Last month, testimony in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation by a former health insurance insider named Wendell Potter made news even before it occurred: CBS NEWS headlined: “Cigna Whistleblower to Testify.” After Potter’s testimony the industry scrambled to do damage control: “Insurers defend rescissions, take heat for lack of transparency.”
In his first extended television interview since leaving the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter tells Bill Moyers why he left his successful career as the head of Public Relations for CIGNA, one of the nation’s largest insurers, and decided to speak out against the industry. “I didn’t intend to [speak out], until it became really clear to me that the industry is resorting to the same tactics they’ve used over the years, and particularly back in the early ’90s, when they were leading the effort to kill the Clinton plan.”
[…]
Looking back over his long career, Potter sees an industry corrupted by Wall Street expectations and greed. According to Potter, insurers have every incentive to deny coverage — every dollar they don’t pay out to a claim is a dollar they can add to their profits, and Wall Street investors demand they pay out less every year. Under these conditions, Potter says, “You don’t think about individual people. You think about the numbers, and whether or not you’re going to meet Wall Street’s expectations.”
Admittedly, this is not exactly a stunning revelation. But it is refreshing to see the industry quake a bit when the truth is told out loud. Lots of links to videos and transcripts on the site.
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#28, “point is free market economics of the form of, less money equals less result. Or the opposite of more money equals better result don’t always work.”
I would say that this flawed notion is more in line with the government rationale for ever growing budgets and spending, that it has anything to do with free market systems.
Basic healthcare for all is an essential human right. Nobody should be lacking in basic medical care in America, regardless of social status. It is just the human thing to do.
If you are a Christian, be honest with yourself and ask what view on this matter Jesus would hold. Do you really think that he would be of the opinion that it’s “everyone for himself” when it comes to healthcare?
The USA needs universal healthcare. It may be end up being a two tier system, where everyone is guaranteed a base reasonable amount of care, and you can have your own supplemental insurance for extra care (private room, quicker elective surgery in private hospital, etc), but a baseline of care for everybody is something that is just the human thing to do.
Private insurance companies made a profit of $70 Billion last year. It is their business to charge as much as possible, while spending as little as possible, in order to maximize profit. But is that the business model that we want to use for something like health care, where we are affecting people’s lives so deeply? Does everything have to fall under the “profits first, people second” capitalist mantra? Are people just ‘objects’ that have to be reduced to a profit/loss value? As humans, we are supposed to be better than that.
#35, Awake, so if your next-door neighbor is a doctor, and you fall off your swingset and break your wrist, is it a part of your essential human right to be able to knock on his door and demand he fix it for you? If he says “no” is he violating your rights?
The current for-profit system is going to collapse anyway.
Yet, because conservatives are shameless liars they effectively use fear to block solutions.
Some much FUD, so little time.
#36 Sea Lawyer –
Are you a complete moron, or do you just like pretending to be one?
The ‘essential human right’ is that your injury will be tended to properly, and that your life will not be ruined just because you fell. There are millions of families that live paycheck to paycheck, and a simple uninsured injury like the one that you describe can lead directly to homelessness, welfare, family separation, all because of the huge bill involved.
As for your doctor friend next door, you would hope that he would at least be human enough help you out in the beginning AT NO CHARGE until the system can take over (ambulance arrives, you are taken to the hospital and treated, etc). It is the right thing to do… it is the human thing to do.
It’s people like you with your “Fuc# you… it’s all about me me me” attitude that make this would just a little darker. In many ways the world would be better off without you.
#30, Re Jared, “In Canada and the UK the government decides when they have spent to much on you. Its not infinite care. ”
That is absolutely a false statement.
(OT: Thanks for fixing my post #28 Mr. Editor. I’ll ust the same source code technique next time.)
#40, awake, glad to see that you position is backed entirely by emotion, so it must be the correct one.
#40, cont.
It’s people like you with your “Fuc# you… it’s all about me me me” attitude that make this would just a little darker.
My dailies activities contribute, in some small way, to the employment and livelihoods of millions of people, without me having to give a single thought to any of them; all of your daily goings on have a similar impact. Take all of these billions of seemingly unrelated activities together in aggregate, and you get our economy.
So your “Fuc# you… it’s all about me me me” rant is of very little relevance to reality. But throwing stones at imagined bogeymen is how emotional people go about things, so if it makes you feel better, knock yourself out.
#39 Guyver, you still haven’t answered the question — how is it that every other civilized country in the world has figured out how to deal with the bureaucracy and give ALL their citizens decent healthcare at a far lower cost than we pay?
What is it about America that makes you think we can’t do it? What’s our fatal flaw?
Guyver, for every $1000 you are paying for health care, you have to pay at least an extra $1000 to line shareholder’s pockets. You are being fleeced.
Australia, Canada, the UK, France Germany, Japan and Sweden, to name a few, ALL provide excellent health care at half the price.
You posts imply that America is too stupid to figure out a better alternative solution even though you have many working models from which to choose…. and improve on. Is that really what you think?
Your opinion that profit is the only thing that can drive innovation is also hogwash. Talk about thinking inside a box…
#43 My dailies activities contribute, in some small way, to the employment and livelihoods of millions of people, without me having to give a single thought to any of them; all of your daily goings on have a similar impact. Take all of these billions of seemingly unrelated activities together in aggregate, and you get our economy.
How strange to see so many people still worshiping at the Altar of the Invisible Hand — that magical Hand that will somehow make everything work if we get rid of that Burdensome Government Regulation.
You’d think that our economy going into the shitter after massive deregulation — you’d think that would make people rethink their assumptions. But there are none so blind as they who will not see.
Phydeau…can I answer? The fatal flaw is: PRU, CI, AET. (NYSE)
#48 Well said, sir… the heart of our predicament… that and the millions of dollars those companies spend to buy politicians. 🙁
My health care and insurance has been nothing less than nightmare in itself. These people are not in it for your sake people. They’re in it for the money. I’m waiting for the day when I see all of this crap gone; that or hearing about the gruesome death of these doctors and directors. Fck them all I say!
#47, what did anything that I said have to do with government regulation? Awake thinks it’s so bad that, in his mind, I don’t care about anybody but myself, when it doesn’t matter at all if I do. My very existence and participation in the economy benefits other people, even if I don’t deliberately set out to.
You don’t read too good (heh) it seems.
The ambulance chasing lawyers can sue insurance companies right now.
But once the government takes over the insurance side, the current laws will forbid lawyers from seeking compensation for damages caused by the government’s Universal Health Plan.
To anyone FWIW, I know the temptation is there to use profanity and name calling, but rather than call someone a moron, why not use your supposedly superior intelligence to present a strong argument. Hey, sometimes it’s creative and funny, and both sides don’t seem to mind, but mostly when the argument deteriorates I skip those posts, as I’m sure many others do, so you miss out making your point.
Sometimes all it takes is time for the facts to sink in, for your superior logical thinking (in your opinion) to change someone’s mind. Trying to get someone to make a 180 degree turn on a strong conviction, is next to impossible on a thread where 2 paragraphs is considered a reasonable post, and where 6 paragraphs turns into gray haze.
I like the idea, that Business or yourself, PAYS good money for a health plan.
It works very well.
You can pay into it for years, and only see doctors as needed.
Either GET Major sick OR RETIRE..
Then wonder IF’ you are covered.
All that money that was invested to protect you IF you were ill. 5-10-15-20 years of money…
All invested, and either you find IT DONT COVER YOU BEING SICK, or you RETIRE and all that money is GONE and you need to get medicare/medicaid..
How would you like it that an AGENCY, that has Very little medical knowledge, monitors your Health history, can find ANYTHING they wish to decline you, NOT SAY ANYTHING until you need the insurance. And then DENY you coverage for something that was done in the past.
How about the idea that MOST companies give you health insurance, but it DOES NOT COVER Eye health or your TEETH/mouth..
Who knows the difference between LIFE insurance and ACCIDENT insurance and TRAVEL insurance?? If you dont know, you should be VERY SCARED..
Another point.
I love paying Employment insurance..Every business must pay this for you. And you work for many years, and QUIT or retire. Do either of you get the money back?? NOPE.
#39
“Forcing doctors to comply with government pricing standards is nothing more than legalized mob rule.”
Hmm,
isnt THAT what a democracy is??
DEMOCRACY, the rule of those PISSED OFF enough about 1 thing, to FORCE SAID THING to WORK in their FAVOR.
NOT corp rule.
NOT Syndicate RULE.
NOT MONEY RULE.
#51 Sea Lawyer
‘My very existence and participation in the economy benefits other people, even if I don’t deliberately set out to.’
Wow.
I never realized you were so critical to so many peoples well being. They should give you a big shiny medal, for all the side-effect benefit you give to others. Every time you buy something – it’s an act of giving. There may be a nobel-peace prize in the offing.
So it’s only the scum sucking poor that are a problem in your ‘model’. As they pick up the minimum wage or less crumbs at the bottom. Or even the fact the average household income across the country has dropped over the last 10 years. Which implies the average house hold are being less generous, but the super rich – they have loads more money – so they are ‘giving’ more. I’m tearing up.
You much be really signed up for that trickle down effect.
#56, freddybob, lol, if appears that you are another of the DU mental overachievers.
Everything that I said in reference to me, also applies to you as well. We all benefit each other as an unintentional consequence of participation in the economy.
#43 – SeaLawyer –
“My dailies activities contribute, in some small way, to the employment and livelihoods of millions of people, without me having to give a single thought to any of them; all of your daily goings on have a similar impact.”
Actually if you dissapeared tomorrow, probably no more than a few people closest to you would notice for a short time, and the economic impact of your departure would be virtually nil to virtually everyone. To think that you have any economic impact on MILLIONS of people just indicates an overinflated ego and a lack of touch with reality.
But just for a moment, let us assume that you do influence the lives of MILLIONS of people, like you claim to do. Now imagine if those MILLIONS of people redirected their energies and banded together to make each other’s lives better, not just their own. Imagine the impact that would have. Simple things, like tipping a little extra and more often, dropping off a case of canned food once a month to a decent charity, etc. Imagine if EVERY doctor and nurse volunteered his/her services for free once a month, doing housecalls to the elderly homebound, instead of forcing them into nursing homes. It would be a much better world.
Unless you are an insurance executive pocketing profits while denying healthcare to those that most need it, your influence is probably nil.
Guyver,Re:Post #27: It seems that you have bought into the propaganda that a publicly funded system of health care is deficient. I suppose it could be if the public refused to fund it properly, but that’s a problem easily fixed if the will is there.
Your link to the video on brain cancer in Ontario, Canada is an exception to the rule. I’m 54 and I’ve lived here all my life, and I can vouch for the system. The rare instance where someone falls through the cracks is usually do to stupidity or incompetence of a few individuals. I’ve seen many cancer patients who received timely and excellent care. Recently a relative of a friend went through the whole process of discovery, biopsy and malignant tumor removal in less than a month… the same time it took the Canadian couple in the video to get the same care in the USA.
#57 Sea Lawyer
Yeah I get it.
Think it’s a bit overrated. I’m doing good because I spend money that I earned. Awesome – go me.
It doesn’t say anything about how you earned it.
It also doesn’t say anything about how I spend it.
As a concrete but somewhat stupid example.
Lets say I’m a well paid lawyer from monsanto, suing farmers which who through no action of their own now have patented GM plants growing in their fields.
And on the other side, lets say with my gains I live the high life. I live in a huge mc mansion which I heat with oil extracted from baby seals. And my hobby is snorting cocaine from hookers butt cheeks.
What can I say – I’m just a natural a giver.
Now I’m not saying you do that. But don’t flatter yourself that what you’re doing by working and consuming, is such a great gift, to others or the world.
#61, except for you, who has said anything about gifts or giving?
#62 Sea Lawyer.
Umm – you just did?
Okay – its the ‘natural giver’ bit that offends.
I’m a natural do gooder. Howzat?
#62, no, go back to being a giver. Do gooder makes me think you are going to try to involve me in your plans as well. =D
OT and FWIW – Sealawyer –
As defined here:
http://owlnet.rice.edu/~ling215/NewWords/page3.html
SEA LAWYER, n. One who attempts to shirk responsibility or blame through trivial technicalities. [This word is used chiefly in the Navy and at the Naval Academy to describe a midshipman or officer who uses technicalities and other trivial excuses to escape responsibility or punishment. Based on the popular stereotype of lawyers always arguing technicalities and trivial details coupled with the fact that the Navy is closely associated with water and the sea. ]
Context and source: “Most sea lawyers are not well respected by their classmates. (A Sense of Honor by James Webb)
# 64
I’m giving you good material here…
Cut me down with your laser sharp insight into trickle down economics. I want to understand all this good through just working and consuming. Greed is good and all that.
Sounds great – it’s not hard to get people to be greedy it seems to me. I want to know how that’s working out.
OT and FWIW –
“Sealawyer” as defined here:
http://tinyurl.com/4ontho
SEA LAWYER, n. One who attempts to shirk responsibility or blame through trivial technicalities. [This word is used chiefly in the Navy and at the Naval Academy to describe a midshipman or officer who uses technicalities and other trivial excuses to escape responsibility or punishment. Based on the popular stereotype of lawyers always arguing technicalities and trivial details coupled with the fact that the Navy is closely associated with water and the sea. ]
Context and source: “Most sea lawyers are not well respected by their classmates. (A Sense of Honor by James Webb)