YES.
The very companies that these uninformed and lobbyist propped teabaggers, birthers, racists are running around defending, obviously are uninformed, misinformed and just don't get it.
One thing my father told me when I was growing up, two firms that will try to screw the American Public if allowed, "banks and insurance companies." I did not understand what he meant, but he broke it down, "these companies are in the business to do one thing, take your money, and when they have to write you a check they will do everything possible not to do it."
He was right. We saw many people who to this day are STILL waiting for a check from the insurance companies from Hurricane Katrina. And now, the health insurance companies have become greedy ass vampires, whose sole purpose to "suck us dry". (I am a True Blood fan, could not help it.)
Rescission -- the technical term for canceling coverage on grounds that the company was misled -- is often considered among the most offensive practices in an insurance industry that already suffers from a distinct lack of popularity among the American public. Tales of cancellations have fueled outrage among regulators, analysts, doctors and, not least, plaintiffs' lawyers, who describe insurers as too eager to shed patients to widen profits.
This is a nasty practice. What happens is that when a large claim comes through and you are diagnosed with a problem that will end up costing thousands of dollars, these companies, the very ones who has the very best intentions for their health care insures, will scour your application and if there is any hint of a possible pre-existing condition, they will deny your claim and the war begins. Or in some cases, the bean counters (the ones that get huge bonuses to deny coverage) will assume and deny the claim anyway.
And all this shit going on at these Astroturf town halls is to protect this? Is this the best coverage for this country? PEOPLE WAKE THE HELL UP.
The same health insurance companies DEFEND doing this, stating it keeps cost down. Does anyone believe this? And Blue Cross Blue Shield the supposedly, "gold standard" of the insurance companies are just as bad or WORSE.
Insurance company officials say they need to be able to cancel policies to control fraud, which by some estimates reaches $100 billion annually.
"We do not rescind a policyholder's coverage because someone on the policy gets sick," said Peggy Hinz, a spokeswoman for Anthem Blue Cross, a subsidiary of WellPoint. "We have put in place a thorough process with multiple steps to ensure that we are as fair and as accurate as we can be in making these difficult decisions."
Much of that process was a condition of settlements with state overseers, who fined Blue Cross $11 million over the past two years and required it, and all other major insurers in California, to restore canceled policies. Insurers still face court challenges, including a class-action suit targeting Blue Cross on behalf of 6,000 canceled policyholders. Read the whole article, here.
These inhumane practices must stop. People who work hard every day and do the right thing should not be burdened with the possibility that whenever you get sick the insurance company may or may not provide proper coverage.
This is why I am totally against any mandates for these companies. They have not served the American Public above board and honorably. Their sole purpose was the bottom line, money and profits, and these companies have come to the conclusion to do anything to get it. Including denying claims that many Americans desperately need for their health, denying live saving procedures where they have the ultimate power to let a human die.
Enough of them.
The public option's sole purpose is to pool our money together, bring costs down, provide quality care and never ever do to humans what these private insurance companies have done. It is that important.
Lastly, I can not preach loudly enough on what Congresswoman Maxine Waters stated on Keith Olbermann's show, Friday, August 4, 2009.
39.6% claims were DENIED from Pacific Care in California. These are claims denied by folks who HAVE INSURANCE.
Folks this is almost 50% of people who have submitted claims and they were denied, yes, Pacific Care is one of the top five providers in California, subsidiary of United Group Care.
And this is supposed to be OK?
The only death panels this country have in regards to health care is the ones run by these health insurance companies.
Continue to call the WHITE HOUSE, 202-456-1111, or email the WHITE HOUSE for the public option, and continue to contact congress. The pressure must be kept until the final bill is SIGNED. And I mean contact these folks EVERY SINGLE FRIGGIN' DAY!!!
Cross-posted @ Daily Kos
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