Denied Claims Placed At Health Insurance CEO's Doorstep (VIDEO)

A new video puts denied health insurance claims on United Health Care CEO Stephen Hemsley's doorstep.

The video, made by Brave News Films' Robert Greenwald, intercuts stories of people suffering because of denied claims with images Hemsley's fancy homes, along with details about how much money Hemsley's got ($744,232,068 in unexercised stock options, for example).

Holly Bailey says in the video that United Health Care refused to pay for medicine she couldn't live without.

"They kept telling my local pharmacy...'Oh we're just waiting for one more letter, or we're just waiting for one more script, and then we'll start paying,'" Bailey said. "This went on for six months, and December 4th both the pharmacy and I received a letter from United Health Care saying they deemed it medically unnecessary and that they were not going to pay any of it.

"I tried to explain to them that if I do not have this, I will die. And the only response she gave me was, 'OK.'"

Joanna Joshua, whose child's treatment was denied, asks, "Stephen Hemsley, how are you able to sleep at night?"

The piece aims to gin up the sort of pitchfork-style outrage against health insurance CEOs that so beset Wall Street executives after their industry was bailed out by the government.

"It's definitely similar and in some ways worse, because these are dollars are literally being taken away from you that could help save lives in order to build bigger mansions," said Greenwald in an interview with the Huffington Post. "We hope it will begin a part of the discussion that has not happened: Who is gaining from the current system, and why are they resisting?"

Along with the video, Greenwald's group unveiled a website detailing compensation for five other health insurance company CEOs.

United Health Care said in a statement that the company supports health reform and making coverage available to all Americans.

"Reforming and modernizing health care is serious, complex work not advanced by attack videos or rhetoric, so we will continue to focus productively on expanding coverage for all Americans," the statement reads. "Health companies, such as UnitedHealth Group and its peers, were among the first of the stakeholders to come to the table with a comprehensive proposal to reform our own sector. Our industry's proposal brings everyone into the system, guarantees coverage for all Americans, does away with pre-existing condition limitations, and ends rating based on health."

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Comments

[Frim Fram Sauce]

11:48 AM on 09/05/2009

Stephen Hemsley wanted Poster LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Qh4x-Aptg

[spanky1977]

05:34 PM on 08/10/2009

I find it very interesting that all of the negative publicity has been focused on the insurers.....yet nobody has even questioned the physicians, facilities and hospitals about their outrageous charges.

Why does a 30-minute visit by an emergency room physician result in a $1,500 bill (avg) from the hospital and a $500 bill (avg) from the physician, which doesn't include any stitches or medicine. Don't even get me started about how large the bill would be if, God forbid, an uninsured patient needed outpatient or inpatient surgery.

Who's ringing on the doors of the Hospitals, Large Medical Practices and Facilities that continuously increase their charges and create ridiculously HUGE medical bills. Honestly....next time you have surgery, review the line item detail of your bill....I've never seen Tylenol capsules that cost $300 at any pharmacy. And that surgery gown is definately not worth $125.

We ALL need to be looking at EVERYONE involved in heatlhcare in order to control costs, not just the insurers.

[lostkiara]

10:26 PM on 08/10/2009

Very good point, spanky. My two day stay in the hospital was $89,000.

They even charge when you ask for an extra pillow. Did you know you pay for those pillows? Those people actually charge you for that.

But don't gloss over the ins companies. Most hospitals are owned by these profit corps run by the likes of Rick Scott.

They all make loads ripping off the consumer and regularly denying care, claims and coverage.

[Jaywalkker]

11:54 PM on 08/09/2009

"...letter from United Health Care saying they deemed it medically unnecessary and that they were not going to pay any of it."

I think there was a mistake made, the quote excerpted says UHC not faceless government bureaucrat standing between this person and their doctor.

*ahem*

[arabianway]

01:46 PM on 08/09/2009

I am 100% in favor of outing these CEO's. The fastest surest way for change to happen is to shine a light on those ultimately responsible.

Why? Because even in the rarefied circles this man and others like him travel, there is such a thing as social shunning.

The dollar amounts showing how much this character is making versus the amounts needed and denied to those who are sick and paid their premiums in this video are sickening.

[RightWingMarine]

12:24 PM on 08/09/2009

so when pro-lifers put the home addresses of abortion providers on their website that was a terroristic threat but when this group does the same it's not?

[Diogenes08]

01:31 PM on 08/09/2009

Not the same when this guy could buy Blackwater, lock stock and their thousands of (gun) barrels, with his car fare!

[SOLERSO68]

01:48 PM on 08/09/2009

"pro lifers" have shown over and over again a willingness to KILL anyone that disagrees with them. when progressives start croaking CEO's , REAPEATEDLY, then you can make the comparison. until then progressives have more credibility than "pro lifers"

[Celebrindan]

03:16 PM on 09/05/2009

Wait a minute.

The characterization of the entire pro life community as willing to commit murder is not appropriate or warranted.

Just as everyone on the pro choice side is not.

What individuals do only color the picture, they do not draw the lines.

Please, don't add to the nation's Scorn Level by misrepresenting an entire group when it's really the act of a thoroughly demented individual that deserves all our repute.

[dawlishgal]

12:22 PM on 08/09/2009

Please people, take a look at ERISA and how it gives insurance companies a license to steal from policies of working people. (f you get a policy at work, you have very little rights to sue the company if they cheat you). If you buy a policy privately, it is not covered by ERISA, and you can still sue for bad faith and other things when your insurance company defaults and dishonors the terms of your policy. The spectre of losing a bad faith law suit is apparently all that keeps insurance companies (relatively) honest.

IF you buy your policy outside the workplace, it is not covered by ERISA., and policy holders retain their rights to sue. (So, of course, insurance companies are not as likely to cheat those people). . But there is no incentive for insurance companies to honor policies that fall under ERISA because there are no severe penalties for cheating.

Your government is aware of this loophole. Afterall, they created it. They just don't feel like talking about it, not even now when there is discussion about how insurance companies will deal with the public trust if there are no public options.

Call your congressman and your senators. Ask them where they stand on ERISA, and, more important right now, ask them why the silence from Democrats on the whole matter of the blantant discrepance between work-place obtained policies and privately purchased ones.

[peacethinker]

09:17 AM on 08/09/2009

If you haven't seen this ... it's very interesting
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

[LoudmouthLime]

08:44 AM on 08/09/2009

Important article on the ongoing US Healthcare "system", putrid with greed. We can expect more slime to be uncovered while this "industry" is slated for overhaul. For a health insurance representative to say that we are not aware of such practices is standard in this industry. As it stands it's the bottom line (profit) that is nurtured NOT the patient. Advice. Don't get sick, ever.

[Wiseup2Day]

07:51 AM on 08/09/2009

Just wait until the government denies procedures.. at least you can take the insurance companies to court..when the government tells you no..there's no where to go to complain..

[Darleen Michael-Baker]

11:01 AM on 08/09/2009

Neither of those statements is true. More T.R.O.L.L.I.N.G.

[fefo70]

02:11 AM on 08/09/2009

I was talking just today with a broker and asked about denied claims and rescinding contracts after sickness, and here's what she said...

Jeff,
I am not sure of where you are getting your information. ... I am not aware of companies dropping individuals due to an illness if they are already covered and the coverage is not delinquent in payment....I am not sure how else I can help, please let me know....


Jennifer L. Shade
Master Health & Life Insurance Broker
American Insurance Organization
www.aiobroker.com/jshade
Email: [e-mail]
Cell: [phone]
Toll Free: 1-877-638-4300 ext #102

[fefo70]

02:23 AM on 08/09/2009

Well, not told...wrote...we have been emailing each other.

The broker I spoke to before her wanted to sell me insurance but when I said I had a preexisting condition (that only costs me $90 out of pocket a month for pills), he said that he now he COULDN'T sell me insurance because BY LAW he is not allowed to see insurance to anyone who has a condition. I started arguing, asking him what law this was and he finally said, "Listen, you need to understand that insurance companies are here to make money and if we keep accepting sick people like you we'll go out of business!" I thought I would die. I called my Senator's Office Arlen Specter and they said to report them to the State Commission Office... They kept calling me every day anyway I don't know why and Friday I got into a shouting match with the receptionist after i told them to stop calling me. She told me to F&&& off THey are Consumer Health Benefits Assocation

http://www.ourchba.com/contact.asp

And I did report them to the State COmmission on Insurance

[fefo70]

02:07 AM on 08/09/2009

First ring of hell is for the insurance companies, second ring for Walmart, and third ring for Labor Ready - Dante

[dansup]

01:33 AM on 08/09/2009

Hemsley.................any relation to Leona? Sure sounds like it

[dansup]

01:39 AM on 08/09/2009

(he could have dropped the l)

[rowzeer]

12:55 AM on 08/09/2009

Rachel Maddow exposed the "Lewin Group" as an arm of UHC

[rowzeer]

12:54 AM on 08/09/2009

UHC also own the Lewin Group, a "think tank"...which Repubs quote when saying that studies show health care reform will cost too much

[Jezreel]

12:21 AM on 08/09/2009

Wow! When a video is packed with factual information and includes real people who have suffered at the hands of Insurance corporations it gets to the core of the matter, forms a lasting impression and has greater impact than any political speech.

This video speaks far more than a thousand words.

Brave New Films has always done excellent work. They did not disappoint on this.

Bravo!!!!