Insurance company executive refers to high-cost patients as ‘dogs.’

[Modbert]

Think Progress » Insurance company executive refers to high-cost patients as ‘dogs.’

In the state of New York, insurers are legally prohibited from discriminating against individuals who submit large claims. So when Guardian, a major insurance company, was faced with the high-cost claims of 37 year-old muscular dystrophy patient Ian Pearl, it decided to cancel its entire line of coverage in the state of New York rather than pay for Pearl’s claims. In an e-mail obtained by The Washington Times, it was revealed that one executive at the company refers to patients like Pearl as “dogs” that the company can simply “get rid of”:

In an e-mail, one Guardian Life Insurance Co. executive called high-cost patients such as Mr. Pearl “dogs” that the company could “get rid of.”

A federal court quickly ruled that the company’s actions were legal, so on Dec. 1, barring an order by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Pearl will lose his benefits.

The cost of Pearl’s annual treatment is approximately $1 million a year. The Pearl family is unable to receive the quality health care that Ian needs. “One-on-one skilled nursing is essential,” Mrs. Pearl said.

Mmm, it's a good thing that the Republicans and some Democrats are protecting such businesses like Guardian Life Insurance Co. and keeping those dogs down. Goodness knows what would happen to the bottom lines if the insurance companies actually had to do what they're paid for. That would be actually doing their job, now what kind of standard would that set?

Hooray for Republicans and some Democrats and their preventing of any real fixing in Health Care! Hooray for Republicans and some Democrats just looking out for Big Businesses with wanting Tort Reform! Hooray for Republicans and some Democrats wanting to offer tax credits to the poor who have no money to tax in the first place, genius idea!

Let's all give them a round of applause.
--------

Now back in reality, WHAT THE FUCK. Seriously? Is this what we have come to? These companies see us as dogs and some of you people want to protect them? You can feel free to be their bitches but I'll settle for not such bullshit.

That executive deserves to be fired and this company should not be legally allowed to do this to this poor man.

 

[MajikMyst]

And the neotards are arguing against health reform!! If that person dies due to lack of insurance.. I hope the CEO of guardian insurance is rung up on murder charges... But then 42,000 people die each year for reasons such as this..

And yet you rebuttlicans still argue for the insurance companies..

 

[JakeStarkey]

The health insurance companies brought this on themselves.

 

[rdean]

Most Republicans are going crazy to protect these companies. Blue dogs are Republicans in Democratic clothing.

They say it's "capitalism". But if you don't sell anything or make anything, if your entire business is to skim money off Americans to give CEO's mansions, then where is the capitalism?

I understand that Republicans feel only rich people make jobs and rich people know the best way to spend money, I just don't understand why? Why don't Republicans ever represent the interest of the middle class? Why the war?

You will see very few Republicans answering this thread. They can't. They know they can't. When an insurance executive refers to sick people as "dogs", I wonder if the majority of Republicans are secretly laughing behind a single hand. You know they think it's funny.

 

[Yurt]

this from dems who cry foul if one person makes the whole bunch bad.....funny how hypocritical some of you libs are when it suits your needs.....

if the quote is true....it was one person....get over yourselves

 

[Elutherian]

Yeah, and the solution Obama is offering: Moving from a 95% Government controlled Health-Care System to a 100% Government controlled Health-Care System.
Change is a real bitch.

 

[xsited1]

Think Progress » Insurance company executive refers to high-cost patients as ‘dogs.’

In the state of New York, insurers are legally prohibited from discriminating against individuals who submit large claims. So when Guardian, a major insurance company, was faced with the high-cost claims of 37 year-old muscular dystrophy patient Ian Pearl, it decided to cancel its entire line of coverage in the state of New York rather than pay for Pearl’s claims. In an e-mail obtained by The Washington Times, it was revealed that one executive at the company refers to patients like Pearl as “dogs” that the company can simply “get rid of”:

In an e-mail, one Guardian Life Insurance Co. executive called high-cost patients such as Mr. Pearl “dogs” that the company could “get rid of.”

A federal court quickly ruled that the company’s actions were legal, so on Dec. 1, barring an order by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Pearl will lose his benefits.

The cost of Pearl’s annual treatment is approximately $1 million a year. The Pearl family is unable to receive the quality health care that Ian needs. “One-on-one skilled nursing is essential,” Mrs. Pearl said.

...

$1 million a year for treatment would be rationed in a country with socialized medicine. They simply could not afford it for one person.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Lying Dems Dogs are lying out in the TRILLIONS column about the real costs of ObamaCare

 

[hvacjones]

Yeah, and the solution Obama is offering: Moving from a 95% Government controlled Health-Care System to a 100% Government controlled Health-Care System.
Change is a real bitch.

95 % goverment controlled? Health Insurance companies are exempt from the same laws that most other industries must adhere too.

 

[Diuretic]

Quelle surprise!

The corporation as sociopath? Whoda thunk it?

The Corporation Film: Welcome

 

[Emma]

The thought that anyone could defend these bastards is stunning.

 

[DiveCon]

The thought that anyone could defend these bastards is stunning.

its not a matter of defending them as it is you wont see the government spending $1 mil a year for someone to stay alive
you think this is bad, just wait till you have government bureaucrats running it

 

[MajikMyst]

If you neotards hate our government so much then move!! My word is that your entire arguement is that our government will screw it up? How is that patriotic? I love my country but hate my government? That isn't patriotism that is hypocrisy..

Medicare works just fine and people love it.. Check the polls yourself.. No bureaucrat is going to be in charge of your health care.. The post office works fine!! The military is the best in the world.. Seems to me they do a lot of things wonderfully!! Get a clue!!

If you hate the government then move to another country and leave ours alone!! We don't need you backwards morons messing things up at every turn..

You morons are wrong on every issue including this one..

Abortion
Gun control
Gay marriage
Lung cancer
Global warming

Just to name a few..

 

[DiveCon]

If you neotards hate our government so much then move!! My word is that your entire arguement is that our government will screw it up? How is that patriotic? I love my country but hate my government? That isn't patriotism that is hypocrisy..

Medicare works just fine and people love it.. Check the polls yourself.. No bureaucrat is going to be in charge of your health care.. The post office works fine!! The military is the best in the world.. Seems to me they do a lot of things wonderfully!! Get a clue!!

If you hate the government then move to another country and leave ours alone!! We don't need you backwards morons messing things up at every turn..

You morons are wrong on every issue including this one..

Abortion
Gun control
Gay marriage
Lung cancer
Global warming

Just to name a few..

why didnt you leave in 2001 then

then FUCK OFF

 

[MajikMyst]

why didnt you leave in 2001 then

then FUCK OFF

Excuse me?? Oh man I forgot!!

Limited vocabulary..

Sorry.. I keep forgetting that this is how you repukes operate.. My bad.

 

[DiveCon]

why didnt you leave in 2001 then

then FUCK OFF

Excuse me?? Oh man I forgot!!

Limited vocabulary..

Sorry.. I keep forgetting that this is how you repukes operate.. My bad.

you got what you gave
asswipe

 

[MajikMyst]

why didnt you leave in 2001 then

then FUCK OFF

Excuse me?? Oh man I forgot!!

Limited vocabulary..

Sorry.. I keep forgetting that this is how you repukes operate.. My bad.

you got what you gave
asswipe

I'm sorry?? I cursed at you in what post?? I sent you a PM and cursed at you when??

I most certianly didn't diserve this.. But I know.. This is how a person of limited intelligence debates an issue.. They can't win so resort to profanity..

 

[DiveCon]

Excuse me?? Oh man I forgot!!

Limited vocabulary..

Sorry.. I keep forgetting that this is how you repukes operate.. My bad.

you got what you gave
asswipe

I'm sorry?? I cursed at you in what post?? I sent you a PM and cursed at you when??

I most certianly didn't diserve this.. But I know.. This is how a person of limited intelligence debates an issue.. They can't win so resort to profanity..

you gave shit, i gave it back
and you were the one showing a lack of intelligence in the post i responded to

 

[xotoxi]

The thought that anyone could defend these bastards is stunning.

its not a matter of defending them as it is you wont see the government spending $1 mil a year for someone to stay alive
you think this is bad, just wait till you have government bureaucrats running it

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the government should be managing this person (which they will be now that he has no coverage)...but rather it should not be legal for insurance companies to do this.

But on another note...I wonder why it costs $1 million annually to care for this patient? It is rare for muscular dystrophy patients to still be alive in their 30s. Maybe he is on a ventilator, which would be expensive.

EDIT: DUH! I opened the article and saw that he was in fact on a ventilator.

 

[DiveCon]

The thought that anyone could defend these bastards is stunning.

its not a matter of defending them as it is you wont see the government spending $1 mil a year for someone to stay alive
you think this is bad, just wait till you have government bureaucrats running it

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the government should be managing this person (which they will be now that he has no coverage)...but rather it should not be legal for insurance companies to do this.

But on another note...I wonder why it costs $1 million annually to care for this patient? It is rare for muscular dystrophy patients to still be alive in their 30s. Maybe he is on a ventilator, which would be expensive.

EDIT: DUH! I opened the article and saw that he was in fact on a ventilator.

oh, but there are some claiming they would
but i agree with you that the insurance companies should honor their contracts