Is this the light at the end of the tunnel? N/A

[Richard]

WELLPOINT MAKES DEAL TO HEED DOCTOR'S WISHES
San Francisco (Knight Ridder)

In a legal settlement that doctors said would remove an insurance company from the examining room, WellPoint, Inc., the nation's largest health insurer, agreed to cover virtually any established treatment-without reagrd to cost-that a physician deems necessary.

If approved by a federal judge, the deal calls for WellPoint to spend at least $390 million to settle two class-action lawsuits by more than 700,000 physicians who charged the company with systematically underpaying them and putting its financial interests ahead of patient care.

WellPoint operates mainly under the Blue Cross banner and has 28.5 million members, including 7 million in California.

 

[Frank Browne]

I no longer believe that the right thing will be done just because it's the right thing to do.

 

[Richard]

I no longer believe that the right thing will be done just because it's the right thing to do.

Care to elaborate?

 

[wsuffa]

It might be a train coming at you.

Wellpoint has to make money somehow. If they're not controlling the expense side, you can bet they're going to raise it on the other end. And find a way to blame the docs (unfortunately).

This does not solve the fundamental problems in the health care system. Without changing those things, something else has to give.

just my $0.02

 

[Richard]

It might be a train coming at you.

Wellpoint has to make money somehow. If they're not controlling the expense side, you can bet they're going to raise it on the other end. And find a way to blame the docs (unfortunately).

This does not solve the fundamental problems in the health care system. Without changing those things, something else has to give.

just my $0.02

So do you think the claimants conceeded something in order to get the settlement? What would they have given away that is equal in value to reacquiring control in the examining room? 700,000 MDs, that's a lot. I would sure like to hear the MD's side of this proposed settlement.

 

[poadeleted3]

So do you think the claimants conceeded something in order to get the settlement? What would they have given away that is equal in value to reacquiring control in the examining room? 700,000 MDs, that's a lot. I would sure like to hear the MD's side of this proposed settlement.

I think those with Wellpoint insurance are about to see a dramatic increase in their rates.

 

[Frank Browne]

Care to elaborate?

They are in business to make money. Nothing wrong with that in and of itself but, concidering that their profits will go up by denying coverage for procedures that may benifit a patient, only insures that they will be denied. The fact is, insurance companies will not let someones failing health get in the way of max profits.

Ditto what Bill and Joe said.

 

[corjulo]

Capitalism is great at a lot of things, delivery health care is NOT one of them. Maybe good for the doctors, maybe good for the insurance companies, But terrible for the patient.

 

[poadeleted3]

Capitalism is great at a lot of things, delivery health care is NOT one of them. Maybe good for the doctors, maybe good for the insurance companies, But terrible for the patient.

Yes. That explains why so many Americans are busy fleeing to socialist and communist countries like Canada, Russia, France, and Britain for their medical care. OH... wait, that's not quite how it is, is it?

My family has never been denied needed medical care, even when we were uninsured, broke, and the doctors and hospitals involved knew it would be years before they ever saw their money back. Right here in the capitolist USofA.

 

[wsuffa]

Capitalism is great at a lot of things, delivery health care is NOT one of them. Maybe good for the doctors, maybe good for the insurance companies, But terrible for the patient.

Dan,

Disagree. Make it uneconomic for the docs, and they'll leave the profession. Can't force 'em to be there.

Make it a socialist system where the docs have no say, and you get what you see here.

Part of the reason we've gotten where we are is that employer-provided health insurance (as it is currently configured) is a socialist program. We all pay a like amount, and everybody gets services. The insurance companies pressure docs to cut costs down. That affects care.

 

[bbchien]

Capitalism is great at a lot of things, delivery health care is NOT one of them. Maybe good for the doctors, maybe good for the insurance companies, But terrible for the patient.

I will be leaving medicine just as soon as I can. Your simple minded "it's not good" glosses all of the facts. It will cost me two years' premiums just to get OUT of medicine 'cause I can be sued for two years. That amount would buy an aerostar, educate a child through college and grad school.

Who but a fool would stay in, in a situation like that?

 

[Anthony]

I will be leaving medicine just as soon as I can.
Who but a fool would stay in, in a situation like that?

And that is REALLY sad and a great loss.

 

[SJP]

Yes. That explains why so many Americans are busy fleeing to socialist and communist countries like Canada, Russia, France, and Britain for their medical care. OH... wait, that's not quite how it is, is it?

My family has never been denied needed medical care, even when we were uninsured, broke, and the doctors and hospitals involved knew it would be years before they ever saw their money back. Right here in the capitolist USofA.

Of course, when I was in the UK, I also was never denied needed medical care, AND never had to worry about running up a massive debt that would be following me around for 15 years.

My wife (in a previous relationship) had to have pancreatic surgery. No problem, she was insured at the time. Had the surgery, everything fine. Then the insurance company decided that her employer hadn't properly completed some forms, so she wasn't actually covered. $35,000 bill arrives in the mail 6 years later. 2 more years with a lawyer, and we finally get it settled for $5000, plus $1500 in fees. So who profited there ?

My Son's fiancee was denied a Cat-Scan on Monday by the insurance company. Her recurrent loss of feeling in her legs is apparently 'not indicative of a neurological disorder requiring radio-imaging diagnostic investigation". Her doctor disagrees, and suggested that we could always pony up the $2000 to have it done ourselves.

Remind me why I pay over $1000 a month in health insurance again ?

The insurers are in it to make money, and they control only two things - Expenditure and Income. They have already priced 40+ Million of the population out of the market, so where else will their profits come from?