HHS: Insurance Companies Encourage Employees to "Revoke Sick People's Health Coverage"

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

HHS: Insurance Companies Encourage Employees to "Revoke Sick People's Health Coverage"

By David S. Hilzenrath

You might have known that insurers can deny health coverage based on preexisting medical conditions, but here’s something else to worry about: They can take away the coverage you thought you had when actually need it, the government says.

The Department of Health and Human Services put a spotlight on that practice Tuesday in its continuing campaign to build support for an overhaul of health insurance.

“When a person is diagnosed with an expensive condition such as cancer, some insurance companies review his/her initial health status questionnaire,” the HHS said in a posting at HealthReform.Gov. In most states, insurance companies can retroactively cancel individuals' policies if any condition was not disclosed when the policy was obtained, "even if the medical condition is unrelated, and even if the person was not aware of the condition at the time.”

...............

The department cited recent research by the staff of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which found that three large insurers rescinded almost 20,000 policies over five years, saving $300 million in medical claims.



Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/08/hhs_insurance_companies_encour.html?wprss=daily-dose

[ixion]

1. insurance, and the health-care industry in general

is one massive rip-off. Any 'reform' that doesn't address these issues isn't reform at all.

[City Lights]

2. +1. nt

[Eric J in MN]

3. We should switch to the British system.

The British can get health care without health insurance companies.

[Faux pas]

4. What a massive pile. They gonna refund all the money that the

unfortunate dupes paid into their plan? Rhetorical question.

[Oregone]

5. But I hope reform will allow these companies to exist

What would everyone do without them?

[bemildred]

6. RICO. nt

[enough]

7. This is one of the most outrageous facts I have learned during the whole health care "debate."

At this rate, health insurance is not insurance. This is why we need access to a medicare-like system for all.

[Beavker]

8. Unfortunately there almost seems to be nothing to get through

to these dim lights, these mindless sheep (sorry sheep for the put down) that call themselves Republicans. Sadly, the Dems just need to keep reeling in the young folks, and get as many independents as possible to pledge Democratic. The only why these Dinosaurs will go away is if they die off. Sadly that is so. When are these Fat disgusting pigs like Cheney, Limbaugh, Beck and Rove going to kick it? Great people die everyday that are better, less hate filled and in better physical condition than these wastes of space. Why do they live on?

[Overseas]

9. And this is after they stomped out Clinton's attempts to introduce national health insurance.

This is during the 16 years since they stomped out Democrats' last attempt to get us national health insurance.

During the time they were going to prove to us how much better it was to leave things to the private sector.

That's what gets me about a lot of the current debate-- the medical industrial complex told us the same scary horror stories about public options last time and swore they could do things better.

Why don't our legislators and journalists just remind them that they had over a decade to prove their case and have failed miserably. Enough is enough.

[BattyDem]

10. Why are they being given a seat at the table?

The take people's money and have no intention of providing the service they are paid to provide. The only thing they add to the health care system is death. They are criminals ... period.

SO WHY ARE THEY EVEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION?!? :grr:

[tanyev]

11. Gosh, that kind of sounds like a death panel.

[Solly Mack]

12. K&R

[never cry wolf]

13. BC/BS rescinded me

I forget what the claim was for,I think it was for a colonoscopy, but apparently they went to my GP, got all his notes and records on me. They then went through my original application and accused me of lying on it, withholding pre-existing conditions.

My sins? When viagra first came out I asked my doc for a free sample and did not disclose on my application penile erection problems. (Which I did not have.)

Sheesh.

[Wednesdays]

14. K&R

:kick:

[jtrockville]

15. Health insurance is a SCAM! Why is our health care tied to this?

[Dulcinea]

16. Insurance companies aren't in business to pay your doctor bills.

They're in business to MAKE MONEY. Period. And therein lies the problem.