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:06 amIt looks to me like they want to have it both ways — but then again, that’s what they have always had in the past…
simultaneously collecting premiums and denying care.
If this video doesn’t get people to see the true agenda of Fox News, I don’t know if anything will.
Neil Cavuto basically says Obama’s moral obligation should be protecting America’s wealth, not the health of all Americans.
These people are unbelievable.
http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2640
August 24th, 2009 at 10:10 amIt is all about profit. You scare people with unemployment, and they will do anything.
This is off topic somewhat, but I have a friend who retired from their job and has had medical coverage, as a retiree, through the company. When she turned 65 she was notified that her insurance was dropped because she qualified for Medicare. Companies should not be allowed to do this.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:11 amDitto what PilotShark says at #3. Write, phone, howl.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:12 amThere is a cartoon at DU today pointing out that libraries have not forced the closing of book stores; public transportation has not eliminated autos; public golf courses have not jeopardized country clubs; we already know that FedEx is thriving as a rival to the USPS.
The insurance giants make a false argument, then they gin up the fear among the populace with any number of false claimss, all while they contribute mightily to the coffers of our elected officials (bribery?).
But they don’t want to be vilified? Our unkind comments are hurting their feelings? Maybe they should devise a policy rider to cover their “emotional distress.”
August 24th, 2009 at 10:12 amWhile the ignorant scream about socialism, the corporations have already taken over. Hasn’t the ‘debate’ always been about protecting corporate interests? The scare factor is people don’t want government doing what private insurance already does: screwing the insured. Every crazy idea starting from ‘death panels’ through the whole gamma is already going on in private insurance. Corporation control of government: that’s not fascist? It certainly isn’t socialism.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:13 amDo we really need health insurance companies? What do they do? They are an industry who takes our money and gives it to someone else and in too many cases refuses to pay. Their management makes far too much in wages and compensation for what they do. Then you have this women threatening Congress if they vilify her industry. The whole world be a better place without you crooks and our health care system would work better too.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:20 am“Please save our profits!!!”
“don’t worry, we wont kick you off because of pre-existing condition anymore. TRUST US!!!”
“We the People can’t care for themselves, you need a good multi-national corporation to take care of you.”
August 24th, 2009 at 10:22 amInsurance Companies: “Save our Ponzi Scheme!!!”
August 24th, 2009 at 10:25 amI would hope that every Democratic lawmaker by now is well aware of the strong support for a public option. They know all about the astro-turf movement, the HC industy’s call to action of it’s employees, their counterparts on the Hill’s outright lies and obstruction, the fraudulent letters from Bonner & Assoc and the millions being spent each day to kill reform. Even though they may receive a swarm of e-mails and calls against a public option I am confident that they know where this is coming from. Republicans and HC fatcats are terrified that a public option will be enacted. Their fear is what drives them to perpetuate the false idea that the public option has failed or will fail. They fear it because they know it will be a huge success that benefits millions of Americans. The HC industry will take a huge hit over time as people leave to join the public option…good. Republicans and Blue Dogs who may vote against a public option do so at their own political peril because when it succeeds (as they know it will) some may be looking for a new job come the next election cycle. They are afraid, cornered and dangerous but I have faith that sanity will prevail. Pssing legislation with strong, sweeping reform AND a public option could sound the death knell for the Republican Party and THIS is why many have staked their carreers on killing it.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:25 amGreat point, Marie.
If a big publicly traded corporation like an insurance company is driven out of business by a government-designed competitor, perhaps its previous success wasn’t really due to business acumen, but a tilted playing field.
After all, the wingnuts always tell us how pathetic government businesses do, right?
August 24th, 2009 at 10:26 amThe entire point of grouping people into an insurance pool is that the larger the pool, the less each person has to pay. Therefore, multiple competing insurance pools is more expensive than one big one.
Competition might be a positive factor if there was some way they could offer better products or services. But they’re not really offering a product or service at all. They’re just (sometimes) paying for your health care. There has been no kind of “innovation” in the health insurance industry in over a century of being left to its own devices, unless it’s to find clever ways to avoid actually approving coverage.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:26 amSadly, this is Jefferson’s admonition about not being able to be both free and ignorant coming true…
I expect to have to move to Europe in the next decade.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:27 amI don’t want health insurance, I want health care – for ALL Americans, not just the rich white Christian ones…
August 24th, 2009 at 10:31 amInsurance companies are the legal Mafia. They have the muscle.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:32 amWhen it comes to letter writing, we can play this game also. In my opinion, if we simply concentrate on the DEMOCRATIC reps and Senators and basically tell them if they don’t support the health care initiative they WILL LOSE the Democratic vote in the next election.
WE won’t forget WHO votes for what. If they want to act like Repubs, they should change their party and get out of our way.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:33 amThere’s only one problem with health care reform: Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people will lose their jobs in the health insurance industry.
There’s no denying it–but the fact that you never hear this statistic on their side of the argument leaves no doubt that the rightwing corporatists don’t even want to bring it up, despite the vastness of the problem.
They’ll all find work again–but it’s a problem nobody wants to mention or reference, on EITHER side.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:37 amSurely, you didn’t ever think this was gonna end any differently, didja?
Chuy!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:38 amThey’ll all find work again–but it’s a problem nobody wants to mention or reference, on EITHER side.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Mutherfockers put millions of auto workers outta work without a qualm.
Scroom!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:40 amShe is a wad of corporate gunk.
If 50K people outnumbers over 70% that want a option then she can kma.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:44 amDaddy-O says:
There’s only one problem with health care reform: Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people will lose their jobs in the health insurance industry.
This is true. But considering that health care is a massive burden on the back of every other industry, I think the upside more than covers the downside. Relieving that pressure on the overall economy should help health insurance employees find new jobs much more quickly.
Nearly every labor dispute in the past decade has been over spiraling health coverage costs. It’s a drag on small business, and adds a complicated and unneccessary division to every larger company.
Consider this – if the public option did not provide as many health-insurance jobs as it eliminates, is that not proof that it would be more efficient? And if it’s less efficient, then it will provide enough jobs to take on these qualified employees.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:45 amOh, one more thing – the most difficult and catastrophic thing about having to change jobs is… losing your health care coverage. That would no longer be an issue, either for the health-insurance employees or for anybody else.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:47 amWhat will insurance companies do when no one can afford their product?
An individual mandate without strong cost controls on private insurers would be another huge giveaway to corporations. Whether it is directly from the people or indirectly through government, this is ludicrous “reform.”
The public option would be the best check on private insurers to prevent this from happening.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:48 amWE need to find a way to OUTLAW all LOBBYING, period.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:50 amthey are destroying America.
ElBruce says:
The entire point of grouping people into an insurance pool is that the larger the pool, the less each person has to pay.
Actually, it is the larger the pool of employees, the less the employer has to pay. If you are laid off from a large employer and try to get insurance coverage from the same insurance company you will pay a lot more in premiums. The pool is not the overall number of people insured by the insurance company. If it was, it would be a great improvement. There would be no need for COBRA.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:50 amA Patriotic Anopheles Acting says @ 13:
^5 and fist pound.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:51 amDaddy-O, only the 50K useless letter writers will loose their jobs.
As one coporation fails there will be others that will open. Job problem solved.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:55 amMaybe its time to just say no to Insurance GREED and cancel our health insurance. Save money and fly to some 3rd world country to get decent affordable care when the need arises. They charge too much for mediocre care and turn the profit into a lobby against our own best interests. Criminal really.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:55 amHealthcare workers would be absorbed into jobs when more people are in the healthcare system. It is the $ll. million dollar paychecks of the insurance CEO’s. that is her concern. Who is worth $11 million a year ? When healthy two paycheck families still can’t afford $600./month premium that is a sad commentary on the United States health system.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:57 amIt is time for Obama and similarly minded groups to crank up their people.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:58 amIt amazes me that everyone isn’t on board for affordable healthcare. Even the wealthy pay upwards of $1000. a month. I am with the writer above who said lets drop all insurance and save it to fly overseas for procedures. We are paying more right now with insurance than we did without insurance. When paying cash a heft discount is given to you.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:59 amDaddy-O says:
There’s only one problem with health care reform: Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people will lose their jobs in the health insurance industry.
Well the insurance companies are spending 1.4 million per day just to lobby ( can you say BRIBE ) congress, when that money could be used to pay for insurance claims they want to deny or for wages for their regular workers. Notice I didn’t even add the hundreds of millions the insurance CEO’s get paid in salary an bonuses.
Excuse me if I do not feel sorry for the insurance companies and those that work for them.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:00 amCOBRAA is and has always been a joke, 20 years ago the premiums were so substantial people would just not use it unless they had serious health problems and could afford it. I hope Obama shows the same spirit on healthcare reform that he had on the campaign trail. Oh and by the way Bernie Madoff is said to have cancer and guess who will cover his care, you and I.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:01 amThere we go….get yourself thrown in jail to receive healthcare. Its either that or get yourself elected to Congress or give the insurance company most of the money you can earn..
August 24th, 2009 at 11:05 amThe drug coverage, sweetheart deal for pharmas set up by bush is so crooked. The total cost of the drug, not just what was paid by you/and or insurance is taken off your credit. So many reach their limit quickly and are on their own. Everyone agrees is stinks but only Congress can clean it up. And with 1.4 million a day going into pockets in Washington good luck !
August 24th, 2009 at 11:08 amIf this country’s economy needs some stimulus providing AFFORDABLE health care would give consumers a bit of slack they can’t find anywhere else.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:09 amWhat is wrong with every American receiving the same health insurance that Congress gets ? How can that be so hard to do ? Rep Debbie Wasserman of Florida fought breast cancer and won, her insurance cost $1500.00 a year. IF that system works can’t it be in place for all of us ?
August 24th, 2009 at 11:12 amThat “passed in the night”, phony medicare prescription drug give away to big pharma that the REPUKES rammed through should be a model of exactly the kind of legislation to avoid. Big pharma and Health Insurance companies are bleeding this economy dry. And AARP is still on my $hit list for throwing in with the REPUKES on the Prescription Drug Bill.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:15 amI have a feeling that it’ll end up worse than if there were no ‘reform’ at all. We’ll end up required to have insurance but no public option, just like the current auto insurance scam. That (state) law protects insurance more than the insured, otherwise why would you need uninsured motorist coverage?
Without real reform, the country will go completely broke, but at least the insurance companies will still be making profits, and that’s the important thing.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:16 amAmazing that so many people will listen and believe the Bachmans, limbaughs, Palins instead of looking at their neighbors that even with two paychecks cannot afford the $600 a month insurance premium. Why aren’t others sick of the whole insurance industry and their greed ?
August 24th, 2009 at 11:17 amI could afford $1500 per year. Sounds like a nice simple fair solution.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:17 amThe “health” insurance industry is in serious need of having the rug yanked out from under them or some very pointed and rigorous regulation imposed on them, or both. This would be the very time to do it, too.
They can’t be allowed to continue to drive the economy to the extent that they do. They never have managed to figure out that customer service does NOT mean telling people who walk in the door to bend over and assume the position.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:22 amWhen I worked at the HQ of a large corporation in 2000, our Director sent out an e-mail to her 150 staff urging us all to contribute to the company PAC and vote for George Bush.
Such actions are of course intimidation and should be illegal.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:23 amI agree that across state line coverage is a joke. Until the insurance idustry is regulated they will cook the books together each year at a swanky resort and we will pay what THEY agree to charge. Strange that John Grisham wrote a fiction on this whole debacle 15 years ago with people paying premiums and insurance refusing to pay the claims and it was really fact.
There is a real concern that many people would not even pony up any cost for healthcare even when they could afford it. I have seen a small company offer coverage or more salary and the employees take the pay increase. Nothing is ever totally fair and just.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:25 amjb says:
I could afford $1500 per year
My COBRA is 220% more than $1500 and I still can’t afford basic diagnostics. I had to cancel a routine (every 5 years) test because my copay would’ve been $880. With the economic meltdown and the resulting lack of work, my COBRA premiums are 107% of income up to this point of 2009. I recently spent 5 days in the hospital. I’m dreading the arrival of those bills. Bankruptcy, here I come.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:32 amThe health insurance corporations are determined to strip any remaining wealth from the ordinary citizens.
If we don’t get the Public Option now, we never will.
Screw the repiggies, and screw the teabagger trash. Let’s get this done, before we all wind up homeless.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:32 am“Ticks and Fleas Lobby Hill to Ban Spay & Neuter Programs”
August 24th, 2009 at 11:34 amWhy wouldn’t a .5 surtax on everything go into a healthcare fund, everyone young or old purchase something, sometime so the contribution would be across the board. Of course keeping it honest would be the main problem or NOT borrowing from the fund as Congress has from Social Security.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:36 amAnyone else figure how much of their income goes to insurance of all kinds, house, auto, health, don’t do it unless you are sitting down. And even with yearly reviews and checking to see if that is the best price it is astounding.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:39 amMarie
The enrollment numbers wont go up for the Insurance Companies.
The House Bill HR3200 says flat out that they can not write any new plans from the date that the Bill is signed into law.
(1) LIMITATION ON NEW ENROLLMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in
12 this paragraph, the individual health insurance
13 issuer offering such coverage does not enroll
14 any individual in such coverage if the first ef- 15 fective date of coverage is on or after the first
16 day of Y1.
So I guess they have a reason to complain. Oh and since this is in the Bill that also means that if anything in the plan changes that means you have to write a new plan which means they can’t which means they end up going out of business because they can’t write any plans. So how then would the government plan be an option if all the insurance companies can’t write new plans and go out of business.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:41 amevangenital says:
The health insurance corporations are determined to strip any remaining wealth from the ordinary citizens.
At what point does the overwhelming concentration of wealth become a national security issue?
August 24th, 2009 at 11:42 amThe astroturf needs mowing.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:46 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
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Exit Stage Left says:
At what point does the overwhelming concentration of wealth become a national security issue?
___________
I’d say at least a decade ago…
August 24th, 2009 at 11:48 amCan’t spell Stubain without s-t-a-i-n…
August 24th, 2009 at 11:49 amOutlaw284 says:
I find that statement to funny. Since in 2008 Insurance companies only made a 3.3% profit.
See that is the problem with everyone on here. You are all doing exactly what your liberal media wants you to do.
You are complaining about how much they made and yet not a one of you knows how much they pay out. Why don’t some of you try to look up the profit/debt ratio for these companies.
I’m not really concerned in how much money they make their shareholders. You’re probably lying about your numbers, but that’s not even relevant to why we need public health chare.
I’m much more concerned about the fact that they have completely failed to do the job, either of providing good health care outcomes or of controlling costs. Those jobs need to be done. Therefore the public option can do it. If the insurers don’t like it, that’s too bad. They apparently want to get paid for not doing those jobs, which pretty much amounts to fraud.
Your argument only goes to demonstrate that by any standard whatsoever, private health insurers have failed miserably. They’ve not only failed the public and their consumers, but also their shareholders? OK. So they suck on yet another front.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:52 amPoor Stubby, came for the Empire, and got stuck with socialism.
Boo hoo.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:55 amWhy don’t some of you try to look up the profit/debt ratio for these companies.
Does multi-million-dollar salaries for CEOs count as debt?
August 24th, 2009 at 11:55 amHas anyone paid for a $15 aspirin? I have. This is one of many things that must be reformed.
These teabaggin idiots deserve the healthcare they are getting from their greedy providers.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:55 amThank you for getting to real point, ElBruce..
August 24th, 2009 at 11:57 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This is why everyone who can should constantly volunteer to visit their Congressmen, write letters, make phone calls and go to health care events in their neighborhoods. The truth will prevail. We can’t let up. They want us to believe that the battle is over and they have won.
Fu(k Ignagni,the Rethuglican Party, tea baggers, birthers and blue dawg sellouts! They can KMMFA!
August 24th, 2009 at 11:58 amOutlaw, if the insurance companies are making so little money, why are they spending so much to keep the status quo!
August 24th, 2009 at 12:01 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
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Outlaws?
Isn’t that the little bike club that started a huge hissy fit over some other club wearing “Florida” on their jackets?
What a bunch of sissies. No wonder they need a gang.
Not surprising that we’d have one here trying to defend the insurance companies and their siphoning off of health care dollars.
Or maybe he just thinks it makes him appear tough to be part of a gang (hint: it doesn’t)
I think he’s just another pussy that let the right wing corporate media convince him that insurance companies provide a service.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pmRantingTommy
That is all you can say. You make an a** out of yourself assuming something and then don’t dispute the facts. Nice try at the spin though.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:15 pmaww. poor little “outlaw”
I guess I hurt his widddle feewings
Go get educated on the subject, then come back and maybe you can get past your right wing corporate media indoctrination
August 24th, 2009 at 12:16 pmUnited Health Care had a 428% profit in the second quarter of this year. Also, people do not have to drink beverages or smoke but somewhere, sometime you will have to pay for healthcare. Your arguments are typical nonsense of the uncaring, uneducated. I would wager everyone one here has had to fight with an health insurance company on nonpayment for a covered problem.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:16 pmConsider what everyone would save in welfare payments if a disabled person had been treated preventively and still able to work and pay taxes. Look at the long term effects instead of the end of your nose.
Hey Idiot284, whose @ss did you pull those numbers out of?
August 24th, 2009 at 12:17 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
oh I got the percentage wrong for the beverage companies wrong it was 25.9%
August 24th, 2009 at 12:20 pmIt just drives Outlaw crazy that we won’t buy into the lies from the corporate media
August 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pmAetna, United, Humana for three were paid $11.4 million a year. Who is worth $11.4 million, doesn’t matter cash or stock options. When a healthy, young family of 4 have to pay $600/month $7200 a year for protection of a maybe illness so they don’t end up bankrupt SOMETHING IS WRONG !
And when they are bankrupt, who will be paying their medicaid and welfare to live on ? YOU, ME, AND ANYONE WORKING
So wake up, heathcare reform will benefit you too.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pmOutlaw – I don’t have any sympathy for insurance companies who con people out of money and deny coverage when they get sick. I have absolutely no sympathy for these rat bastards who discriminate and deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. Since the insurance vultures have millions to lobby against health insurance reform while they deny coverage to millions – THEN THEY SHOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS!
August 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pmOutlaw:
Have you attempted to converse with spam-bots lately?
August 24th, 2009 at 12:21 pmI just spent the last week in Canada. Everyone up there was badgering me about this so-called health care reform because they just don’t get it. They don’t understand why people prefer to pay gobs of money for their insurance plans, why people hang on to crappy jobs just to keep their health insurance and they were blown away to learn how many people don’t have any coverage at all.
They all like the health care that they get from the Canadian government (health, dental, eye care included) and they can’t believe that people are believing the lies that are being put out there.
Oh and btw, ‘Outlaw’ you’re an idiot. The last time I checked drinking soda is not a necessary component to prolong life.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:22 pmAnd Outlaw, open your mind and listen to Rachel Maddow she will tell you who funds the Freedom Works and the rest, using corporate money to fight for honest healthcare. Find out who is paying for the info and you can understand the bias.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw284 says:
You libs…
_________________
Whoa!!! NOTHING says ‘informed political commentary’ quite like hackneyed, one-size-fits-all, generic insults.
You shills just swallow every last drop just the way your corporate masters tell you, don’t you.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:32 pmSo Outlaw the VA is government plan, Medicare and Social Security is government plan. Those SS checks come every month without a hitch. The VA and anyone using it raves about most and I am sure there are some faulty hospitals as in everything. Drugs are 1/10th the cost we outside pay.
Those of us who have dealt with one nurse to 20 patients, nurses that are working 12 hour shifts. Trying to find a doctor listed on our insurance plan and not 100 miles away. Trying to find care for the elderly that isn’t $3,000 a month. Something needs to change.
Someday you will need good, reasonable healthcare and then you might find compassion for others.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:33 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
The Republic of Stupidity
Just like you. You put every Republican or conservative together.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:34 pmOutlaw284 says:
texaslady
There are a lot of things that they could change to make it different but the Democrats don’t want to do them.
_____________
And neither do the your corporate masters and their finger-puppets in the Republican Party.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:34 pmOutlaw284 says:
Oh and as far as Canada goes why don’t you te%ll me if it is so good then why is it that I see so many people from canada coming down into my state to get medicine and see doctors.
___________
How about something other than a nice, vague, unprovable contention that basically means NOTHING in the end?
August 24th, 2009 at 12:36 pmIt doesn’t take 46% IF EVERYONE was paying something.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:36 pmI would think that most of those 50,000 employees, are afraid of losing their own jobs when the government public option drives down costs and cuts profits in the insurance industry.
You’d think at least some of them would realize that their experience gives them an inside track on securing GOVERNMENT jobs doing the exact same thing. That job can’t be outsourced. The administration can start renting office space in the same cities where the insurance companies operate so these employees don’t even need to change their commute. It’s just a regional branch of an expanded Medicare system. We don’t have to re-invent the wheel to get this rolling. VA, Medicare and Medicaid will all be modified and expanded and these people can do their patriotic and civic duty and “enlist” in getting their fellow citizens quality healthcare.
Unless they’d rather continue to work the phones and get yelled at by frustrated policy holders at HealthNot or UniCan’t or however and deny claim after claim. That sounds like a spiritually fulfilling career.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:36 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw284 says:
Just like you. You put every Republican or conservative together.
___________
Actually, I don’t. I try to address specifics, like your specific, MINDLESS stereotyping, which I see you DON’T want to take PERSONAL responsibility for.
Just making a point, which clearly sailed right on past you, in particular.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:36 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Outlaw wants corporations to grow bigger and take more of your money
August 24th, 2009 at 12:40 pmOutlaw284 says:
McCain wanted to break the state line laws to allow companies to cross into other states.
___________
But… but… STATES’ RIGHTS!!!!!! STATES’ RIGHTS!!!!!
The Tenth Amendment! The Tenth Amendment!!!
We’ll… we’ll secede!!!
Obama’s Birth Certificate!!!
Death Panels!
Gee… you really have a STRONG case for Republican coherency there, Li’l Feller…
August 24th, 2009 at 12:43 pmpoor little outlaw
can’t think beyond what the corporate media feeds him
buys into all the BS that the radio tells him
people like outlaw are why advertisers love Rush and Glen: totally gullible and will believe anything, as long as it sounds anti-”librul”
August 24th, 2009 at 12:44 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Careful of the government…oooooooooooooooo, Outlaw. They’ll get you, and your tax dollars.
Stay off the roads, don’t drink the water, and STFU. It’s too sad to watch someone defend an insurance industry that’ll take your money and have no regard for you, all because of your neurotic fear of ‘the government.’ Meanwhile, those insurance companies you defend are further helping along the corruption of our government, and all your wasted energy gossiping about Canadians won’t change that bitter bitter irony.
As long as you keep the blinders on, you won’t see that every other industrialized nation does just fine with their governments’ active hand in the physical well being of their citizens. How selfish and off course to suggest that it’s not all of our responsibility to care of ourselves. Why don’t you do us all a favor and pack up for Ruby Ridge and stay there.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:48 pmoutlaw is now pretending to be FOR competition
outlaw prefers to let Blue Cross go national and become even larger, therefore squashing what little competition there is
outlaw, you’re either a liar or an idiot (probably both)
August 24th, 2009 at 12:48 pmOutlaw, here’s the tax brackets for Canada. I doubt you’ll click on the link though because that would just prove you wrong. It’s almost impossible to be in a 46% bracket even if you’re making a very high income AND live in one of the 4 provinces that assesses higher taxes on those with large incomes.
I only know of one person (and I know a lot of Canadians) who has gone to the States for any treatment, an aunt whose husband had a nervous disorder that Canadian doctors couldn’t explain and who had the money to go to the Mayo clinic for another opinion. All the Mayo clinic did was first put their hands in the air with no answers and then put their hands in her pockets to extract large amounts of cash.
Also, if Canadians hated their system so much why aren’t they moving down here so they too can have the pleasure of paying less taxes while paying for their own health coverage?
August 24th, 2009 at 1:09 pmOutlaw – those #’s are BS, and so are your arguments.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:16 pmI really don’t like the idea of insurance going across state lines (like Outlaw keeps advocating). They did the same thing with credit cards, and so all the banks cluster in the states with the least regulation, making it so they can give every American a royal screwing. I don’t believe that there will suddenly be competition and everything will be fixed. I think the same thing would happen — the insurance companies would find the most insurance-company-friendly (read anti-insurance-consumer) state and move there, screwing everything up even more. Of course, people like Outlaw, who would rather give money to corporations than do things through our democratic system when they affect the common good, would see this as a plus.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pmThey don’t need to mobilize 50,000 America Hating sellouts…
….just give Congresspeeps and Senators a little more cash…
…it’s so much easier to just purchase “Our” representatives.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:23 pmOutlaw284 says:
News flash for you since you can’t figure this one out. They get rid of the state line laws then companies that don’t charge as much or a lot less can go into other states and get people at the rates they have. It is called Competition.
So tell me, how’d that work out for the investment banks?
How’d it work out for S&L’s in the 80’s?
August 24th, 2009 at 1:23 pmDaddy-O says:
There’s only one problem with health care reform: Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people will lose their jobs in the health insurance industry.
There will still have to be persons to process the claims.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:23 pmWatchdog:
Has you insurance company billed you for the co-pay for the treatment of your worm infestation?
August 24th, 2009 at 1:25 pmTwenty percent added to your one thousand dollar deductible is going to add up to more than just chump change.
Anyone see Bill Moyers’ PBS show Friday on health care? I’d like the h/c opponents to see that and still repeat their “too bad, so sad” response.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:26 pmMarie says:
Anyone see Bill Moyers’ PBS show Friday on health care? I’d like the h/c opponents to see that and still repeat their “too bad, so sad” response.
You’re assuming those people have souls. Do not misunderestimate them.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:57 pmImpossible for me to believe no one, even the most selfish individual can’t see the benefits of affordable, preventative healthcare. We met a young family who just declared bankruptcy because their child born with severe heart problems has cost $2million in his first two years. The child is completely healthy now but the family has years ahead to dig out of their financial hole. They had insurance and the costs went beyond. How much for the life of a child ? This is not the first family we have met in similiar circumstances, many times both parents were working but the costs devoured everything.
August 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pmOutlaw must be very inexperienced in corp ways…Management gets together price fixes, crossing state lines doesn’t mean hooey. And what state wants to accept another state’s population ?
As to the cost…where were all these cost conscious people when bush was borrowing and spending ?
August 24th, 2009 at 2:14 pmright outoftouch, Canadians are rushing to pay triple or more for their medicines. And they are rushing even faster to get American physicals.
How long have you been on the methadone program? That’s government ran too.
August 24th, 2009 at 2:18 pmthat’s a big 10-4 Maria
Daddy-O: check out comment 92
Outlaw: Not that I want to get into a p***ing contest with a skunk, but Yes. In regards to healthcare, my money is going out no matter what so if it’s in taxes rather than premiums, what’s the diff? The goal is to control costs and improve service while at least maintaining current coverage, what ever that may be according to what individuals want for themselves and their families. A regulated agency with congressional and cabinet level oversight that’s run by the folks that service our boys and girls in the military is as good an option as the rubber stamp “deny claim” I’m paying out the wazoo for now.
Why does govt. scare you so much? Have you been arrested a lot?
August 24th, 2009 at 2:38 pmThey get rid of the state line laws then companies that don’t charge as much or a lot less can go into other states and get people at the rates they have. It is called Competition.
And in that regard, it is also an abrogation of “states rights,” just as much as the abolition of slavery was.
August 24th, 2009 at 2:42 pmInsurance companies have been spending over a million a day (probably a lot more) trying to fill town hall meetings with lying protesters, spreading rumors, and pulling any trick they can muster.
BY THE WAY — THIS IS BAD FAITH — and should be investigated by each state in the union. If true — every insurance company committing this FRAUD should risk losing their license.
Goto http://www.naic.org/state_web_map.htm and write call your state’s insurance commissioner TODAY
But, do you blame them for taking a 20% (cost and overhead) cut off $2,400,000,000,000? Well, yes I do, because they provide 37th in quality care, drop people for costs, exclude pre-existing conditions, and encourage bad medicine and discourage preventative health.
They are a disease and they need to be shut down.
I say, prosecute each of them for bad faith. They are NOT allowed to commit FRAUD…. Haven’t they learned that yet?
Health Insurance companies that spread lies are committing bad faith and can be sued individually by ANYONE INJURED by their bad faith.
Sue them people!
August 24th, 2009 at 2:44 pmSend the Bill to Eric Odom.
BTW: You keep making this same mistake over and over again, it’s not your but rather you’re.
August 24th, 2009 at 3:07 pmYour right. It should be completely free. Can I send you the bill?
August 24th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
The blue states already pay your bills; don’t worry how the they spend their money. Bets are off for the $2 trillion Iraquagmire, however, so expect the invoice.
August 24th, 2009 at 3:29 pmtexaslady says:
Impossible for me to believe no one, even the most selfish individual can’t see the benefits of affordable, preventative healthcare. We met a young family who just declared bankruptcy because their child born with severe heart problems has cost $2million in his first two years. The child is completely healthy now but the family has years ahead to dig out of their financial hole. They had insurance and the costs went beyond. How much for the life of a child ? This is not the first family we have met in similiar circumstances, many times both parents were working but the costs devoured everything.
It’s all about personal responsibility for them. They always say if you don’t want to be hit with a “pre-existing condition” clause, then take the responsibility to not get sick. Well, what do they tell that child when he tries to get private insurance years later? That he should have taken the personal responsibility to not have a heart condition once out of the womb?
August 24th, 2009 at 3:30 pmwatchdog says:
Reggie says:
Watchdog:
Has you insurance company billed you for the co-pay for the treatment of your worm infestation?
Twenty percent added to your one thousand dollar deductible is going to add up to more than just chump change.
Your right. It should be completely free. Can I send you the bill?
I understand that you have been fed lies and distortions meant to turn our preferred option, single-payer into a welfare program, but what part of single-payer don’t you understand?
August 24th, 2009 at 3:33 pmAHIP President Karen Ignagni threatened Democrats by declaring that if lawmakers vilify her industry, “members of Congress will come back to Washington without a strong sense that health care reform is doable.”
You should consider yourself lucky, filthy lobbyist, that we’re compromising single-payer for the public option. You can accept a mechanism that increases actual health care spending and less overhead with the premiums you take in, or we will kick up one notch and not only continue to villify your murderous industry, but killify it. This is the fight for America’s economic future and the well-being of its citizens, one of the greatest fraud stamp-out operations in our history, and progressive draw the line as to who occupies enemy territory.
August 24th, 2009 at 3:39 pmJust caught a snipet of Rep Tom Coburn of Ok telling a heartbroken lady caring for her stroke ridden husband to NOT EXPECT government to take care of all her problems. And that help is what we have neighbors for. Wish she had thought to ask what kind of government help he would get in the same situation. Our Reps even have doctors on hand in case they get sick while working. How many posters here have that kind of health care ?
August 24th, 2009 at 4:01 pmA strong republican acquaintence, engineer fellow lived in England 6 years, he loved their health system. And for outlaw, how many hours of work for the insurance company is $7200 that is what a young, healthy family of four would have to pay for healthcare from Humana.
August 24th, 2009 at 4:03 pmA good question from Robert reich on Salon today.
Why the Gang of Six is deciding healthcare for 300 million of us?
Six senators representing 3 percent of the population are running things because the White House wants it that way.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/08/23/gang_of_six/index.html
August 24th, 2009 at 4:07 pmdxwoods says:
A good question from Robert reich on Salon today.
Why the Gang of Six is deciding healthcare for 300 million of us?
We elected a 60/40 Democratic majority. Why is the gang of 6 a 50/50 split of Dems and repukes?
August 24th, 2009 at 5:16 pmwatchPUNK says:
We should send YOU a bill for the headaches reading your monumental stupidity gives us you stupid punkass troll
August 24th, 2009 at 7:14 pmElBruce says: I’m much more concerned about the fact that they have completely failed to do the job, either of providing good health care outcomes or of controlling costs… They apparently want to get paid for not doing those jobs, which pretty much amounts to fraud
The problem is that it isn’t the Insurance company that is the one that is suppose to provide good health care outcome. All they do is provide a policy that pays for the health care. The doctors are the ones that provide the health care and the outcome. That is what you need to get right.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:16 pmNow you want to talk about health care Insurance or health care outcome. They are to different things.
mary lacewing
By the way the people that I have talked to are one step from the highest tax bracket which means that they are paying 40% or more of their paycheck to the government. And that is going by the link that you provided.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:21 pmtombaker says:
Outlaw – those #’s are BS, and so are your arguments
Well then if they are BS then you should have no problem with proving me wrong then. I keep seeing people saying that I am lieing about the numbers that I put up and no one proving them as wrong.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:23 pmtexaslady says:
Aetna, United, Humana for three were paid $11.4 million a year. Who is worth $11.4 million, doesn’t matter cash or stock options.
Well that works out to 3.8 million each. If those companies think they are wort it then that is their choice. It isn’t the governments choice to decide what they pay their employees. If you don’t like it then you have the right to pick a different company don’t you. That is what you don’t want to admit. The fastest way to get a company to cut its prices is to not go to that company. Do I agree with companies dropping people because they become sick. NO and I wouldn’t support a company that does that. The problem is that the problem has been going on for a while and no one wanted anything to do with it and now all of the sudden we have to have a government plan to fix it. That isn’t going to fix it and non of you want to admit it. Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are bankrupt or getting there really fast and you think the government is going to be able to run this better. They can’t even run their own lunch room. They had to close that because it was running a deficit.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:43 pmpolitication
I am not saying that that should be the only thing done. THere are other things that can be done as well that would benifit they people and not require another government program.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:49 pmdxwoods
The government doesn’t scare me as long as it stays within its bounds. That is what those two papers were written for. And this government has been trying to get around it for years. One party in particular. I don’t need the government to take more of my money and give me a program that they will never be able to run better then the private sector can. The government has proven time and time again that it can’t run anything the way people want. Not only that they can’t run it at the same cost that the private sector can. All you need to do is look at Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and their lastest program that hasn’t worked, Cash for Clunkers. How many dealers have gotten their money now. The Cash for Clunkers wasn’t even a 1/8 of the people in this country and they can’t even run that right and you want to trust them with your health care. Sorry it doesn’t float.
August 24th, 2009 at 8:02 pmThey get rid of the state line laws then companies that don’t charge as much or a lot less can go into other states and get people at the rates they have.
Actually, if they remove the state line laws, then insurance companies will move their headquarters to states that allow them to rip off their customers with impunity.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:16 pmKill the public option.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:46 pmHi conservative guy.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:58 pmWanna explain why or has your pussy ass already split….
Outlaw284 says:
The problem is that it isn’t the Insurance company that is the one that is suppose to provide good health care outcome. All they do is provide a policy that pays for the health care
No, they don’t pay for the health care. That’s the problem. The health care providers by and large do OK.
If you don’t get health care, or don’t get it paid for, then that’s a bad outcome.
.
Outlaw284 says:
THere are other things that can be done as well that would benifit they people and not require another government program.
No, there aren’t. I’ve heard that before, but nobody has been able to cite one other thing that could be done, that hasn’t been tried and failed already.
.
Outlaw284 says:
I don’t need the government to take more of my money and give me a program that they will never be able to run better then the private sector can.
All of the other countries that have government-provided health insurance do it at lower cost and provide better health care than the U.S.A. These are confirmed facts. The U.S.A. ranks 37th in the world in health care provided; France ranks number 1, and does it for about half the cost of what we’re spending as a country right now. This isn’t even politics any more, this is just simple math.
.
Outlaw284 says:
All you need to do is look at Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security…
If you think these programs are doing so horribly, try to find a politician willing to risk introducing a bill to eliminate them. They’re popular, because they work.
.
conservative guy says:
Kill the public option.
… along with more and more uninsured Americans every year? No thanks, America-hater.
August 25th, 2009 at 1:23 amvery thanks for article!
August 29th, 2009 at 9:26 am