California's Real Death Panels: Insurers Deny 21% of Claims »
Posted By Aidenag 2 months, 3 weeks ago in NewsMore than one of every five requests for medical claims for insured patients, even when recommended by a patient's physician, are rejected by California's largest private insurers, amounting to very real death panels in practice daily in the nation's biggest state, according to data released today by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.
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Photographer by day, news junkie by night. My main areas of interest are politics and the environment.
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jordan112 months, 3 weeks ago
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I've said this before, but always grab the opportunity to repeat it. People have got to understand the real life consequences of for profit insurance, and they need to understand it could easily happen to them;
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My son was diagnosed with a serious disease 20+ years ago. His insurance company dropped him, citing a pre-existing condition. If I hadn't had the money to pay cash for his care, he would have died. Every time I think about that, I feel pure rage. I don't know how families who lose their loved one's stand it. -
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german-shepard2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"People have got to understand the real life consequences of for profit insurance, and they need to understand it could easily happen to them".
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I have to say it as well because it is happening to my sister who is loosing her coverage after stopping work to care for our mother. The transitional coverage is about to run out and they won't reinsure her. -

Sageparadox2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"People have got to understand the real life consequences of for profit insurance, and they need to understand it could easily happen to them".
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"People have got to understand the real life consequences of for profit insurance, and they need to understand it could easily happen to them".
"People have got to understand the real life consequences of for profit insurance, and they need to understand it could easily happen to them".
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cowboygrandpa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Healthcare for profit, is legalized murder. You have bean counters saying whether a person is worthy to live or not !!!!
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But hey, don't tell the conservatives that it is wrong or that it shows a hypocrisy beyond the love of money, it is a love of denying people the life they were given by God !!
But hey they are so against abortion, well then allow healthcare for all you liars !!! Money truly is the root to all evil, because people will do anything for it it or to keep it !!!
When ya stand before God on your day of judgement for your life. Go ahead and explain how proffiting off of illness and death is loving to your fellow man !!
Reach into your empty pockets and pull out the gold you worshipped, show Him what really matered to ya !!! Oh don't worry ya won't have to, He already knows what ya loved, or if you loved anything at all !!!-

Natureboy2 months, 3 weeks ago
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You've gotten to the crux of it, Gramps.
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There are those who believe in an invisible being that gives all manner of wonderfulness and makes all things aright.
That being is not the God of Moses and Abraham.
Adam Smith was his prophet. Or maybe his profit. That being is "the invisible hand of the free market."
For those who are devotees of the invisible hand of the free market god, it is sacrilege to propose anything that would fetter that hand, either by curtailing pollution, or enacting labor laws, or, Hand Forbid, socializing health insurance and getting rid of the profiteers.
Me, I don't swing that way. The deities I walk with love and appreciate generosity and hospitality. They're not big on the greed thing.
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MeanMotherUSAComment removed: Spam, Vulgarity
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MeanMotherUSA2 months, 3 weeks ago
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9-4-09: It Is Joke My Comments Removed For Spam And Vulgarity,i.e. I Used Swear Word And What Was The Spam!?
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Did We All Sudden Get New Moderator That Is Bias To The TRUTH!
Etal: I've Seen And Still Read Other Asinine Comments That Are Never Removed...
No Wonder I Don't Come Here That Often!
MeanMotherUSA... -

oldslowjim2 months, 3 weeks ago
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But you will end up with the same problem with "government health care". The money available to health care in either a private or government system will be limited. Therefore, there will be rationing, i.e. denied claims, in both. There simply isn't enough money to provide every medical treatment to everyone and remain solvent. That is one reason the Congressional Budget Office declared such a massive deficit.
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Now, ask yourself, do you really want a government bureaucrat determining a "one size fits all" policy on who or what and how medical conditions get treated? It's scary!
Lastly, educate yourself and see if all the "obscene" profits made by the insurance companies in California would cover both the 21% of denied claims AND will existing rates applied to everyone cover all prospective claims. There simply is no way to have both without spending a ton more money regardless of the system. Again, rationing will be needed.
Am I a proponent of the current system, not at all. Insurance is basically managing risk and requires as large a pool as possible. Regarding health care, I don't believe unlimited profit is "ethical" either. I would rather see modifications such as cover everyone, portability, etc. be required along with a regulatory scheme that guarantees a specified rate of return to the insurance companies. Much like a regulated electric utility. This will allow raising private capital to fund advances along with having to justify premium increases.-

awongscreen2 months, 3 weeks ago
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It is ok if people wants to stay with private insurance. The fact of the matter is the private insurance companies, together with the right wing nuts, are trying to ban public insurance. Why can people choose public insurance?
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If private insurance is so much superior than public insurance, then they have nothing to fear. The only reason they are against public medicare is they want unrestricted right to maximise their profits. Which brings back to the point that "healthcare for profits" is immoral. -

Natureboy2 months, 3 weeks ago
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If you could swing it, that might work.
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Con Ed decided, decades ago, to be a responsible business, to dedicate themselves towards continuous improvement of quality and to give their customers good value for their dollar.
They felt they had to, because they knew how important electricity is and they knew if they were irresponsible and rapacious they would end up being nationalized.
Too bad health insurers aren't that smart. -
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oldslowjim2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Sure there is. Do you think premiums are the only income source that insurance companies have. The public ones issue stock and all of them access the bond market. These people expect dividends to be paid which requires profit.
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As I said above, do you really believe non-profits always have low administrative costs. Hah. Perhaps the those who are charities do, but the others don't necessarily operate that way.
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oldslowjim2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Do you really believe the stories about people dying in Great Britain and Canada while waiting for operations and other medical procedures are ALL FABRICATED? Your refusal to admit that even a public health care system will have problems is entirely ideological.
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