Sunday, March 18, 2007

Blue Cross of NEPA

Another example of Blue Cross spending your premiums on something other than insurance.

CV: Blue Cross gave the Democratic Governors Association two contributions of $35,000, according to U.S. Internal Revenue...Unlike donations made by Blue Cross Voice PAC, the non-profit health insurance company’s employee-funded political action committee, the money for the governors association came directly from revenues Blue Cross earns through premiums paid by its 600,000 subscribers and investment income from its surplus...The decision to contribute to the governors association was made by Blue Cross CEO Denise Cesare.

Blue Cross has a PAC that is funded by employee contributions and can give to whoever they want. But using premiums to contribute to political campaigns is another diversion of the surplus they have accumulated and should be out of bounds. They are also planning to spend $175 million of the surplus to integrate local health-care systems and support the creation of a local medical school. Worthy projects but that's not we paid our premiums for.

State Rep. Phyllis Mundy, who has repeatedly criticized Blue Cross for building a surplus instead of lowering its rates or offering rebates to subscribers, said she was “100 percent opposed to this kind of activity.”“This seems extremely egregious if it came out of ratepayer dollars or money earned on ratepayer dollars through investment,” the Kingston Democrat said.

Blue Cross of NEPA is also very stingy when it comes to health care coverage of it's employees and retirees. They just settled a lawsuit over a promise to provide lifetime coverage that they reneged on.

Benefits lawsuit vs. Blues settled

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I worked at BC. It wasn't fun.

Anonymous said...

This is crazy... Blue Cross doesn't care about anything but their own political ties to get the "who ya know" scene going on.

About their law suit... Again, Blue Cross makes promises and gives cetain individuals special treatment while others are systematically forced out of the company for no reason whatsoever. Blue Corss is NOT the great place to work for as they claim to be.

You are right when you say they are stingy with worker benefits. They slowly started taking them away and making the employees pay more out of pocket. A family with four people can add up quick when it comes to co-pays and out of pocket expenses.

Anonymous said...

I've heard all kinds of crazy stories about the place. A 30+ year employee being fired without notice then being escorted by security to the door. Laying off employees then calling them back without seniority and at a reduced hourly rate. Our work ethic allows this.

Anonymous said...

You're right.. I was employed their for nearly ten years and had some serious family medical issues and they gave my job to another employee that was not trained in that area while I was out on leave.

They have no human compassion at all. They want their employees to do their best but low and behold a serious problem should come up, they don't want you anymore. It almost sounds like the birth of the communist revolution.

Anonymous said...

I heard that the pepole making very bad decisions in the HR department have been axed due to the many mistakes they have been making in the handling of employee situations. The least that Blue Cross could do is review each case that was handled by the person(s) who took more power than they had been hired to have and offer compensation or rehirement to the employees that were taken for a ride. It's a shame that people work their hearts out for a bigger company and get "screwed" in the end.

Anonymous said...

Years ago, many Blue Cross employees in Management areas and HR donated money to the Republican cause.... They can't make up their minds! I guess they wait to see what group dominates the power spectrum and they try to grab hold of it.

Anonymous said...

It is one thing for employees to have donatd their own money to a politcal party or to an individual. It is a completely different thing when the organization, based on one person's decision, donates premiums that are supposed to go to health care and the costs associated with the managment of said claims.

Anonymous said...

On problems is (to previous poster) is that they are individuals donating with the name "Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvnmia" attached to their "personal" contributions.

I hear you though.. no money form the organization should be delat to any politial party or group. That just ass kissing for clout in the legal/politial world.

Anonymous said...

I heard they give you Christmas bonuses and chocolate year round. They have great bring your pets to work days and free child-care, what everyone is missing is the fact that it went to help elect Democrat governors so I guess no one cares about Blue Cross striking deals with Ed Rendell and then giving him some sweet cash?

Anonymous said...

As a former emplyee I can let you know that I never received a bunus, a turkey, chocolate. Maybe the big-wigs do. One year they found it acceptable to give me $0.07 raise while a part-timer received over $1.20 per hr and she came in when she felt like it.

Blue Cross is a complete nepotism melting pot. if you dont act like a suck-up, you will not get ahead no matter how well bahved you are and/or if your perfomaces are fantastic. It's a big joke. I advise anyone reasing this to tell your friends and relative to avoid applying there.

On another note, they single people out to give certain people drug tests and special on-screen computer tests to see how their math skills are. i would think that if one gets the test, all shoud... but no.. blue cross crosses the EEO line on that one.

Anonymous said...

Does Denise Cesare get paid for being the chairperson on the FM Kirby Center list? Does she really have so much free time to be the "CHAIR" person for another organization?

I personally have lots of time to work but BCNEPA didnt keep me hired because they felt the need to give my job to another employee while on a serious family medical leave.