Health Insurance Profits Soar as Industry Mergers Create Near-Monopoly

Thai Kimchi · 08-15-2009, 08:06 PM

According to the recently released HCAN report, “Premiums Soaring in Consolidated Health Insurance Market“:

In the past 13 years, more than 400 corporate mergers have involved health insurers, and a small number of companies now dominate local markets but haven’t delivered on promises of increased efficiency. According to the American Medical Association, 94 percent of insurance markets in the United States are now highly concentrated, and insurers are thriving in the anti-competitive marketplace, raking in enormous profits and paying out huge CEO salaries.

These mergers and consolidations have created a marketplace where a small number of larger companies use their power to raise premiums—an average of 87 percent over the past six years—restrict and reduce benefit packages and control and cut provider payments.

http://hcfan.3cdn.net/dadd15782e627e5b75_g9m6isltl.pdf

Bill Cosby · 08-15-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

87 percent over the past six years

Any move by it's nature is to make more money..........

When is the last time you watched the corporation......

I watched it again on LINK tv yesterday...........

Every time I watch it I walk away in a kinda daze....

imbedded

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...53804055041031

Thai Kimchi · 08-15-2009, 08:55 PM

Bill - here's a great vid of the Bill Moyers Journal PBS show I watch Friday nights. He's interviewing that Cigna fella Potter from the Truth About The Insurance Industry thread I also started.

It's high time the citizens woke up and quit believing corporate scare tactics, and get these UNNEEDED insurance snake oil salesmen OUT of the picture.

The plans they're kicking around now don't come close to doing that, but they should start us on the road to a health care system devoid of the profit motive.

It's unbelievable to me that in America, a 'for-profit' element is even in the health care arena to begin with. I'm hoping this blatant outrage will eventually become clear to the great unwashed and we'll finally get single payer system maybe 10 years down the road. In the Great American Oligarchy, that's about the best one can hope for.

And doesn't the present system mean that NECESSARILY, by definition, in American society only those with enough money for private insurance plans stay alive, the rest should buck up, go to the ER and jack up everyone else's rates if they think they're dying, and above all show some dignity in their final days and quit bitchin.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

Bill Cosby · 08-15-2009, 09:00 PM

I record him every week to............

I saw that one............

ThnX for the link.............

Hopefully some that have not seen it will check it out. Diff worth a look/listen...

Surfrider · 08-23-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thai Kimchi

It's high time the citizens woke up and quit believing corporate scare tactics, and get these UNNEEDED insurance snake oil salesmen OUT of the picture.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

This is true. I have been deeply involved with ObamaCare in Washington and on the Internet. The disinformation is really bad. Would you believe I actually saw a poster challenge the World Health Organization statistic that America is #37 in health care? All the good the WHO does, and these insurance guys, pharmaceutical companies, medical corporations, hospital, and doctors try to drag them through the mud. Enough is enough!

Bill Cosby · 08-23-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surfrider

This is true. I have been deeply involved with ObamaCare in Washington and on the Internet. The disinformation is really bad. Would you believe I actually saw a poster challenge the World Health Organization statistic that America is #37 in health care? All the good the WHO does, and these insurance guys, pharmaceutical companies, medical corporations, hospital, and doctors try to drag them through the mud. Enough is enough!

Those guys control the argument...........

Say you have a town hall debate/discussion....

Some idiot says a bunch of lies w/ his five minutes.... You got five minutes to clean up those lies.... Prove they are not going to kill gramma to save money on her hip or take Palin's baby in that amount of time & make your own points...

I think it is time to take the initiative....

Surfrider · 08-23-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Cosby

Those guys control the argument...........

Say you have a town hall debate/discussion....

Some idiot says a bunch of lies w/ his five minutes.... You got five minutes to clean up those lies.... Prove they are not going to kill gramma to save money on her hip or take Palin's baby in that amount of time & make your own points...

I think it is time to take the initiative....

Let's not kid ourselves. The Republican Party may almost be dead, but these insurance, pharmaceutical, and medical corporations have deep pockets, and want to kill ObamaCare, health care for all. The fat-cats are still around, and they remember how the dirty tricks of swift-boat advertising turned Senator John Kerry from war hero into a political radical. John Kerry lost the presidency because of the swift boat television commercial. Even Bill Maher is warning viewers about the power of fat-cat lies on his television show, Real Time. The fat-cats have done it before, and could do it again.

ObamCare, will be hard-ball politics at it's worst. It is time for every Democrat to please write their U. S. Senator in support of ObamaCare.

Bill Cosby · 08-23-2009, 09:29 PM

They are not almost dead...........

They got lots of money & power...........

They need to loZe on this issue......... Which is to be a beginning not an end in itself...........

CosmicRocker · 08-23-2009, 09:34 PM

credit card companys will be all having annual fees, to make up for goughing being legislatively controlled.

That's it for me - a debit card - i pay off my balance each month, but if i'm getting hit with fees - i' not using a credit card anymore.

wayers57 · 08-23-2009, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicRocker

credit card companys will be all having annual fees, to make up for goughing being legislatively controlled.

That's it for me - a debit card - i pay off my balance each month, but if i'm getting hit with fees - i' not using a credit card anymore.

me neither

08-15-2009, 08:06 PM	#1
Thai Kimchi Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 520	Health Insurance Profits Soar as Industry Mergers Create Near-Monopoly According to the recently released HCAN report, “Premiums Soaring in Consolidated Health Insurance Market“: In the past 13 years, more than 400 corporate mergers have involved health insurers, and a small number of companies now dominate local markets but haven’t delivered on promises of increased efficiency. According to the American Medical Association, 94 percent of insurance markets in the United States are now highly concentrated, and insurers are thriving in the anti-competitive marketplace, raking in enormous profits and paying out huge CEO salaries. These mergers and consolidations have created a marketplace where a small number of larger companies use their power to raise premiums—an average of 87 percent over the past six years—restrict and reduce benefit packages and control and cut provider payments. http://hcfan.3cdn.net/dadd15782e627e5b75_g9m6isltl.pdf

08-15-2009, 09:00 PM	#4
Bill Cosby Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: State of Bliss Posts: 9,601	I record him every week to............ I saw that one............ ThnX for the link............. Hopefully some that have not seen it will check it out. Diff worth a look/listen... __________________ We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. “There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.” Howard Zinn

08-23-2009, 09:29 PM	#8
Bill Cosby Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: State of Bliss Posts: 9,601	They are not almost dead........... They got lots of money & power........... They need to loZe on this issue......... Which is to be a beginning not an end in itself........... __________________ We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. “There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.” Howard Zinn

08-23-2009, 09:34 PM	#9
CosmicRocker Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Material World Posts: 2,022	credit card companys will be all having annual fees, to make up for goughing being legislatively controlled. That's it for me - a debit card - i pay off my balance each month, but if i'm getting hit with fees - i' not using a credit card anymore. __________________ Just another hunch based upon jumping conclusions Caught up in endless solutions Backed up against a wall of confusion. Living a life of illusion ☮m mani padme hum

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08-15-2009, 08:55 PM	#3
Thai Kimchi Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 520	Bill - here's a great vid of the Bill Moyers Journal PBS show I watch Friday nights. He's interviewing that Cigna fella Potter from the Truth About The Insurance Industry thread I also started. It's high time the citizens woke up and quit believing corporate scare tactics, and get these UNNEEDED insurance snake oil salesmen OUT of the picture. The plans they're kicking around now don't come close to doing that, but they should start us on the road to a health care system devoid of the profit motive. It's unbelievable to me that in America, a 'for-profit' element is even in the health care arena to begin with. I'm hoping this blatant outrage will eventually become clear to the great unwashed and we'll finally get single payer system maybe 10 years down the road. In the Great American Oligarchy, that's about the best one can hope for. And doesn't the present system mean that NECESSARILY, by definition, in American society only those with enough money for private insurance plans stay alive, the rest should buck up, go to the ER and jack up everyone else's rates if they think they're dying, and above all show some dignity in their final days and quit bitchin. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html