Activists gathered outside of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North
Carolina's headquarters in Chapel Hill Wednesday to protest the private
insurer's opposition to President Barack Obama's proposed public option
as a part of health care reform. Blue Cross Blue Shield has been at the forefront of opposing the public option health plan. As the Washington Post reported in May, BCBSNC has produced several videos -- unaired as of yet -- against a government-sponsored health insurance option.
"We need Blue Cross to stop using our premiums to prevent real health care reform and to stop standing in the way of a public option," Adam Searing of the of the N.C. Justice Center's Health Access Coalition, told the Carrboro Citizen.
As Facing South reported earlier this month, health insurance premiums have skyrocketed, due in part to private insurers' near-monopolies in many states. BCBSNC has a 72.5 percent market share of individual and employer-provided health insurance in North Carolina.
Members of the State Employees Association turned out to the protest, calling for BCBSNC to support a public option that would lower costs to provide quality, affordable health care for all. SEANC members said that BCBSNC has had skyrocketing premiums, co-pays, and deductibles in the last year. In fact, premiums were so expensive that many people were unable to afford health coverage for their spouses or children.
THIS IS IT!
The healthcare reform bill released by the House Of Representatives is an excellent bill as I understand it. It is carefully written, and thoughtfully constructed, informed, prudent and wise. This bill will save trillions of dollars, and millions of your lives.
This is the type of bill that all Americans can feel good about. And this is the type of bill that has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of healthcare for all Americans. Rich, middle class and poor a like. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and all other party affiliations. This bill has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of every American.
The house healthcare bill should be viewed as the minimum GOLD STANDARD by which all other proposed healthcare legislation should be judged. All supporters of true high quality healthcare reform should now place all your support behind this healthcare reform bill released by the United States House Of Representatives, as the minimum Gold standard for healthcare reform in America.
You should all now support this bill with all your might, and all of your unrelenting tenacity. This healthcare bill is a VERY, VERY GOOD! bill for all of the American people. Fight tooth, and nail for every bit of this bill if you have too. Be aggressive, creative, and relentless for this bill.
AND FIGHT!! like your life and the lives of your loved ones depends on it. BECAUSE IT DOES!
SPREAD THE WORD
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)
God Bless You
Jack Smith — Working Class
July 16, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply
There was like 3 people there, and the Post article was incorrect. Even Max Baucus (D) said last night "the president is no help", the CBO announced that it would increase the cost of healthcare last night and that the price tag is now BACK to $1,600,000,000.00.
Thoughtful? That would imply politicians have the capability to think.. Seriously Jacket.
July 17, 2009 10:35 AM | Reply
Jack,
Your heart is in the right place, but you are sadly misguided. The bill, as proposed, would have the exact opposite effect of what you say. Something needs to be done...but this bill is not the answer.
July 17, 2009 12:55 PM | Reply
I have a couple questions. There is so much support for government healthcare but no one can answer some simple questions regarding a government plan:
I have a hard time understanding how people can be so supportive of a plan that is not well understood.
July 17, 2009 1:37 PM | Reply
The product of health insurance is to provide you with medical coverage when you need it.
Unlike other businesses that need to provide you with their product in order to make any money, health insurance companies actually make more money for themselves when they restrict and do not pay claims.
In other words, they make more money when they do NOT provide the product that you have paid them for.
Read the 50 to 70 pages of your health insurance contract.
Pay particular attention to the section entitled “limitations and exclusions”.
People’s health is not a product that needs to be left to the whims of money motivated CEO’s and stockholders.
If that is your thinking, you might as well have your police and fire department protection based on insurance premiums you pay.
Then you can go to the police and fire protection insurance page for ‘limitations and exclusions’ on whether or not the police or fire department would come out to your house in the event of an emergency.
The point is, you would never think of discriminating against another citizen if he was the victim of a fire or crime.
So why would you be ok with health insurance companies discriminating against fellow citizens who have pre-existing medical conditions?
July 17, 2009 9:39 PM | Reply
I have to agree with Jim. How can you support something that you don't even know the terms? If you apply for private insurance there is material that tells you what is/is not covered and the deductibles/coinsurance and your cost BEFORE YOU BUY AND SIGN. Would you buy a car unseen, undriven, etc. NO and if you do then you get what you paid for. Beware the OBAMACARE it should be called OBAMA SCARE!!!!!
July 20, 2009 9:28 AM | Reply
Have you read the bill, apparently NOT! Well I have, so STOP Bashing BCBS.
page 16 says Obama makes it ILLEGAL for insurance companies to WRITE or CHANGE ANY POLICIES AT ALL AFTER OBAMA CARE COMES IN EFFECT. So he LIED NO Competion!
Page 30 The Government will have the POWER to the LIMITATIONS of PROCEDURE & MEDICATION YOU RECIEVE. LIMITAIONS TO HELP CUT COSTS. Gee that person who has CANCER, WELL THEY WOULD BE A WAISTE OF MONEY -- WE CAN SAVE MONEY LETEM' DIE!
Page 167 NOT Everyone will be ELIGABLE FOR OBAMA CARE, and if private insurance Was Not purchased Before OBAMA Care. THEY WILL NOT BE INSURED and MUST PAY a 2.5% of thier GROSS YEARLY INCOME as a FINE! yeah Universal Health Care but NOT For You!!!
Pages 425-430 Oh this is good only if you plan to AGE INTO A SENIOR CITIZEN OR KNOW A SENIOR CITIZEN. If not then DON'T WORRY. A Senior Citizen (THIS IS MANDATED - in Case you didn't know) Must Go Every 5 years for "END OF LIFE COUNCILING" and if the start to get sick they MUST GO EVERY YEAR. Oh Yes, they MUST Sign a Wavier and Assign a Benificary!
SO BEFORE ANYONE COMMENTS ON THE OBAMA CARE BEING SO GREAT - DON'T BE LIKE CONGRESS AND THE SENATE READ THE BILL. WHAT PERSON IN THIER RIGHT MIND WOULD SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT'S IN IT? OH, RIGHT OBAMA, cause he hasn't READ IT EITHER!
July 24, 2009 5:57 PM | Reply
How many shabby appearing insurance companies are not mowing their lawns these days, huh? NONE
Insurance companies are making money like Banks. Their lobbies are full of marble and their execs drive nice new cars and get great bonuses. Compare a Bank to a Credit Union. Do you know the difference?
Do you know that an MRI (no insurance) costs $1400 to the patient? The fee for me (with Blue Cross was $400, not considering deductables) Why the huge difference? I'd call it a "penalty" for not "playing ball"....or a Mafia fee. It's plain and simple extorsion!
Do you know that if your Blue Cross pays a bill that was for a service that you did NOT get while a patient, they have no method of getting that money back? (self insured companies)
They don't care.....it's not their money.
If you just cut out the excesses, make the fees without "penalties", skip the marble, the executive bonuses, the fancy cars and perks.....it has to be less by billions!
Do you know the real spread sheet numbers of these insurance companies? They are doing VERY WELL! TOO WELL!
I'll go with the Obama plan anyday...why? I have the facts and no opinions. Have you got facts or opinions? Thank you.
July 24, 2009 8:41 PM | Reply
As a person who deals with insurance every day, I am constantly appalled by the way Blue Cross handles claims. Even though I am opposed to a government insurance program, after a day of dealing with Blue Cross...I would vote for one.
July 28, 2009 3:10 PM | Reply
Google HR 676 for non profit reform
August 7, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply
Be very careful what you are asking for. I have BCBS & I know they aren't easy sometimes, but I'd take them any day over trying to appeal to congress. How about you?
Congress refuses to use this insurance plan. They already voted on it. If it was so thoughtfully written, why won't they take it?
Has anyone even looked at the bill: I pasted it below.
http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
Short list of problems with this bill:
Page 29: Annual Limitation: your health care will be rationed!
Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfers. Not kidding.
Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.
Oh, and by the way if they set doctors wages.........why do you think you're not next?
Page 239: This Bill reduces physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, the poor, and those that are not 'cost effective' anymore will be most affected.
Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
Page 425-430: Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you into death, orders end-of-life treatment;
the government dictating how your life ends.
And this is only the first 500 pages of over 1000 pages of control over your life, your mom decides if you live, and now the government will decide if you die. Lovely.
At least be an educated consumer.
I agree that all American's should have insurance and we need reform, but this bill is way more then just reform.
Think about this:
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
Thomas Jefferson
August 8, 2009 12:35 AM | Reply
I was covered by BCBS of NC thru my employer. I retired from work due to HTN and fibromylgia. Before I retired, I submitted an applicatation to BCBS of NC for a private policy, which would have taken effect before I retired. Due to my medical condition, I was denied coverage. I now have no insurance. If I get sick and have to go to the hospital, guess who will be paying for my bill? People who are insured, because their policy will go up due to my not being able to pay the hospital.
September 11, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply
BCBS of North Carolina is an EXTREMELY inferior health provider. I would welcome ANY effort by the gov't to bring forward any health option to the workers of North Carolina. BCBS's extreme favortism toward their stockholders in leiu of providing any real health solutions to their customers is transparant. The people of N.C. should at the very least have the option of selecting other health providers other than BCBS!!!
February 16, 2010 4:53 PM | Reply