The video you've certainly seen today, with Hollywood celebrities coming out to defend those poor insurance companies, has gone viral. What's a little less-known is that prominent Republicans are basically engaging in a note-for-note remake of that video, leaping to the defense of that industry which has turned in record profits, raising premiums even during the Great Recession and saving money by denying Americans care.
Here's the story so far: yesterday the Department of Health and Human Services launched an investigation into Humana for sending its elderly customers a mailer warning that they would lose benefits under the new health insurance reform plan. Interestingly, Max Baucus, yes that Max Baucus, registered the complaint that triggered the investigation. The whole thing concerns Medicare Advantage payments:
Humana is one of the largest private carriers serving seniors under a program called Medicare Advantage. About one-fourth of the elderly and disabled people covered under Medicare participate in the Advantage program, which offers a choice of private plans that usually deliver added benefits.
Humana has about 1.4 million Medicare Advantage enrollees, and the program accounts for about half the company's revenue, Noland said.Government experts say the private plans are being paid too much -- about 14 percent more than it costs to care for seniors in traditional Medicare. The Baucus plan -- and other proposals -- would reduce payments to the plans, and the health insurance industry is fighting back.
The Humana mailer focused squarely on the Medicare Advantage program.
Actually the Medicare Advantage plans cost the government about 14% more and deliver less than traditional Medicare, according to the Government Accountability Office. We are subsidizing private industry billions of dollars so they can perform the exact same task as Medicare, and with lower quality.
The mailer that Humana sent to beneficiaries, designed to look like official communication with customers and not naked lobbying documents, wasn't all; a website which generated automatic emails to members of Congress, claiming to be from customers (despite the fact that anyone could generate an email), is also being probed. And of course, this is not the only example of insurance companies filling their customers' heads with misinformation and turning them into citizen lobbyists.
Of course, the industry went into full-on whine mode as a response, with Republican leaders right behind them.
A spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's main lobbying group, issued a statement Tuesday criticizing what he described as the government's "gag order."
"Seniors have a right to know how the current reform proposals will affect the coverage they currently like and rely on," AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach said.Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate's Republican leader, denounced the HHS order as an attempt to squelch free speech.
"We cannot allow government officials to target individuals or companies because they do not like what they have to say," McConnell said.
"Is this what we believe as a Senate -- that this body should debate a trillion-dollar health care bill that affects every American while using the powerful arm of government to shut down speech?" McConnell said.
McConnell noted that Humana, an insurer at the center of the controversy, is based in his home state. The company has been a large contributor to McConnell, donating $112,452 over his career, according to Eric Schultz, communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. (emphasis mine)
Shocking that Mitch McConnell would leap to the defense, Will Ferrell-style, of a health insurer based in his state which has feathered his nest to the tune of six figures, no?
There is a difference between free speech issues and what Humana and others are doing, namely violating federal law. Medicare Advantage providers are contracted employees of the federal government, and under the terms of Medicare Advantage, providers have strict limits on what they can communicate to beneficiaries. This lobbying effort would appear to violate those guidelines, and those customers receiving this letter could be excused for believing it to be an official document warning of loss of benefits if they failed to take action.
In short, Medicare Advantage is a wasteful corporate welfare program providing no benefit to individual subscribers and actually worse quality of care to seniors, at a cost of around $150 billion over 10 years to the taxpayer. The government has no imperative to keep such a scheme going, and they certainly shouldn't be paying providers to send misleading letters to their customers so they can keep the gravy train going.
But the real amusement here is watching Republicans like Mitch McConnell read from the Will Ferrell script and crying to "leave health insurance CEOs alone," as if they don't get enough help from the taxpayers to fund their lavish lifestyles.
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Barbara Dehn: Insurance Denials for Pregnant Moms
Insurance companies have no liability or risk if they chose not to cover prenatal tests. And since health care providers must do these tests, whether they are paid for or not, OB providers and hospitals absorb the cost.
"Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, complained that he and others were never part of the deal with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and were under no obligation to protect drugmakers from further costs.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, responded angrily that the deal would stand, noting that the White House helped adopt it.
"If you think this is a bad deal you ought to be embarrassed at your president at sitting down with these folks," Grassley said."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32983155/ns/politics-health_care_reform/
The link you provided is just Sen. Olympia Snowe requesting to DELAY Health Care Reform and Sen Blanch Lincoln (turncoat D) agreeing with Sen. sleepy Bunning to DELAY voting on Reform.
But I am sure Farrell rejected Bush's tax cuts, right?
Farrell is NOT criticizing CEO's pay ... He is criticizing that CEO's are putting THEIR profit before patient's HEALTH.
Health is NOT a commodity.
How is it a thoughtcrime to express the concern that cuts in service won't affect seniors?
If the tables were turned, and a nonprofit which spoke out against arts funding cuts by the government (who has made it clear that they were going to take 500 billion from arts programs for months now),
and the government launches an investigation against the non profit's pushback, think that might be a TINY bit of a 1st amendment overreach by the government?
The Orwellian blinders that the left has about the State's power and goodness are in direct proportion to the inherent evil it sees in government when the right is in power.
The government PAYS these insurance giants billions in subsidies to manage and to administrate Medicare and Medicare advantage, the companies then charge more and deliver less to it's customers, this is a redundant payment, and the reduction or elimination of it will save the government a lot of money.
Comparing money given to a private for profit industry twice to do a single job to non profit arts funding that gives kids a more rounded education is intellectually dishonest.
Throwing Orwell out there is just fear mongering.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJK9ly3ovzfflxGjV-dxk2sLILKgD9ASKCQG2