| Author |
Message |
    
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 07:48 pm: | 
|
Here are the rankings per US News:
Top 25 US Health Care Companies
It's a little misleading, though. BCBS isn't a "company". BCBS is a quasi-governmental entity. As such, each one exists separately as a separate entity in co-operation with the state government with which they are aligned.
As you can see from the list, BCBS is listed several times by state. Just the CA BCBS is the 10th largest carrier. Six of the top 25 insurance carriers are BCBS of various states.
Ultimately, BCBS will be THE insurance company. Maybe UHC and one or two others.
As for the announcement from Principal, the statement that they were leaving the health insurance business to concentrate on core business is as innocuous as Harley Davidson saying that they were leaving the sport bike industry to concentrate on their core business.
They AREN'T going to say "we are leaving the health care industry because the Obama Administration has made competing in this industry on our average profit margin of 3-4% completely impossible." Chicago Inc. has made it very clear that they can make private enterprises hostile to the current administration very uncomfortable. |
Teeps
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 08:12 pm: |
|
Blake Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011
Progressives never let truth get in the way of their propaganda. How far do you have to bury your head to imagine that the health care issue is not being driven by government???
Roger that.
I reject the liberals' relabeling themselves progressive.
"Oppressive" is more accurate. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 08:36 pm: |
|
The other thing to consider is that Principal will be offloading over 10% of it's current workforce. The real question is going to be how many jobs are shed by how many more companies.
It wasn't their only operation. This is not the case for many of the carriers for which health insurance is their main or only product.
You'll see the carriers with multiple lines dropping out first. They will stop the bleeding ASAP. Those carriers with medical and non-medical (group life, group disability, group dental) will delay their exit as long as possible and will eventually concentrate on the non-medical business. |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 09:00 pm: |
|
Teeps,
Funny thing is that it's kind of come full circle. They started out calling themselves "Communists", then "Socialist Democrats", then "Democrats", then "Progressives", then "Liberals", now they're back to "Progressives." I think the original "Progressive" movement coalesced back around the 1920s or so.
The far left of the Democratic party is little else than a bunch of Communists pushing class warfare and Marxism. They think those that went before them (Lenin, Stalin, Mao) were just not smart enough. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 09:43 pm: |
|
Aetna is dropping 50, ooo employees, and dropping out of the market for 11 states
http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/Busine...-retirees.h tml
but if you like your policy, you can keep it as long as you dont have Aetna, or live in one of those states......
Aetna hasnt sold individual health policies in Washington state since 1996,
I know because I was a broker support at that time.... they pulled the plug because of the rule changes.
And Texas summed it up well.
Starting January 1st, the law requires that health insurers meet a specific medical loss ratio, which is the percentage of an insurer’s premiums spent on medical services for its customers versus administrative costs. The law views certain tasks—like liaising with doctors, protecting patient information and preventing insurance fraud—as administrative even though they significantly improve quality of health care and lower costs. As a result, costs for insurers will rise, the quality of health care will fall, and quality Texas health insurance companies will struggle to stay afloat.
Jared Wolfe, executive director for the Texas Association of Health Plans, believes that “there are a number of plans who won’t be able to meet this requirement and will simply exit the market.” Many health economists say that more small insurers like local National Health Insurance Co. may soon buckle under the weight of the law’s mandates.
The individual Texas health insurance market has higher administrative costs for insurers than the large group market, so as small Texas health insurance companies fight to stay in business, consumer options will be reduced. ObamaCare was supposed to increase access to health care, not decrease it. It’s just one more example of why the pains are not worth the gains.
http://customhealthplans.com/blog/20...nies-to-clo se/
they simply wont offer the individual plans anymore
As Humana, Alliant, Wellcare, Todays Options, Secure Horizons, Unicare, Adventure and Sterling, have all said they will do upon their next policy plan year; with LifeWyse and Regence staying in the market, but at significant increases
(washington state, remember each state has its own guidelines and players)
or you could continue to believe the rosy story coming out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
the shiate storm is just beginning |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 09:54 pm: |
|
>>>>the shiate storm is just beginning
True that.
Boutique Doctors in NYC are the way to go . . as long as I'm paying for health insurance . . may as well pay direct and join a "private pool".
Haven't done anything yet . . but got invited. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 10:06 pm: |
|
Linky no worky. Please repost.
Those who refuse to see, please continue to deny what is happening.
I'm enjoying the irony.  |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 11:03 pm: |
|
I have a video camera shoved up my butt every five years. Five years ago it cost me,out of pocket,about $700.00. I am due for it this year and it will cost me $2,500.00! What changed? |
Blake
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 12:57 am: |
|
It's apparently become a lot less desirable for your doc to penetrate your exhaust tract. 
Do you get the video of the tour, or just a thumbs up? Sorry. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 01:49 pm: |
|
the link keeps going back to archives, its in the side archives, it wont let me link it directly, but basically Texas loosing a bunch of plans because of the MLS
....
And the ObamaCare bill is such a grand piece of legislation that K. Sebalis czarina of CMS has been issuing letters of cease and disisst with threats of fines if companies cite 'the reform' as the reason for changes in their coverage, availability, premiums or enrollments.....
theres some truthiness and transparency for ya  |
Drkside79
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 02:29 pm: |
|
Just Zip there is no way it should cost that with INS unless you are on a plan that has a high deductible and they apply it all |
Johnnymceldoo
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 03:01 pm: |
|
Insurance needs to recoupe for the extended age coverage on young adults on family plans. Where all my free stuff at? |
Reindog
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 03:19 pm: |
|
It is ludicrous for 26 year old ADULTS to be included in their parents plans by mandate. If a 26 year old can't obtain health insurance on their own initiative, then they should enlist in the military, assuming the military wants such a couch potato.
Yeah I know....I am heartless and cruel and don't care about people and am racist and am misogynist and am homophobic, and am xenophobic and am against change and am whatever.
As the song goes..."you gotta be cruel to be kind". This Wonderful Government only wants slaves and victims in order to loot from the Producers at gunpoint. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 04:23 pm: |
|
no no, its because historically the 24-30 age bracket did not buy insurance, or on levels so low that it was abysmal, and most starting jobs for that age bracket didnt have insurance as a benefit... so now you get to force the parents to cover them until 26 and fine them if they dont !
it is great administration !
remember that when you are 24-30 you were invincible ! or broke, or both! they want to capture that market, force them on to Medicaid (because that is what this plan is; it is NOT insurance) and once they have the government teet in their mouth, well howdy, you knowz you got a fresh democrat voter !
remember when government cheese was a stigma ? |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 07:21 pm: |
|
"Children" up to 26 aren't kept on their parents plan for free. Premiums are paid by requirement (fined if you don't have a plan) for virtually no benefit.
When you get to be 60+ and are no longer contributing, hey guess what? You get very little benefit. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 07:32 pm: |
|
where is that graph from ? because if it is medicaid.... it is missing the point that most 58-75 year olds are transitionsed to Medicare and indeed are still a heavy drain on the system. The old and broke that have dual eligibility (both Medicare and Medicaid) are fewer in number, but trecherous in expense and usaebility..... they will be the first to feel the affects of a 'continum of care' administrative panel on their usuage of services vs longeivity vs cost vs survivability.
They wont 'unplug' grandma.... they will just no longer monitor nor maintain the level of services required to keep grandma in the bed using the services, machines, or electricity.
the scemantics are palpable. |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 07:38 pm: |
|
Complete Lives System. |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 09:07 pm: |
|
I pay the first $2,500.00 in costs every year and pretty much nothing after that. If it was "just" maintenance,it would cost me nothing,but (butt) every time,they snip a polyp or snare a rhoid...that changes the whole dealio to a procedure ....with also sending out the thing for $$ testing.
If they do any more than just look.......Yup,$2,500.00 out of pocket. Once they knock me out,I don't think it even takes them 15 minutes ,start to finish. Doc does dozens of them several time a week.......everybody wants to be a millionaire at my expense...... |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 09:10 pm: |
|
There is a big TV that I can watch as they do the "maintenance"......but I quickly go to sleep,no matter how hard I try to stay online. Yeah,I get a thumbs up a few weeks later with a 5 minute,$100.00 office visit.......  |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2011 - 01:06 pm: |
|
if its just a scopy, there is a new 'pill' camera out that you swallow and just walk away. the doc gets the video and it is all out patient agenda ... unless they find something
no anestesia (which is expensive)
no attendings pa's
no 'surgical scopy' charges.
and that could be the other reason that the charge went up.... check the code, a 'scopy' can be billed as both diagnostic or surgical, but not both, they maybe pushing the limiter and either trying to bill for both... or are now billing for surgical where it was diagnostic in the past.
(the little tricks that docs play to maximize their reimbursement) DAMHIK |
Blake
| | Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2011 - 06:48 pm: |
|
They should sell those pills to anyone who wants one. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2011 - 06:55 pm: |
|
it was 'investigational' in 2005, but is getting more mainstream now, and the FDA approval doesnt hurt either.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Pill-Camera-Records-Vide o-of-the-Inside-of-Your-Intestinal-Tract&id=306144
if we all had to sit through Katie Couracs endoscopy on TV, they should be able to do something on a more personal level. I know I was scared off watching her after that !
Doctors are against it...because it definately cuts into their profits ! duh |
|
