You may already know that we have a major beef with the insurance industry. Yesterday I came across an article in CBS News pertaining to BCBS Of California. It seems that BCBS is up to some dirty tricks, “trying cut costs”. They are sending letters to doctors of newly insured people asking the doctor to “rat” them out if there are any discrepancies from their “true” medical condition, opposed to what was placed on the application. According to the article they are looking for preexisting conditions, including pregnancy that applicants were not truthful about. Luckily for the people of California the doctors are outraged and are sticking to their patient doctor confidentiality.

A spokeswoman for BCBS Shannon Troughton said

“Enrolling an applicant who did not disclose their true condition (and the condition is chronic or acute), will quickly drive increased utilization of services, which drives up costs for all members,”

She may be right in the fact that increased service may drive up the cost for members, BUT if someone controlled the cost of medical services, that would not be an issue. How can the hospital charge you ten dollars for an aspirin when you can buy a bottle of 100 for five bucks at the local pharmacy?

The issue about preexisting conditions is the most ridiculous thing out there. The people with these conditions need the insurance the most! How can you be denied coverage because you are sick or pregnant? Like I have said before have you very heard of an Insurance company that is losing money? NO they are the one industry that always makes a profit. The Fortune Global 500 shows that WellPoint the Indianapolis-based company that operates BCBS made over a three million dollar profit.

The National Coalition On Health Care states on their website

“Although nearly 47 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than other industrialized nations, and those countries provide health insurance to all their citizens. “

Why will the nation’s politicians not put a stop to this? I’ll tell you why, they all have health insurance and they can afford the additional costs that go along with medical care. Yes the Presidential Candidates have been talking about “reforming health care”, but most of what they are speaking about is providing affordable health insurance to everyone in the nation. When the real problem lies in the COSTS OF THE HEALTH CARE! It is like putting a band aide on an enormous gash of the sides of the American People.

For now the people of California have the doctors on their side.

“We’re outraged that they are asking doctors to violate the sacred trust of patients to rat them out for medical information that patients would expect their doctors to handle with the utmost secrecy and confidentiality,” said Dr. Richard Frankenstein, president of the California Medical Association.

Anthony Wright, executive director of HealthAccess California says it best

“They are playing a game of ‘gotcha’ where they are trying to use their doctors against their patients’ health interests. That’s about as ugly as it gets.”

I have a feeling it is going to get uglier as the medical costs and the amount of uninsured people rises things can not get better. Something must be done to regulate this industry, a Citizens for America group would be perfect, NO Politicians!

Watch the CBS News Report by Ben Tracy