pat/Re: Indy - Fuzzy Math
These would lower the costs to HMOs, who could pass on their savings to patients in benefits.
You must have a good HMO with a statement like that because they must pay for the good drugs you're taking.
You probably did not see the thread on Friday afternoon over at PIMB. I checked the Fortune 100 and 7 insurance companies were on it. These guys are making money hand over fist. A $40 settlement on a lawsuit is peanuts to them.
Besides, that is not the point. The point is that they make it difficult to approve services that are covered in your benefit plan. I had given some examples on Friday. I used to work at a hospital that performed Bone Marrow Transplants. They have been doing them for years, with great success, but many insurance companies still considered them "experimental" in an effort to deny the services. A woman had to fight to get her insurance to pay for one for her breast cancer. She fought for nearly a year and won, but at her expense. She died shortly after the procedure. I don't know if she would have lived if she had gotten it sooner, but I would have given her better odds.
That is what angers me about HMO's. I worked in hospitals for 20 years - negotiating contracts was my job for the last 3 years I was there - believe me they want to pay the hospital nothing.
I have no sympathy for HMO's - they are heartless *******s who will do anything for the almighty buck.
