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CAN YA HEAR ME NOW? (oh those poor FOR-PROFITEERS, barely keeping their families fed)

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Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010)

thotzRthingz

(585 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Feb-11-10 08:12 AM
Original message

CAN YA HEAR ME NOW? (oh those poor FOR-PROFITEERS, barely keeping their families fed)

Edited on Thu Feb-11-10 08:15 AM by thotzRthingz

FUCK a bunch of congressional investigations... PASS an OPEN-TO-ALL PUBLIC OPTION NOW!

10 February 2010
House to Investigate Anthem Blue Cross Rate Increases

The Obama administration has already sent a sternly-worded letter to Anthem Blue Cross over the company's excessive rate increase for individual policy holders in California. How excessive? Up to 39 percent. But that's not all. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield also informed their customers that they are changing their practice of adjusting rates annually, and as of now are reserving the right to raise premiums basically whenever they feel like it.

There's little beyond sternly-worded letters that the administration can do, other than something like maybe advocating strongly for some kind of legislative remedy, say in the form of serious competition to private insurers in the form of a robust public option for health insurance. But there's something Congress can do, and that's put the insurers on the hot seat and investigate. From the Speaker's blog, The Gavel:

As Secretary Sebelius pointed out, WellPoint reported a staggering $2,740,000,000 in profits for the fourth quarter of 2009 alone – eight times more than the last quarter of 2008 – and more than $4,750,000,000 for all of 2009. In fact, the company reaped these record profits even as it lost more than 1.4 million members.....

Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak announced that the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on February 24th regarding the premium rate increases. <...snip...>

- source: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/10/835638/-House-to-Investigate-Anthem-Blue-Cross-Rate-Increases

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thotzRthingz

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Thu Feb-11-10 08:33 AM
Response to Original message

1. just to be clear... I'm not against PROFITS, I'm against profiteering on the HEALTHCARE of HUMANS

Edited on Thu Feb-11-10 08:33 AM by thotzRthingz

for example:

* if you want to sell cars for $1-million apiece, more power to ya (we have the option to NOT purchase)

* if you want to sell trinkets of jewelery for $1-million apiece, more power to ya (we have the option to NOT purchase)

* if you want to sell articles of clothing for $1-million apiece, more power to ya (we have the option to NOT purchase)

* if you want to sell lavish trips for $1-million apiece, more power to ya (we have the option to NOT purchase)

But kindly get your STINKING PROFITEERING ASSES out of the realm of HEALTHCARE ... wherein humans have no option, if they want to remain humans (not become corpses)!

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midnight

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Thu Feb-11-10 09:02 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. Good examples...

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thotzRthingz

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:18 AM
Response to Reply #1

5. thanks for the *heart*, kind stranger ... I sincerely hope that every American gets one as well:

...including the FRIGGIN' PROFITEERING BASTARDS! ;)

I am also NOT so naive to think it is just the FOR-PROFIT healthcare entities who are to be blamed: it doesn't take a genius to understand that there are those who like to INVEST (in human misery)... to them I say, GET A FRIGGIN' JOB and make an HONEST LIVING like the majority of Americans are striving to do (this crap about making money off of other peoples' grave misfortunes needs to be STOPPED)!

Greatly simplified... here's how things are currently working:

* many people have essentially FAKE & WORTHLESS health insurance policies... ask Wendell Potter ( http://www.democracynow.org/2009/7/16/former_insurance_exec_wendell_porter ) if you don't believe me

* many (more with each passing month) people become PRICED OUT of their policies, simply because they've had a serious accident or have contracted a serious health condition

* many people (see above) then lose their homes, families, and jobs ... and where PRIDE is overcome, they then *PERMANENTLY* turn to the PUBLIC HEALTH (gov't subsidized) facilities near them (do a simple ZIP CODE search using this resource: http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov )

* this is happening each and every day that passes... see the OP, wherein you'll discover that in a SINGLE EXAMPLE: record profits SOARED (even as more than 1.4 million PEOPLE were simply DROPPED or were PRICED OUT of their health insurance policies)

* this TREND means that YOU who still are fortunate enough to afford good health insurance are ALSO PAYING for the health care of less fortunate MILLIONS (some 75 million, according to Mr. Potter, are UNinsured or UNDERinsured)

IOW: "health care" (for those to choose to avail themselves of same) is already being PAID FOR BY ALL OF US.

CUT OUT THE OBSCENE PROFITEERS (which contribute absolutely nothing to anyone's health care)... and an IMMEDIATE COST SAVINGS WILL BE REALIZED! From there, we can move on to ensuring that EVERYONE has access (without having to worry about "from where the money will come to pay their medical bill"). When the GOV'T OWNED (BTW: "government" is YOU AND ME) SINGLE PAYER system is in full swing... there will be additional savings and improved care FOR EVERYONE as well.

My plea? PUT your greed and fear aside... OPEN YOUR HEART to your fellow man... call upon CONGRESS to pass an "open to all" PUBLIC OPTION. Then let the people decide if they want GOV'T SINGLE PAYER or some PROFITEERING PAYER to provide for their health care.

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thotzRthingz

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Thu Feb-11-10 12:09 PM
Response to Reply #5

13. ...from an insider who KNOWS exactly what the score is:

on 16 July 2009... he told us what was coming, he also insists that the only REAL REMEDY is a strong public option!

WENDELL POTTER: I think it would be absolutely disastrous for the administration to even consider signing legislation that doesn’t include a strong public plan. You’re exactly right. And I think many, many people voted for Barack Obama because of his healthcare platform and the things that he said he felt were vital in terms of reform. The inclusion of a public insurance plan is paramount, it is absolutely necessary, and I would hope that people who voted for him and people who are uninsured, who are underinsured, will make sure that he understands that.

I think what Rahm Emanuel said, let’s hope it was a trial balloon to see just what kind of reaction it might get. And I think it was swift. People who are supporters of the President, from what I understand, were very, very quick to say, you know, “That dog won’t hunt. You’ve got to—a public plan is important, it is something that we expect. And we expect that you will get behind it in a strong way.”

I think that the President’s influence may be seen more toward the end of this process. There will be a House bill that’s hopefully passed, a Senate bill that will be passed. They will be different, because they always are, and there will be a conference committee that will need to be held to iron out the differences. And I think that will be a time when the President’s influence will be especially needed to make sure that a public plan, and a strong one, is included in the final legislation that reaches his desk.

- source: http://www.democracynow.org/2009/7/16/former_insurance_exec_wendell_porter

It's up to us now... continue to PING on CONGRESS and the WHITE HOUSE!

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thotzRthingz

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Thu Feb-11-10 02:41 PM
Response to Reply #13

14. DO NOT think that your inaction is either and acceptable or a viable solution...

CONGRESS needs to hear your voice, again and again. It costs YOU nothing, to call, email, and write to your elected reps... so GET WITH IT (and relentlessly encourage others that you know to do the same)!

http://whipcongress.com/ -- 119 members of CONGRESS have heard your voice... MAKE the rest of them hear it as well! Yes, they are being pressured by "special interests" (the lower-than-life greed-mongering lobbyists)... but they have NOT yet solidly charted their final course... they are waiting for YOUR instructions!

11 February 2010
Pelosi Makes The Case For Reconciliation And Reforming Senate Rules

<...snip...>

After the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat, it appears the only path forward for health care reform is through use of reconciliation, either with a new reconciliation bill or a reconciliation fix to the current Senate bill. If Democrats want to pass health care reform, they are going to need to follow Pelosi’s lead by defending the use of reconciliation. It was a serious mistake for Democrats to spend months downplaying the option. Pointing out that Republicans have repeatedly used reconciliation is a good talking point, but explaining reconciliation to the American people is going to be difficult. Most people don’t even know this 60-vote threshold even exists in the Senate.

It would seem the smarter way to sell using reconciliation is to sell what is in the reconciliation measure, and not defending the procedure by talking about its history. If it looks like Democrats are using reconciliation to add very popular ideas like a public option, Medicare buy-in, drug re-importation, eliminating the excise tax, then I don’t think the American people will care about the process used to enact them. On the other hand, if Democrats try to use reconciliation to move very unpopular things, like more special deals and carve outs for special interests, it will be very bad politically for Democrats.

- source: http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/02/11/pelosi-makes-the-case-for-reconciliation-and-reforming-senate-rules/

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thotzRthingz

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Thu Feb-11-10 09:11 PM
Response to Reply #13

15. ...more, from an insider who KNOWS exactly what the score is:

Yes, this story is "dated", but essentially nothing has changed. In fact, Wendell Potter hit this one out of the park! WHY have we not listened? WHY are we not pinging CONGRESS, every day... every hour of every day! The FOR-PROFITS sure haven't QUIT... why should we?!

* CALL and EMAIL your HOUSE rep: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

* CALL and EMAIL both of your SENATORS: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

* CALL and EMAIL the WHITE HOUSE: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

INSIST on an "open-to-everyone" PUBLIC OPTION as part of any HCR... and settle for nothing less!

09 September 2009
Wendell Potter: Public Option Essential, Baucus Plan An "Absolute Gift" To Health Insurance Industry (VIDEO)

<...snip...>

Contrary to the misinformation being disseminated by the health insurance industry and its allies, the public insurance option would not have a competitive advantage over private plans. It would have to meet the same benefit requirements and comply with the same insurance market reforms as private plans.

As I told Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, insurance companies routinely dump policyholders who are less profitable or who get sick as part of their never-ending quest to meet Wall Street's relentless profit expectations.

While the reforms proposed in various bills before Congress would seemingly restrict insurance companies' ability to put investors' needs over those of consumers, Members must realize that provisions of some proposals, including the Baucus Framework, would actually drive millions more Americans, including many who currently have access to comprehensive coverage, into the ranks of the underinsured.

An estimated 25 million Americans are now underinsured for two principle reasons. First, the high-deductible plans many of them have been forced into by their employers require them to pay more out of their own pockets for medical care, whether they can afford it or note. Second, more and more Americans have fallen victim to deceptive marketing practices and bought what essentially is fake insurance.

<...snip...>

- source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/15/wendell-potter-public-opt_n_287733.html

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closeupready

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:24 AM
Response to Reply #1

6. This is why I consider football fans fools (basically) - they are paying for those $$$$$ athlete

salaries. And, also, I never ever get upset that, for example, Peyton Manning (or whoever) signs a contract for $50 bazillion dollars. I'm not paying that salary in any shape, way or form.

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change_notfinetuning

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:39 AM
Response to Reply #6

10. except when stadiums are built with public money, which does happen

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closeupready

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:42 AM
Response to Reply #10

11. That's true.

LOL - as a man who has NEVER EVER EVER been a football fan, I long ago resigned myself to the fact that I just will never get it.

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change_notfinetuning

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:36 AM
Response to Reply #1

9. You have to be stupid, too-well compensated, or bribed to not agree. The fact

is that civilized people, if that's what we are, should not feel the need to make a profit on providing health care and saving lives. As they say, "Save a life and you save the world." I never heard anything about saving a for-profit health insurance company, unless it's you'll enrich a bunch of sub-human assholes.

Profits are great, where appropriate. Profits are not an entitlement.

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patrice

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Thu Feb-11-10 09:08 AM
Response to Original message

3. Murderers.

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endless october

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Feb-11-10 09:29 AM
Response to Original message

4. k/r

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PruneJuiceMedia

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:28 AM
Response to Original message

7. Agreed!

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia is the devil as well. I had a $50/month rate increase for 2010 for my self-employed plan. I went to the doctor TWICE and the dentist twice in 2009, I'm healthy, I workout four times a week - but still got a ridiculous rate increase? WE NEED A PUBLIC OPTION BAD and we need it now! Not sure when or how we will get it though.

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Amonester

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Thu Feb-11-10 09:31 PM
Response to Reply #7

16. So far, the bought 'n paid for pols are not even ready to vote for...

a giveaway of 30 million mandated new customers to these true death panels starting in....

2014

Imagine that.

As for a public option goes, the empire will have fallen long before any of 'em bribed sellouts will even just talk about it again.

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lonestarnot

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:31 AM
Response to Original message

8. mmm mmmm mmmmmm lest we forget!

K & R!

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conscious evolution

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Thu Feb-11-10 10:45 AM
Response to Original message

12. OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!!! HENRY"S GOING TO

HAVE A HEARING!!!!!!
That'll teach 'em.
NOT!
Sorry henry.You've cried wolf one too many times to ever have any credibilty left.You hold hearing after hearing yet nothing ever comes of them.
Why should we believe this time is going to be different?
Why should we believe anything good is going to come out of this?

Get back to me when you actually accomplish something.

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