Another reason to rid us of health insurers

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has become one of the main movers in the anti-health care reform “movement” (if something that is corporately financed and staged can be called a movement). Yesterday, Barbara Morales Burke, Blue Cross vice president for health policy, told WRAL-TV in Raleigh that the company is strongly opposed to “a government insurance option,” claiming that more than two dozen health care insurers already “serve” North Carolina, so, “I’m not sure what one more choice would do.”

Well, let me explain, Ms. Burke. The public option, the “one more choice” you’re referring to, would be the choice made by most of the 2 million uninsured people in North Carolina. You remember them, right, Ms. Burke? They’re the people who were told by your lovely industry that they couldn’t have health insurance — or not at a price that’s affordable by anyone poorer than Rockefeller — because of “pre-existing conditions.” Or maybe they’re the folks whose policies your beneficent, public-minded industry canceled because you had to spend too much money on their pesky illnesses.

Opposition to real health care reform has come down to fighting against the “public option,” and it’s no wonder. Those who are leading the opposition are insurers who don’t want to see a government-run plan attract the suckers right out of the companies’ grasp. Here’s the news, though: this big national debate isn’t about health insurance companies’ profits; it’s about the American people’s health and their access to reasonably priced health care. If the health insurance companies’ profits suffer because people are attracted to a better deal in the form of a robust public option, all I’ll say is that these sources of morally repugnant policies and practices had it coming.

This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2009.

I love the un-educated rants of liberals. In “Another Reason the rid us of health insurers”; the writer makes some very harsh and uninformed statements:
– 2 million uninsured in NC: affordable health care is available. More often than not, people are taking vacations, buying second cars, buying $3000 flat screen TV’s. People are uninsured largely by choice. Stop whining about cost. Americans spend over $2,000 annually on coffee; $1,000 annually on cable TV; Cigarettes and alcohol are another $1,000 per year. I won’t get into all the various other choices we make rather than buying medical insurance. The point is we have an opportunity cost and people are choosing to play rather than pay for insurance. Until people lose weight, stop smoking, drinking and sitting in front of the TV; why should I pay for their insurance.
– Insurance denies policies or cancels them for the sick: insurance companies are not-for-profit or for-profit companies. That does not mean they should operate at a loss (like government run health care like TRICARE/Medicare/Medicaid)If your house were on fire would you expect an insurance company to sell you a home owner’s policy or sell you an auto policy after you wreck your car? Why should a health insurer sell a policy to someone after they became ill? The logic is baffling. The entire concept of any insurance is the idea of shared risk. If healthy people opt out of the risk poll leaving only the sick, costs will escalate out of control. Policies are available for almost all individuals either through specialty risk companies or through state sponsored “high risk” pools. There is no one in the US that cannot buy insurance. They might not like the premium but they could buy it if they wanted. Additionally, insurance companies are one of the most tightly regulated businesses in the country. Policies are guaranteed renewable in most states and can only be cancelled if the person does not pay their bill. If NC is not following this guideline, write your governor and have the NC Division of Insurance or Office of the Insurance Commissioner change the law.
-Opposition to real health care reform has come down to fighting against the “public option” Wow, really…. are you even following the debate???? The public option is one of about a hundred issues that will destroy the bill as written. What about the abortion provisions, lack of coverage for undocumented Aliens, the reduction of payments to doctors and hospitals, the provider shortages, tort reform… the list goes on and on. Boiling the debate down the public option does a disservice and shows you really don’t care about the issue, just another “free luncher” looking for a handout.
– Insurance company profits. What is their profit margin? What is fair in your mind and why should a company be in business if they can’t make money? The national average for insurance profit margins is under 5% (premiums minus claims minus administrative costs). Those big profit numbers you see reported are the result of earned investment credits. The insurance company takes their 2% – 3% earned income, invests it and makes additional money on the investment. This has nothing AT ALL to do with restricting care or dumping the sick members from their insured rolls. Insurance companies cannot just make up prices or policies; they must file with the state and have their every move approved. Your governor is just as much at fault as anyone else.
– They had it coming….. right an industry trying it’s best to provide a valuable service, who is tightly regulated, has mandates thrown at them constantly to cover more and more and they deserve to be run out of town. That shows you really don’t understand how insurance works and why we are in this mess. You have not said anything about defensive medicine driving up cost, the aging of the population driving up cost, new technology, new medicine and new bio-tech & nano-tech medical treatments driving up cost. You fail to mention tort reform and how medical malpractice insurance is driving up the cost of health care. The American people have choice right now, they can buy or not buy health insurance. Many chose not to buy until it is too late. Under the proposed plan, you would lose your right to chose. Read page 16 of the bill and how you will be forced onto to government plan. The public option is not a competitor it is a predator. In a matter of 2-3 years, as written, the bill will force all individual contract holders off private plans and onto the government plan. IT’S A FACT – READ THE BILL!!! I admit we need changes but I am not willing to sacrifice my freedom or health of my family. This is just like when you were in grade-school match class…. The government plan is trying to find the lowest common denominator. Problem is for the majority of people the lowest common denominator will be a plan that restricts care and produces poor health outcomes. Let’s make changes that are meaningful and provide quality care. We are throwing out the quality part of the discussion with the current bill. If this issue is really important then Americans would get into better shape and stop doing things to drive up cost. Until that time we all get what we deserve.

Bottom line: if you want to talk about health care reform, educate yourself first. You put allot of effort into proving how little you really know.

Join the Conversation

1 Comment

David says:

July 29, 2009 at 5:18 pm

I love the un-educated rants of liberals. In “Another Reason the rid us of health insurers”; the writer makes some very harsh and uninformed statements:
– 2 million uninsured in NC: affordable health care is available. More often than not, people are taking vacations, buying second cars, buying $3000 flat screen TV’s. People are uninsured largely by choice. Stop whining about cost. Americans spend over $2,000 annually on coffee; $1,000 annually on cable TV; Cigarettes and alcohol are another $1,000 per year. I won’t get into all the various other choices we make rather than buying medical insurance. The point is we have an opportunity cost and people are choosing to play rather than pay for insurance. Until people lose weight, stop smoking, drinking and sitting in front of the TV; why should I pay for their insurance.
– Insurance denies policies or cancels them for the sick: insurance companies are not-for-profit or for-profit companies. That does not mean they should operate at a loss (like government run health care like TRICARE/Medicare/Medicaid)If your house were on fire would you expect an insurance company to sell you a home owner’s policy or sell you an auto policy after you wreck your car? Why should a health insurer sell a policy to someone after they became ill? The logic is baffling. The entire concept of any insurance is the idea of shared risk. If healthy people opt out of the risk poll leaving only the sick, costs will escalate out of control. Policies are available for almost all individuals either through specialty risk companies or through state sponsored “high risk” pools. There is no one in the US that cannot buy insurance. They might not like the premium but they could buy it if they wanted. Additionally, insurance companies are one of the most tightly regulated businesses in the country. Policies are guaranteed renewable in most states and can only be cancelled if the person does not pay their bill. If NC is not following this guideline, write your governor and have the NC Division of Insurance or Office of the Insurance Commissioner change the law.
-Opposition to real health care reform has come down to fighting against the “public option” Wow, really…. are you even following the debate???? The public option is one of about a hundred issues that will destroy the bill as written. What about the abortion provisions, lack of coverage for undocumented Aliens, the reduction of payments to doctors and hospitals, the provider shortages, tort reform… the list goes on and on. Boiling the debate down the public option does a disservice and shows you really don’t care about the issue, just another “free luncher” looking for a handout.
– Insurance company profits. What is their profit margin? What is fair in your mind and why should a company be in business if they can’t make money? The national average for insurance profit margins is under 5% (premiums minus claims minus administrative costs). Those big profit numbers you see reported are the result of earned investment credits. The insurance company takes their 2% – 3% earned income, invests it and makes additional money on the investment. This has nothing AT ALL to do with restricting care or dumping the sick members from their insured rolls. Insurance companies cannot just make up prices or policies; they must file with the state and have their every move approved. Your governor is just as much at fault as anyone else.
– They had it coming….. right an industry trying it’s best to provide a valuable service, who is tightly regulated, has mandates thrown at them constantly to cover more and more and they deserve to be run out of town. That shows you really don’t understand how insurance works and why we are in this mess. You have not said anything about defensive medicine driving up cost, the aging of the population driving up cost, new technology, new medicine and new bio-tech & nano-tech medical treatments driving up cost. You fail to mention tort reform and how medical malpractice insurance is driving up the cost of health care. The American people have choice right now, they can buy or not buy health insurance. Many chose not to buy until it is too late. Under the proposed plan, you would lose your right to chose. Read page 16 of the bill and how you will be forced onto to government plan. The public option is not a competitor it is a predator. In a matter of 2-3 years, as written, the bill will force all individual contract holders off private plans and onto the government plan. IT’S A FACT – READ THE BILL!!! I admit we need changes but I am not willing to sacrifice my freedom or health of my family. This is just like when you were in grade-school match class…. The government plan is trying to find the lowest common denominator. Problem is for the majority of people the lowest common denominator will be a plan that restricts care and produces poor health outcomes. Let’s make changes that are meaningful and provide quality care. We are throwing out the quality part of the discussion with the current bill. If this issue is really important then Americans would get into better shape and stop doing things to drive up cost. Until that time we all get what we deserve.

Bottom line: if you want to talk about health care reform, educate yourself first. You put allot of effort into proving how little you really know.