Health Insurers Next on Justice Department’s Antitrust Agenda

By | May 5, 2016

  • May 5, 2016 at 9:05 am
    Yogi Polar Berra says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 3
    Thumb down 0

    I’m torn between blocking mergers to sustain competition in the health care and insurance industry and lowering the barriers to entry, to enable formation of new competitors.

    The former seems to be good, except for government interference with private industries gaining cost efficiency through size, which could decrease costs for consumers. The interrelationship between health care providers and health insurers complicate the matter. But larger insurers, licensed in more states than their component insurers which merged, would be beneficial.

    The latter always seems to be good, unless the newly formed competition causes market disruption through irresponsible pricing wars.

    I have to take a nap and think about it more, later.

    • May 5, 2016 at 1:14 pm
      SWFL Agent says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 7
      Thumb down 0

      It’s no surprise that the AHA and AMA would fight this. These health insurers are the only ones putting any pressure on doctors & hospitals to control costs. The consumer certainly has no control over this or the ability to negotiate/understand. The health insurance companies are easy targets because that’s who raises & collects our premiums(and denies certain treatments). But frankly they are the only advocate the consumer has to contain costs. Who else is watching over the pharmaceutical companies, doctors, & hospitals?

  • May 5, 2016 at 1:34 pm
    Bill says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 5
    Thumb down 0

    Exactly SWFL Agent. It seems that when the talk of high healh care costs arise it is the health insurers that get blasted for their increasing premiums. How about the pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors and other healthcare professionals/organizations that charge outrageous prices. How about medical schools that milk every penny they can from their students and leave them with massive debt (and a reason to charge higher prices)? It is rife with greed.

    • May 5, 2016 at 2:47 pm
      Agent says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 2
      Thumb down 7

      Bill, do you see a lot of doctors going into private practice these days with the advent of Obamacare? I see quite the reverse with doctors closing practices and the new ones coming out affiliating with very large practices or going to the hospital chains who control the billing process. They are running patients through like cattle and quality of service has declined. That is why deaths due to bad medical care is the number three reason after heart attacks and Cancer for deaths in America.

      • May 5, 2016 at 3:51 pm
        FFA says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 4
        Thumb down 0

        What would you think is the reason for the decline in Quality Care on the Docs part? The massive debt they walk out of med school with is another factor that needs to be looked at to help reign in costs.

        • May 5, 2016 at 4:04 pm
          Agent says:
          Like or Dislike:
          Thumb up 5
          Thumb down 6

          Hi FFA, you are just in time for my list of reasons why Trump has been successful in wrapping up the nomination. The supporters have had it with:
          Anyone named Bush
          Anyone named Clinton
          Anyone who has held political office
          Political Correctness
          Illegal Immigration
          Massive unemployment
          Phony “official” employment and inflation figures
          Welfare Waste & Fraud
          People faking disabilities to go on the dole
          VA waiting lists
          TSA airport groping
          Obamacare
          The Federal Reserve’s money printing schemes
          Wall Street crooks like Jon Corzine
          Michelle Obama’s vacations
          Michelle Obama’s food police
          Barack Obama’s golf
          Barack Obama’s arrogant and condescending lectures
          Barack Obama’s criticism/hatred of America
          Valerie Jarrett
          Holiday Trees
          Hollywood Hypocrites
          Global Warming Nonsense
          Cop Killers
          Gun Confiscation Threats
          Stagnant wages
          Chevy Volts
          Clock Boy
          Pajama Boy
          Mattress Girl
          Boys in girls bathrooms
          Whiny, spoiled college students who can’t even place the Civil War in the correct century.

          This is just the short list. Have a good day. Your friend, agent.

          • May 6, 2016 at 8:51 am
            Yogi Polar Berra says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 3
            Thumb down 4

            I may return later if I think of more, but for now I’ll add:

            The IRS
            The EPA
            Nanny-Mayor Mike Bloomberg
            Mayor DeBlasio’s Gun Control/ Cop Control
            Anthony’s Weiner/ Abedin’s Huma
            Al Gore, Perpetual President-Not-Elect
            Hypocrite Elliott Spitzer
            Tax Scofflaw Al Sharptongue
            Tax Almost-Scofflaw Warren Buffet
            Elizabeth Lie-a-watha Warren
            Feel de Free College Bern Youwah’ Tax Dollahs
            Food/ Picnic Basket Stamps
            Cash-For-Clunkers Cash going mostly to foreign automakers
            Solyndra, etc. Greenie Cos.’ Crash & Burn Taxpayer Dollars
            Spendiculus filled with pork
            Doubling Down on National Debt in 8 years
            IraNuke Deal, with bonus payments
            Abandoning Allies Israel, Ukraine, etc.
            Befriending Cuba, etc.
            Catch & Release Illegal Immigrants Murdering US Citizens
            Catch & Release Terrorists, after US taxpayer paid respite/ vacations at Gitmo, killing US military

            My paws are getting tired typing this stuff….

          • May 6, 2016 at 2:31 pm
            Ron says:
            Like or Dislike:
            Thumb up 6
            Thumb down 1

            Ever give any thought into why someone who has supported Democrats nearly all of his life, is friends with the Clintons, has been pro-choice, pro-universal health care, pro-welfare and helping the less fortunate, has flip flopped on several issues )something the right railed Senator Kerry for being) and on his 3rd marriage; now appeals to the right and will be the Republican nominee?

            Just sit there and ponder that for a few moments.

            I plan on writing in Agent for president in November. That is how much I dislike to remaining candidates.

      • May 6, 2016 at 9:45 am
        confused says:
        Like or Dislike:
        Thumb up 3
        Thumb down 1

        “That is why deaths due to bad medical care is the number three reason after heart attacks and Cancer for deaths in America.”

        didn’t rosenblatt already clear this up for you? the study you reference only covered 2000-2008. obamacare has nothing to do with those results. http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2016/05/04/407429.htm

  • May 6, 2016 at 9:01 am
    Yogi Polar Berra says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 3
    Thumb down 6

    Isn’t it rich; aren’t we a politically polarized pair?
    Me here at last on the Right
    You liberals, pondering Hillary being indicted, in despair

    Send in the BOTS

    Isn’t the truth about Socialism’s failings bliss; don’t you approve anymore?
    Ones who keeps voting conservative posts down?
    Ones who, apparently, can’t Move-on from the 2000 collapse of Al Gore

    Where are the BOTS?
    Send in the BOTS.

    • May 9, 2016 at 10:21 am
      Yogi Polar Berra says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 3
      Thumb down 3

      I didn’t get ‘BOTTED’ into “hidden due to low rating” status by those nasty BOTS….. yet. Someone must not have had time to run their BOT thumbs down app long enough before their i-phone battery wore down.

      We’re in for another knock down, drag out politically polarized Right vs. Left fight on this issue! Botten down the hatches!

  • May 10, 2016 at 6:22 pm
    Yogi Polar Berra says:
    Like or Dislike:
    Thumb up 0
    Thumb down 2

    Comments by political conservatives being hidden due to low ratings, in turn due to apps run by liberals on their not-smart phones?

    Blame it on the BOTS-anova!

    • May 11, 2016 at 7:53 am
      confused says:
      Like or Dislike:
      Thumb up 1
      Thumb down 0

      you really think someone created an app just to downvote posts on this forum?



Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*