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The White House is exerting massive pressure, on the industry, including the trade associations, to keep quiet.
These executives feel defenseless against the White House PR team and are fearful about retribution.
Government backed plans accounted for about 48 pct of healthcare policies last year… a number that’s expected to grow this year and years to come, so basically,the insurance companies are forced to be quiet for basically their biggest source of income.
All along I have been aware of the Obama admin pressuring the insurance agencies to hide issues with the roll out. But it refreshing to see Anderson Cooper reporting on this, and in an alarming way. The White House is trampling the freedom of speech of the insurance companies to keep them from publicly criticizing the Obamacare roll out.
Glad to see CNN reporting this intimidation tactic to silence the companies.
Way to go Anderson Cooper!!
And that's a left leaning news station too, I'm impressed.
elouina
reply to post by boncho
Everyone in the US is entitled to free speech. And if the insurance executives saw problems before the roll out, they should have been able to tell the public. And they should also be able to tell us now. This administration strikes anyone down that goes against their plans in any way. And it is time to put an end to this.
Anyone that would support this administrations gagging the free speech of any American would have to be brainwashed themselves. Either that or a part of the Administrations propaganda task force. And I bet they are all running scared now that the MSM is finally taking noticed. You know, lashing out at others in desperation...
Anyone that would support this administrations gagging the free speech of any American would have to be brainwashed themselves. Either that or a part of the Administrations propaganda task force. And I bet they are all running scared now that the MSM is finally taking noticed. You know, lashing out at others in desperation...
Long-Term Trend #8: The Health Care Industry
The United States health care system is completely and totally broken. It has become a gigantic money making machine for health insurance companies, pharmaceutical corporations and greedy lawyers.
Americans pay more for health care than anyone else in the world and yet they get shockingly little in return.
Health care expenses are the number one reason why people file for personal bankrupty in the United States. Surprisingly, most of those who get bankrupted by health care expenses actually have health insurance.
The health insurance system in the United States is a complete and total mess. Health insurance premiums are busting the budgets of tens of millions of American families and yet they are getting ready to go up yet once again.
Already, large numbers of health insurance companies across the United States have announced that they plan to increase health insurance premiums in response to the new health care law.
But do health insurance companies actually need more money? Even as the rest of the U.S. economy deeply struggles, America's health insurance companies increased their profits by 56 percent in 2009.
At least someone is doing well in this economy.
The truth is that the U.S. health care system needs to be totally and completely reinvented. The system we had before did not work. Barack Obama's new health care system will be far worse. Meanwhile, the health care industry is literally choking the life out of the U.S. economy.
elouina
reply to post by boncho
Such statements are discriminatory and prejudiced. Insurance executives are our brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors, and aunts and uncles. Not all people that live in trailers are trash, just the same, not all insurance people are evil. They are normal every day people and their lifestyles and opinions will vary.
elouina
reply to post by boncho
Prejudice is a lifelong disease that is rarely overcome. I am not defending the insurance industry as a whole. But I am defending their right to free speech and to expose corruption. If they would have been,"allowed" we would not be in this huge mess with millions losing their insurance coverage.
But I guess time is better spent ranting about how evil they are vs. doing something productive? Yeah silence them all because they are evil! And allow American citizens to be thrown off their insurance, because a few are corrupt, and we can't allow them to speak their mind. That will teach em huh? Now explain to me who suffers here as a result? Thought so... Is there such a thing as a triple face palm? Can I borrow someones hand?
Oh and thanks for the bumps, much appreciated!
But I guess time is better spent ranting about how evil they are vs. doing something productive? Yeah silence them all because they are evil! And allow American citizens to be thrown off their insurance, because a few are corrupt, and we can't allow them to speak their mind. That will teach em huh? Now explain to me who suffers here as a result? Thought so... Is there such a thing as a triple face palm? Can I borrow someones hand?
Snarl
Nothing to see here folks ... move along ... move along ... unless ...
Don't you see the spin? The insurance companies are going to make money on this hand-over-fist. Of course they're going to keep quiet ... they just want to pin the blame on guberment. The insurance industry is the source of the written law. Did you think Pelosi had anywhere near the brains to write that?
ETA: Cooper is just playing his role and collecting his paycheck. Does anyone even trust this guy anymore?edit on 30102013 by Snarl because: tense correction and ETA
Total for Insurance: $77,272,400
Total Number of Clients Reported: 175
Total Number of Lobbyists Reported: 846
Total Number of Revolvers: 531 (62.8%)
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $6,244,150
America's Health Insurance Plans $4,580,000
American Council of Life Insurers $3,843,400
Prudential Financial $3,404,000
CMFG Life Insurance $546,011
Delta Dental Plans Assn $530,000
Primerica Life Insurance $530,000
Total for Commercial Banks: $31,822,875
Total Number of Clients Reported: 72
Total Number of Lobbyists Reported: 405
Total Number of Revolvers: 273 (67.4%)
Big insurers were omnipresent during the ObamaCare negotiations. Their most effective negotiator was Karen Ignagni, CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the industry’s leading lobby. Washingtonian magazine called her one of the top three “Top Guns” of all trade association heads, and she proved it with ObamaCare.
In March 2009, Ignagni promised President Obama: “You have our commitment to play, to contribute, and to help pass health care reform this year.” And play she did.
Ignagni and AHIP members participated in hundreds of meetings and spent millions of dollars to shape the final bill. Between January 2007 and August 2012, the political action committees of AHIP and the 11 largest health insurance companies gave $10.2 million to federal politicians, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
They received a lot for their time and money.
boncho
I'mnotsurprised this isn't the main discussion up for debate. I had been scratching my head for awhile now, not being able to figure out the whole ACA thing, but this looks like a worthwhile direction.
beezzer
I don't really see how insurance companies are going to profit from Obamacare.
Snarl
beezzer
I don't really see how insurance companies are going to profit from Obamacare.
Beez, the law is there. You have to have insurance. Penalties for not having insurance can be raised. Basically the ring is through the nose and TPTB just need to pull harder on the rope.
The insurance companies are going to profit, (first) because of the plan limitations, of which there are exactly four. The cheapest plan is by far more expensive than a healthy person's custom plan.
The only way this would have ever worked fairly is