How "for-profit insurers hijack our health care system"

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  1. This is a discussion on How "for-profit insurers hijack our health care system" in Nursing Activism / Healthcare Politics, part of General Nursing ... PLEASE TAKE TIME TO WATCH THIS EXCELLENT INTERVIEW (link below) Nobody can describe better than...

    by Oct 25, '09
    PLEASE TAKE TIME TO WATCH THIS EXCELLENT INTERVIEW (link below)

    Nobody can describe better than Wendell Potter how insurance companies, lobbyists and politicians put all of their efforts and money in order to brainwash people so they get scared of public health care. Wendell Potter was, for 20 years, the former head of Public Relations for CIGNA, one of the nation's largest insurers. He describes how they "hijack our health care system and put profits before patients". Their goal: profit, profit, profit. This is the ONLY reason why we still have a health-care-for-profit, as opposed to a health-care-for-people, in the US. A lot of frightening truth in this interview.

    http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html
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    by travleur Oct 25, '09 5:36 pm
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    herring_RN, zuzi, lindarn, and 4 others like this.
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  3. 8 Comments so far...

  4. Oct 25, '09 by
    This should not be a surprise to anyone, but unfortunately, probably is.
    herring_RN, lindarn, and Ruthiegal like this.
  5. Oct 25, '09 by
    I have big, big, big concerns... related why now and not why then before he speaked out....but is a good interview for sure.

    BIG WORDS... "you think about NUMBERS, you don't think about people!" Scarry huh? You are sure that they will not cancel his retirement plan? LOL
    Last edit by zuzi on Oct 25, '09
    herring_RN likes this.
  6. Oct 26, '09 by
    He didnt speak out before because he was making barrels full of money. He has now determined that he "is safe" that is he has enough money that he does not need to work anymore. So now he can do as his conscience guides him. It may even be true that he did not see the numbers as people before, but that would mainly be because he would not let himself and instead justified what he was done. I dont think we should demonize him for it. He is not the ony one that has done it and he is coming forward now.
  7. Oct 26, '09 by
    I wanted to add that from what I see in this guy the rest of his life is not going to be good if he can't find a way to help stoo this travesty. I bet he is starting to look at the piles of money he has and seeing blood. I do not envy him.
    herring_RN likes this.
  8. Oct 26, '09 by
    That is my guess...this guy is having an attack of conscience...he said there were a bunch of execs making a lot of money...he was one of them and now he cn see the path of greed that was his life work.
    herring_RN likes this.
  9. Oct 26, '09 by
    Do you belive that...?? Well, is possible! But also is possible, another one.... he is a very smart man (I said that?? lol), a super experienced executive, he seen A LOT in his health care management life, , NOW, HE KNOWS, that the time for insurance comapnies will be short, HE SMELLS in the air the change!

    So if will be a change and if he truly belive that what happend, was wrong, may be he thinks, why to not speak up now and change the path NOW .
    A good mind could used dosen't matter in what type of management system or under what type or orgnisational system.

    May be is about conscience also... but SURE, is a part of opportunity also, is AMERICA dear, everyone take the chance is a tiem for changing now in heathcare, everyone knows that, even if we like or not.
    We could not blame him, and he is a SUPER smart, THE ONE of smartest men (jeez look at me what I said, lol) lot of experience and old, perfect combination for american image of succes!

    I am perfect sure that in his new planned future he will be the same STAR like he was before!
    Last edit by zuzi on Oct 26, '09
    herring_RN likes this.
  10. Oct 26, '09 by
    Quote from zuzi
    Do you belive that...?? Well, is possible! But also is possible, another one.... he is a very smart man (I said that?? lol), a super experienced executive, he seen A LOT in his health care management life, , NOW, HE KNOWS, that the time for insurance comapnies will be short, HE SMELLS in the air the change!

    So if will be a change and if he truly belive that what happend, was wrong, may be he thinks, why to not speak up now and change the path NOW .
    A good mind could used dosen't matter in what type of management system or under what type or orgnisational system.

    May be is about conscience also... but SURE, is a part of opportunity also,
    Wow this never even occurred to me, you are one sharp cookie and from what I remember about working with these types of people I bet you are EXACTLY right!
    herring_RN likes this.
  11. Oct 30, '09 by
    Quote from zuzi
    that the time for insurance companies will be short
    Unfortunately I seriously doubt it. Sadly, insurance companies still have a lot of life ahead of them. They have way too much power and way too much money to disappear... it is thanks to that power that there are still alive and that so many Americans actually believe that the american health care is effective and the way to go. They literally brainwash people.

    But let's face it: at that point our economy would seriously suffer badly if insurance companies would go down the drain. But man I hate those companies!
    VivaLasViejas likes this.