- Feb 1, 2008
- 11,492
- 3,162
- 136
Just had a bad, but reasoning thought.
In other words, I could actually see this happening.
If all healthcare reform fails, or ends up some worthless reform, could the insurance companies, at some point in the very near future, control all employers hiring-firing practices?
What if insurance companies gained the power to actually control the hiring practices of all employers. To grossly hike an employer?s rates, if that employer/company refused to hire and maintain only "healthy" employees, per insurance company set standards rules and regulations.
This could be a new creative way for insurance companies to purge the sick or high risk employees from the insured, and thus reduce insurance expenses, payouts and thus guarantee increased and sustained insurance company profits. Truly creative.
An insurance company, like CIGNA, would gain the power to actually call Wal-Mart (for example) and say " Our records show Betty Jones was just diagnosed with a lump in the left breast. We highly suggest you terminate her employment for your cost control".
Or... "Hello, this is Sue from CIGNA, an employee of yours, Bill Jones, was just diagnosed HIV positive, you will need to end his employment per our cost control agreement".
Or maybe Bill Jones was only diagnosed with type II diabetes. Or had weight gain outside set insurance guidelines. Or maybe Bill Jones father was discovered to have a family history of heart disease, not shared by his son, but putting Bill Jones at risk none the less.
An unacceptable risk by the insurance company, and so bye bye Bill per CIGNA.
With healthcare as such a large part of the economy. And insurance costs skyrocketing for employers as well as employees, I could easily imagine insurance companies gaining the power to actually control employers ability to hire, and when to fire, due to health issues.
And if trends were to move in that direction, with insurance companies gaining such power over employers (more or less...blackmail), would congress dare step in to stop it?
You know... the congress we all know and love... :roll:
As a nation that runs on employer based healthcare, and insurance companies taking heat from dropping the insured sick or refusing to cover illness, would it not be more simple for insurance companies to worm their power into place where they could actually control employers as to who they hire and who stay hired?
If the insurance company were able to force, one way or another, an employer to terminate sick or high risk employees, wouldn't that practice simplify insurance companies practices of not insuring the sick and high risk? And also, control whom that company hires in the first place?
No job = no insurance. No insurance = no insurance company risk taking.
No insurance company risk = guaranteed insurance company profits.
"Oh, your qualifications look just fantastic, but CIGNA would never let us employ you at this company due to your past health issues...Sorry."
And what would those guidelines be? Current health? Family health history? Weight?
Past surgeries? Your child?s health history? Your spouse?s health history?
Could you be turned down for employment because you child has a disability that needs ongoing medical treatment? Or maybe your spouse?
Wouldn't that nightmare create a nice cozy world for us to live in...?
And do you think not, insurance companies would just love to have that power.
Well... there are probably insurance company directors pondering that very idea at this very moment.
The shocking part of this is, people probably would ever imagine this could happen.
But could it ???
Is this idea really that unimaginable?
I know... you say insurance companies could never get away with that. They would be sued.
Well... come on... really... All that little obstacle would require is action from congress to deny and outlaw any such law suits against insurance companies. Rest assured, your congress legislators would be well paid for their co operation by the insurance companies.
You forget who the US congress works for...
In other words, I could actually see this happening.
If all healthcare reform fails, or ends up some worthless reform, could the insurance companies, at some point in the very near future, control all employers hiring-firing practices?
What if insurance companies gained the power to actually control the hiring practices of all employers. To grossly hike an employer?s rates, if that employer/company refused to hire and maintain only "healthy" employees, per insurance company set standards rules and regulations.
This could be a new creative way for insurance companies to purge the sick or high risk employees from the insured, and thus reduce insurance expenses, payouts and thus guarantee increased and sustained insurance company profits. Truly creative.
An insurance company, like CIGNA, would gain the power to actually call Wal-Mart (for example) and say " Our records show Betty Jones was just diagnosed with a lump in the left breast. We highly suggest you terminate her employment for your cost control".
Or... "Hello, this is Sue from CIGNA, an employee of yours, Bill Jones, was just diagnosed HIV positive, you will need to end his employment per our cost control agreement".
Or maybe Bill Jones was only diagnosed with type II diabetes. Or had weight gain outside set insurance guidelines. Or maybe Bill Jones father was discovered to have a family history of heart disease, not shared by his son, but putting Bill Jones at risk none the less.
An unacceptable risk by the insurance company, and so bye bye Bill per CIGNA.
With healthcare as such a large part of the economy. And insurance costs skyrocketing for employers as well as employees, I could easily imagine insurance companies gaining the power to actually control employers ability to hire, and when to fire, due to health issues.
And if trends were to move in that direction, with insurance companies gaining such power over employers (more or less...blackmail), would congress dare step in to stop it?
You know... the congress we all know and love... :roll:
As a nation that runs on employer based healthcare, and insurance companies taking heat from dropping the insured sick or refusing to cover illness, would it not be more simple for insurance companies to worm their power into place where they could actually control employers as to who they hire and who stay hired?
If the insurance company were able to force, one way or another, an employer to terminate sick or high risk employees, wouldn't that practice simplify insurance companies practices of not insuring the sick and high risk? And also, control whom that company hires in the first place?
No job = no insurance. No insurance = no insurance company risk taking.
No insurance company risk = guaranteed insurance company profits.
"Oh, your qualifications look just fantastic, but CIGNA would never let us employ you at this company due to your past health issues...Sorry."
And what would those guidelines be? Current health? Family health history? Weight?
Past surgeries? Your child?s health history? Your spouse?s health history?
Could you be turned down for employment because you child has a disability that needs ongoing medical treatment? Or maybe your spouse?
Wouldn't that nightmare create a nice cozy world for us to live in...?
And do you think not, insurance companies would just love to have that power.
Well... there are probably insurance company directors pondering that very idea at this very moment.
The shocking part of this is, people probably would ever imagine this could happen.
But could it ???
Is this idea really that unimaginable?
I know... you say insurance companies could never get away with that. They would be sued.
Well... come on... really... All that little obstacle would require is action from congress to deny and outlaw any such law suits against insurance companies. Rest assured, your congress legislators would be well paid for their co operation by the insurance companies.
You forget who the US congress works for...
Facebook
Twitter