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bananas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 05:47 AM
Original message
Health Insurance Insider to Testify On Deceptive Practices
Source: ABC News

The much-maligned health insurance industry is braced for another black eye today as the Senate hears testimony from a former insurance company executive.

Wendell Potter, who worked in public relations for Cigna and Humana Inc., for more than 20 years before retiring in 2008, is scheduled to testify this afternoon before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Potter is expected to speak critically of insurance company practices and provide insight on why consumers often come away feeling confused after dealing with insurance companies.

"Consumers can't make real choices because the insurance industry doesn't use standard language or definitions. And consumers can't challenge insurance companies' decisions because the companies don't explain the terms of coverage in clear, understandable language," said committee chairman Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., in a written statement.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/Health/story?id=7911195&page=1
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Demeter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 06:00 AM
Response to Original message
1. And That Is The LEAST of Their Criminal Practices
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liberal N proud Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 06:10 AM
Response to Original message
2. And Congress will...
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annabanana Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 06:56 AM
Response to Original message
3. Is it my imagination, or is ABC trying to do a good (journalistic)
job on the healthcare debate? If so, it will be their first honest work in over a decade.
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Delphinus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 07:02 AM
Response to Original message
4. Hope it wakes them up.
If not the people in DC, at least the people who have a voice to turn this around. HR 676 NOW.
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wilt the stilt Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 07:10 AM
Response to Original message
5. Preexisting conditions
is the reason why people can't change insurance companies.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 07:12 AM
Response to Original message
6. "...Against all enemies, foreign and domestic." nt
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snot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 07:17 AM
Response to Original message
7. Sorry, but this like really minimizes the problems.
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Winterblues Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 10:08 AM
Response to Reply #7
14. What is the problem IYO
IMO the problem is the Insurance Industry. They add absolutely zero to the Health of the Nation. They create many obstacles to good health and this man is going to testify exactly how that occurs. In what way does this testimony minimize the problem?
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pattmarty Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 07:28 AM
Response to Original message
8. Everybody here and throughout the country forgets one HUGE.............
...............thing that I have yet to hear mentioned: CAPS. Most health policies will have a lifetime "cap" on payouts. Once this cap is achieved, you in effect no longer have insurance. I have a Blue Cross retiree plan through my union that has a 300K lifetime cap. I retired 8 yrs ago and was relatively healthy SO FAR. I now have a little over 200K left on the plan and I am 62 now. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to know you can blow thru 300K pretty quick with one major event or just 2 or 3 less major events. We need single payer now, it is more than 60 yrs over due for the US. Truman first tried to get it thru in 1948 and the Republicans stopped it then too. Isn't it about fucking time we have what most countries in the world have????
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supernova Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 08:16 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. A heart attack and heart surgery will use up that cap
pretty darn quick.

And that's just the event itself, nevermind the followup care.
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Alcibiades Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 08:21 AM
Response to Original message
10. This is how they make their money
Not by providing health care, but by denying claims. Everyone knows this. That's why they fear a public option: they don't want to compete against any form of insurance that actually pays legitimate claims.
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Uben Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 08:48 AM
Response to Original message
11. If this is true, then why......
....do we not jerk their license to sell insurance? You cheat, you lose! Then, send those who came up with the brilliant idea to prison for 15 to 20 years. When there are no consequences, what is to stop them? If I were King, any business executive found guilty of corruption would be put to death.....immediately! Any politician found guilty of lying to the people he serves...put to death....immediately! We do not need these lying, cheating, worthless pieces of shit sharing the same air we breathe.
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olegramps Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 08:51 AM
Response to Original message
12. Nothing more has to be said:
Aetna's Ron Williams - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $24,300,112

Details: Williams earned $24,300,112 in total compensation for 2008, with more than half of that ($13,537,365) coming from option awards. He also received an additional $6,456,630 in stock awards to go along with his base salary of $1,091,764.

Personal use of a corporate aircraft and vehicle, as well as financial planning and 401(k) company matches added up to $101,487 for Williams.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetnas-ron-willia...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-stock-falls...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-pay-5m-over...
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/aetna-will-pay-20...
<4> http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/aetna-enters-phr-ma...


H. Edward Hanway - CIGNA

Total Compensation: $12,236,740

Details: Hanway took a significant pay cut from 2007 to 2008, due mainly to a drop off of more than $11 million in his non-equity incentive plan compensation. Still, his base salary of $1,142,885 surpasses that of Aetna's Williams, and is supplemented by just over $3.6 million in option awards, and just over $820,000 in non-qualified deferred compensation earnings.

Also, nearly $21,800 in "other compensation" included the use of a company car with a driver, in-office meals, and emergency assistance services relating to medical exams.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/cignas-h-edward-h...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/cigna-first-quart...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/cigna-aetna-de...


WellPoint's Angela Braly - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $9,844,212

Details: Braly, like Williams, earned more money in 2008 ($9,844,212) than in 2007 (9,094,271), increasing her option rewards by nearly $1.5 million, and also receiving a $200,000-plus bump in base salary, from $922,269 to $1,135,538. Braly's stock awards dropped from $2,160,159 to $1,750,015 because, according to the SEC, "performance-based restricted stock units awarded in 2008 were cancelled because our ROE target for 2008 was not met."

Braly's "other compensation" comprised use of a private jet for her and her family on business trips, just under $10,000 for legal services relating to her employment agreement and cash credits.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/wellpoints-angela...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/health-plans-n...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/wellpoint-push...
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/wellpoint-loses-m...

Coventry Health Care's Dale Wolf - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $9,047,469

Details: Wolf is the only CEO on this list who is no longer employed with his associated health plan; he retired from his position on Jan. 30 <1> of this year after serving in that role since Jan. 1, 2005, and was replaced by former CEO Allen Wise.

Wolf, whose total compensation dipped quite a bit from 2007 ($14,869,823) to 2008 ($9,047,469), was pleased with the direction the company was headed in at the time of his departure.

"I am proud of what a talented group of people have accomplished over the past 13 years of my association with the company," Wolf said, "and I am confident that the fundamentals which are in place today will carry the company forward to continued success."

Wolf carried a base salary of $965,000 in 2008, and earned just over $1.9 million in stock awards. His "other compensation," which amounted to $486,447, included transportation on the company's airplane, a company match retirement savings plan and a company match 401(k) plan.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/coventry-health-c...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/press-releases/dale-wol...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/if-health-plan...

Centene's Michael Neidorff - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $8,774,483

Details: Neidorff, who's base salary remained at $1 million, received increases in both his bonus ($1.25 million, up from $1 million) and his stock awards ($4.7 million, from $3.98 million) in 2008. According to the SEC, "Neidorff's agreement was amended twice in the past twelve months; (1) to eliminate the non-compete and non-solicitation requirements if there was a ‘hostile change in control' as defined in his agreement and (2) to add language to the agreement to make it compliant with Internal Revenue Section 409A."

Neidorff's "other compensation" of just over $418,000 comprised of use of the company airplane "for all travel," life insurance benefits, security services, and tax preparation services, among other things.
Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/centenes-michael-...

AMERIGROUP's James Carlson - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $5,292,546

Details: Despite a lawsuit regarding Medicaid fraud that cost the Illinois plan $225 million <1>, Carlson himself earned roughly $2 million more than he did in 2007. All aspects of his compensation increased in 2008, from his base salary (up from $608,000 to just over $761,000) to his non-equity incentive plan compensation (up to about $2.8 million from $1.98 million a year ago). Carlson's bonus also grew quite a bit, going from $225,000 in 2007 to $520,312 in 2008; much of that amount was based on long term incentive program goals being met.

Carlson's "other compensation," which nearly tripled (going from about $7,000 to just over $20,000), included his employer 401(k) contribution, life insurance premiums, an executive health screening, flight services and a medical insurance stipend.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroups-james...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroup-pay-22...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/press-releases/amerigro...
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/amerigroup-pay-22...

Humana's Michael McCallister - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $4,764,309

Details: Despite its pick ups of two smaller health plans (OSF Health Plans of Peoria, IL and Cos/Cariten Healthcare of Knoxville, TN) <1>, Humana's McCallister earned roughly $5.5 million less in 2008 than in 2007. While his base salary ($1,017,308), option awards ($3,078,897) and "other compensation" ($668,104) all increased, his non-equity incentive plan compensation and his nonqualified deferred compensation earnings totaled zero dollars. The latter represents a discontinuation of the Officers' Target Retirement Plan, according to the SEC.

McCallister's "other compensation" included personal use of the company aircraft for him, and sometimes his family; company contributions to the Supplemental Executive Retirement & Savings Plan and the Humana Retirement & Savings Plan; a once-a-year physical, financial planning assistance, and more.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/humanas-michael-m...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/humana-hungry-...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/humana-hungry-...
<3> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-insurance-...

Health Net's Jay Gellert - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $4,425,355

Details: Gellert, whose company is considering selling off divisions in at least four states <1>, earned nearly $740,000 in additional compensation for 2008. His overall base salary increased to a little more than $1.2 million from about $1.18 million in 2007, and his stock awards also rose (from about $1.4 million to more than $1.8 million).

Gellert's "other compensation," which totaled $131,526, included, but were not limited to, a $53,000 housing allowance, a corporate car and tax reimbursements of nearly $41,000.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-nets-jay-g...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-net-consid...
<2> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/healthnet-real...
<3> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/health-net-con...
<4> http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/health-net-consid...

Universal American's Richard Barasch - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $3,503,702

Details: After taking a pay cut from 2006 to 2007, Barasch more than doubled his total compensation for 2008, jumping up from $1,564,293 in 2007. Barasch's base salary jumped up to $857,851 from $798,340 in 2007; his stock and option awards also increased, as did his "other compensation," which reflected a car allowance, relocation benefits and a matching contribution to his 401(k).

Also of note for Barasch was the fact that his non-equity incentive plan compensation earnings totaled $1,195,147; in 2007, he did not receive any money in 2007 for such compensation, but took home $1.1 million in 2006.
Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/universal-america...

UnitedHealth Group's Stephen Hemsley - CEO Compensation

Total Compensation: $3,241,042

Details: An $895 million class-action lawsuit over stock-option back dating <1> aside, Hemsley still manages to make the cut for this list at No. 10. The UHG CEO's base salary was $1.3 million in 2008, to go along with a non-equity incentive plan compensation worth just over $1.8 million and "other compensation" amounting to slightly more than $119,000.

Hemsley's other compensation was a combination of the company matching his contributions under the 401(k) plan and the company matching contributions under his executive savings plan. According to the SEC, "in May 2006, the amount of Hemsley's supplemental retirement benefit was frozen based on his current age and average base salary and converted into a lump sum of $10,703,229." Because of this, "there was no increase in the benefit payable to Mr. Hemsley under his supplemental retirement benefit" in 2008.

Source URL:
http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/unitedhealth-grou...
Links:
<1> http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/unitedhealth-s
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quidam56 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 10:02 AM
Response to Original message
13. We need a cure for health care in America
As a former health care giver, I am sad to see what has become of health care in America. Clearly Profit Care comes ahead of Patient Care. We must have public option, so what if it puts the greedy bastards out of business. www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62
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JeanGrey Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Jun-24-09 11:18 AM
Response to Original message
15. Medicare just refused 600 worth of blood tests at Mayo clinic
as "not medically necessary". These were regular tests checking up on my liver transplant and cancer treatment. Naturally, my secondary insurance which I pay 1000 a month for, also refused payment because medicare refused.

I spent an hour on the phone with medicare asking WHY they were "unnecessary" and kept being told "they just are". No explanation. So I'm screwed out of 600 bucks.
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