Aren't Private Companies In The Business Of Making Profit?

[boedicca]

Please explain your last comment or cease and desist with rash talking points and generalizations.

Obamacare for one, have you heard of it?

Lack of real interstate competition, have you heard of it?

Lack of malpractice reform, have you heard of it?

The coupling of employment with health insurance so that the consumers of health care are not the purchasers of it, have you heard of it?

On your four "points"
1) How has "obamacare" which has yet to be implemented cost more?

ObamaCare implementation has already started. The requirements to cover "children" to age 26 is in place, as are the state "at risk pools". For further evidence of the negative impact, consider the 1,000+ organizations that have received waivers (many of whom are unions).

2) You want the federal govt. to strip states of the rules and regulations they have legally voted in (ie. ALL insurers must cover pregnancies and breast cancer).

That's not what I said, nimrod. One valid function of the federal government is to ensure interstate commerce. Insurance companies should be able to compete in all 50 states, if they so choose.

3) I have no problem with some tort reform, but the Republicans want to go too far with it. BTW, this would be WASHINGTON taking away a right and adding regulation.

I suggest you take a look at the tort reform in Texas before claiming that what the GOP wants is to Go To Far.

4) Group policies, such as through an employer have proven over and over that this is a far most cost effective method than single policies.


BUB

Neither group policies through employers nor individual policies in the current tax distorted market reflect true market prices.

And don't Bub me. You haven't earned the privilege.

 

[boedicca]

A company's ability to make profit enables it to make the innovations to provide more care to more people, bub.

Do you happen to have a list of the Health Insurance Companies list of inovations they have created for the healthcare industry over the years?

Don't get her started. She is still struggling with what the word "innovation" means.

You're struggling with reading comprehension and retention.

 

[GunZawga]

Taxpayers are forced to pay.

And if you think government means "choice" then you are hopeless

Not if they don't want to. Hence....option. Seriously?

So your thinking is politicians are going to run a stand alone entity that competes on it's own without government funding against private companies and taxpayers aren't going to end up footing the bill for the ridiculous promises it'll make it's customers? Why am I skeptical? Do the names Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae mean anything to you?

I suppose you want to assert that Freddy and Fannie were govt. run and not privately held companies?

On September 7, 2008, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director James B. Lockhart III announced pursuant to the financial analysis, assessments and statutory authority of the FHFA, he had placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the conservatorship of the FHFA. FHFA has stated that there are no plans to liquidate the company.[33][34] The announcement followed reports two days earlier that the federal government was planning to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and had met with their CEOs on short notice.[50][51][52] Under plan announced September 7, 2008, the federal government, via the Federal Housing Finance Agency, placed the two firms into conservatorship, dismissed the firms' chief executive officers and boards of directors, and caused the issuance to the Treasury new senior preferred stock and common stock warrants amounting to 79.9% of each GSE.



Furthermore it was the capiltalist GREED that did them in.

On December 18, 2006, U.S. regulators filed 101 civil charges against chief executive Franklin Raines; chief financial officer J. Timothy Howard; and the former controller Leanne G. Spencer. The three are accused of manipulating Fannie Mae earnings to maximize their bonuses. The lawsuit sought to recoup more than $115 million in bonus payments, collectively accrued by the trio from 1998–2004, and about $100 million in penalties for their involvement in the accounting scandal.

 

[boedicca]

A company's ability to make profit enables it to make the innovations to provide more care to more people, bub.

Do you happen to have a list of the Health Insurance Companies list of inovations they have created for the healthcare industry over the years?

If you bothered to read, you would already know that I do not view the health insurance industry as operating in a proper free market. It is full of large corporations that are Big Government Cronies.

Be that as it may, they still do innovate.

You sad little moonbats would benefit from a real innovation: the search engine.

Earlier today, ActiveHealth Management, an Aetna subsidiary, announced it has entered into a significant relationship with IBM to jointly design, develop, market and operate a unique product called Collaborative Care Solution. The solution will enable medical practices, hospitals and states to effectively change the way they deliver health care – using health information exchange and real-time clinical decision support – and demonstrate that they are providing better quality care at a lower cost.

The solution is not simply enablement of electronic exchange, but gives care teams the ability to improve the care that they deliver. The solution harnesses data from multiple sources to create a more complete view of the patient, and enables doctors to act on it at the point of care. They can communicate with their patients, either in person or electronically through secure channels, or with other members of the extended care team, such as nurse practitioners or physician extenders. Importantly, the solution is based on ActiveHealth’s CareEngine® technology. This technology delivers insights based on evidence-based guidelines as well as detects gaps or omissions in care. It has proven to improve care while reducing costs(1). This “early warning system” not only helps identify patients in greatest need, it also provides a tool that permits the entire care team to engage to protect and improve the health of patients before they need a visit to the emergency room or hospital.

News release


"WellPoint is pleased to be recognized by InformationWeek as a top technology innovator in America," said Lori Beer, Chief Information Officer, WellPoint, Inc. "WellPoint is committed to using technology and data to better understand the health and health-behaviors of its members so that we can create programs and products designed that can help improve their health and the quality of their lives."

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America's best-known companies. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."

WellPoint Recognized on the 2010 InformationWeek Top Technology Innovators Across America List -- INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

 

[Jarhead]

So it will magically become better when we replace the corporate burecrat with some government burecrat? At least with a company you can take your business elsewhere. Try that with a single government entitiy.

You obviously don't understand the concept of "option". And most people do NOT have a choice of insurance. They either buy what is offered from their workplace (if offered) or they go without. The average person cannot afford stand-alone private health insurance, especially on declining salaries and the cost of living rising the way it is. I know I couldn't afford it on my own.

I was referring to this (above in bold)...

Truth is...for 3500 you can get a very solid policy....in it you will have a 5K deductible.....for anything above and beyond the normal semi annual visits. Those will be covered with a 20 co-pay.
Hoepfully, you wont have a catstrophic situation...but if you do, after the first 5K the other 10's of not hundreds of thousands are covered.

But you have decided you prefer a shorter commute (although I must tell you, in NYC, 35 minutes is a breeze)..and you prefer no roommate (since you "paid your dues")....

But you CAN afford private insurance....but you opt to have some other personal luxuries instead.

That is fine and your choice...but you are diingenuopus when you say you cant afford it...to the contrary you can afford it. You prefer others pay for it instead so you can live without a roommate.

A classic example of personal responsibility. You dont have it. You dont want to see how you can take care of yourself. You dont want to see the err of your ways. You simply want to blame others.

Your attitude, Peepers, is the problem.

It is not that you cant...it is that you dont want to.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.

 

[GunZawga]

Obamacare for one, have you heard of it?

Lack of real interstate competition, have you heard of it?

Lack of malpractice reform, have you heard of it?

The coupling of employment with health insurance so that the consumers of health care are not the purchasers of it, have you heard of it?

On your four "points"
1) How has "obamacare" which has yet to be implemented cost more?

ObamaCare implementation has already started. The requirements to cover "children" to age 26 is in place, as are the state "at risk pools". For further evidence of the negative impact, consider the 1,000+ organizations that have received waivers (many of whom are unions).



That's not what I said, nimrod. One valid function of the federal government is to ensure interstate commerce. Insurance companies should be able to compete in all 50 states, if they so choose.

3) I have no problem with some tort reform, but the Republicans want to go too far with it. BTW, this would be WASHINGTON taking away a right and adding regulation.

I suggest you take a look at the tort reform in Texas before claiming that what the GOP wants is to Go To Far.

4) Group policies, such as through an employer have proven over and over that this is a far most cost effective method than single policies.


BUB

Neither group policies through employers nor individual policies in the current tax distorted market reflect true market prices.

And don't Bub me. You haven't earned the privilege.

Any insurance company can do business in nearly any state it wants to, as long as they follow state insurance codes, like offering breast cancer screening coverage and ob/gyn coverage.

As far as the Texas malprac.

If I was told my dead wife or child's life that was NEGLIGENTLY taken was only worth 250K I would shoot someone first.


Your last statement is completely nonsensical and contains not a drop of evidentiary logic.

 

[boedicca]

On your four "points"
1) How has "obamacare" which has yet to be implemented cost more?

ObamaCare implementation has already started. The requirements to cover "children" to age 26 is in place, as are the state "at risk pools". For further evidence of the negative impact, consider the 1,000+ organizations that have received waivers (many of whom are unions).



That's not what I said, nimrod. One valid function of the federal government is to ensure interstate commerce. Insurance companies should be able to compete in all 50 states, if they so choose.



I suggest you take a look at the tort reform in Texas before claiming that what the GOP wants is to Go To Far.

4) Group policies, such as through an employer have proven over and over that this is a far most cost effective method than single policies.


BUB

Neither group policies through employers nor individual policies in the current tax distorted market reflect true market prices.

And don't Bub me. You haven't earned the privilege.

Any insurance company can do business in nearly any state it wants to, as long as they follow state insurance codes, like offering breast cancer screening coverage and ob/gyn coverage.

As far as the Texas malprac.

If I was told my dead wife or child's life that was NEGLIGENTLY taken was only worth 250K I would shoot someone first.


Your last statement is completely nonsensical and contains not a drop of evidentiary logic.

That is patently incorrect about interstate commerce, but I do believe you are corrupt enough to shoot somebody.

 

[GunZawga]

A company's ability to make profit enables it to make the innovations to provide more care to more people, bub.

Do you happen to have a list of the Health Insurance Companies list of inovations they have created for the healthcare industry over the years?

If you bothered to read, you would already know that I do not view the health insurance industry as operating in a proper free market. It is full of large corporations that are Big Government Cronies.

Be that as it may, they still do innovate.

You sad little moonbats would benefit from a real innovation: the search engine.

Earlier today, ActiveHealth Management, an Aetna subsidiary, announced it has entered into a significant relationship with IBM to jointly design, develop, market and operate a unique product called Collaborative Care Solution. The solution will enable medical practices, hospitals and states to effectively change the way they deliver health care – using health information exchange and real-time clinical decision support – and demonstrate that they are providing better quality care at a lower cost.

The solution is not simply enablement of electronic exchange, but gives care teams the ability to improve the care that they deliver. The solution harnesses data from multiple sources to create a more complete view of the patient, and enables doctors to act on it at the point of care. They can communicate with their patients, either in person or electronically through secure channels, or with other members of the extended care team, such as nurse practitioners or physician extenders. Importantly, the solution is based on ActiveHealth’s CareEngine® technology. This technology delivers insights based on evidence-based guidelines as well as detects gaps or omissions in care. It has proven to improve care while reducing costs(1). This “early warning system” not only helps identify patients in greatest need, it also provides a tool that permits the entire care team to engage to protect and improve the health of patients before they need a visit to the emergency room or hospital.

News release


"WellPoint is pleased to be recognized by InformationWeek as a top technology innovator in America," said Lori Beer, Chief Information Officer, WellPoint, Inc. "WellPoint is committed to using technology and data to better understand the health and health-behaviors of its members so that we can create programs and products designed that can help improve their health and the quality of their lives."

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America's best-known companies. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."

WellPoint Recognized on the 2010 InformationWeek Top Technology Innovators Across America List -- INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."



innovation to increase revenue from peoples health problems. Why am I not at all surprised

 

[GunZawga]

ObamaCare implementation has already started. The requirements to cover "children" to age 26 is in place, as are the state "at risk pools". For further evidence of the negative impact, consider the 1,000+ organizations that have received waivers (many of whom are unions).



That's not what I said, nimrod. One valid function of the federal government is to ensure interstate commerce. Insurance companies should be able to compete in all 50 states, if they so choose.



I suggest you take a look at the tort reform in Texas before claiming that what the GOP wants is to Go To Far.




Neither group policies through employers nor individual policies in the current tax distorted market reflect true market prices.

And don't Bub me. You haven't earned the privilege.

Any insurance company can do business in nearly any state it wants to, as long as they follow state insurance codes, like offering breast cancer screening coverage and ob/gyn coverage.

As far as the Texas malprac.

If I was told my dead wife or child's life that was NEGLIGENTLY taken was only worth 250K I would shoot someone first.


Your last statement is completely nonsensical and contains not a drop of evidentiary logic.

That is patently incorrect about interstate commerce, but I do believe you are corrupt enough to shoot somebody.

You are absolutely wrong yet again. Please attempt some grasp of a topic before spouting illinformed "facts"

Ezra Klein - Selling insurance across state lines: A terrible, no good, very bad health-care idea


You desire a race to the bottom.

 

[uscitizen]

Profits are the way the economy assignes resources to needs. If the amount the economy is willing to dedicate to a product is less than it costs to produce, then that product will not be produced. If there are economic profits, the the economy shifts resources to meet the need until profits reach a rational level.

What the society wants is not what people think it should want. Why Justin Beiber is sucking in cash, and cancer cures can't be produced because their are not the resources to produce them is a problem beyond cure.

With essientials like health care, food and energy that rule does not apply.

It does with computers, cars, and shoes though.

Why? To some people, a computer or a car is just as much an essential as food. Why should you be the judge as to what is essential and what is not essential?

But there are many manufacturers and models of computers and cars.
with patents on medicine and medical procedures there is often no choice if you want to live.

 

[boedicca]

Do you happen to have a list of the Health Insurance Companies list of inovations they have created for the healthcare industry over the years?

If you bothered to read, you would already know that I do not view the health insurance industry as operating in a proper free market. It is full of large corporations that are Big Government Cronies.

Be that as it may, they still do innovate.

You sad little moonbats would benefit from a real innovation: the search engine.

Earlier today, ActiveHealth Management, an Aetna subsidiary, announced it has entered into a significant relationship with IBM to jointly design, develop, market and operate a unique product called Collaborative Care Solution. The solution will enable medical practices, hospitals and states to effectively change the way they deliver health care – using health information exchange and real-time clinical decision support – and demonstrate that they are providing better quality care at a lower cost.

The solution is not simply enablement of electronic exchange, but gives care teams the ability to improve the care that they deliver. The solution harnesses data from multiple sources to create a more complete view of the patient, and enables doctors to act on it at the point of care. They can communicate with their patients, either in person or electronically through secure channels, or with other members of the extended care team, such as nurse practitioners or physician extenders. Importantly, the solution is based on ActiveHealth’s CareEngine® technology. This technology delivers insights based on evidence-based guidelines as well as detects gaps or omissions in care. It has proven to improve care while reducing costs(1). This “early warning system” not only helps identify patients in greatest need, it also provides a tool that permits the entire care team to engage to protect and improve the health of patients before they need a visit to the emergency room or hospital.

News release


"WellPoint is pleased to be recognized by InformationWeek as a top technology innovator in America," said Lori Beer, Chief Information Officer, WellPoint, Inc. "WellPoint is committed to using technology and data to better understand the health and health-behaviors of its members so that we can create programs and products designed that can help improve their health and the quality of their lives."

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America's best-known companies. The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders.

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."

WellPoint Recognized on the 2010 InformationWeek Top Technology Innovators Across America List -- INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ --

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."



innovation to increase revenue from peoples health problems. Why am I not at all surprised

Gee, a company investing to provide new types of services and products to its customers.

How HORRIBLE!

 

[uscitizen]

A company's ability to make profit enables it to make the innovations to provide more care to more people, bub.

Do you happen to have a list of the Health Insurance Companies list of inovations they have created for the healthcare industry over the years?

Most of those innovations are patented and VERY expensive.
Which give you no choice if you need one of them to live.

 

[Rozman]

So tell me...how does a private company make a profit out of taking care of old ladies with cancer?

I believe the same argument the Republicans were making previously about "death panels" is exactly what they are inviting into with Ryancare.

There seems to be a contradiction between providing the care these vulnerable people need and making the profit that comes from not paying for the care these vulnerable people need.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Companies need to make profit or the company dies...
Companies need to make profit to be able to innovate and grow.
Companies need to be successful in order to attract the better employees and execs.

Government never needs to make a profit....
Democrats hate companies and love Government run stuff....
Go figure.

 

[uscitizen]

Umm democrats in govt love companies and use govt run stuff to route govt money to companies.

Where does all the Mediicare/medicaid money wind up? In corporate pockets.
Where does all the food stamp money wind up? In the grocers pockets.
Where does all the unimployment ins money wind up? In lots of businesses pockets.
Where does all the defense money wind up? In lots of corporate pockets.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Profits are the way the economy assignes resources to needs. If the amount the economy is willing to dedicate to a product is less than it costs to produce, then that product will not be produced. If there are economic profits, the the economy shifts resources to meet the need until profits reach a rational level.

What the society wants is not what people think it should want. Why Justin Beiber is sucking in cash, and cancer cures can't be produced because their are not the resources to produce them is a problem beyond cure.

With essientials like health care, food and energy that rule does not apply.

It does with computers, cars, and shoes though.

Why not? How do the rules differ?

If a service is badly wanted and people are willing to pay exorbitant amounts for it, more resources go there. If they want less, they spend it other places. As for food, that is not one item, but a whole basket of items. People spend less on asparagus, you get less asparagus. When people spend more on fruit loops, you get more fruit loops.

Price elasticity in energy has to relate to the fact that there is a monopoly corporation called OPEC that controls about 55% of the supply. But even they can't change the fact that members of their group cheat like crazy, and there are several very large non opec producers (Like the UK, Norway, Holland, Denmark, Mexico, Brazil) Plus there are huge supplies here that are profitable at different margins. If world petroleum is a at $50 large numbers of US pumps shut down as they are uneconomic. At higher prices they start back up again, as the price of oil covers the expense of running the pump. So Petroleum is not perfectly elastic in the short term, but over longer terms, elasticity returns and prices sink to the level where enough wells produce to keep equilibrium.

All prices respond to profits. Unless there is some government action preventing it, demand meets supply and prices clear.

 

[MarcATL]

So it will magically become better when we replace the corporate burecrat with some government burecrat? At least with a company you can take your business elsewhere. Try that with a single government entitiy.

My insurance company dropped me and I have Stage 4 lung cancer. May I buy a policy please?

Hey! I tried to take my business elsewhere!

The gap between academics, ideology and real life is staggeringly wide and unfathomably deep.

Why did they drop you? What was the reason, unless you are just being snarky and made this up.

Also, with government health care, they can just ignore you instead of dropping you. See the DMV on how effective government agencies can be at ignoring thier customer base.

I didn't realize that people got IGNORED by the good folks at the DMV.

I didn't get ignore when I went on Friday.

And I don't expect to get ignored when I go there in a few hours.

Where do you people come up with this swill?

 

[MarcATL]

"For 22 years, the InformationWeek 500 has honored the most innovative users of business technology," said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. "As we start to emerge from the worst recession in decades, the IT focus is now on driving growth - new sources of revenue, new relationships with customers, even new business models. This year's ranking placed special emphasis on those companies and business technology executives leading that charge."



innovation to increase revenue from peoples health problems. Why am I not at all surprised

The only "innovations" these people know/understand are finding new ways to bilk citizens out of their hard earned cash and Republicans and Far RWers praise them for it.

The definition of madness.

*SMH*

 

[editec]

Private or public sector financing, the fact none of us want to admit is that collectively this society cannot afford to pay for the health care the population needs.

 

[martybegan]

My insurance company dropped me and I have Stage 4 lung cancer. May I buy a policy please?

Hey! I tried to take my business elsewhere!

The gap between academics, ideology and real life is staggeringly wide and unfathomably deep.

Why did they drop you? What was the reason, unless you are just being snarky and made this up.

Also, with government health care, they can just ignore you instead of dropping you. See the DMV on how effective government agencies can be at ignoring thier customer base.

I didn't realize that people got IGNORED by the good folks at the DMV.

I didn't get ignore when I went on Friday.

And I don't expect to get ignored when I go there in a few hours.

Where do you people come up with this swill?

I guess you got a good DMV. Try one in NYC one time. Enjoy the 3 hour wait to get your registration renewed. And by ignoring thier customer base I mean that as a customer at the DMV you basically have NO ability to change how they do things. It's thier way or the highway. Right now if you wanted to switch medical insurance providers, you could. Once you get single payer, that goes bye bye. Welcome to the Department of Medical Serivces, DMS.

 

[MarcATL]

When something is free and a lot of people are using it as a service, a wait is usually involved. One cannot escape that. In the free market, you PAY for not having to wait. What the Dems are proposing is to put the public option on the table, let the free market handle it.

Those of you on the right who want to feel exclusive and get fast access to top notch healthcare...just shell out a little extra. PAY for it. Those of us who don't mind the wait will have the FREEDOM to CHOOSE the public option.

If the public option is as terrible as you on the right say it is, it will go by the wayside.

That's how the free market works. Isn't it?