Only Insurance Fat Cats Win

[IndianaGreen]

Only Insurance Fat Cats Win

BRUCE TRIGG, M.D.

Letter to the editor, Albuquerque Journal

January 6, 2010

H. EDWARD HANWAY, the chairman and CEO of Cigna Corporation, one of the largest private insurance companies, has a great deal to be thankful for this holiday season. Cigna, which had a profit of over $1 billion in 2007 and paid Hanway $30.16 million in 2008, has fared quite well in both the House and Senate health reform plans.

Rather than eliminating this and other administrative waste, not a dime of which goes for patient care, from the health system, Congress is bailing them out with billions of our tax dollars. In fact, the state will use its power to force people, both employers and employees, to purchase health insurance from Cigna or one of its small group of competitors. If they don't they will face steep fines.

And the insurance that they are forced to purchase will only cover 60 percent of medical costs, meaning that millions of Americans will still continue to face bankruptcy for unpaid medical bills. The booming insurance stock prices on Wall Street are their reward for investing hundreds of millions of dollars for lobbying Congress. ...

From the very beginning of this corrupt process, when the Democratic leadership declared that single-payer — a not-for-profit health payment system used in other countries that would eliminate private health insurers — was “off the table,” it has been obvious where this race to the bottom was headed.

The health care syst em should be run solely for the benefit of patients. The most ardent supporters of this legislation are the insurance companies and pharmaceutical industries, not the majority of patients, doctors and nurses who polls show support a single-payer, improved Medicare-for-All national health plan.

These congressional health bills are a boondoggle for the private insurance industry and a despicable sell-out of women's reproductive health rights. Congress should start again from scratch — this time with single-payer at the table.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2010/january/only-insurance-fat-cats-win

[Teaser]

1. If you have a pre-existing condition, you are now an honorary fatcat

gotcha.

[ThomCat]

13. No. I have pre-existing conditions.

What good does it do me to be forced by law to give money to insurance companies for a policy I then can't afford to use?

If the co-pays and deductibles eat up my entire annual income by the end of January, which looks very possible if I have to pay 40% of every medical expense, then the insurance is unusable.

Being guaranteed that I can buy a policy is only a good thing if the policies available to me will actually cover me without swallowing up all of my small income.

The other options, forcing more people onto Medicaid, is only slightly better. This won't bankrupt me, but I've got to search high and low to find anyone who accepts it, especially when I need specialists.

You're assuming best case scenarios which are very unlikely to exist.

[VMI Dem]

20. Crickets.

[ThomCat]

23. Yeah, that usually happens when the cheerleaders get challenged

by reality. :(

[stray cat]

2. If you are just over the poverty line - you and your kids are honorary "fat cats"

as you will now be covered by Medicaid

Also if you have maxed out your health insurance due to a serious illness - you also are an honorary "fat cat"!

[ThomCat]

14. Do you realize that almost No Doctors accept medicaid?

Especially if you need a specialist. I've searched for a year to find specialists in couple of fields in NYC! who were willing to accept new patients and had wheelchair accessible offices. It has been a hell of a search.

If you think Medicaid is a solution then you should have to try using it. Medicare would have been a solution. Medicaid is throwing something out there just to get something approved even though they know it will do very few people very little good.

We are not "fat cats" for being on medicaid. We have almost 3rd world access to health care.

[stray cat]

3. If you are self-employed or in a small business - you are an honorary fatcat!

Since IF the bill passes you can join with others to purchase group insurance versus the superexpensive individual policies which require pre-medical certification

[xchrom]

4. Centrists are like climate change deniers

On the suppossed befits of this cluster fuck bill.

[readmoreoften]

6. +1. At what point does "bi-partisan" mean "collaborator"?

Just sayin

[Teaser]

9. failtacular reply.

just sayin.

[Norrin Radd]

16. Personal attack.

just sayin'

[dionysus]

7. strawman: everyone that doesn't agree with me is a centrist (or a RWer)

[Armstead]

21. No -- But this HCR bill is Conservative Centrist Policy

Yes there are some "liberal" fig leaves in it. But it is basically structured to satisfy the most conservative and centrist elements of the Democratic Party and their backers in the insurance and industry.

[inna]

5. KR

Will give another kick later, just to offset the unrec brigade. :)

[dionysus]

8. and your bitter, neverending battle against everything obama continues...

7 more years of this will wear you out pretty good eh?
:rofl:

[bvar22]

10. Hey...Check THIS out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8wmN3wvhNM&feature=player_embedded

[slipslidingaway]

11. knr n/t

[jgraz]

12. That is completely untrue.

Pharma Fat Cats also win.

Lobbyist Fat Cats also win.

The Wealthiest Taxpayers also win.

Republicans also win.

[ShortnFiery]

15. Liberal Democratic Kick.

As Always, great research and site referencing. :thumbsup: :hi:

[Vidar]

17. K&R.

[johnaries]

18. Ahem.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=114195&mesg_id=114195

[Armstead]

19. Kn R

[shadesofgray]

22. K&R