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And we can all sing the blues.
Blue Cross of NEPA has been sitting on a pile of money for the last few years and decided this week to give some of it to help fund the local health care system. While that is commendable the rate payers are up in arms about it and I can't blame them. The whole idea of insurance is to pool the risk and spread it out. Not to have the insurance company decide to give away your premiums to a purpose (although worthy) it wasn't intended. I read a story today that Denise Cesare the CEO of the local Blue who makes more than you and I ever will said if they used the money for rebates it would amount to "only" 200+ dollars per subsciber. I got news for you Lady. Two hundred bucks would be welcomed in most households.
3 hours ago
14 comments:
Reinvesting was a much better idea my friend.
unfortunately what they are doing is NOT reinvesting, they are using premiums to buy influence. there is a giant string attached with the money. are the country club memberships "reinvestment". premiums have two purposes, pay the claim and pay the administrative cost necessary to adminsiter the claims. blue cross thought this would be a great p.r. event, what is happening people are starting to see through blue cross, now we will see if some industrious reporters start rooting around in the blue cross closets.
well just look at who sits on the boards of blue cross and the hospitals........
Blue Cross is supposed tobe a non profit. Have they changed their status? If not how do they justify not using their revenues for the exact purposes they are meant?
This is one more example why we need to rid ourselves of private healthcare and go with universal, single payer, privately delivered health care.
See my article about the program being introduced next month on The Pennsylvania Progressive.
PaProglessless,
Why don't you pay for their losses then next time there's a lawsuit or crisis! If a Katrina hit NEPA and there were a dearth of funding, you'd be blaming Bush.
No actually blue cross and Blue shield and a number of the "non-profit" insurance companies are in constant violation of their status as non-profits. The simple problem is they
enforcement is a joke. If Insurance companies want to be for profit fine but then pay up your taxes.
in fact Blue cross/shield screws everyone including the doctors to give their upper management huge paychecks
In 2005 Blue Cross struck a deal with the state of Pennsylvania to contribute 1 billion dollars over six years and this is how they are doing it. I think it is a great disbursment of cash. It improves hospitals, staff and the overall care of patients. They are just doing what they are told to do. Take it up with Ed Rendell.
Blue Cross across the country paid out 206 billion dollars in claims last year, a record, trust me they aren't screwing anyone and if people have problems paying their coverages put down the double whoppers, cigs, beers and pick up some exercise habits.
To David Yonki ...
You are right on the money about the women in charge. Not only is it the CEO's but most other positions (Managers, Supervisors, HR) are women. That trickles down to the regular employees and the males are victims of gender bias on a wide scale. Most are too afraid to take action. Others are afraid of repurcussions if they speak the truth. BCNEPA has them so full of fear, it's pathetic. I, for one, would speak up if I saw wrong doing.
To Doctor Rick ,
How can you call this reinvesting? Do you mean "recinvesting in the health care inductry" or do you mean trying to put Geisinger out of business and holding a monopoly in this region? What is WVHCS and Blue Cross were to get into a legal battle in the future? BCNEPA would be saying, "Look, we gave you XXX million and in return, you'll go by our rules".. simply not right.
Technically, shouldn't Geisinger receive the funds also? Many people that go to Geisinger also have BCNEPA insurance.
Also.. what type of lawsuits are you referring to? I read the papers and watch television. I dont recall any large settlements leaving the pockets of Blue Cross. What I do recall is an employee stealing a large sum of money over time and the issue was basically swept under the carpet in a hush, hush manner.
It's also a shame that the 10 or so board memebers receive an annual pay of $400,000 + a healthy bonus while the average worker struggles to take care of a family. You dont get the whole picture, do you?
Hey Richard (Dick),
Since you are a "Union Representative", why not try to get this great company into the union so that employees have a voice that feel discriminated agains? BCNEPA takes advantage of the "at will" law and pushes it to discimination.
These are the things that have happened to me with BC/BS since Aug 2007:
1. They refused to pay a LabCorp bill b/c/Lab.. was not "in the system" I had to fight for 3 mos to get it straighten out. Lots of time on the phone arguing...
2. I went to of University of PA. for mouth pain. I have received at least 25 Statements from them stating that I owe NOTHING. The UofP sends me bills for $2,00. The U of P submitted the original bill incorrectly--all other corrections were viewd as DUPLICATES. --still not resolved. Thank you Sharon Edmonds supervisor who promised to help.
3. On December 21 instead of Dec 31--my prescription plan 'lost' my deductible. Express Scripts was confused. Bc reps were confused. An electronic message was incorrectly sent with the incorrect date. I was told I would receive the 80% overage that I had paid in 7-10 days. It is the 29th of Jan the date has passed by 15 days. NOT resolved.
4. I was told the deductible error would not affect my doctor app't. It did. I owe the FULL $60.. instead of the %20=12.00
Can ANYONE help me to get these people areested for their theft of my money and the money my company pays them for services NOT rendered?
Lorraine
lorrainelakeland@hotmail.com
Lorraine,
I'm sory to hear that you have to go through all of this. I am not a BC/BS employee but I knw first hand how they do bisuness. It's all half-assed. Do you remember the old quote "too many Chiefs and not enough Indians"?? Tha applies to BC. Theu empower people that are so unskilled and lacking and motivation to make rules and regulations for everybody there. They don;t give a damn about anybody or empathise with any situation. The almighty dollar is all they are concerned about and some day their shit will stink too... it's just a matter of time.
If we get a national health plan in place, goodbye to all the people at BC... I cant wait.
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