Greed, Greed, And More Greed, Courtesy Of Insurance Companies

I know most of the blogs are all over the health care issue, which is why I have kept my posts to a minimum on this subject. First off, I have no insurance, and I have never had insurance, ever, in my entire life. I have been lucky my 57 years to not have any major illness or traumatic injuries that have required the need for thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Well, I was run over by a car once, and had my leg broken, but the person that ran over me had full insurance, and I came out of it with a $100,000 settlement that paid my medical bills (around $20,000). I had to have surgery and I now am the proud owner of a full length, titanium rod, from my knee to my ankle, that will go with me to my grave. If I didn't have insurance, and the person driving the car only had minimal insurance required by the State of California, or worse yet, no insurance, I probably would never had been able to have the surgery and would have had the leg casted for six month (which was cheaper), but still would have been out of thousands of dollars. Even when I was pregnant, I did not have insurance, and never saw a doctor until the five month stage, but you have to realize at that time I was living in hippie town north of San Diego, where most of the ladies gave birth at home by mid-wives (my sister actually became a certified mid-wife). The father eventually put me on his insurance long enough to give birth at Kaiser, but then after that, I was on my own again.

I ran across this video and story courtesy of Crooks and Liars. It underscores the damnatory practices of the insurance companies. Support your congress men and women who are insisting that a public option be a part of health care reform.

This year, Szakos was informed that Anthem was going to increase the premiums on Virginia Organizing Project's health plan by 14.1%. Around the same time, the Virginia Organizing Project received an email from Anthem:

We strongly support reform that builds a strong, sustainable private-sector health care system - and strongly oppose creating a government-run health plan. We are urging our elected officials in Washington to take bipartisan action that will accomplish that. We are educating policymakers in Washington and working with our trade associations to encourage Congress to build on the current system and not disrupt the quality, affordable coverage on which our members depend....

As our elected officials debate health care, they need to hear directly from you.

Szakos immediately had some questions for Anthem. Chief among them, why is Anthem using its resources to lobby against health care reform with a public health insurance option while at the same time increasing rates by 14.1%?

Szakos, along with three other Virginia Organizing Project board members, went down to Anthem's offices in Richmond, VA to ask. He left in handcuffs.

As reported in The Seminal at FDL.