tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59790053202855836092024-02-20T17:16:56.888-08:00Madame Defarge II : Scrutinizing BCBSNCMarsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-26516094049328726632011-11-18T17:19:00.001-08:002011-11-18T18:18:09.405-08:00Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-71445168436381783802010-06-22T06:49:00.000-07:002010-06-22T07:01:19.496-07:00Supreme Court to Review State Officials' Refusing to Provide Records When Someone Dies in State Mental Hospital Facilities: Remember Steven Sabock<strong>Where's Bob Dylan when we need him. </strong><strong>Remember Steven Sabock: </strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Steven Sabock<br /><br />Steven Sabock, age 50 and not a happy man,<br />sat in his chair unfed for 22 hours at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, North Carolina,<br />choked on his medicationand died.<br />A few feet awaythe staff watched TV and played cards.<br />It was not reported what programs they watched<br />or who won at cards,but maybe that was not important,and neither was Mr. Sabock.<br /><br />Tom Greening, PhD<br /><br />see earlier Defarge:<br /><a href="http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2008/08/steven-sabock-unimportant-man-who-died.html">http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2008/08/steven-sabock-unimportant-man-who-died.html</a><br />_______________________________________________________________<br /><strong><a href="http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=12681923">http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=12681923</a></strong><br /><strong></strong><br />"...High court to review mental health advocacy suit<br /><br />Posted: Jun 21, 2010 10:10 AM EDTUpdated: Jun 21, 2010 10:30 AM EDT<br /><br />WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court says it will decide whether Virginia's advocate for the mentally ill can force state officials to provide records relating to deaths and injuries at state mental health facilities.<br /><br />The justices agreed Monday to review a federal appeals court ruling dismissing the state advocate's lawsuit against Virginia's mental health commissioner and two other officials.<br /><br />Backing the appeal, the Obama administration said the ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond "threatens to undermine the enforcement of federal laws that Congress designed to protect especially vulnerable individuals from the abusive and neglectful practices that can result in injury and death."<br /><br />The Virginia advocate's office, like those in the other 49 states, was created under two federal laws that give states federal money for monitoring the treatment of the mentally ill in state facilities. The first law grew out of public reports in the 1970s of crowded, filthy conditions and abusive treatment of mentally retarded children at the Willowbrook State School in New York.<br /><br />The issue for the court is whether the Eleventh Amendment prohibits a state agency from going to federal court to sue officials of the same state. The state itself could not be sued in the same circumstances...."<br />_________________________________________________________________<br /><strong>Bob Dylan writing about a man unjustly charged w/ murdering someone (while the evidence was undoubtedly shuffled under a bigger pile, where it would be hidden): </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>"All of Rubin's cards were marked in advance</strong><br /><strong>The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance.</strong><br /><strong>The judge made Rubin's witnesses drunkards from the slums</strong><br /><strong>To the white folks who watched he was a revolutionary bum</strong><br /><strong>And to the black folks he was just a crazy nigger.</strong><br /><strong>No one doubted that he pulled the trigger. </strong><br /><strong>And though they could not produce the gun,</strong><br /><strong>The D.A. said he was the one who did the deed</strong><br /><strong>And the all-white jury agreed."</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><a href="http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/thehurricane_lyrics.php">http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/thehurricane_lyrics.php</a><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong>Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-28305088620368068452010-06-22T06:38:00.000-07:002010-06-22T06:43:05.030-07:00Younger People Blamed for Making Private Insurance Market Prices Soar by Industry's Trade Group<strong>Sorry, Mr. Robert Zierkelbach, you have no evidence that younger people are dropping their health insurance leaving the older beached, whales to be washed up on shore. </strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>This simply looks like a good time to drag out that excuse so that the industry can continue to make its massive profits prior to 2014 when pre-existing conditions will no longer be admissable evidence for denial of insurance. </strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Business<br />Costs soar for individual health coverage<br />Insurance premiums increase average of 20%, Kaiser Family Foundation report says<br />By <a href="mailto:gboulton@journalsentinel.com">Guy Boulton</a> of the Journal Sentinel<br />Posted: June 22, 2010 <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5979005320285583609#comments">(57) Comments</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/business/96854979.html">http://www.jsonline.com/business/96854979.html</a><br /><br />".....The market for individual insurance has long been considered the most problematic in the industry, and it is the target of many of the most sweeping health care reforms recently enacted by Congress....<br /><br />"Many people see the individual market as the most broken part of the insurance market," Drew Altman, president and chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in a teleconference....<br /><br />America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade group, tracks premiums in the individual market and does not have information on how the recent increases compare with those of past years.<br /><br />But Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for association, said the premium increases stem from higher medical costs and from younger and healthier people dropping their health insurance during the economic downturn.<br /><br />People who are young and healthy basically subsidize the cost of health insurance for people who are older and sicker.<br /><br />But Kaiser's Altman noted that there is not good data on whether younger and healthier people have actually dropped their coverage or on what is behind the sharp increases in premiums in the individual market....."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-33450985083713441572010-04-27T12:05:00.000-07:002010-04-27T12:06:50.129-07:00NM BCBS Raises Rates on Consumers One Hour Before Public Meeting: 24% HIKE in RatesNM Blue Cross Hikes Premiums Before Public HearingPosted:<br /><br />April 27, 2010SANTA FE, N.M. --<br /><br />Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the New Mexico insurance superintendent have signed off on a rate hike on insurance premiums, less than an hour before a state Public Regulation Commission hearing to hear opposition to the plan.Public Regulation Commissioner Jason Marks calls Monday's agreement a back room deal announced before the public had a chance to comment.<br /><br />The hearing was called after a 24 percent increase in Blue Cross and Blue Shield premiums in December.<br /><br />The revised rates allow the company to raise premiums by an average of 21 percent.A spokeswoman says that will affect 40,000 New Mexico customers.Read more: <a href="http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/23279227/detail.html" target="_blank">http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/23279227/detail.html</a>Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-61057909531388431252010-04-26T03:04:00.000-07:002010-04-26T03:13:26.430-07:00NC 2010-2011: $500 MILLION Unanticipated Medicaid Growth: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Public OptionAmazing figures in the just published NC Justice Center, BTC Reports, Volume 16 No1 April 2010.<br /><br />Naw: we don't need no Public Option when it comes to health insurance for $500,000,000 'unanticipated budget pressure' as associated with people going onto the Medicaid roster is surely no indication that people have health insurance that they can afford (or even obtain).<br /><br />page 7 : <a href="http://www.ncjustice.org/?q=node/474">http://www.ncjustice.org/?q=node/474</a><br /><br />Projected FY 2010-11 General Fund Budget Gap<br /><br />Anticipated Budget Pressures<br /><br />Unanticipated Medicaid growth $500,000,000<br />Unanticipated Community College Enrollment growth $85,000,000<br /><br />_________________________________________________________<br />Also, as associated w/ Community Suport Services (Mental Health: NC DHHS) in NC, they had this to say:<br /><br />".....Cuts to programs that fall under the Health and Human Services (HHS) portion of the budget have also impacted individuals and communities. The deepest outright cuts to HHS programs were to community support services for people with mental illness and substance abuse issues and to personal care services that help individuals with medical conditions to remain in their homes and out of institutional settings. The mental health association of North Carolina estimates that 10,000 to 15,000 individuals currently need community support services but are unable to access them to due to funding constraints. ..."<br />________________________________________________________<br />The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film)<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treasure_of_the_Sierra_Madre_(film">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treasure_of_the_Sierra_Madre_(film</a>)<br /><br /><br /><br />"....The bandits then reappear, pretending, very crudely, to be Federales, which leads to the now-iconic line about not needing to show any "stinking badges". After a gunfight, and the fourth American is killed, a real troop of Federales appear and drive the bandits away.,,,"Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-48062114814299940662010-02-17T16:34:00.000-08:002010-02-17T16:38:07.871-08:00Top 5 Insurance Companies increase profits by 56% over 2008: We don't need no stinkin' public option<a style="COLOR: rgb(0,51,136); TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/"></a><br />NAH: we don't need no stinkin' public option. I lost my BCBSNC insurance when the family premium hit $1000/ month for 3 healthy members. I just can't pay that kind of money out.<br /><br />****************************************<br />Friday, February 12, 2010 - Top insurers reap billions as health costs soar<br /><br />By Noam N. Levey<br /><br /><a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2011050573&zsection_id=2003905675&slug">http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2011050573&zsection_id=2003905675&slug</a><br /><br />Tribune Washington Bureau<br /><br />WASHINGTON As the nation struggled last year with rising health-care costs and a recession, the five largest health-insurance companies racked up combined profits of $12.2 billion, up 56 percent over 2008, according to a new report.<br /><br />Based on company financial reports for 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the report said insurers WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, Aetna and Humana covered 2.7 million fewer people than they did the previous year.<br /><br />The report also said three of the five insurers cut the proportion of premiums they spent on customers' medical care, committing relatively more to salaries, administrative expenses and profits......<br /><br /><br />Industry analyst Sheryl Skolnick, a senior vice president at CRT Capital Group, said many of the insurance companies likely would benefit from more customers.<br /><br />But they are driven to increase prices for their products to satisfy investors, which in turn drives away more and more customers.<br /><br />"It is a terrible thing to run your business for Wall Street," Skolnick said. "It creates very bad incentives, and it ultimately prevents you from doing the thing that is in the best long-term interest of your business. ... There is no way that as long as these businesses are publicly traded, they can have the best interest of their customers at heart."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-49464070450884728992010-02-17T15:59:00.001-08:002010-02-17T16:00:41.957-08:00Federal Mental Health Parity Act Proposed by Obama Administration: (remember how BCBSNC got around parity in 2009)People who think the Obama administration is 'doing nothing' are not paying attention. He could beat on his chest and create some fan-fare but all this will create is more tea-bagging. Comments are due by May 3, 2010.<br /><br />Here are my comments: <br /><br />"As a doctoral level psychologist whom treats people w/ Severe Persistent Mental Illnesses, the passage of federal mental health parity is an absolute necessity. <br /><br />In North Carolina, in 2009, for instance, BCBSNC was allowed to OPT OUT of mental health parity by the NC State Legislature due to their undue influence on the NC STate Legislature. BCBSNC is the largest private insurer in the state of NC. BCBSNC is supposedly monitored by the NC State Legislature.<br /><br />Thus, very obviously, until there is PARITY in terms of Utilization Review and what the insurance company can DO versus what they SAY----- little to no progress will be made as regarding mental health parity. Undue influence will continue to trump any efforts to obtain mental health parity. <br /><br />Marsha V. Hammond, PhD: Clinical Health PsychologyNC Licensed Psychologist"<br />**********************************************************************Federal Mental Health Parity Act proposed. Comments can be stated here: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#searchResults?Ne=11+8+8053+8098+8074+8066+8084+1&Ntt=CMS-4140-IFC&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=8099+8061+8056+8057+8058">http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#searchResults?Ne=11+8+8053+8098+8074+8066+8084+1&Ntt=CMS-4140-IFC&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=8099+8061+8056+8057+8058</a><br /><br />3 results for keyword "CMS-4140-IFC" Records Per Page: <a class="x-tab-right" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#">View By Relevance</a> <a class="x-tab-right" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#">View By Docket Folder</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12px" onmouseover="style.cursor='hand';">Title</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12px" onmouseover="style.cursor='hand';">Document Type</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12px" onmouseover="style.cursor='hand';">Agency</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12px" onmouseover="style.cursor='hand';">ID</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 12px" onmouseover="style.cursor='hand';">Posted Date</a> <a class="x-grid3-hd-btn" onclick="return false;" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#"></a>Actions <a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11px" class="dataTable dataTable2" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a8935c" historytoken="documentDetail?R=0900006480a8935c">Interim Final Rules Under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008</a> Comments Due 05/03/10 11:59<br /><br />PM ET RULES EBSA EBSA-2009-0010-0409 02/02/10 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a8935c" align="center"></a><a href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=EBSA-2009-0010" align="center"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11px" class="dataTable dataTable2" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a89877" historytoken="documentDetail?R=0900006480a89877">Interim Final Rules Under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008</a> Comments Due 05/03/10 11:59 PM ET RULES<br /><br />IRS IRS-2009-0008-0120 02/02/10 <a href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a89877" align="center"></a><a href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=IRS-2009-0008" align="center"></a><a style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; FONT-SIZE: 11px" class="dataTable dataTable2" href="http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480a8babe" historytoken="documentDetail?R=0900006480a8babe">Interim Final Rules under the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008</a> Comments Due 05/03/10 11:59 PM ET RULES CMS CMS-2009-<br />0040-0048 02/02/10<br /><br />"Today the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the> Treasury today jointly issued the following news release:>> Date: 1/29/2010> Media Contact: HHS: (202) 690-6145> Telephone: 240-276-2130>> OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ISSUES RULES REQUIRING PARITY IN TREATMENT OF> MENTAL, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS> Paul Wellstone, Pete Domenici Parity Act Prohibits Discrimination>> The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury> today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled> in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance> use disorders.>> "The rules we are issuing today will, for the first time, help assure> that those diagnosed with these debilitating and sometimes life-> threatening disorders will not suffer needless or arbitrary limits on> their care," said Secretary Sebelius.>> "I applaud the long-standing and bipartisan effort that made these> important new protections possible.">> "Today's rules will bring needed relief to families faced with meeting> the cost of obtaining mental health and substance abuse services," said> U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.>> "The benefits will give these Americans access to greatly needed medical> treatment, which will better allow them to participate fully in society.> That's not just sound policy, it's the right thing to do.">> "Workers covered by group health plans who need mental health and> substance abuse care deserve fair treatment," said Deputy Treasury> Secretary Neal Wolin.>> "These rules expand on existing protections to ensure that people don't> face unnecessary barriers to the treatment they need.">> The new rules prohibit group health insurance plans--typically offered by> employers--from restricting access to care by limiting benefits and> requiring higher patient costs than those that apply to general medical> or surgical benefits.>> The rules implement the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health> Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA).>> MHPAEA greatly expands on an earlier law, the Mental Health Parity Act> of 1996 which required parity only in aggregate lifetime and annual> dollar limits between the categories of benefits and did not extend to> substance use disorder benefits.>> The new law requires that any group health plan that includes mental> health and substance use disorder benefits along with standard medical> and surgical coverage must treat them equally in terms of out-of-pocket> costs, benefit limits and practices such as prior authorization and> utilization review.>> These practices must be based on the same level of scientific evidence> used by the insurer for medical and surgical benefits.>> For example, a plan may not apply separate deductibles for treatment> related to mental health or substance use disorders and medical or> surgical benefits--they must be calculated as one limit.>> MHPAEA applies to employers with 50 or more workers whose group health> plan chooses to offer mental health or substance use disorder benefits.>> The new rules are effective for plan years beginning on or after July 1,> 2010.>> The Wellstone-Domenici Act is named for two dominant figures in the> quest for equal treatment of benefits.>> The late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN), who was a vocal advocate for> parity throughout his Senate career, sponsored the ultimately successful> full parity act.>> He was joined by former Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) who first> introduced legislation to require parity in 1992.>> Champions of the legislation also included the bipartisan team of> Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and former Representative Jim> Ramstad (R-MN).>> The issue of parity dates back over 40 years to President John F.> Kennedy, and was also supported by President Clinton and the late> Senator Edward Kennedy.>> The interim final rules released today were developed based on the> departments' review of more than 400 public comments on how the parity> rule should be written. Comments on the interim final rules are still> being solicited.>> Sections where further comments are being specifically sought include so-> called "non quantitative" treatment limits such as those that pertain to> the scope and duration of covered benefits, how covered drugs are> determined (formularies), and the coverage of step-therapies.>> Comments are also being specifically requested on the regulation's> section on "scope of benefits" or continuum of care.>> Comments on the interim final regulation are due 90 days after the> publication date. Comments may be emailed to the federal rulemaking> portal at: <a style="COLOR: rgb(42,93,176)" href="http://www.regulations.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.regulations.gov/</a> .>> Comments directed to HHS should include the file code CMS-4140-IFC.>> Comments to the Department of Labor should be identified by RIN 1210-> AB30. Comments to the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service should be> identified by REG-120692-09.>> Comments may be sent to any of the three departments and will be shared> with the other departments. Please do not submit duplicates.>> Contacts:>> HHS: 202-690-6145> DOL: 202-693-8666> Treasury: 202-622-2960>Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-122913872120662462009-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:002009-11-08T20:04:58.285-08:00Big Pile On Against BCBSNC: State Employees Association of NC Whams BCBSNC(I think, maybe, that BCBSNC got more than it bargained for when it decided to use our money to pay for postcards to be sent to Senator Kay Hagan so that she would not vote for the public option....):<br /><br />From the State Employees Association of NC:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stopbcbs.com/">http://www.stopbcbs.com/</a><br /><br />"....To protect its virtual monopoly on North Carolina's health insurance industry, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina spent untold thousands of our insurance premium dollars mailing postcards to hardworking citizens to pressure Senator Kay Hagan into opposing health care reform which would create competition and reduce your health insurance costs.<br /><br />The "non-profit" Blue Cross and Blue Shield virtual monopoly earned $186 million in profits for 2008 - and paid their CEO nearly $4 million.<a href="http://www.stopbcbs.com/pdfs/2008SupplementalCompensationExhibit.pdf">» View document</a><br /><br />Why BCBS controls over 70% of our state's health insurance market. Their profits have driven up health care costs and alarmed North Carolina's citizens and lawmakers. Big health insurance monopolies like BCBS bitterly oppose a public option needed to increase competition and put a lid on their corporate profits at the expense of ordinary working people and businesses....."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-23186117581569065112009-10-23T11:44:00.000-07:002009-10-23T11:50:07.796-07:00Call Senator Hagan & Support her Against BCBSNC Whom is Waging War on HerHere's her D.C. number: 202 224 6342. They'll ask for your zip code. <br /><br />Call Senator Kay Hagan and let her know that you stand behind her re: making competition available for BCBSNC. If they're so good, then they won't mind the competition....for after all, that's what capitalism is supposed to be about. Better yet: take the nasty BCBSNC postcards and send them to Senator Hagan----ON BCBSNC----w/ a comment that you want her to stand up for a public option and competition for BCBSNC.<br /><br />Here is what BCBSNC is up to re: Senator Hagan:<br /><br /><a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/10/22/nc-blue-cross-sending-nasty-postcards-opposing-health-reform/">http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/10/22/nc-blue-cross-sending-nasty-postcards-opposing-health-reform/</a><br /><br />Remember: every nasty postcard that goes back to Senator Hagan is money out of YOUR pocket if you have BCBSNC.<br /><br />NC Blue Cross Sending Nasty Postcards Opposing Health Reform<br />Posted at 5:57 PM by <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?author=9">Adam Searing </a><br />NC Blue Cross is sending <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BCBS-Postcard.JPG">postcards </a>around the state. The goal? Get people to fill them out and send to Senator Hagan to oppose a “government-run” health plan. Of course, what Blue really wants is not to compete with a public option health plan, despite their 96.8% individual market share and billions in reserves. This sort of nasty, last-ditch effort to oppose real health reform is just what you would expect from the company who brought you the $3.99 million nonprofit CEO salary.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-30577206621082147222009-10-23T11:38:00.000-07:002009-10-23T11:39:37.574-07:00More Rallies in NC for People Who Have Died Because They Have No Health InsurancePRAYER SERVICE, Thursday October 29th: You and your congregation are invited to join the NC Council of Churches and others in the faith community on Thursday, October 29 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. for an interfaith service of prayer and remembrance for those who have suffered or lost their lives due to lack of access to health care. It will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh at 3313 Wade Avenue. Contact: NC Council of Churches, <a href="mailto:nccofc@nccouncilofchurches.org">nccofc@nccouncilofchurches.org</a>.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-51459521467019077952009-10-22T08:26:00.000-07:002009-10-22T08:36:17.158-07:00Day of the Dead: those who died because they had no health careFlorida Representative (D) Alan GRAYSON Launches Website To Honor, Name Those Dead From Lack Of HealthCare : <br /><br /> <a href="http://namesofthedead.com/">http://namesofthedead.com/</a><br /><br />"Every year, more than 44,000 Americans die simply because they have no health insurance.<br />I have created this project in their memory. I hope that honoring them will help us end this senseless loss of American lives. If you have lost a loved one, please share the story of that loved one with us. Help us ensure that their legacy is a more just America, where every life that can be saved will be saved."<br /><br />Read more here as it was picked up by The Huffington Post:<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/grayson-launches-site-to_n_328956.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/grayson-launches-site-to_n_328956.html</a><br /><br />"I think it dishonors all those Americans who have lost their lives because they had no health coverage, by ignoring them, by not paying attention to them, and by doing nothing to change the situation that led them to lose their lives," the congressman explained. "So I make this simple proposal. I propose that we identify them. I propose that we honor their memory by naming them. They themselves can no longer speak. But their families, the ones who love them, they can speak. And so I have established a website called namesofthedead.com."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-11107868473355690672009-10-15T10:58:00.001-07:002009-10-15T11:07:41.074-07:00'In Loving Memory': honoring those who could not find any health care and so diedTuesday, October 20, 2009, 7pm-8pm, "In Loving Memory" service to pay respects to those who have died from our broken health care system. First Congregational Church of Christ, 20 Oak Street, Asheville (just off College Avenue at the traffic circle). For information contact Rev. Joe Hoffman at 252-8729 or Leslie Boyd at 243-6712. <br /><br />Asheville Citizen Times' reporter, Leslie Boyd----her son died from colon cancer within the past 5 years. He could find no health care. He was less than 35 years old.<br /><br />If he had MEDICARE, he could have had a screening colonoscopy. Think about that as you consider the public option. <br /><br />BCBSNC PPO offers no reimbursed screening colonoscopies in western NC except for ONE PROVIDER, Appalachian Gastroengerology, BOONE, NC which is hours away from Asheville, a major metropolis. <br /><br />For over $750/ month, my healthy 3 member family, cannot obtain reimburseable mammograms (for me) not screening colonoscopies in a clinic setting, which is the standard of treatment at this time. The closest 'office based' screening colonoscopy is hours away. <br /><br /> ************************************<br /><br />see what Leslie Boyd says about this matter and the picture of her son whom died because he could not afford health care:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theurbannews.com/content/view/806/5/">http://www.theurbannews.com/content/view/806/5/</a><br /><br />"....Mike’s Story<br /><br />By Leslie Boyd<br /><br />Every year in America, some 30,000 people die prematurely because they don’t have health insurance and the access to health care that comes with it. Last year, one of those people was my son.<br /><br />He was at high risk of colon cancer because of a birth defect, but he couldn’t get a doctor in Savannah, Ga., where he lived, to give him a colonoscopy. Several times, even as he began having symptoms, the doctor wrote in his record, “Patient needs a colonoscopy but can’t afford it.”<br /> *********************Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-50786190474744826472009-07-07T07:37:00.000-07:002009-07-07T07:54:56.723-07:00WSJ: NC Mental Health Parity to be 'enacted' 7.1.2009: no commemoration but rather weeping would be in orderDear Mr. Rosomer, reporter for the Winston Salem Journal:<br /><br />My BCBSNC policy that my healthy 3 member family has for which we pay $750/ month w/ large deductibles and minimal preventive care (no available screening colonoscopies for those over 50---yes, Medicare does this; no mammograms---yes, Medicare does this) pays only 50% for any mental health care. <br /><br />The administrative costs for BCBSNC are over 15%. The administrative costs for Medicare are about 2-3%. <br /><br />I therefore believe that your information is erroneous and would be grateful if you would investigate this matter. <br /><br />Much information on BCBSNC can be found at my blog which I have steadily maintained for the past couple of years (<a href="http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/">http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/</a>); there are two blogs: one associated w/ NC Mental Health Reform and the other as associated w/ scrutinizing BCBSNC. <br /><br />You stated, Mr. Rosomer:<br /><br />"Published: July 1, 2008<br /><br />July 7, 2009RE: Commeration of a Bittersweet Victory in NC: <a href="http://oneinfour.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/bittersweet-victory-in-nc/" eudora="autourl">http://oneinfour.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/bittersweet-victory-in-nc</a><a href="http://oneinfour.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/bittersweet-victory-in-nc/" eudora="autourl">/</a><br /><br />RALEIGH<br /><br />"Starting today, insurance companies in North Carolina must provide the same level of coverage for some mental illnesses that they do for physical ailments.....<br /><br />“There are costs, obviously, associated with this mandate, but we’re anticipating it to be less than half of 1 percent,” said Lew Borman, a spokesman for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina."<br />******************************<br />I do not understand why you are using BCBSNC to indicate cost matters for they are not required to pay attention to mental health parity. In order (I am told) for NC State Representative Martha Alexander and those assisting her, to drive through mental health parity, a 'deal' was struck w/ BCBSNC. <br /><br />You can look at these Madame Defarge II posts re: that matter:<br /><br />Item 1:<br /><br />Wednesday, April 08, 2009<br /><br /><a href="http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-mental-health-parity-in-nc-bcbsnc.html">http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-mental-health-parity-in-nc-bcbsnc.html</a><br /><a name="1431598122597612003"></a><br />NO Mental Health Parity in NC : BCBSNC makes their own rules (and you'll like it or just shut up, Rep Martha Alexander)<br /><br />Fitzsimon FileThe special interest health plan<a href="http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2009/04/08/the-special-interest-health-plan/">http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2009/04/08/the-special-interest-health-plan/</a>Wednesday, April 8th, 2009<br /><br />******************<br />Item 2:<br /><br />Wednesday, May 20, 2009<br /><a name="5069368750942380754"></a><br /><a href="http://madamedefarge2scutinizingbcbsnc.blogspot.com/2009/05/wapo-now-we-know-why-bcbsnc-was.html">WaPo: NOW we know why BCBSNC was stockpiling all that money: THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ACCESS TO PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE</a><br /><br />*****************************************<br />I would also like to bring your attention to this recent NYT article indicating that the 'fine print' in the private insurance policies continues to drive people into health-related bankruptcy.<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/business/01meddebt.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/business/01meddebt.html</a><br /><br />****************************************<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/business/01meddebt.html"></a><br />BCBSNC was allowed by the NC State Legislature to opt out of mental health parity. Over 75% of people who are insured in NC (not including Medicare/ Medicaid) are insured by BCBSNC. <br /><br />Therefore, there is no bittersweet commemoration but simply failure. We will not get anywhere until there is a public option re: health insurance. THAT and that alone will put the private health insurance companies on notice. <br /><br />REMEMBER: when one is utilizing a capitalist model, COMPETITION is HEALTHY! (Or did the politicians, Dem and Republican alike, forget that tenet, as they looked simply at the bottom line and watched out for their own profits, much as Senator Kay Hagan is doing in her key position on the HELP Senate Committee which allows the public option matter to go forward---or not?)<br /><br />Marsha V. Hammond, PhDMarsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-60876058210812105832009-07-05T09:47:00.000-07:002009-07-05T09:59:35.912-07:00Private Health Insurance Companies are dumping the sick who must file for bankruptcy: SADISTIC LIMITED BENEFITS PLANSI think we can pretty much conclude that this country is too far down the drain to recoup. The powers that be associated w/ the private insurance companies are going to drown us in the bathtub with most everyone looking on and seeing what is happening and there will simply be a stunned sense of 'there was nothing we could do.'<br /><br />Just because you have health insurance doesn't mean you cannot go bankrupt depending on the DETAILS & FINE PRINT of your PRIVATE health insurance.<br /><br />There is no better reason than this for the public option. Give it to us, or we'll die.<br /><br />NYT: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/business/01meddebt.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/business/01meddebt.html</a><br /><br />Insured, but Bankrupted by Health Crises<br /><br />Last week, a former <a title="More information about Cigna Corp" style="COLOR: rgb(0,66,118); TEXT-DECORATION: underline" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/cigna_corporation/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Cigna</a> executive warned at a Senate hearing on health insurance that lawmakers should be careful about the role they gave private insurers in any new system, saying the companies were too prone to confuse their customers and dump the sick.<br /><br />The number of uninsured people has increased as more have fallen victim to deceptive marketing practices and bought what essentially is fake insurance, Wendell Potter, the former Cigna executive, testified.<br /><br />Mr. Yurdin learned the hard way.<br /><br />At St. David's Medical Center in Austin, where he went for two separate heart procedures last year, the hospital's admitting office looked at Mr. Yurdin's coverage and talked to Aetna.<br /><br />St. David's estimated that his share of the payments would be only a few thousand dollars per procedure.<br /><br />He and the hospital say they were surprised to eventually learn that the $150,000 hospital coverage in the Aetna policy was mainly for room and board. Coverage was capped at $10,000 for other hospital services, which turned out to include nearly all routine hospital care the expenses incurred in the operating room, for example, and the cost of any medication he received.<br /><br />In other words, Aetna would have paid for Mr. Yurdin to stay in the hospital for more than five months as long as he did not need an operation or any lab tests or drugs while he was there.<br /><br />Aetna contends that it repeatedly informed Mr. Yurdin and the hospital of the restrictions in policy, which is known in the industry as a limited-benefit plan.<br /><br />The company says such policies offer value by covering some hospital expenses, like surgeons' fees or a stay in the intensive care unit. Aetna also says all of its policyholders receive significant discounts on the overall cost of hospital care. But Aetna also acknowledges that a limited-benefit plan was inappropriate in Mr. Yurdin's case because his age and condition an irregular heartbeat made him likely to require more comprehensive coverage....."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-32190523251651101962009-07-02T08:14:00.000-07:002009-07-02T08:20:47.143-07:00CDC Health Insurance statistics across the US for 2009So, basically, we've got approximately 40% of the American population uninsured during possible critical times (accidents happen!) with BCBSNC being supported by Senator Kay Hagan of NC in her key position on the HELP committee of the US Senate with an absent Ted Kennedy (cancer happens!). Any Congressperson who understands this---and they all do-----should be voted out next time around re: these statistics whether they be Democrat or Republican.<br /><br />**************************************<br /><br />The CDC National Center for Health Statistics report has been released: "Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2009."<br />Cohen RA, Martinez ME. Health insurance coverage: Early release of estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2008. National Center for Health Statistics. June 2009. Available from: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm" eudora="AUTOURL">http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm</a><br />At: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr017.pdf" eudora="AUTOURL">http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr017.pdf</a><br /><br />Highlights<br /><br />v In 2008, 43.8 million persons of all ages (14.7%) were uninsured at the time of the interview, 55.9 million (18.7%) had been uninsured for at least part of the year prior to the interview, and 31.7 million (10.6%) had been uninsured for more than a year at the time of the interview.<br />v In 2008, the percentage of children under the age of 18 years who were uninsured at the time of the interview was 8.9%.<br />v In 2008, 60.2% of unemployed adults aged 18-64 years and 22.2% of employed adults in this age group had been uninsured for at least part of the past year. Also, 33.3% of unemployed adults aged 18-64 years and 13.4% of employed adults in this age group had been uninsured for more than a year.<br />v In 2008, 19.2% of persons under age 65 years with private health insurance were enrolled in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) including 5.2% who were enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP). In addition, 18.7% were in a family with a flexible spending account (FSA) for medical expenses.<br />v In 2008, the percentage of persons uninsured at the time of interview among the 20 largest states ranged from 3.0% in Massachusetts to 22.9% in Texas.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-1015590563185010052009-06-30T09:13:00.001-07:002009-06-30T09:13:48.887-07:00(Democrat!) Senator Kay Hagan is key person holding up allowing Public Health option to health insurance in the USNC Senator Kay Hagan Is The Key Person Holding Up Move to Allow Public Option<br /><br />By Marsha V. Hammond, PhD: Licensed Psychologist, Asheville, NC<br /><br />Senator Kay Hagan was ‘carefully’ put into place in order to run against Elizabeth Dole. Guess what: NC Dems now have someone who is less malleable than Dole. <br /><br />With personal vested interests in the health care industry and a long list of contributions, particularly by the monopolizing BCBSNC, Hagan is a key person holding up the ‘public option’ being made available to Americans as she sits on the influential HELP committee that is currently without the guidance of Senator Ted Kennedy.<br /><br />Why would the ‘public option’ be good for Americans and in particular people in NC whom, like my family and I, are left with no option but to fund the 5th wealthiest ‘Blue’ with a billion dollar war chest to take down the ‘public option’ ?<br /><br />Almost 75% of citizens in NC who are insured have BCBSNC. There IS no other viable option, even if one’s family is paying $750/ month/ three healthy members for the BCBSNC Advanta which includes no screening mammograms and no available screening colonscopies. <br /><br />First of all, as Republicans used to realize prior to becoming the party of the wealthy, competition is good as people can really compare the value of products. Hagan, holding onto her $180,000 personal investment in the private health care industry, as well as her future contributions from BCBSNC, wants to tell us that having a public option would ‘destabilize’ those mom and pop health insurance companies like BCBSNC.<br /><br />Secondly, we could have cheaper health care as re: a public option as Medicare’s administrative costs are 2% vs BCBSNC administrative costs of 15%.<br /><br />And here’s stink: Ken Eudy, former chair of the NC Dem Party, best man at BCBSNC CEO recent wedding, is the founder and CEO of Capstrat, which is overseeing the BCBSNC push to sink the public option.<br /><br />This is gonna cost you the next election, Kay Hagan. But that’s OK: you’ll have a nice appointment to the BCBSNC Board. <br /><br />Marsha V. Hammond has blogspots associated with documenting problems w/ BCBSNC (<a href="http://madamedefarge2scutinizingbcbsnc.blogspot.com/">http://madamedefarge2scutinizingbcbsnc.blogspot.com/</a>) as well as one overviewing NC Mental Health Reform for the past two years (<a href="http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/">http://madame-defarge.blogspot.com/</a>)Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-78398007220492474882009-06-30T08:18:00.000-07:002009-06-30T08:22:47.571-07:00The Public Health Option: Competition will be GOOD for the $-grabbing Private Health Care IndustryControlling health care costs isn't just necessary for the health of our economy -- it also likely to boost personal incomes.<br /><br />Sent to you by David Byrom, Ph.D.:<br />Got Health Insurance? Fighting for a Public Option Might Just Get You a Raise!<br />By Joshua Holland, AlterNet<br /><br />Posted on June 29, 2009, Printed on June 29, 2009<br /><br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/story/140960/" eudora="AUTOURL">http://www.alternet.org/story/140960/</a><br /><br />The best argument for overhauling our ridiculously expensive and dysfunctional health care system -- an argument one doesn't often hear in the corporate media -- is that fixing it would put more dollars in your pocket, even if you already have health coverage.<br /><br />If there's enough pressure on Congress, we'll add a well-designed public insurance option to the current mix of private insurance and government health care programs. It would be like (the highly popular) Medicare program, but open to all comers. We'd end up with a very large insurance pool that would lower costs through efficiencies of scale. The plan would be able to drive a hard bargain with providers and cut down on overhead costs, which amount to about 30 percent of spending in the U.S. right now.<br /><br />And it wouldn't just contain costs. A publicly administered insurance program would also protect Americans from the kind of health insurance nightmares we hear about so frequently, with families bankrupted by out-of-pocket expenses or stuck in jobs and relationships they hate in order to hold on to their insurance....<br /><br />See entire article at: <a href="http://www.alternet.org/story/140960/" eudora="AUTOURL">http://www.alternet.org/story/140960/</a>Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-70119480383041972252009-06-29T20:08:00.001-07:002009-06-29T20:14:46.074-07:00Senator Hagan, like Joe Lieberman, increase their personal health insurance market share by denying public optionWhat Senator Kay Hagan says:<br /><br />nothing on her web page about her key position on the HELP committee which will allow movement towards national health insurance and the 'public option' or not...........and she has $180,000 her own monies (if not more) invested in the health care industry as per the Washington Post..................<br /><br />HOWEVER, her stance appears to be in keeping w/ Joe Liberman's---- whose wife has profited by working as (one of those) consultants re: private health care:<br /><br /> ***************************<br /><br />Hadassah has worked for the lobbying company, APCO Associates, that had many pharmaceutical and healthcare corporations among its clients, as well as four major drug companies such as Pfizer. In March 2005, Hadassah was hired by Hill & Knowlton (another healthcare lobbyist) as "senior counselor" in the firm's "health care and pharmaceuticals practice." Hadassah's close relationship with pharmaceutical and healthcare corporations while her husband introduced legislation benefiting these exact companies has raised questions about improprieties and conflict of interest. (Wikipedia -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadassah_Lieberman" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadassah_Lieberman</a> --though there are substantially more sources for her and Joe's perfidy.)But it's all the same, what Lee Stranahan illustrates -- follow the money and you'll learn why healthcare reform (to say nothing of public option) is opposed so adamantly by those who "work with the public's interest at heart."<br /><br /> **********************************<br /><br />Run time: 00:42<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6CP4ieRiV0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6CP4ieRiV0</a> Posted on YouTube: June 29, 2009By YouTube Member: StranahanViews on YouTube: 309 Posted on DU: June 29, 2009By DU Member: Eric J in MNViews on DU: 513 Video by Lee Stranahan.Lieberman says he's against a public option to compete with a public plan because there is already enough competition.However, there has been consolidation in the health insurance industry.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-46614415711517674902009-06-27T09:28:00.000-07:002009-06-27T09:35:03.963-07:00Senator Hagan: protecting her own $180,000 in private insurance company investmentsIn the best of all possible worlds, we would have people who are public servants who do not have vested, selfish interests that they protect. Would that we lived in that place.<br /><br />*****************************<br /><br />from: NC Health Report/ Adam Searing<br /><br />Senator Kay Hagan is unsure whether she wants a public health care option in national health reform or <a href="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/kay_hagan_dont_judge_me_yet">what it means</a>.<br /><br />Call Senator Hagan at 1-877-852-9462 (toll free) or 202-224-6342 and tell her exactly what it means:<br /><br />1. It means a real alternative health insurance plan for NC families if people are sick of NC Blue Cross and want another option.<br />NC Blue Cross insures <a href="http://www.bcbsnc.com/content/inside/company/index.htm">3.7 million people</a> out of the <a href="http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?ind=125&cat=3&rgn=35">5 million with private health insurance</a> in North Carolina. With 75% of the overall market, NC Blue enjoys a virtual monopoly in our state - especially in the small business and individual markets where their share of business is even higher. Don't North Carolinians - especially individuals and small business owners - deserve more choice?<br /><br />2. It means discipline and cost control for private insurers. <br />Nonprofit NC Blue Cross <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/03/05/nc-blue-cross-2008-executive-and-board-compensation/">paid its CEO $3.99 million last year</a> after he got a $759,000 raise. If NC Blue had to compete with a health plan that didn't pay its executives such high salaries perhaps they'd be a little more careful with our premium dollars.<br /><br />3. So-called compromises like "health co-ops" or state public plans won't work.<br />These are smaller entities that are being put forward as a substitute for the public plan. But the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124580516633344953.html">whole point of the public plan</a> is to put pressure on insurers, drug companies, and others to lower costs because of its nationwide reach and buying power. Without a true nationwide public plan we can't keep down costs - which is the whole point.<br /><br />Want it on video? See <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/06/26/adam-searing-interview-why-public-option-health-plan-critical-for-nc/">Adam Searing</a> and <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/06/23/president-obama-public-option-health-plan-critical-in-reform/">President Obama</a> each explain why a public health care option is crucial for health reform.<br /><br />Call Senator Hagan at 1-877-852-9462 (toll free) or 202-224-6342 and tell her North Carolinians need a real public health care option.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-73361017638695562092009-05-27T19:51:00.000-07:002009-05-27T19:55:29.764-07:00PEEYOO! What's that smell leaking from the NC Dem Party re: Capstrat handling BCBSNC adds WHEN CAPSTRAT'S BOSS WAS THE NC DEM PARTY CHAIRMAN?As a Dem, I feel distinctly smelly, and I'm not talking pleasantly fragrant-----like someone w/ a bad stink just ran thru the room.<br /><br />So, Eudy, who was BCBSNC's CEO's best man at a recent wedding of his, was also the Chair of the NC Dem Party----and Capstrat is the public relations firm behind trying to sink the Obama health plan or any health plan, really, that would allow citizens to choose a public health insurarnce---like Medicare----which will actually make available reimburseable screening colonoscopies or mammograms----you know---the BASICS or preventive health care.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2009/05/22/veering-dangerously-to-the-right/">http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/cms/2009/05/22/veering-dangerously-to-the-right/</a><br /><br />"...Blue's rise in recent years has also coincided with a similar rise of <a href="http://capstrat.com/">Capstrat</a> - the state's most high-powered Democratic Party-connected public relations firm. Over the past several years, Capstrat has parlayed its connections with Democratic establishment to win a bevy of extremely lucrative contracts with Blue as well as various government and government-funded entities. <a href="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/obamas_informal_adviser_in_raleigh">Ken Eudy</a>, Capstrat's founder and CEO, is the former head of the state Democratic Party and was apparently even the best man at the wedding of <a href="http://www.bcbsnc.com/content/inside/strategy-team/greczyn.htm">Blue's grand poobah, Bob Greczyn</a>.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-34808203426317786562009-05-25T23:29:00.000-07:002009-05-25T23:34:01.150-07:00Tough Love for BCBSNC since they can't compete w/ Medicare: 15%administrative costs vs Medicare's 2%<a href="http://www.truthout.org/052509Y#comment-55968">http://www.truthout.org/052509Y#comment-55968</a><br /><br />Blue Cross Millionaires are Scared to Compete With a Public Plan<br />May 25, 2009 by Dean Baker<br /><br />".....Specifically, the administrative expenses of a public plan like Medicare are far lower than the expenses for Blue Cross of North Carolina. According to its Annual Report, Blue Cross of North Carolina spent almost 15 percent of its premiums on administrative expenses in 2008. That came to more than $1.8 billion. This money would have been enough to cover the costs of insuring almost 600,000 kids through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Just five years earlier, Blue Cross of North Carolina spent more than 22 percent of premiums on administrative expenses.<br /><br /> By comparison, Medicare spends only about 2 percent of its revenue on administrative expenses. Unlike Blue Cross of North Carolina, Medicare doesn't earn profits and doesn't pay high salaries to its top executives. According to the Raleigh News and Observer, Robert J. Greczyn Jr., the chief executive of Blue Cross of North Carolina, earned $3.2 million in 2007. That's enough to pay for a year's worth of SCHIP for 1,000 kids. Other top executives also drew salaries well in excess of $1 million, a pay range that exceeds the top levels in the public sector by an order of magnitude.<br /><br /> Given the high salaries that Blue Cross of North Carolina pays its top executives and the other administrative expenses that it bears as a result of being a private sector plan with high overhead, it is not surprising that it would be afraid of a public plan. A public plan would likely charge much lower prices, thereby pulling away a large share of Blue Cross of North Carolina's business. Insofar as it was able to hold on to its patients, Blue Cross of North Carolina would probably be forced to lower its prices - slashing its profit margins - in order to be able to compete. This is not a happy picture for any business: fewer customers and lower profit margins.<br /><br /> The answer, of course, is tough love. We just have to tell Blue Cross of North Carolina than it will have to learn to compete. If it can't beat out a public plan in market competition, then the public and the economy would be better served if it went into another line of business. ..."Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-91459913796907959342009-05-23T20:11:00.000-07:002009-05-23T20:14:11.890-07:00Innoculate yourself: BCBSNC is going to try and scare you out of government sponsored health insurance e.g., MedicareHealth scare<br /><br />Health care reform needs thorough discussion of different approaches, but not ads mainly meant to frighten.<br /><br />Published: Fri, May. 22, 2009<br /><br /><a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/story/1537457.html">http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/story/1537457.html</a><br /><br />Does Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina really want to participate in a constructive debate over how to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care for all Americans? A strategy for videos in the planning stages for the company, as reported by The News & Observer, indicates it prefers more of the same old tactics used to thwart health-care reform in the past.<br /><br />Those tactics include simply trying to scare people. At least, that's one way of looking at plans for commercials that would, for example, have a receptionist telling a caller that under a government health care plan, an appointment with a doctor would be more than two months in coming. In another instance voice-overs would talk about "rising premiums" and warn, "a lot like Medicare" (not that Medicare isn't well-regarded by most of its elderly beneficiaries).<br /><br />The plans were leaked to Adam Searing, healthcare access director for the N.C. Justice Center, and he shared "story boards" for the videos with The N&O. The videos are being created by Capstrat, a Raleigh public relations firm.<br /><br />When asked about the videos, Blue Cross promised that "positive information" would be included. But the insurance industry is standing firmly against suggestions from the Obama administration that one part of health-care reform might be a government-sponsored plan that would compete with private insurers. That, the private companies say, would be disastrous....."<br /><br />********************************<br />I wanted to invite all who are concerned about this to comment at the Raleigh News Observer----an excellent paper w/ provocative investigative reporting. Not difficult to register. <br /><br />Just as psychologist Phil Zimbardo outlined the fear mongering tactics associated with the levels of warning which served a purpose of scaring Americans, thus inviting a loss of yet more civil rights and freedoms: see:<br /><br />The Threat Level Is Elevated! The Threat Level Is Elevated!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.csoonline.com/article/218297/The_Threat_Level_Is_Elevated_The_Threat_Level_Is_Elevated">http://www.csoonline.com/article/218297/The_Threat_Level_Is_Elevated_The_Threat_Level_Is_Elevated</a>_<br /><br />July 01, 2003 — <a href="http://www.csoonline.com/article/218297/www.csoonline.com">CSO</a> — In his treatise on the psychology of terrorist alarms, Philip G. Zimbardo, a professor of psychology at <a title="More stories related to Stanford University" href="http://www.csoonline.com/article/218297/subject/Stanford+University">Stanford University</a>, outlines what he calls the "Paul Revere paradigm for successful dissemination of public alarms." He bases his theory on four reasons for the success of Revere's famous ride to alert the colonials of the British approach.<br /><br />Revere was known to be a credible communicator.<br />His alarm was focused on a specific event.<br />It was designed to spur citizens to act.<br />It called for a concrete set of actions in response.<br />*******************************************************************<br />This is gonna be a fight to the death, I think, this matter of getting access to government sponsored health insurance e.g., Medicare.<br /><br />APA's in a unique position to influence this matter but I would bet my bottom dollar that they wouldn't touch it w/ a ten foot pole. Its no different than the matter of the confounding matter of the Division of Military Psychology / the PENS committee being stacked w/ military psychologists and the storm which continues to crank ever higher re: what psychologists should be able to do who are members of the military. <br /><br />I'd suggest that the Division of Independent Practice is gonna have to really crank things and is in a unique position to do so----if the Board members don't wimp out. <br /><br />I'd appreciate info on that. Or I'll assume that this is just another instance of 'we can't kick up a fuss.' ---same old tired story.<br /><br />marsha v. hammond, phd, asheville, NCMarsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-49668084450788605132009-05-23T00:03:00.000-07:002009-05-23T00:12:06.463-07:00Raleigh's flim flam Capstrat PR Firm works for BCBSNC and against public health insurance:'We help corporations advance regulatory interests'Every so often you get a glimpse of the machinations behind the curtain and this is one of those pieces of investigative reporting. You GO Raleigh News Observer. <br /><br />See it shine here, detail after detail re: this Mr. Eudy, co-owner of Capstrat & supporter of Obama. Listen to the low hum of those big wheels as they make mincemeat of the common person's desires for their government...... winding up his advertising merry-go-round, sneaking around the periphery of Obama's universal health care initiative-----in his sheep's clothing----all the while doing the work for BCBSNC, his boss-man.<br /><br /><a href="http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/obamas_informal_adviser_in_raleigh">http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/obamas_informal_adviser_in_raleigh</a><br /><br />This is all you need to know about Mr. Eudy:<br /><br />"We help corporations advance regulatory interests"<br /><br />"Eudy was the best man at the wedding of Bob Greczyn (CEO BCBSNC)"<br /><br />"CAPSTRAT'S LARGEST CORPORATE CLIENTS: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina"<br /><br />"Ken Eudy is one of Barack Obama's key supporters in North Carolina."<br /><br /> ******************************************<br /><br />Couple that to this week's WaPo article outlining how BCBSNC is using the ill gotten gains from not paying for patient care (as a BCBSNC Advanta insured member, in a 3 member healthy family, I cannot get reimbursed screening colonoscopies or mammograms; and there is no mental health parity tho a law was passed last year: BCBSNC was allowed by state legislature to OPT OUT) and this is what you got:<br /><br />'North Carolina's Blue Cross Blue Shield Trying to Kill Key Plank of Obama Plan.'<br /><br />"......the company has hired an outside PR company to make a series of videos sounding the alarm about a government-sponsored health insurance option, known as the public plan...."<br /><br />YO: MR OBAMA: THAT BA-BA BLEATING IS A SHEEP DRESSED IN WOLF'S CLOTHING.<br /><br />Marsha V. Hammond, PhD Lic Psychologist, NCMarsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-50693687509423807542009-05-20T22:29:00.001-07:002009-05-20T22:35:25.635-07:00WaPo: NOW we know why BCBSNC was stockpiling all that money: THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ACCESS TO PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCEGodalmighty: get me away from this vicious company: we need PUBLIC INSURANCE as a possibility---CAN YOU SAY: MEDICARE WILL GIVE ME ACCESS TO SCREENING COLONOSCOPIES? BCBSNC is in the top 5 wealthiest Blues in the US (out of 28 Blues) and they have been stockpiling YOUR money and MY money in order to undo us as re: having access to government sponsored health insurance:<br /><br /><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/05/by_ceci_connolly_one_week.html?hpid=news-col-blog">http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/05/by_ceci_connolly_one_week.html?hpid=news-col-blog</a><br /><br />"North Carolina's Blue Cross Blue Shield Trying to Kill Key Plank of Obama Plan<br /><br />By Ceci Connolly<br /><br />One week after the nation's health insurance lobby pledged to President Obama to do what it can to constrain rising health costs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is putting the finishing touches on a public message campaign aimed at killing a key plank in Obama's reform platform.<br /><br />As part of what it calls an "informational website," the company has hired an outside PR company to make a series of videos sounding the alarm about a government-sponsored health insurance option, known as the public plan. Obama has consistently maintained that a government-run plan, absent high-paid executives and the need for profits, could be a more affordable option for Americans who have trouble purchasing private insurance. The industry argues that creating a public insurance program will undermine the marketplace and eventually lead to a single-payer style system.<br /><br />In three 30-second videos, the insurer paints a picture of a future system in which patients wait months for appointments and can't choose their own doctors, according to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/health-care/BCBSNC_HealthplanVideo.pdf">storyboards of the videos</a> obtained by the Washington Post.<br /><br />One video titled "Waiting" shows a receptionist fielding a request from a patient enrolled in the new program.<br />"The government plan. Okay hold on...let me see what's available," the woman says into the telephone. On the screen, with the caller on hold, the receptionist rearranges items on her desk, looks at a wide- open calendar and then fibs: "It looks like the first time we can fit you in is in two-and-a-half months."<a id="more"></a><br /><br />Another spot in the series, being developed by Capstrat media in Raleigh, shows a woman and child wandering down a darkened hospital doorway "as if they're starting to realize that they've lost their way," according to sketches of the video. "We can do a lot better than a government-run health care system," the narrator concludes.<br /><br />Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesman Lew Borman said the videos are still in the draft stage. On the question of creating a public option to compete with private insurers, he said: "We believe an unchecked government-run plan would lower payment to doctors and hospitals, forcing them to attempt to charge private insurers more and thus further eliminate private insurers' ability to compete against the government."<br /><br />On its Web site, Capstrat touts its "agility in turning complex issues into simple, powerful and persuasive stories." Company president Karen Albritton declined to comment.<br /><br />Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has 3.7 million members and processed more than $10.7 billion in medical claims last year. Get a first look at the video storyboards <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/health-care/BCBSNC_HealthplanVideo.pdf">here.</a>"Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5979005320285583609.post-15126698226648061142009-05-16T23:11:00.000-07:002009-05-16T23:15:00.810-07:00NEJM editors: runaway hlth care costs due to administrative overhead & excessive use of expensive technologyWe don't need a BCBSNC that has millions of dollars 'in escrow' (read: padding the pockets of investors and CEO's and managers) if we're going to have an efficient health care system.<br /><br />Take your pick: one or the other.<br /><br />From the NYT: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/opinion/l16health.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/opinion/l16health.html</a><br /><br /><br />David Leonhardt, in his May 13 column (“Health Care, a Lesson in Pain,” Economic Scene), is quite right that “the only way to have a sustainable universal health care system is to control costs.” But in analyzing the experts’ testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on how to pay for health care, he did not mention a solution that neither the experts nor the committee wants to consider: major reform of the system.<br /><br />Runaway costs are due largely to high overhead expenses throughout the system, and to the excessive use of expensive technology. Both of these result from a health care system that is organized like a profit-seeking industry instead of a social service.<br /><br />If we want health care to be a universal entitlement, it cannot be controlled by market forces and the financial interests of insurers and providers (and the investors who own such a large part of the system).<br /><br />Some kind of government-regulated single-payer insurance plan and a reorganized nonprofit medical care delivery system may be “off the table” for policy makers right now, but we will never achieve affordable universal coverage without major reform that deals with the real causes of medical inflation.<br /><br />We don’t need more money; we need a new system.<br /><br />Arnold S. RelmanMarcia Angell Cambridge, Mass., May 14, 2009<br /><br />The writers, medical doctors, are former editors in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine.Marsha V. Hammond, PhDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00398066799745764230noreply@blogger.com0