Comments on: Death By Profit Margin http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/ Firedoglake weblog Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:52:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: kairosincal http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1163017 kairosincal Mon, 24 Dec 2007 06:11:58 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1163017 <p>Thanks for the article and comments.<br /> As a neuropathy educator, support group leader and advocate, I’ve been suffering with MediCal, Medicare, uninsured and middle-income insured folks with neuropathy whose medical care for this neurological disorder is pitiful and, as far as I’m concerned, criminally insane, relative to the moral standards I espouse. </p> <p>CBS has had a multi-hour religious special on this evening. Rowan Williams = “head” of the Church of England/Anglican Communion was quoted toward the end saying sadley that we were not living with and in God’s values, or something to that effect. The film was a really marvelous ecumenical/interfaith reflection on In the Name of God. I was shocked but ecstatic that CBS (rather than PBS)would do such a wonderful program, touching on all kinds of moral issues of our time - my morality not Rethug<br /> morality. One of the things that was said was that we must not let terrorism keep us stuck in rage and despair. </p> <p>I am so often stuck in rage and despair as I read FireDogLake and BuzzFlash and other resources of the world’s corrupt insanity whether with Bush and his minions or all the other evil mongers in the world.</p> <p>Scarecrow reminds me of the Serenity Prayer - accept the things I cannot change….. I don’t want to accept the things I cannot change. I want to change thousands of things, I can’t even name all the things I would change if I were king of the world. Medical care for those with neuropathy, and all the medical care systems that keep us in bondage to ill-health and all the deaths and disabilities by profit that are the reality for so many. </p> <p>So, even though I’m in rage, partly thanks to FireDogLake’s reminders of why, I thank God for FireDogLake and Christy and Jane, and Teddy, and Scarecrow and others there. </p> <p>Christmas blessings to all,<br /> KairosinCal</p> Thanks for the article and comments.
As a neuropathy educator, support group leader and advocate, I’ve been suffering with MediCal, Medicare, uninsured and middle-income insured folks with neuropathy whose medical care for this neurological disorder is pitiful and, as far as I’m concerned, criminally insane, relative to the moral standards I espouse.

CBS has had a multi-hour religious special on this evening. Rowan Williams = “head” of the Church of England/Anglican Communion was quoted toward the end saying sadley that we were not living with and in God’s values, or something to that effect. The film was a really marvelous ecumenical/interfaith reflection on In the Name of God. I was shocked but ecstatic that CBS (rather than PBS)would do such a wonderful program, touching on all kinds of moral issues of our time – my morality not Rethug
morality. One of the things that was said was that we must not let terrorism keep us stuck in rage and despair.

I am so often stuck in rage and despair as I read FireDogLake and BuzzFlash and other resources of the world’s corrupt insanity whether with Bush and his minions or all the other evil mongers in the world.

Scarecrow reminds me of the Serenity Prayer – accept the things I cannot change….. I don’t want to accept the things I cannot change. I want to change thousands of things, I can’t even name all the things I would change if I were king of the world. Medical care for those with neuropathy, and all the medical care systems that keep us in bondage to ill-health and all the deaths and disabilities by profit that are the reality for so many.

So, even though I’m in rage, partly thanks to FireDogLake’s reminders of why, I thank God for FireDogLake and Christy and Jane, and Teddy, and Scarecrow and others there.

Christmas blessings to all,
KairosinCal

]]> By: judybrowni http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162498 judybrowni Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:21:12 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162498 <p>No surpris that Cigna would refuse to pay for a big item, but their usual mode of attack is to arbitrarily up the monthly premium until you’re forced to go away.</p> <p>Three years ago my monthly HMO Cigna payment was $400, last year Cigna rose the bottom HMO payment for all ages to $693 , just got my Cigna bill for Jan.-March: Over $3,000.</p> <p>That’s right, over a three year period Cigna raised their rates on those of us who get it from Teigit in California 150%.</p> <p>See they’re not denying me insurance because I’m 58 years old, they’re just pricing it out of my pocketbook.</p> <p>But it’s comforting to know that the insurance I can no longer afford, probably wouldn’t have covered me in a catastrophy anyway.</p> <p>So I’ll died uninsured, rather than through my insurance company’s direct edict.</p> No surpris that Cigna would refuse to pay for a big item, but their usual mode of attack is to arbitrarily up the monthly premium until you’re forced to go away.

Three years ago my monthly HMO Cigna payment was $400, last year Cigna rose the bottom HMO payment for all ages to $693 , just got my Cigna bill for Jan.-March: Over $3,000.

That’s right, over a three year period Cigna raised their rates on those of us who get it from Teigit in California 150%.

See they’re not denying me insurance because I’m 58 years old, they’re just pricing it out of my pocketbook.

But it’s comforting to know that the insurance I can no longer afford, probably wouldn’t have covered me in a catastrophy anyway.

So I’ll died uninsured, rather than through my insurance company’s direct edict.

]]> By: PJEvans http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162346 PJEvans Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:11:03 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162346 <p>I heard stories about insurance companies in the late 1970, from a friend who was working in a hospital business office and had to deal with late payments, short payments, and sometimes non-payments. As far as I can tell, it’s been going downhill since then.<br /> I’ve had opportunities to sign up for health insurance, but two of the three choices are being investigated for their practices, and the third is so minor I don’t know whether it’s any good. (The dental insurance plan isn’t much better, I’ve heard.)<br /> Every time the newspaper runs a story on ‘decreasing ehalth care costs’ they focus on <em>universal health insurance</em>, and I write them that health care coverage is <em>not</em> health care. They still haven’t figured it out, and neither has our wonderful legislature, which wants to fix the health care crisis by <em>making everyone buy insurance</em>. Fortunately, this involves a ballot initiative, so it probably won’t pass, but !@#$%^&*, guys! Get it straight that the insurance companies are suggesting things like that for their own health, not ours. You wouldn’t bring in foxes and coyotes to consult on chicken-coop security design, would you?</p> I heard stories about insurance companies in the late 1970, from a friend who was working in a hospital business office and had to deal with late payments, short payments, and sometimes non-payments. As far as I can tell, it’s been going downhill since then.
I’ve had opportunities to sign up for health insurance, but two of the three choices are being investigated for their practices, and the third is so minor I don’t know whether it’s any good. (The dental insurance plan isn’t much better, I’ve heard.)
Every time the newspaper runs a story on ‘decreasing ehalth care costs’ they focus on universal health insurance, and I write them that health care coverage is not health care. They still haven’t figured it out, and neither has our wonderful legislature, which wants to fix the health care crisis by making everyone buy insurance. Fortunately, this involves a ballot initiative, so it probably won’t pass, but !@#$%^&*, guys! Get it straight that the insurance companies are suggesting things like that for their own health, not ours. You wouldn’t bring in foxes and coyotes to consult on chicken-coop security design, would you?

]]> By: eagleye http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162313 eagleye Sun, 23 Dec 2007 19:37:58 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162313 <p>Oddly, I have had nothing but positive experiences with insurance companies. I have filed numerous and very expensive health claims, and have never been denied, and I have not been bothered with excessive paperwork in the process. Same thing with my auto insurance- lightning fast service, no questions asked. Ditto for my life insurance policy- great customer service, no problems whatsoever.</p> <p>This is not to say that others don’t have good reason to complain– I’m only reporting that my experience has been very positive.</p> Oddly, I have had nothing but positive experiences with insurance companies. I have filed numerous and very expensive health claims, and have never been denied, and I have not been bothered with excessive paperwork in the process. Same thing with my auto insurance- lightning fast service, no questions asked. Ditto for my life insurance policy- great customer service, no problems whatsoever.

This is not to say that others don’t have good reason to complain– I’m only reporting that my experience has been very positive.

]]> By: myiq2xu http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162290 myiq2xu Sun, 23 Dec 2007 19:17:40 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162290 <p>Would we allow our fire departments to be run “for profit” like health care is? No fire insurance, your house burns to the ground.</p> <p>Why do we treat property better than human lives?</p> Would we allow our fire departments to be run “for profit” like health care is? No fire insurance, your house burns to the ground.

Why do we treat property better than human lives?

]]> By: Margot http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162270 Margot Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:57:35 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162270 <p>That is very true based on my experience doing patient care.<br /> I have instructed my doctor that I am to be a “Do Not Resuscitate” because of the suffering I’ve witnessed.</p> That is very true based on my experience doing patient care.
I have instructed my doctor that I am to be a “Do Not Resuscitate” because of the suffering I’ve witnessed.

]]> By: Crosstimbers http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162249 Crosstimbers Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:37:07 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162249 <p>For myself, I would agree, if your brain continues to function long enough to allow you to make that decision. As a policy, you could legalize it, but you couldn’t mandate it. Mandatory suicide is called something else.</p> For myself, I would agree, if your brain continues to function long enough to allow you to make that decision. As a policy, you could legalize it, but you couldn’t mandate it. Mandatory suicide is called something else.

]]> By: SanderO http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162238 SanderO Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:29:24 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162238 <p>I am suggesting suicide.</p> <p>It’s more dignified to take your own life than to be kept as a vegetable.</p> <p>I advocate suicide in most cases of end stage illness.</p> I am suggesting suicide.

It’s more dignified to take your own life than to be kept as a vegetable.

I advocate suicide in most cases of end stage illness.

]]> By: Fern http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162233 Fern Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:24:24 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162233 <p>I think it is important to remember that just because the government pays for medical services does not mean that providers work for the government. Providers in private practice are in effect self employed. And then there are non-profits and other ways of delivering services.</p> I think it is important to remember that just because the government pays for medical services does not mean that providers work for the government. Providers in private practice are in effect self employed. And then there are non-profits and other ways of delivering services.

]]> By: Lindy http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162217 Lindy Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:14:46 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2007/12/23/death-by-profit-margin/#comment-1162217 <p>MsAnna, I could probably listen to that all day. I’m on Cobra by the skin of my teeth, was just diagnosed with diabetes (controlling with diet right now, thank God) and am trying to figure out how I’ll be able to afford the full premium when I’m struggling to afford the Cobra premium. Now, you make me wonder if they’re going to deny me coverage even if I can afford it.</p> MsAnna, I could probably listen to that all day. I’m on Cobra by the skin of my teeth, was just diagnosed with diabetes (controlling with diet right now, thank God) and am trying to figure out how I’ll be able to afford the full premium when I’m struggling to afford the Cobra premium. Now, you make me wonder if they’re going to deny me coverage even if I can afford it.

]]>