EDITOR,
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines deafness as an unwillingness to hear or listen. There is a sobering deafness displayed by three large health insurers in California this summer. Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and Health Net remained silent when the White House issued an official statement declaring that President Obama remains committed to a “public option.”
Silent on how to pay for a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health care system. Silent on a study from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health that showed that premiums paid by private businesses in California increased by 138 percent between 1999 and 2008.
Silent on the dismantling of the Healthy Families program that provides affordable health insurance to 900,000 children. Silent on the $632 million they were paid last year by the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, the California agency that administers Healthy Families.
Silent on the $3 billion they lost due to reckless investments during the financial meltdown of 2008. Silent on the $35 million in fines they paid to the California Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Care for their illegal rescission policies that denied health insurance to thousands of their own customers.
Silent when Mr. Obama said, “I am pleased by the progress we’re making on health care reform and still believe, as I’ve said before, that one of the best ways to bring down costs, provide more choices and assure quality is a public option that will force the insurance companies to compete and keep them honest.”
While President Obama, the Congress and other stakeholders work diligently on solutions to the health care crisis, the deafness of Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and Health Net is disturbing and counterproductive.
Patrick Hagan, Family Solutions, Felton

Previous articleAccident causes rush-hour geyser in SV
Next articleRock out for free at Skypark

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here