Proof that the Insurance companies (corp america) are NOT acting in our best interests!!!!!! and need to be reformed NOW
In very recent news: Anthem Blue Cross of CA is raising premiums by 39%
Re: Wellpoint (parent company of Anthem BC)
Just this past January, Wellpoint in the news: they were barred from enrolling new patients in Medicare plans because it denied drugs to elderly insureds endagering their lives. Los Angeles Times Jan 13, 2009 article
In April 2009,
Wellpoint sent out 3 million "robocalls" (automated pre recorded political calls) to round up opposition to healthcare reform, this was their newest anti-health reform corporate strategy see Sacramento Bee, Business section
In Sept 2009
California Attorney General to investigate possible employee abuse by United Healthcare and Wellpoint because they were pressuring their own employees to contact their Representatives in House and Senante in opposition to healthcare reform
see Consumer Watchdog.org Sept 2, 2009
In October 2009
Internal Wellpoint memo cutting its own employee's healthcare benefits
see Bloomberg.com
in October 2009
one of Wellpoint, Anthem Blue Cross subsidiaries sued State of Maine to get the right to raise their premimum rates by 18.5% because Maine's Insurance Superintendent only approved a 10.9% rate increase !!!
Democratic Congressmen Henry Waxman and Bart Stupack launching an investigation into Anthem Blue Cross of California's new 39% rate hike, inviting Wellpoint's CEO to testify before Congress 2/24/10
see Los Angeles Time, business section
and California State Legislator also investigating, a hearing set for 2/23/10
California's Republican Insurance Commissioner, is calling on Blue Cross of CA to delay rate hike until 5/1 while a state-apointed Independent actuary evalutes it.
Dem Senator Barabara Boxer asking CA State Attorney General to investigate Anthem Blue Cross' rate hike
IF you live in CA and have Anthem Blue Cross, NOW is the time to write, telephone, speak up to your congressmen and senators!!!!! Strike while the iron is HOT!
I've been complaining until I am Blue in the face over all the denials from Anthem Blue Cross last year. I was dealing with Wellpoint to get some corrected after complaining to Medicare about them, but they still have failed to address an appeal over durable medical equipment and no one is punishing them for failing to met their deadline to respond to my appeal. I guess it's a good time to call Sen Boxer, Congressman Waxman and Stupak, as well as the State Attorney General and State Government reps!
Those who have the same problems elsewhere need to speak up too!
See the White House Blog by Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, "too many Americans are at the whim of private, for-profit insurance companies who are raking in billions in profits"
also see
http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/20...-irks-sebelius says "I was very disturbed to learn through media accounts that Anthem Blue Cross plans to raise premiums for its California customers by as much as 39 percent. ...Your company's strong financial position makes these rate increases even more difficult to understand. As you know, your parent company, WellPoint Incorporated, has seen its profits soar, earning $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009 alone."
Thanks to the Rachel Maddow show (yesterday) for summarizing all of this recent news coverage and facts