Victims Of 'Health Insurance Bureaucracy' Speak Out

ABC News:

Erinn Ackley still remembers her father's words as he struggled with an aggressive form of cancer in 2006. Bill Ackley had health insurance through his job as a public school teacher. But as his life hung in the balance, his insurance company questioned the necessity of a potentially life-saving treatment doctors prescribed and, for a time, refused to pay.

Read the whole story: ABC News

Comments

[Businespoli]

Everyday we, the people, get ripped off by those we put in office..and this cycle continues year after year

good articles 4 slow news day: http://www.iamned.com
g

[newbridge]

It seems the real "death panels" are the insurance companies, not public option. Anyone who is for this kind of continued treatment for the American people have lost their humanity. It angers me that insurance companies have actually paid bonuses to employees to deny coverage and cancel coverage.

The only thing I can say about those who want the status quo is I hope you or your loved one never gets sick, and I hope that next year your employer can afford to keep giving you insurance. I understand we are only a few years away from employers dropping insurance for their employees. I can guarantee that at that time, these "status quo" people will be screaming about healthcare reform. Until then, how many more have to die?

[babaann]

How many people have had to die in order for the insurance companies to have enough money to bribe the politicians?

[dadw5boys]

Paer 2

Here comes the Blitz more banks failing small businesses can't get loans. Obama throw the FDIC some funds to keep small banks doors open ans slow the closure porocess to keep the Dollar some value. Oversight of Military Contractors in Iraq is re-instated and the drain on the Treasury slow dramaticaly. The War in Iraq suddenly becomes only a small conflict without all those Dollars being throw around causing problems.

With the Ball at the 9 yard line Obama fianally gets a breather and finds time to get personal to take the responsiblity for the FDA, EPA, and even a Supreme Court Justice. But before Obama can get time to think here comes the National Debt and the Budget Defict looking for more money . Obama looks across to the sidelines and Bush drops his head and turns away while Cheny is yelling FAIL FAIL.

Obama goes back into the battle this time overseas to let the Forgien Country know that the USA was not going to be the agressive World Power it had been in the past. The USA would not be meddling in Forgien Government and causing problems just to sell weapons. This give the USA some desperatly needed respect and even assiatance from Pakistan and others who were pushed around by Bush.

[dadw5boys]

Americans are not smart enough to learn from History or the Eroupeans.

Central Banks like the Federal Reserve have been raping Eroupe 300 years longer than they have in the USA,.

Single Payer Health Care is a PURELY DEFENSIVE MOVE of the Citizens protecting themselves from the International Bankers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Arrech]

exactly

[somsoc]

Bill Ackley was one of millions of those executed by the " for-profit - health care insurance industry" de@th panels. The fringe re!ch wing was correct in one respect, there are de@th panels, they just got it wrong as to where these nefarious entities exist. These panels are put in place to assure that claims are denied for any reason imaginable and often for no rational reason at all and those on the panel have an incentive to take such action because they are paid on a commission based upon the value to the company of the total value of the claims denied. Plain and simple, the " for-profit - health care insurance industry" should be treated as an organized cr!minal enterprise under the RICO Act and its various boards of directors and officers made subject to charges of cr!minal conspiracy to commit and the commission of mur der.

[munki]

Sorry... we go for America and Americans and NOT... money greeds...

[swift goat pet for truth]

GOPers Congressmen: "We are so sorry. But you are not rich, so you are on your own."

[cryingeagle]

Rich Republicans, who have the finest doctors and healthcare in the world, pay for it with money that they receive by employing American workers who live below the national poverty level or worse whom they hire at minimum wage and often employ only part time. These are the working Americans who can barely afford to pay their rent, utilities and groceries and have no health insurance. These working Americans are the backbone of our economy and would appreciate and support a government run healthcare plan like Medicare and like the healthcare plan that government workers, the military and political members in congress have, and that is paid for with these workers' tax dollars, but that they are not eligible for. These well-to-do Republicans, who deny these working Americans a public healthcare plan, are often so blinded by greed, selfishness and self centeredness that they can only want to squeeze every penny out of their workers without having to give them anything in return that they are not legally obliged to. These rich Republicans are also so competitive that they hate to see anyone that they think they are better than, receive public health care and become satisfied and enjoy life, for fear that these workers might actually have found a pleasure that these rich Republicans don't own, control and singularly benefit from.

[SantaFeStars]

Government would be much more efficient than private insurance at this point in time! The insurance industry no longer serves a purpose for most Americans in need of health care. Unfortunately, profits outweigh taking care of sick people. Canada, UK, and France are quite pleased with their government controlled health care. Sick people should not be denied treatment for any reason, and they should not have to declare bankruptcy for their services!!

[timberdoodle]

You are absolutely right. I'm a Canadian and have enjoyed our system for over 50 years and have never given a second thought to our family's health care needs other than the cause for what ever treatment we were receiving.

Getting medical treatment without financial worry or bothering with any paperwork other than showing our OHIP card when receiving treatment and no interference from anyone. Never see a bill or never have contact with anyone other than the medical people performing the treatments.

Actually I never knew what a co-payment was until I purchased a health care plan for our pets.

[Arrech]

That's funny

[frappe]

These kinds of stories should be given headline or front page treatment and magnified on cable news shows. This is the "reality" of what Americans have had to deal with -- illegitimate denial of claims by private insurers -- and all in an effort to reap greater profits at the expense of someone else's health and wellbeing. It's such a gross offense against basic human decency and it's the common currency of the health insurance industry.

So instead of the fiction that the Right is pushing, claiming that people shouldn't let the government get between them and their doctors what we have in reality is an existing situation where private health insurance bureaucrats are, and have been, denying legitimate claims by those most vulnerable in our society.

I look forward to the day when insurance companies are no longer engaged in the health care business. Clearly, serious conflicts of interest are at play. They don't belong in the health care business. Single Payer is the real solution that we need.

[timberdoodle]

Everything would be in a better perspective if the public didn't keep repeating America is the greatest country in the world rather than recognizing with it's wealth and size it could be the greatest country in the world.

Right now the American culture and lack of social safety netting is making the United States the richest and largest country in the world with a 3rd world existence for it's citizens.

[frappe]

I couldn't agree more.

fanned and faved

[Firbolg]

“Right now the American culture and lack of social safety netting is making the United States the richest and largest country in the world with a 3rd world existence for it's citizens”
Unfortunately this in not the situation. The benefits of the country’s wealth and power are enjoyed by just enough of us to make sure the others can be deprived of their share and still allow the elites to claim the US to be a democracy and a Christian nation.
We are not a country in the true sense but a bunch of individuals living in the same area with a lifetime license granting dispensation from the need to worry about what happens to anyone less fortunate than ourselves.

[swift goat pet for truth]

When I was growing up, we were proud of America as the world leader.

Then the GOPers got control.
Now its, "Well, we are better than Paraguay."
"37th in the world? We are better than 180 other countries"

GOPer values. Worthless.

[Furby]

America has not been a world leader in quite some time. The only people who don't seem to be aware of that are Americans (rephrase: most Americans).

[MountainPenelope]

No bank is too big to fail.

No auto manufacturer is too big to fail.

No health insurance company is too big to fail.

For profit health care is immoral. Period.

[VillainUs]

Amen

[FreedomCorpse]

death merchants are in charge of america's healthcare system, there is no doubt and they own politicians lock, stock and barrel.

[babyboomerorig]

"Every single American would agree that what you went through was wrong," said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. "Americans hate being told what to do, and this idea that someone is going to get between them and their doctor doesn't sit well."

OMG....this man represents us? The gall of him to ignore the fact that his beloved insurance companies denied treatment and allowed someone to die is apparantly irrelivent. The INSURANCE COMPANY got between them and their doctor....nobody else....just them.

This guy doesn't have a clue.

[Vxx]

yeah, he loaded his words carefully, didn't he? Since the only long-lasting solution is to move healthcare to a system managed by the people and their elected representatives and away from "I get paid more if I can avoid or delay actually meeting any commitments".

[Furby]

He has a clue alright. He's just reading the script his financial supporters wrote for him.