Elizabeth Warren Stunned By Giant Health Insurer's Greed

[Donkees]

Sept 14, 2017

Elizabeth Warren is shocked to find out that the health insurance giant, Anthem, gets roughly half their quarterly earnings from the federal government, and still has the audacity to pull out of the Affordable Care Act marketplace--thus sowing more instability for millions of the poorest Americans--because their demands aren't being met.

[Dustlawyer]

1. No it is not too much to ask! They are insurance companies who are supposed to understand that

some people you pay more money out on than you take in and in others, some others you make more money.

If you are make a profit you are doing good, but to maximize profits as our system currently works, you screw people when they start to cost you so you have almost all profit with little payouts.

With Single Payer we eliminate you and take care of it ourselves!

[George II]

2. How about this? See:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141867380

[tavernier]

3. What state?

Because my daughter is a nurse and works for Anthem and they are under the ACA here in Indiana.

[Autumn]

12. Indiana is one of the states they are announced that they are pulling out of

http://money.cnn.com/2017/08/07/news/economy/anthem-obamacare/index.html

Carriers have until August 16 to revise their premium requests and until September 27 to sign contracts for 2018. They have grown increasingly jittery over participating in Obamacare amid the uncertainty emanating from Washington D.C., particularly as President Trump's threatens to stop paying a key set of subsidies.

The Affordable Care Act market remains too volatile for Anthem's liking, the company said. In particular, it is concerned about whether it will continue to receive the Obamacare subsidies that reduce out-of-pocket costs for lower-income consumers. Another factor is the return of a tax on health insurers that had been temporarily suspended.

Today, planning and pricing for ACA-compliant health plans has become increasingly difficult due to a shrinking and deteriorating individual market, as well as continual changes and uncertainty in federal operations, rules and guidance, including cost sharing reduction subsidies and the restoration of taxes on fully insured coverage," the company said in a statement.
No counties will be left without at least one other insurer. Anthem specifically notes that it is remaining in 85 mostly rural counties in Georgia where it is expected to be the sole carrier in 2018.

Anthem, which provides Obamacare polices in 14 states this year, already announced it is withdrawing from Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as much of California.
Nearly 10,000 residents in 17 counties are at risk for having no Obamacare options next year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation -- many of them because of Anthem's exit.

They are greedy pigs.

[Sluggeaux]

4. Selling healthcare access results in greed?

Shocking.

[Bengus81]

5. Gosh... a mesley profit of nearly $4 BILLION a year but that's not good enough.....

Jesus this is one FUCKED up Country.............

[WestMichRad]

6. But single payer costs too much!

Consumers get gouged over and over again... so corporate investors can get their returns and executives get their outrageous bonuses.

If we pay for services through taxes rather than to for-profit corporations, that's bad! A kleptocracy is sooo much better than socialism! (I don't really need a sarcasm tag here, do I?)

We're being taken for a ride so that corporations can milk us dry.

[turbinetree]

7. This FUCKING ASSHOLE looked at the market

and anything has to be successful it needs to stand on it's own.........................so this FUCKING ASSHOLE takes in over 54% of the taxpayer money and is basically worried about his performance in a wall street fund.......................and thinks its just fine and dandy to basically BLACKMAIL people to have health care ....................FUCK YOU RUZ-Moss........................FUCK YOU



This is why we need a public option and or Medicare of all---------------------:Elizabeth Warren clap:

[Honeycombe8]

8. I'm not stunned. As long as ins. is involved, we will never have good health care. nt

[mdbl]

35. Except for the top half of one percenters

They are just fine with it.

[paleotn]

9. Well, yea....

that's American capitalism at it's finest.

They'd sell their children if the price was right.

[Scarsdale]

10. Can somebody, ANYBODY explain

to me why citizens are not up in arms about politicians having their own "special" healthcare plan?? Eliminate that, make THEM sign on for this plan they are giving taxpayers, and hear them SCREAM. They get a "cadillac" healthcare plan for themselves FOR LIFE! WHY? Pre-existing conditions would cut a lot of these free loaders off at the knees. McCain, for example. Cheney with his heart treatments for so many years.

[mopinko]

16. they dont any more. they buy on the aca, and get a stipend for it.

[Scarsdale]

18. Why?

They are all millionaires, taking every lobbyist $$$ they can grab. They would not WILLINGLY give up their great health insurance for the crappy plan they are pushing for others. They are keeping their coverage hidden from citizens, to avoid an uproar. I want to see an HONEST exposure of THEIR health plan. We KNOW it is NOT what they are pushing for others.

[mopinko]

20. it was part of the aca legislation.

[Impeach Trump]

11. I love it in her saying what I have elt for years.

We need more like her.

[llmart]

13. And yet there are plenty of people...

in this country who are too asleep to figure out they are being screwed. "We don't want socialism" even though they don't have a clue what socialism is (I'm all for a socialist/democratic country) and they vote for Repukes.

I'm quite sure Anthem isn't the only one. My daughter works for Blue Cross and she told me about the big bonuses everyone got which she didn't expect. She asked why they got these bonuses and the manager said, "Because BCBS had a very good year." Huh? I thought they were a non profit?

[Scarsdale]

19. This goes on

while people have to declare bankruptcy, or die for lack of healthcare.

[BigmanPigman]

23. That's me...die bankrupt after being a school teacher for over 15 years

and saving every cent after putting myself through college for a second degrees, working 50+ hours a week, getting no pay increase for over 5 years (not even COLA) and getting sick all the time. I had to leave before I had enough years for benefits and retirement and now have over 30% of my disability income going for the ACA and expensive meds. I will have to lose all my savings and my apt and my family's money to pay for the necessary surgeries to reduce my severe pain until I eventually die from one of my two illnesses.

That is why I have called Congress over 400 times (seriously!) since Jan. and am writing letters, going to rallies and die-ins, etc. while I am still physically able to do so.

Health Insurance companies and Big Pharm own this country and Americans are to stupid or willfully ignorant or just plain lazy and apathetic to do anything.

[Scarsdale]

34. Exactly.

Working people do not stand a chance in this country. The gop caters to the wealthy, and STUPID citizens vote for them! Anyone with a lick of intelligence can see that the gop is for the wealthy. Civilized countries have made sure to have affordable healthcare for their citizens, except for this country. My 45 year old son died for lack of healthcare. He was laid off, could not afford $600 a month, kept hoping to be called back to work. He just got sicker and sicker. I offered to pay for a doctor visit, but he said "They will send me for all kinds of tests, and I will be in debt for the rest of my life" How could I argue with that, it is true. Meanwhile millionaires like McCain and Cheney cost taxpayers millions for their coverage. Even Dole is still on the take. The Bush family is still draining the treasury with health costs and Secret Service coverage. We, as a country, are royally SCREWED. I am so sorry for your situation, it is a disgrace in this day and age that any person should have to worry themselves sick about healthcare.

[mdbl]

36. Anthem is BCBS

[jalan48]

14. For profit healthcare-it's what's for dinner in the US

[flamingdem]

15. Anthem informed us August 1st that it was pulling out of CA markets

Infuriating and disgusting after they had dominated the market there.

Only silver lining is that many doctors report they're a pain to deal with for reimbursement.

Thanks Elizabeth Warren for nailing this Anthem idiot.

Let's not forget that their CEO is a trumpie - Joseph Swedish - and he wants those exec compensation limits lifted.

[stuffmatters]

28. Thanks for citing that Anthem CEO is a Trumpie and looking to lift Ocare CEO caps

[bitterross]

17. So cross-state selling won't make a difference

He clearly said they look at each market as a stand-alone market. That each must stand on its own. That would seem to run counter to the push that selling across state lines would encourage more insurers. His statements indicate the company will not look at profit across the country, they will look at market by market.

[airplaneman]

30. Cross-state selling gave us ENRON n/t.

[CCExile]

21. It is simple...

The concept of health insurance is outdated technology.

[dalton99a]

22. Kick.

[Stellar]

24. I hate everything about exhibit 'A'. nt

[pansypoo53219]

25. bit of the skrelli/twitler smirk there. less skrelli face. but they have the same dead eyes.

asshole eyes. inward eyes. fuck you eyes.

[not fooled]

26. We can hoppe

they are out to seize every last penny they can extort now because they realize the end is approaching for their sh*tty "business" aka racket.



no one will miss you, asshole. go steal money in some other endeavor. There's lots of opportunities left in 'Murica for bilking people.

[stuffmatters]

27. I hope this video post and video stays on DU a long time. Anthem is a disgrace.

[burrowowl]

29. Kick!

[They_Live]

31. K & R

[SergeStorms]

32. Go get 'em, Elizabeth!

I love that woman! I POSITIVELY LOVE THAT WOMAN!

[mwooldri]

33. Nationalize Anthem.

And BCBS organization as a whole.

It'll form part of the framework to administer Medicare for all.