Sen. Jon Kyl, Republican of Arizona, said the following on the floor of the U.S. Senate (WebMD):
"The health insurance industry is one of the most regulated industries in America," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) this week. "They don't need to be 'kept honest' by the government."
Obviously, Kyl has never had to fight with an insurance company about why they won't approve surgery, chemotherapy, or medical treatment. Kyl and other legislators have phenomenal, top of the line medical insurance. Just ask a regular person who has health insurance coverage:
- Women being cut off from medical insurance because they had a previous high risk pregnancy.
- Insurance companies denying chemotherapy because it is too expensive.
- Patients being refused insurance coverage because insurance office clerks call the surgery "experimental."
What happens when a patient or a doctor's office calls a health insurance company about the denial of medical treatment? They are left on hold for an hour, or two hours, in hopes that they'll just give up.
When Republicans try to defend their pro-insurance, anti-health care bill stance, they usually refer to some quote by the "Lewen Group." Who? The Star-Press tells all:
"Generally left unsaid amid all the citations is that the Lewin Group is wholly owned by UnitedHealth Group, one of the nation's largest insurers. More specifically, the Lewin Group is part of Ingenix, a UnitedHealth subsidiary that was accused by the New York attorney general and the American Medical Association ... of helping insurers shift medical expenses to consumers by distributing skewed data (July 22, The Washington Post). UnitedHealth settled last January paying $50 million to New York and $340 million to the AMA.Republican talking points will be heard verbatim and ad nauseum in the coming weeks from elected GOPers, conservative pundits and in million dollar ads paid for by insurance companies. In the meantime, people die and some go bankrupt all for lack of insurance or having their insurer deny coverage for needed procedures.....
Those for health reform are doctors, nurses, the AMA, and people. Those against it are the Republicans and the Insurance Companies. At the end of a fiscal year, insurance company executives get bonuses for all the money they've saved the company. That "saved money" is from all the medical treatment they've denied.
According to Open Secrets, John Kyl's campaign has received $46,626 from Blue Cross/Blue Shield in contributions. Need I say more????? Why not call Sen. Kyl's office and share your horror story about your health insurance company?
