Insurance industry blasts government health plan

[Bozita]

Source: AP

Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Insurance industry blasts government health plan
Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Erica Werner / Associated Press


Washington -- The insurance industry Tuesday laid down a marker on health care, warning in stark terms that a proposed government insurance plan would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half century and overtake the system.

In a joint letter to senators, the two largest industry groups also said they don't believe it's possible to design a government plan that can compete fairly with private companies in a revamped health care market. That particular statement seemed to be aimed at lawmakers of both parties who are seeking a compromise on the contentious issue.

Release of the letter from America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association came as House Democrats pushed forward with a partisan health care bill. Meanwhile, key Senate Democrats were still laboring to achieve an elusive bipartisan compromise on President Barack Obama's top legislative priority of controlling costs and providing health coverage to 50 million uninsured Americans.

Recent media polls have found strong public support for the idea of a government plan. It would compete with private companies to offer coverage to individuals and small businesses, but eventually might be opened to large employers as well. The positive public reaction to the idea has emboldened liberals, who are arguing that Democrats shouldn't compromise.

Read more: http://www.detnews.com/article/20090623/LIFESTYLE03/906230421/1361/Insurance-industry-blasts-government-health-plan

[ejpoeta]

1. how would it 'dismantle' them!!! if they are providing such great service

at great prices... then how could they be hurt by another competitor!! it would dismantle their system of cherrypicking the healthiest americans, fleecing them and then denying them the coverage when they finally need it.

[tridim]

2. The shit storm cometh.

Not to worry, Obama can handle it.

[saigon68]

28. His Blue dogs won't

They are catamites to their Corporate Masters

[tridim]

31. He's going to treat them just like he treats the media.

Do you really think the blue dogs want to abandon their constituency?

78% is a really powerful number.

[cdsilv]

3. Compete fairly? Why would we want it to do that?

...the public option should be just as bloodthirsty in reducing costs as the ins. cos. supposedly are, only doing so by eliminating unnecessary paperwork and duplication of effort. NOT by denying treatment.

[DJ13]

5. Took the words right out of my er .....keyboard

:thumbsup:

[dflprincess]

4. And this would be a bad thing, how? (eom)

[KansDem]

6. What do they mean by this statement...?

...the two largest industry groups also said they don't believe it's possible to design a government plan that can compete fairly with private companies in a revamped health care market.

Do they mean we'll get better coverage at a lesser price? They "can't compete fairly" because their fucking CEOs will have to settle for less than 8-digit salaries? They "can't compete fairly" because their fucking stockholders won't profit from someone else's pain and suffering? Hey, Insurance Industry! FUCK YOU!!!

:nopity:

[GinaMaria]

23. Yes. I think that is exactly what they mean

They will not be able to compete with a plan that is 40% cheaper than anything they can offer. If it gets passed, they may as well shut down and go home. For profit or not for profit insurers cannot support their current financial model at a 40% reduction. The gov doesn't pay big Executive bonuses. I have to wonder if this is where most of that 40% comes from.

[Beavker]

26. Beautifully and succinctly put.

I love it. I agree.

[Gormy Cuss]

7. It must be better than what they're offering

otherwise they wouldn't worry about losing their established business.

[Matariki]

8. Did you happen to hear the press conference today?

Obama shot down questions about how the plan is 'unfair' to insurance companies really well (free market arguments - in your face!).

You'd think jounalists were talking about the fate of some poor puppy or something - those poor, poor insurance companies.

[Bozita]

9. The article was posted on the Detroit News website at 1:02pm EDT

Just about the same time that Obama was blowing away their argument.

[truthisfreedom]

10. The insurance companies only know two ways of doing anything.

1] Deny coverage.
2] Raise rates.

I didn't mention 3.

3] Repeat.

[whosinpower]

11. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out

IF the private insurance companies were doing such a bang up wonderful job.....Joe Public would be on their team. But facts and truths have a nasty way of standing in the way of public support for private insurance.....when you have 62% of personal bankruptcies attributed to health care costs....when you have arbitrary recission of insurance policies.....when 31 % of health dollars are spent on administrative costs....when the doctors themselves are wanting insurance companies OUT of the healthcare industry...when non profit hospitals funnel millions of dollars offshore every year in order to keep their non profit status and keep their lucrative tax cuts without providing adequate services to the community they are supposed to serve....it goes on and on....

They are right of course - employers would not have to pay into insurance programs if a government run program was instituted - AND THAT IS A GOOD THING!!!!! Do not be afraid of losing a supposed benefit, when one will be provided from the federal level DIRECTLY. Every single business owner who pays high health care insurance for their employees should be jumping on board for a robust, affordable public option.

Sorry...but they are seeing their goose that laid the golden egg being taken away....awwwwww.....

[Oregone]

12. "would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half century and overtake the"

Are they trying to talk people down? Because thats not going to work.

Of course, I don't believe them anyway. The only real path to single payer is single payer.

[Bozita]

14. Playing the fear card. ... How very Republican.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. This means things are on the right track, I'd guess!

Seriously, I liked the way Obama described it in his press conference today.

If they want to stay competitive, they're going to have to keep their costs down. Simple as that. No more padding, no more extreme exec salaries.

And that just underlines that without competition from the gov't plan, they'd talk big and do nothing.

[sarcasmo]

15. Then it must be a good plan. FUCK, the Insurance industry.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. In other news, the Flu blasts flu vaccines as unfair competition.

Film at 11.

[mike_c]

17. that's why half-assed reform will fail....

Single payer universal health care will be there no matter what happens to the FOR PROFIT "employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half century." That system SHOULD be overtaken, and as quickly as possible.

But a half-assed health insurance mandate-- even with a public insurance option-- that undermines the current system without guaranteeing single payer coverage to all Americans will simply substitute one problem for another unless it meets the standard of universal health care.

If every American can receive the health care they want when they need it, at low cost to themselves, I won't care what the government calls it. Anything less is half-assed and will likely fail.

[undeterred]

18. Lets just dismantle the insurance industry then

so we don't have to listen to the protracted whining.

[JayMusgrove]

20. I am all for that! This is just

the "STIMULUS" we need.

Put those bean-counters out of business for good.

[Vidar]

33. Hear, hear!

[Wizard777]

19. One of these days we will outlaw Ponzie Schemes.

[Aragorn]

21. hate to simply echo others but...

"would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half century and overtake the system" - uh, yeah.

I hope.

[aquamarina]

22. And I say good riddance to you oh evil health insurance industry

[BadgerKid]

24. There's employer coverage? Who knew?! n/t

[byronius]

25. I believe the health insurance industry needs to be euthanized.

Worst. Delivery. System. Ever.

Like Amway, without the kickbacks.

[OwnedByFerrets]

27. Imagine that.

[pattmarty]

29. I say "FUCK 'EM" , let them go broke!!

[greiner3]

30. I have 2 'Horror stories;'

Aetna kept me for 2 years in getting a back surgery. They were waiting for me to go out of work on disability and eventually lose my insurance. It was close but my back won.

The second is my eldest child. She has Endomitriosis (?). It is messing with her ovaries, among other organs and tissues. The surgery costs $30,000 and up. If I had it... She also has chronic tonsilitis. She is 26 and surgery by a hack could kill her. She has no insurance and no way to pay for either surgery. Screw the insurance industry.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. I had endometriosis

It's a bitch. But the good news is birth control pills keep it in check. There are also yearly shots that work amazingly well. Endo is not nearly as devastating as it once was.

[fascisthunter]

32. Well... if it's ok for ordinary people to die for your greedy profit driven scamming

i say drop dead yourselves.

[Vinca]

34. If private insurance is so wonderful, what are they worried about?

Nobody is suggesting they go out of business. If they could bring themselves to stop screwing people, they could compete.

[bemildred]

36. The best possible recommendation, if it's bad for them it must be good for us. nt

[and-justice-for-all]

37. It would be nice to have health care when I am unemployed...

and seeing that my next job may have insurance that I just can not afford. So, NHC is the only option, something we needed decades ago.

[Odin2005]

38. How predictable.

[depakid]

39. What they didn't do was parade out the 10 to 100 million dollar executvie parasites

who make their money on the backs of other Americans' tragedies.

Tell you what, if I were a Senator, I'd subpoena every single one of them to come testify under oath- and then walk right down the Capital steps in front of whoever might be there to see them.

[Uncle Joe]

40. Is that the same employer coverage that contributed to G.M.'s downfall? n/t