Healthy profits were reported by WellPoint, Inc, fourth quarter 2007 net income was $859.1 million. The company is pleased and is projected to reach its financial targets for 2008 which include 15.3% growth over 2007. WellPoint Inc. operates Blue Cross of California, which has been shown to drop enrollees with pre-existing medical conditions. If a past pregnancy is not reported, you may be dropped quicker than the time it takes to even get a doctor’s appointment.
In the bid to keep profits high, doctors are being asked to report back to the insurance company if a patient has any condition that may not have been earlier reported. If you are deemed risky, you’ve got to go. This jeopardizes the patient-doctor relationship of confidentiality and would only brew mistrust.
But, wait, isn’t the purpose of insurance, to insure, and to be used if needed? If an insurer prefers not to cover the cost of care, you would think there would be more interest in alternative/complementary medicine and prevention programs. Why not cover education and approaches that keep people healthy. Then there is less need for expensive procedures as less people would develop chronic health conditions.
Do you pay insurance premiums, simply to keep the shareholder’s happy? Do you think that if you have a pre-existing health condition you should still qualify for insurance? At what point, if any, should a consumer be denied access to insurance coverage? It is estimated that over 43 million Americans have little or no health care coverage.
What is the answer?
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