In Standoff, Insurer Seeks More Control Over Costs (new york)

NEW YORY TIMES ^ | ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

[Dubya]

A front in the national health care battle has opened in New York City, where a major hospital chain and one of the nation’s largest insurance companies are locked in a struggle over control of treatment and costs that could have broad ramifications for millions of people with private health insurance.

While Congress has been haggling over covering as many as 15 million uninsured Americans, the prestigious hospitals and the major health insurer have been in bitter contract negotiations, not just over rates but also over UnitedHealthcare’s demand that the hospitals notify the insurance company within 24 hours after a patient’s admission. If a hospital failed to do so, UnitedHealthcare would cut its reimbursements for the patient by half.

[Dubya]

UnitedHealthcare is negotiating or imposing similar rules at hospitals across the country, and often meeting fierce opposition.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I’ve seen good people totally scrod by policies like this. In an emergency, hospitals don’t put finding out somebody’s insurance policy at the front of the list.

[Dubya]

In an emergency, hospitals don’t put finding out somebody’s insurance policy at the front of the list.

I sure don't blame the Hospitals. Sounds like the Ins. Cos can tell the Drs what they can & can't do.

[Hardastarboard]

I’ve seen good people totally scrod by policies like this.

I've been subject to UHC's tender mercies. Lied to by their staff, etc. I went to the state insurance board, only to be told that because the company providing the coverage was self insured, there was nothing they could do.

As evil as I think insurance companies can be though, they're still better than the government. No insurance company will ever have the power to send heavily armed men to my door to kill me because I didn't pay them.