newsobserver.com projects - Blue Cross and Blue Shield - Comments

Re: Kinnaird seconds BCBS probe request

Kingixolib — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:50 -0500

How about Lanny Wilson's manipulation of both Easley's and Perdue's governorships?

Re: Kinnaird seconds BCBS probe request

WilmingtonDemocrat — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:01:52 -0500

Way to go Sen. Kinnaird.

BCBS of North Carolina's executive live in big multi-million dollar mansions while the company constantly nickles and dimes their customers to death.

So great to see some light shown on Bob Grecyn and Brad Wilson's insider manipualtion of the North Carolina political establishment because the N&O certainly has dropped the ball.

Re: Pitt leaders unhappy with BCBS

BitterEXdemocrat — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:52 -0500

NC BCBS is PROBABLY the MOST CORRUPT company in NC!

Re: Pitt leaders unhappy with BCBS

cthayes75 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:23:37 -0500

Do the Pitt County Commissioners complain when East Carolina University spends taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to secure funding for a Dental School at ECU?

How much taxpayer dollars do the Pitt County Commissioners give to private companies in corporate welfare every year?

Re: Pitt leaders unhappy with BCBS

GrayJ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:28:30 -0500

"The county buys insurance coverage from Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Commissioner Tom Johnson said the company should not use taxpayer money from Pitt County"

When Pitt County writes a check to BCBS that money is no longer "taxpayer money" it is now BCBS money and they can do whatever they want with it.

Re: Dome memo: Memories and mailers

rowdyone — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:07:01 -0400

I live for the day when I can write a $50,000 check and not worry about remembering who I wrote it too!

BCBS is right!

GiggleBox — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:46:16 -0400

It's either their way or Stalin.

How dumb do you have to be to not believe Glenn Beck now?

Get a brain Moran libruls.

Re: Blue Cross pressures Hagan

dubious — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:28:29 -0400

So, let me get this straight. Every state employee is given two choices for health insurance: The State Health Plan administered by BCBSNC or NOTHING. The State pays BCBSNC which then uses the money to lobby elected officials to make sure that no public option is ever made available. What a sweet deal!

Re: Blue Cross pressures Hagan

daphy955 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:27:00 -0400

That's funny! BCBS obviously has the politicians of this state in its pockets. It has somehow managed to turn the state into a monopoly whereby it is the sole provider of health insurance to the state employees and now it is using their insurance premiums to force the state's politicians to do its bidding at the federal level. Unbelievable!!! If the state employees want to see their health insurance costs decrease, they should be lobbying for increased competition. They deserve to have a true choice of health plans and health coverage options available to them.

Lots of other national coverage of this story.

James_Protzman — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:38:54 -0400

Here's one at Daily Kos. Also at The Huffington Post.

This story was originally reported in this post at NCPW four days ago.

Re: Blue Cross pressures Hagan

MalleusMaleficarum — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:34:01 -0400

Senator Hagan should ignore this outrageous campaign. Blue Cross is totally superfluous to America's health care system - along with all other so-called health care insurers. In 2009, America is the only major industrialized nation that does not provide health care to her citizens. Isn't it odd that the richest nation in the world is afraid of the cost of health care for her citizens? American taxpayers deserve the same rights that the citizens of every other advanced democracy enjoy - the right to health care. In the meantime, the head of Blue Cross in NC gets over $4 million per year. Isn't it time that he took a pay cut in the interest of both taxpayers and those who rely on Blue Cross to pay their medical bills?

Re: Obama reactions

JLPeterson — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:38:20 -0400

Hello - I thought you might like to hear my story and the response from a long time Canadian friend - reverse order.

=============
Canadian

"John, let me tell you a story. Over 25 years ago now Loreen was diagnosed with a type of cancer where the majority of people with that type lived for 5 years. When diagnosed she was admitted to a hospital where a specialist was working on an experimental surgery to try to alleviate this. She was his fifth 'experiment'. The surgery took over 6 ... Read Morehours and involved 3 specialist plus other surgical staff. Loreen was in a semi-private ward (one other patient) for 6 weeks. Two follow up surgeries were required, both with a specialist..the first meant about a week in hospital and the second 3 or 4 days.

When it was all over I went to the hospital office and even though we have universal medicare I was a little nervous at what the bill might be. It was $6.25 (Canadian) because Loreen had a private phone in her room.

I wonder why people with these stories don't get paid to star in commercials about the disastrous Canadian health system! J. you plus 300+ millions more deserve better!"
============
My Story -

Yesterday as President Obama was in Raleigh to push Health Care Reform, I thought it was about time I told some of our family's story.

I am 5 years out from cancer and celebrate that! But because I am self employed, as is Brenda, the only health care we qualify for is North Carolina's Hig Risk Pool. The cost per year for that coverage is $25,000 with a $5,000 deductible. We cannot afford that, so we are without health insurance.

Thanks for all of your support on the news about my cancer-free status, but please support Health Care Reform now by contacting your Congressional representatives!

http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/u_s__government/legislative_branch/congressional_email_addresses/

John

Re: Obama reactions

dubious — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:05:09 -0400

Big surprise! Of course BCBSNC doesn't want health care reform! They've been contemplating going for-profit for years, they've got Tony Rand in their pocket, and all state employees are stuck with them. Sweet deal.

Re: Obama reactions

jesmyopinion — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:01:24 -0400

I wish he would put as much effort and energy and political capital into fixing the economy. I believe that is a much larger problem right now than health care is. He should have stayed in Washington where he could have been working to fix the economy rather than talking about health care which is obviously not going to get passed now (at least not for a few more years).

Re: Health care: 'Nobody is doing anything'

Scotter67 — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:40:56 -0400

Actually, that was me. And my son has been receiving therapy until recently. After over two years of BC/BS paying for this treatment, someone coded the claim as resulting from autism and it was kicked back. This is because, insurance companies routinely exclude coverage for Autism. They claim that this is an educational issue. Perhaps this is why you had such difficulty finding a provider in your area.

Best of luck with your son. If you are like me, you would do anything to help him.