WellPoint says to stop dropping patients (after they get sick) after May 1

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - WellPoint Inc said that as of May 1 it would expedite healthcare reforms and stop dropping healthcare coverage for customers after they get sick, responding to pressure from Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration.

The health insurer announced its decision on Tuesday after Democrats from three U.S. House of Representatives committees earlier in the day wrote to seven health insurance executives urging them to immediately stop the practice, known as rescission. A separate letter from 57 Democrats was directed at WellPoint alone.

Healthcare reform legislation passed last month makes rescission illegal except in cases involving fraud or intentional misrepresentation, allowing six months to comply. But Democrats pushed for action sooner following a Reuters report on April 22 that WellPoint used computer algorithms to target women with breast cancer for an investigation, with the intent of canceling their healthcare policies.

<snip>

Democratic lawmakers called on WellPoint, UnitedHealth, Humana, Aetna and other insurers to immediately ban such actions except in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentations and to institute third-party reviews of any decision to drop coverage. The letter also went to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Kaiser Permanente and Assurant Health, part of Assurant.

In the letter to WellPoint, House Democrats backed a call by Representative Rosa DeLauro urging the insurer "to end the deplorable practice of canceling health insurance coverage for patients diagnosed with breast cancer or any other illness."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2710911520100428

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Then Wellpoint should go out of business

Dropping patients because they get sick? Fuck that.

Hell, all health insurers should go out of business and the government open up Medicare for All NOW.

Health care reform, my ass. These health insurers are making it hard for all Americans to stay covered, by dropping patients and increasing premiums.

[kestrel91316]

2. Anything other than stopping this practice TODAY is completely unacceptable.

[SocialistLez]

4. I guess they plan to drop them all and only have health people....NT

[MindandSoul]

3. Democrats. . .again! Where are the Republican'ts in this???

They are really missing the boat!

Glad it is Democrats on the side of the people though!

[tech9413]

5. really? I'll buy that when I buy that bridge in Brooklyn

I can't believe these people think we are that stupid.

[gtar100]

6. Gee, how nice of them.

Does that mean they're going to play nice and fair from now on?

[crim son]

7. Yeah but anybody who gets sick on the 30th of April

is screwed. WTF?

[pinto]

8. WellPoint and Blue Shield of Calif. to stop dropping sick policyholders

Source: LA Times

WellPoint and Blue Shield of Calif. to stop dropping sick policyholders

The announcements by two of the nation’s largest health insurers follow action by Congress and the Obama administration to crack down on a practice known as rescission.

Stung by criticism and facing tougher federal regulation, two of the nation's largest health insurers say they will stop the practice of dropping sick policyholders.

The moves Tuesday by WellPoint Inc., the parent of Anthem Blue Cross of California, and Blue Shield of California follow action by Congress and the Obama administration to crack down on the practice known as rescission.

<snip>

President Obama made rescission a central theme in his push for reform, and the new law makes it moot in 2014 when insurers will be required to sell coverage to everyone regardless of preexisting conditions. Effective later this year, the law explicitly bans rescissions unless an insurer can show that an individual intentionally misrepresented his or her medical history on an application.

On Tuesday, House leaders urged insurers to stop the practice ahead of schedule. They asked the companies to take immediate steps "to ensure that rescissions occur only in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact."





Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fi-0428-insure-rescission-20100428,0,2355847.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews+%28L.A.+Times+-+Top+News%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

---

Though rescissions have dropped dramatically in the last few years, this is the end of it across the board in California and hopefully the rest of the country. Kudos to HHS Sec. Sebelius for noting data that showed women with breast cancer were often "targeted" for rescission. ~ pinto

[babylonsister]

9. I wonder how rethugs might spin this as bad news? Great news! nt

[goclark]

10. Yes! Kick and Recommend

:bounce: