Skip to main content

By John Archibald

 

It's good to be the king. The big blue king that rolls around on his pile of money and uses it to grab even more.

 

Think about it. Just two years ago, the federal Department of Health and Human Services looked at the way Alabama reviewed health insurance rates, and said ... Ugh. It doesn't work. It is ineffective. And since Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has a virtual monopoly on health insurance in the state, it meant Alabama regulatory reviews of Old Big Blue were just as ... Ugh. Ineffective.

 

And now look how far we've come. The top 10 executives at Blue Cross Blue Shield have been very good to themselves in recent years, doubling their own pay between 2011 and 2013. In 2013 – the last year available -- they each made more than a million bucks, a combined $19.2 million. So last year when AL.com wrote about that pay and the raises – as we are wont to do of big fat corporate pay in the middle of "ineffective" rate reviews – the Blue King said tut, tut, tut. And it used the power it bought by flooding Alabama politics with cash, to get what it wanted: Secrecy.

 

It has poured almost $700,000 -- $698,750 to be exact – into Alabama's campaign finance system since spring of 2013, and the juice pays off. For after Blue Cross execs dealt with the embarrassment of being outed as millionaires, they did what every Big Mule in Alabama has ever done. They got their bought-and-paid-for Legislature to save them from their own future mortification.

 

Sen. Slade Blackwell, a Republican from Jefferson County, sponsored a bill during the regular legislative session this spring that – while being touted as a way to make work papers confidential for accreditation reasons, added the big blue nugget to render executive pay for insurers confidential. Holy royal treatment, Batman. It is of special significance to Blue Cross, as AL.com reporter Amy Yurkanin put it so well when she learned of the bill, because other insurers must report top salaries to the Securities and Exchange Commission or the IRS. Not Blue Cross. Execs there can pay themselves what they want, with customers none the wiser. The bill sailed through the greased Legislature with almost unanimous support from lawmakers who – let's face it -- would sooner gnaw off a thumb than thumb their noses at Blue Cross. The money is just too good. Blue Cross has not contributed directly to Blackwell. But over the last two-plus years it did give $336,000 to PACs that gave Blackwell $53,250. And it might be more. Blackwell has not been required to report contributions this year. UnitedHealth gave him another $1,500. Blackwell said "political campaign contributions have no impact on the legislation that I sponsor or the votes I cast. This legislation was approved without a single opposing vote, which reflects its strong bi-partisan support." He said the bill protects the interest of consumers and provides adequate authority for regulators to do their jobs. It does more than that. It lets big business use big money to write their own rules.

 

Why care? Because Alabama's rate review process is sketchy already. Because Blue Cross already has what amounts to a monopoly, because how it spends its cash has a direct relation to whether rates are reasonable. Blue Cross has maintained its executive pay has nothing at all to do with rates. But that's like saying the amount you spend on liquor in bars has nothing to do with the fact that you're broke and hung over. How much do Blue Cross executives make right now? Your guess is as good as mine. Because it's none of your business. The Alabama Legislature said so.

 

It's good to be the king. Or his Montgomery jesters. But it kind of stinks to be his serfs.

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Stanky:

B-b-b-but Alabama BCBS is a nonprofit like Planned Parenthood Childrens Chopshop; so they must do good work for the public.

______

Yep, they are nonprofit, but that does not keep them from paying those big bucks to those executives.  Draining off revenue to enrich those fat cats helps keep them in a nonprofit status.

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by Stanky:

B-b-b-but Alabama BCBS is a nonprofit like Planned Parenthood Childrens Chopshop; so they must do good work for the public.

______

Yep, they are nonprofit, but that does not keep them from paying those big bucks to those executives.  Draining off revenue to enrich those fat cats helps keep them in a nonprofit status.

____________________________________________

Same as Childrens Chopshop:

 

http://www.foxnews.com/politic...ravel/?intcmp=hplnws

Originally Posted by jtdavis:

Some more of "yer ole man does too".

If you can increase expenses (payrole) enough, you can be sure to be a nonprofit company.

________________________________________________________

But this is the era of Obamacare when the Lord Obama parted the Potomac and healthcare costs decreased.

By John Archibald

 

It's good to be the king. The big blue king that rolls around on his pile of money and uses it to grab even more.

 

Yep, thanks obumer for giving the insurance world the right to slice and dice

the American people for their money. Now companies have their own little

area to carry out the unaffordable socialist healthcare scam.

 

BC/BS continues to "impress" me with their tactics on several fronts. As a medical provider I just received the new fee schedule from them on what they intend to pay for services. In some cases they have decreased reimbursement on procedures to below the cost of them.  Most of these tend to be women's health services that are mandated under the ACA. They intend to force physicians out of the business, and then the patient cannot get the service because the physician will not be doing them.  Forcing the patient to seek care elsewhere or pay out of pocket expense to a non-covered provider (out of network).

As an individual who purchased insurance thru BC/BS I was notified yesterday that the current plan I have will no longer be provided in the state of Alabama, due to the ACA, and I will need to reapply for another plan, with anticipated cost increase of between 50 and 75%.

First let me thank the current administration.  Their interference with the medical coverage has created a nightmare on several layers. I NEVER had a problem getting or keeping insurance prior to this.  It was expensive, but it did not have such drastic changes year to year. Second, greedy scum bag insurance executives need to be jailed. Their recent interest in covering up what they are paid is an embarrassment.  They maintain a monopoly in the state and refuse to compromise. Similar things happened in France before the revolution.

Obamadon'care was never set up to benefit the non-corporate doctor or patients, it is a crony capitalist (Fascist) device to benefit the political class and their wealthy cronies. The politicians get to buy votes doling out their "free" subsidies while their rich contributors get richer as long as they don't mind being the villain each election cycle.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11...nto-allies.html?_r=0

 

 

WASHINGTON — As Americans shop in the health insurance marketplace for a second year, President Obama is depending more than ever on the insurance companies that five years ago he accused of padding profits and canceling coverage for the sick.

 

Those same insurers have long viewed government as an unreliable business partner that imposed taxes, fees and countless regulations and had the power to cut payment rates and cap profit margins.

But since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010, the relationship between the Obama administration and insurers has evolved into a powerful, mutually beneficial partnership that has been a boon to the nation’s largest private health plans and led to a profitable surge in their Medicaid enrollment.

Originally Posted by Bestworking:
Originally Posted by jtdavis:

Some more of "yer ole man does too".

If you can increase expenses (payrole) enough, you can be sure to be a nonprofit company.

====================================

Where's beternnun?

____

I am up above, early in this string, where I posted this: "Yep, they are nonprofit, but that does not keep them from paying those big bucks to those executives.  Draining off revenue to enrich those fat cats helps keep them in a nonprofit status."  That is essentially the same thing jtdavis is saying, just in different words. .

 

Pay attention, Best. Are you perhaps declining  into some form of early-onset dementia?

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

_____

You had to go w-a-a-a-a-y back there to find that rare one, didn't you, Cap?

Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

_____

You had to go w-a-a-a-a-y back there to find that rare one, didn't you, Cap?

The classics never die. And that was a doozy.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

_____

You had to go w-a-a-a-a-y back there to find that rare one, didn't you, Cap?

The classics never die. And that was a doozy.

______

You don't have very high standards for your doozies or classics, Cap, but enjoy your cheap thrills.

Last edited by Contendahh
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

_____

You had to go w-a-a-a-a-y back there to find that rare one, didn't you, Cap?

The classics never die. And that was a doozy.

______

You don't have very high standards for your doozies or classics, Cap, but enjoy your cheap thrills.

I guess you're right, considering you probably have very little experience with hand tools. Why would you know the difference between a pry bar and a prize bar?

Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:
Originally Posted by Contendahh:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrusader:

I have a sneaking suspicion that Condie and Bold are one in the same.

What a nutjob you are!

____

Aw usual, you are wrong. And as usual, you are irrelevant. And that should be "one AND the same," So you are ignorant as to common English usage also.

May I borrow your prize bar?

_____

You had to go w-a-a-a-a-y back there to find that rare one, didn't you, Cap?

The classics never die. And that was a doozy.

______

You don't have very high standards for your doozies or classics, Cap, but enjoy your cheap thrills.

I guess you're right, considering you probably have very little experience with hand tools. Why would you know the difference between a pry bar and a prize bar?

____

You don't know diddly squat about my experience with hand tools, Captain. I have plenty of such experience, by the way, as well as with power tools.  When you levy assertions like that on others with absolutely no way for you to verify them, it only shows what a rank distorter of truth you truly are.

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×