Maines hospitals: Big jobs, big pay - Bangor Daily News

My justification for keeping this article on The Peace Vine is that it is obvious that some hospital executives are cutting costs and reducing executive salaries wherever possible while minimally effecting patient care. If this becomes a political rant of lib v. con economics, I will have to remove this thread from the group. My hope is that we focus on the positive in this situation. However, I must say, fmcarp, this is a fantastic find. Great seed!

31% of your Health Insurance costs go to CEO pay, Claim Denial or Delay and Waste!

With Congress about to rein in the heretofore unmitigated ability of credit card companies to arbitrarily raise interest rates on individuals, this might be the perfect time to clamp down on another greedy, merciless, unscrupulous industry.

That would be the industry which, unlike so many others, is not asking for a bailout or handout from the Federal Government at the expense of middle class tax payers. I refer to the Health Insurance industry -- the FOR-PROFIT, HEALTH-CARE-IS-A-COMMODITY-FOR-WHICH-WE-WILL-CHARGE-AMERICANS-WHATEVER-THE-HELL-WE-FEEL-LIKE-CHARGING-AND-THERE-AIN'T-NOTHING-THEY-CAN-DO-ABOUT-IT industry. I refer to the de facto racketeers who just raised my health insurance from $529/month to $774/month simply because they are simply able to do it and because no one will stop them.

I refer to the Aetnas and Cignas and others who in essence have put themselves in the place of physicians when it comes to certain medical decisions -- who have forced some poor and middle class individuals to risk continued chronic illness or even death if THOSE INDIVIDUALS COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR SURGERY when the insurer delayed or denied coverage!

No. The Health Insurance industry isn't asking for a taxpayer bailout. It's doing just fine because the taxpayer feeds the health insurance racket (an "illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money") either via out-of-pocket payments or employer-provided benefits (which consequently and without conscience raises the cost of doing business in America). The rest go without health insurance and in effect stick taxpayers with the bill for clinics.

No human being anywhere on earth should ever have to face the dilemma of choosing between life and bankruptcy...or death. The average citizen can fight for an end to this sickness-and-death profiteering by writing specific accounts of every health insurer denial and delay they or family members experience...and sending those accounts to their elected officials. Do it now.

The "socialized medicine" argument is just shilling for the health Insurance companies or carrying water for Republicans who are shilling for the insurance companies; think about how you'd react to a local police or fire department that deliberated over every 911 call as to answer it or not based on the cost-effectiveness. Those services are tax-supported and no one refers to them as "socialized."

The right-wing nay-sayers throw around the buzz words socialism, totalitarianism - but I venture to say that most can tell me nothing specific or accurate about single-payer health care; so let me help them.

1. Everybody In, Nobody Out. Universal means access to health care for everyone, period.
2. Portability. If you are unemployed, or lose or change jobs, your health coverage stays with you.
3. Uniform Benefits. No Cadillac plans for the wealthy and Pinto plans for everyone else, with high deductibles, limited services, caps on payments for care, and no protection in the event of a catastrophe. One level of comprehensive care for everyone, regardless of the size of your wallet.
4. Prevention. By removing financial roadblocks, a universal health system encourages preventive care that lowers an individual's ultimate cost and pain and suffering when problems are neglected and societal cost in the over-utilization of emergency rooms or the spread of communicable diseases.
5. Choice. Most private insurance restricts your choice of providers and hospitals. Under the U.S. National Health Insurance Act, patients have a choice, and the provider is assured a fair payment.
6. No Interference with Care. Caregivers and patients regain their autonomy to decide what's best for a patient's health, not what's dictated by the billing department. No denial of coverage for preexisting conditions or cancellation of policies for "unreported" minor health problems.
7. Reducing Waste. One third of every private health insurance dollar goes for paperwork and profits, compared to about 3% under Medicare, the federal government universal system for senior citizen health care.
8. Cost Savings. A guaranteed health care system can produce the cost savings needed to cover everyone, largely by using existing resources without the waste. Taiwan, shifting from a U.S. private health care model, adopted a similar system in 1995, boosting health coverage from 57% to 97% with little increase in overall health care spending.
9. Common Sense Budgeting. The public system sets fair reimbursements applied equally to all
providers, private and public, while assuring that appropriate health care is delivered, and uses its clout to negotiate volume discounts for prescription drugs and medical equipment.
10. Public Oversight. The public sets the policies and administers the system, not high priced CEOs meeting in private and making decisions based on their company stock performance needs.

Patients deserve good health care.

Fred Smilek is the acting president of the Society to Save Endangered Species. It was founded two years ago by Fred Smilek along with his two best friends Charles and Jonathan.