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HIP, HIP, HOORAY! Sharon Starr Florence, AZ [log in to unmask] My mom: 74/50/45 -----Original Message----- From: Arthur Hirsch <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]> Date: Wednesday, October 07, 1998 3:33 AM Subject: Insurance Industry >I had recently blind copied a letter of mine regarding the insurance >industry to a friend. I feel that I should share her reply to me with the >list. I defend only the system that should be, not the system as it is >abused. From what I know, there is NO defense against these abuses. > >Art - 62/12 - [log in to unmask] > ><<Thank goodness, I'm not the only one who has questions! > >When I was in a car wreck in 1966, I was covered by Blue Cross-Blue >Shield--true there was a waiting period for "pre-existing illnesses"-- >but accident coverage was supposedly immediate, and I received my >precious little card. > >SIX MONTHS later, I was advised by BC-BS that our company had never >forwarded the "proper" paperwork to them, and they would have to >"decline" coverage. My employers URGED me to sue--the bills were >very high. So I consulted a lawyer who advised me I would have to sue >the company I worked for as well as BC-BS. Still, my employers URGED >me to sue! > >But in those days, to sue your employer was a death sentence >professionally--so I chose to pay it myself. It took me THIRTEEN >YEARS of personal deprivation to pay for it, but I did! And you think >I have any respect for the insurance industry? I would starve or dig >ditches (if I could!) before I would work for them!!! > >Many years later, after going to work for Hermann Hospital, the first >few letters I was asked to write were to INSURANCE COMPANIES >demanding payment. Now, in the first 25 letters, all of them exceeded >$100,000! AND ALL OF THEM HAD BEEN PRE-APPROVED FOR TREATMENT BY THE >DAMNED INSURANCE COMPANIES! I was so mad I nearly threw up trying to >type them...one of the had 13 claims, and it just happened to be the >company that covered Hermann Hospital! I asked the Associate General >Counsel if we couldn't simply withhold payment until they paid us-- >and he said they would deny coverage to our 2,800 employees!! In the >meantime, Hermann had to borrow money for interim financing--and >ultimately "settle" for about fifty cents on the dollar only after >filing a lawsuit! Please bear in mind that this was a "charity" >hospital with limited resources, but since it was a teaching hospital >for the University of Texas Medical Center, the choice of most of the >"acute" or terminally ill patients in the County. > >Now, if you choose to defend the insurance industry, that is your >choice! If I were a terrorist, I know where I would strike first!! > >The statistics were overwhelming! We got all the explosion victims, >burn victims, many of the "gun-shot and knife wounds" patients--who >had little chance of survival without a Level One Trauma Center-- >which, thanks to Dr. Red Duke! we had--and many of the patients >and/or their survivors wanted to sue the hospital because they didn't >survive, or were permanently impaired! You dare to blame the >hospitals and doctors??? I challenge! I've had (unfortunately) the >destiny to view it from both sides, and I firmly believe it is >lawyers and insurance companies who are compromising health care! > >I noticed that you did state that "elective" surgery was an issue--as >in pallidotomies - and perhaps that should be taken into >consideration. But when I hear that women who must have their breasts >cut off, along with all the muscles that support the back, shoulders >and arms, and the lymph nodes, AND AN HMO SAYS THAT SHOULD BE "OUT- >PATIENT" SURGERY--ALLOWED ONE DAY ONLY, I feel like putting the sick >HMO animals to sleep! You have your causes and I have mine--and they >aren't always compatible! I simply DO NOT THINK ONLY THE RICH HAVE A >RIGHT TO MEDICAL CARE IN THIS COUNTRY!!! So there...>> >