Complaint accuses 4 Fla insurers of discrimination

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Complaint accuses 4 Fla insurers of discrimination
By KELLI KENNEDY, Associated Press | May 29, 2014 | Updated: May 29, 2014 4:54pm

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two health organizations filed a complaint with federal health officials Thursday alleging some Florida insurance companies are violating the Affordable Care Act by structuring their insurance plans in a way that discourage consumers with HIV and AIDS from choosing those plans.

The National Health Law Program and The AIDS Institute said four insurance companies offering plans in Florida through the federal online exchange required HIV and AIDS patients to pay a percentage of their often expensive drugs instead of a flat co-pay.

Instead of paying a flat $10 co-pay at the pharmacy, the plans require patients to pay 40 to 50 percent of the cost of their drug, which could run into the thousands of dollars, according to the complaint which health experts say could have national implications.

The groups also alleged that the plans charged high up-front costs and require unwieldy prior authorizations. The complaint, filed with the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, asks the agency to investigate the Florida plans offered by CoventryOne, Cigna, Humana and Preferred Medical and require the insurance companies to take corrective actions if necessary.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Complaint-accuses-4-Fla-insurers-of-discrimination-5513188.php

[William769]

1. Don't expext many replies.

I posted this in GD and it sank like a rock. It seems AIDS is so 1980's.

[Uben]

2. Or....

...it might be that folks are just not surprised by anything insurance companies will try. They are just like the banksters in that they spend millions on lobbying and wooing congress that they expect to get away with anything they do.....and I believe it works most of the time! I certainly expect more of this in the future. Someone at an insurance company comes up with a plan to bypass ACA requirements and tries to work out or get legislation passed so they can slide it in. Will anyone go to jail for it? Don't hold your breath. They'll pay some people off and be back at it again in a few months.

[William769]

3. Speaking of ACA that was beaten to death and pounded into the ground here (as it should have been)

But this only affects a small percentage (even though life threatening) so it's a meh topic. I would like to see anyone prove otherwise.

[starroute]

4. AIDS patients are the canary in the coal mine

If this is happening to them in a big way, it must be happening to a lot of others in smaller ways.

[McCamy Taylor]

9. Oh, it is. Precerts required for meds that sick people--even cheap meds they need.

Just to create a hassle factor to get them off plans.

[sheshe2]

6. Sorry yours sank William.

This is important and needs to be seen.

[sheshe2]

5. KnR for exposure!

This is important!

[Mnemosyne]

7. Betcha' FL isn't the only place this bs is happening. Despicable. nt

[McCamy Taylor]

8. That is indeed discrimination. Illegal as hell. Where is HHS and DOJ. They should be barred from ACA

[csziggy]

10. If they get away with this, they will do the same with other illnesses

So this needs to be fought, no matter how small a percentage of clients it affects or what disease is discriminated against.

I'm glad to see someone go after these immoral companies!

[area51]

11. Who knew that leaving for-profit health insurance companies --

-- without even a public option to choose from -- in charge of our healthcare would be a bad thing. Oh, wait ...

[DeSwiss]

12. This.

[DeSwiss]

13. This would never happen with MEDICARE FOR ALL!!

- This is what you get from a half-ass solution. Thanks Obama.

K&R

''I think Rob Ford is awesome. He finally put to bed the notion that humans are capable of choosing their own leaders. I'm prepared to allow a mathematical algorithm to select leaders at random from the phone book now. If you look at the past 100 years (including the past 5) it cannot be any worse than what we have selected for ourselves.'' ~PaleoEmoProg

[center]Human beings once actually voted me to be the
Prime Minister of a major country on planet Earth!
[/center]