Posted on 03/04/2010 3:25:48 PM PST by tobyhill
As we reported earlier,in his pop-in on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's meeting with top health insurance company executives, the president read a letter from a Ohio woman to make a point.
At the briefing this afternoon, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs read the December 2009 letter, from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio.
ABC News spoke with Canfield this afternoon.
Born and raised in Medina, she told us she’s a cleaning woman and her insurance company was Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Ohio – the company that just announced sizable premium hikes all over the country despite its parent company having made almost $5 billion in profits in 2009.
“I just could not afford it,” Canfield told us. “I went into debt trying to keep coverage when it was $500 a month, and I couldn’t do it anymore at $700 a month.”
Messages for Kim Ashley, the communications director of Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Ohio, were not immediately returned.*
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
Even Joe Isuzu isn’t buying this.
Curious that she thinks that NATIONALIZING health insurance would HELP the problem!!
It sounds possible, what’s not to buy?
Insurance companies have one of the lowest rates of return of almost all industries.
Is this the only insurance company in the state of Ohio? If my car insurance got jacked up in the double digits percentage, I’d sure be shopping around!
Actually I found 7 different companies with 137 plans for her age in her area.
Yes, I checked.
Maybe not if your car had a pre-existing condition. ;-)
“Insurance companies have one of the lowest rates of return of almost all industries.”
Moreover, WellPoint/Anthem covers 35 million lives, so its profits amount to $142 per subscriber. Which is to say that if you eliminated their profits, you could give them each back $12 a month, i.e., less than 50 cents a day. Not an amount that is likely to make health insurance magically affordable to those who claim they can’t now afford. And if you eliminated their profits, how long do you think these private health insurance companies would stay in the business?
“I looked up ehealthinsurance and found many plans for half of what she’s paying with lower deductibles.”
Thanks for posting about that site, I had not heard of it before.
$5 billion ... Bambi and Company piss that much away before breakfast ---- EVERY DAY
Anthem/Blue Cross provided insurance for 100,000,000 Americans last year, and made a profit of $5,000,000,000, which is $50 per policy. Even if Anthem/Blue Cross made no profit at all, and reduced premiums by that amount, it would only knock $50 of the average premium. Since your average premium is about $8,000, that would mean a reduction of 0.625%.
Five Billion Dollars sounds like a lot of money until you divide it by 100 Million...
abc=****ing lying commies and muzzies... all ex clintoon knee padders.
LLS
I have no trouble believing her story (in spite of the fact that Obama’s told some UNTRUE doozeys!). In fact, with the cancer, I’m surprised they just didn’t boot her. Costs ARE increasing. Where we differ with the left is on how to fix the problem.
My son is a graduate student who is in great health, only sees only his primary doctor once a year, but has taken a script, the same script, same dosage, for minor, though chronic depression for 5 years. His policy with United Health Care WAS renewed this year, but a RIDER was added now that excludes ANY coverage, including medication, for the depression. He’s never sick....there have been years where the only doctor visit he’s had is just to get a refill on his script, but hells bells, what if he DID have a problem?
So, I called and asked why the rider? I was told that it was because the cost of his medication has increased. I explained...but he takes the generic and since he can get a 3 month supply at Krogers for $9.00, he has NEVER submitted it through the insurance. UHC’s reply, literally,....”well yes, but he could”.
Now THAT is just ridiculous. Heck, a lot of things COULD happen to any one at any time...isn’t that what insurance is FOR?
Another Obambi story: I’m still reeling about the woman who was wearing her deceased sister-in-law’s teeth.... chuckle!!
I don’t believe her. I want to see her bills.
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