Aetna Dropping 600,000+ Customers to Raise Profits

[Joanne98]

Public option, anyone?

Health insurance giant Aetna is planning to force up to 650,000 clients to drop their coverage next year as it seeks to raise additional revenue to meet profit expectations....

"The pricing we put in place for 2009 turned out to not really be what we needed to achieve the results and margins that we had historically been delivering," said chairman and CEO Ron Williams. "We view 2010 as a repositioning year, a year that does not fully reflect the earnings potential of our business. Our pricing actions should have a noticeable effect beginning in the first quarter of 2010, with additional financial impact realized during the remaining three quarters of the year."

Aetna's decision to downsize the number of clients in favor of higher premiums is, as one industry analyst told American Medical News, a "pretty candid" admission. It also reflects the major concerns offered by health care reform proponents and supporters of a public option for insurance coverage, who insist that the private health insurance industry is too consumed with the bottom line. A government-run plan would operate solely off its members' premiums.

Aetna came to this decision despite the fact that it actually did make a profit in 2009, just not high enough profits to satisfy shareholders. Their timing on this is exquisite. Could there really be a better demonstration of why we need a new model of insurance coverage? One not based on profits?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/12/4/810802/-Aetna-Dropping-600,000+-Customers-to-Raise-Profits

Maybe we should start an army of dying suicide bombers. They can blow themselves up near Insurance Company CEO'S!

[MidwestTransplant]

1. How does Joe LIEberman the Senator from Aetna feel about that now?

[louis-t]

2. I've noted that less clients = less liability.

Less clients + higher premiums = higher profits. I saw this coming 2 years ago. BCBS is phasing out the lower tier of health insurance plans. If I cancel my policy, I won't be able to get it back.

[Maccagirl]

3. I had to take Aetna when I was on temp work

and it sucked.

[FLDCVADem]

4. Full disclosure

I have Aetna and love it. Premiums are going up on our plan next year, but not by any more than last year.

Having said that, price increases may cause people to drop the insurance, but Aetna isn't forcing 600,000 people to drop their policy.

[marmar]

5. Well I have Aetna and it blows chunks......

nt

[hedgehog]

6. My husband's employer decided to drop Aetna!

Next year we're getting the same coverage at a lower cost to the company and to us.

[laughingliberal]

7. Alternate Headline: Aetna preemptively pulls trigger for PO nt