Private insurance sure is doing such a great job!
http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/pr...laims.html
I'm so glad we have the best healthcare system in the world where an accountant who has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and none to his patients makes healthcare decisions
Quote:PacifiCare, for example, denied a special procedure for treatment of bone cancer for Nick Colombo, a 17-year-old teen from Placentia, Calif. Again, after protests organized by Nick's family and friends, CNA/NNOC, and netroots activists, PacifiCare reversed its decision. But like Nataline Sarkisyan, the delay resulted in critical time lost, and Nick ultimately died. "This was his last effort and the procedure had worked before with people in Nick's situation," said his older brother Ricky.
(09-04-2009 01:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Private insurance sure is doing such a great job! http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/pr...laims.html
I'm so glad we have the best healthcare system in the world where an accountant who has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and none to his patients makes healthcare decisions
Quote:PacifiCare, for example, denied a special procedure for treatment of bone cancer for Nick Colombo, a 17-year-old teen from Placentia, Calif. Again, after protests organized by Nick's family and friends, CNA/NNOC, and netroots activists, PacifiCare reversed its decision. But like Nataline Sarkisyan, the delay resulted in critical time lost, and Nick ultimately died. "This was his last effort and the procedure had worked before with people in Nick's situation," said his older brother Ricky.
I agree that changes are needed. All claims should be covered and the cost of all claims and insureds used to determine premiums, with age and geographic based rating. Insurers should be forced to profit from efficient operation, cost savings on admin costs or higher service levels for higher premiums, not from denial of service. Claims payments should be based on historical cost with no "preferred providers", only different rates for complex procedures and Dr expertise.
I haven't put any stock in the "death" panel talk or any of that. My biggest issue is the government providing insurance at tax payer subsidized rates, which they have already shown that they suck at, see Medicare and Medicaid (how are their denial rates by the way?) Those rates would eventually drive all other private insurance out of business. And eventually lead to lower claims payments, which is less incentive for students to pursue medicine, which leads to more health care shortages.
As an accountant working in insurance, the things mentioned in those articles disgust me. My company and all the insurance profession information I read, talk about doing what is right for the insured, within the policy, not looking for ways to get out of claims. My company has paid lots of fines (millions) for denying claims and slowing the process in the past and we have worked hard to prevent it from happening now. I will say that I have never had a direct dealing with any claim, so blaming accountants is a little off, we only report the results of operations, we don't do the work. Executives use accounting information to make decisions, true, but they are the ones to blame for operational practices, not the accountants.
Strapping Mr. Colombo's and Ms. Sarkisyan's claims adjusters to a gurney with a slow drip into his/her arm would do wonders to clear up this situation. I'm normally opposed to the death penalty but I can make exceptions in some cases.
And 40% of doctors don't accept Medicare or Medicaid. That's don't except, not denying a procedure. That means that these government programs pay so little that the doctors don't even look at them. Think that won't happen with another government program?
(09-04-2009 03:44 PM)dfarr Wrote: [ -> ]And 40% of doctors don't accept Medicare or Medicaid. That's don't except, not denying a procedure. That means that these government programs pay so little that the doctors don't even look at them. Think that won't happen with another government program?
What about a private but non-profit system where outcomes are the goal of the organization and not profit? Would you also be against the government subsidizing premiums for people who can't afford them, even if the insurance plan isn't government run?
(09-04-2009 04:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ] (09-04-2009 03:44 PM)dfarr Wrote: [ -> ]And 40% of doctors don't accept Medicare or Medicaid. That's don't except, not denying a procedure. That means that these government programs pay so little that the doctors don't even look at them. Think that won't happen with another government program?
What about a private but non-profit system where outcomes are the goal of the organization and not profit? Would you also be against the government subsidizing premiums for people who can't afford them, even if the insurance plan isn't government run?
Can you name me anything that the government subsidizes but does not try to put any controls into?
we've identified the radical lefts' demon, the evil insurance companies.
of course, this union doesn't give the breakdown for individual service denial.
but, why would they? this is an organization with the stated goal of a single-payer system. full disclosure might defeat their goal.
About the California Nurses Association/
National Nurses Organizing Committee
http://www.calnurses.org/about-us/
The California Nurses Association, and its national arm, the National Nurses Organizing Committee, is one of the nation’s premiere nurses’ organizations and health care unions. One of the fastest growing health care organizations in the U.S., CNA/NNOC presently has 86,000 members in 50 states, representing nurses at scores of hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies. Since 2000, over 19,000 RNs at 50 hospitals have elected to affiliate with CNA.
CNA/NNOC is a leading national advocate for universal healthcare reform, through a single-payer style system based on an improved and expanded Medicare for all. CNA/NNOC is campaigning for single-payer legislation, HR 676 in Congress, S 703 in the Senate, and SB 810 in California...
...Additionally, CNA/NNOC maintains an award winning web site, http://www.calnurses.org, that has been called one of the best resources for health care and nursing news on the internet, and http://www.singlepayer.com, a critical resource on the fight for single-payer healthcare.
if socialized healthcare becomes reality, you ain't seen nothing [yet] in regards to withholding of medical services/procedures.
(09-04-2009 04:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Would you also be against the government subsidizing premiums for people who can't afford them, even if the insurance plan isn't government run?
NO, as long as it's a State program, and only if this is restricted to the 'uninsurable', and/or for catastrophic care.
I'm still searching for the clause in our US Constitution that allows the Federal Government to take $ from some of its' citizenry
and re-distribute to others based upon benevolence/charity.
(09-04-2009 05:36 PM)oldblazer79 Wrote: [ -> ]we've identified the radical lefts' demon, the evil insurance companies.
of course, this union doesn't give the breakdown for individual service denial.
but, why would they? this is an organization with the stated goal of a single-payer system. full disclosure might defeat their goal.
About the California Nurses Association/
National Nurses Organizing Committee
http://www.calnurses.org/about-us/
The California Nurses Association, and its national arm, the National Nurses Organizing Committee, is one of the nation’s premiere nurses’ organizations and health care unions. One of the fastest growing health care organizations in the U.S., CNA/NNOC presently has 86,000 members in 50 states, representing nurses at scores of hospitals, clinics, and home health agencies. Since 2000, over 19,000 RNs at 50 hospitals have elected to affiliate with CNA.
CNA/NNOC is a leading national advocate for universal healthcare reform, through a single-payer style system based on an improved and expanded Medicare for all. CNA/NNOC is campaigning for single-payer legislation, HR 676 in Congress, S 703 in the Senate, and SB 810 in California...
...Additionally, CNA/NNOC maintains an award winning web site, http://www.calnurses.org, that has been called one of the best resources for health care and nursing news on the internet, and http://www.singlepayer.com, a critical resource on the fight for single-payer healthcare.
if socialized healthcare becomes reality, you ain't seen nothing [yet] in regards to withholding of medical services/procedures.
(09-04-2009 04:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Would you also be against the government subsidizing premiums for people who can't afford them, even if the insurance plan isn't government run?
NO, as long as it's a State program, and only if this is restricted to the 'uninsurable', and/or for catastrophic care.
I'm still searching for the clause in our US Constitution that allows the Federal Government to take $ from some of its' citizenry
and re-distribute to others based upon benevolence/charity.
I find it funny that the CNA is for a single payer system since their wages would be DRASTICALLY reduced if such a system ever took over. Nurses out there have it good right now.
(09-04-2009 01:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Private insurance sure is doing such a great job! http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/pr...laims.html
I'm so glad we have the best healthcare system in the world where an accountant who has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and none to his patients makes healthcare decisions
Quote:PacifiCare, for example, denied a special procedure for treatment of bone cancer for Nick Colombo, a 17-year-old teen from Placentia, Calif. Again, after protests organized by Nick's family and friends, CNA/NNOC, and netroots activists, PacifiCare reversed its decision. But like Nataline Sarkisyan, the delay resulted in critical time lost, and Nick ultimately died. "This was his last effort and the procedure had worked before with people in Nick's situation," said his older brother Ricky.
Everyone knows California is a screwed up state man. By the way, this guy's family can file a lawsuit right? If it was the US government refusing treatment or delaying, what would you do? Canada has a 41% mortality rate on colon cancer versus 26% in the US. It takes 2 to 4 months to get a colonoscopy versus 1 or 2 days in the US. Seriously bro, there is nothing that you can say to convince me that a government run healthcare is in MY best interest. It is unconstitutional. The government can't manage anything worth two shits. Corruption is rampant and the idiots running congress have sold out to the pharmaceutical companies for $80 billion in savings, no tort reform and no real plan other than to control 1/6th of the economy.
And on a topic change, BHO has some radical nutjobs advising him like that clown Van Jones. White people and white corporations are poisoning black communities.... White people are poisoning immigrants.....9-11 was organized by the Bush administration.....
THAT COMMUNIST SOB SHOULD not be in our government at all, especially advising BHO.
birds of a feather..........
you are known by the company you keep
(09-04-2009 01:24 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Private insurance sure is doing such a great job! http://www.calnurses.org/media-center/pr...laims.html
I'm so glad we have the best healthcare system in the world where an accountant who has a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders and none to his patients makes healthcare decisions
Quote:PacifiCare, for example, denied a special procedure for treatment of bone cancer for Nick Colombo, a 17-year-old teen from Placentia, Calif. Again, after protests organized by Nick's family and friends, CNA/NNOC, and netroots activists, PacifiCare reversed its decision. But like Nataline Sarkisyan, the delay resulted in critical time lost, and Nick ultimately died. "This was his last effort and the procedure had worked before with people in Nick's situation," said his older brother Ricky.
Do you have any reason to believe that a government-run health care (single-provider) or health insurance (single-payer) system would produce better results?
If so, what is that reason?
Are there problems in our current system? Yes.
Will the changes being proposed solve those problems or make them worse?
It is the latter question that we should be focusing on, not the former.
I've seen nothing being presented that will improve *healthcare*.