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People always complain about "mythical" medical decisions made by bureaucrats or insurance company "drones." Well, now it is more of a reality than a fiction. ...
People always complain about "mythical" medical decisions made by bureaucrats or insurance company "drones." Well, now it is more of a reality than a fiction. According to the latest changes to most of the Anthem group plans:
"If member receives a brand drug and a generic equivalent is available, even if the doctor indicates dispense as written or do not substitute, the member pays the generic copay, plus the cost difference between brand and generic equivalent. Applies to retail and mail order pharmacies."
And you wonder why people hate health insurance companies? People want their doctors making their medical decisions, not insurance company executives.
I can't speak for other agents, but I would suggest clients look at other carriers if their employees are older and use more pharma benefits.
I personally don't believe all generics are equivalent to brand names (I know my wife (an ex-RN) who takes Zoloft says there is a difference in the generic and the brand-name of that prescription as she has tried both.)
I don't want to be liable for someone having a bad reaction to a drug because I recommended and sold their company a plan that mandated substitution no matter what the doctor prescribed. This is an E&O claim waiting to happen!
Anthem is one of the worst out there they will not pay claims when they do not want too. I have saw this for non HMO plans. I think this is a company that will be in trouble if they have to compete with a public option.
People always complain about "mythical" medical decisions made by bureaucrats or insurance company "drones." Well, now it is more of a reality than a fiction. According to the latest changes to most of the Anthem group plans:
"If member receives a brand drug and a generic equivalent is available, even if the doctor indicates dispense as written or do not substitute, the member pays the generic copay, plus the cost difference between brand and generic equivalent. Applies to retail and mail order pharmacies."
And you wonder why people hate health insurance companies? People want their doctors making their medical decisions, not insurance company executives.
I can't speak for other agents, but I would suggest clients look at other carriers if their employees are older and use more pharma benefits.
I personally don't believe all generics are equivalent to brand names (I know my wife (an ex-RN) who takes Zoloft says there is a difference in the generic and the brand-name of that prescription as she has tried both.)
I don't want to be liable for someone having a bad reaction to a drug because I recommended and sold their company a plan that mandated substitution no matter what the doctor prescribed. This is an E&O claim waiting to happen!
Moon... I know that in a chat group like this, one is bound to come in contact with people like yourself who are far different in morals, integrity, and simple human values than myself. But it still amazes me when I witness the hate, the intolerance, and the basic evil that some here have toward others.
The question those of us who deal with death on a daily basis... as when educating clients about life insurance... ask is "Why do bad things happen to good people." But after reading your terrible comment above it led me to wonder "Why don't bad things happen to bad people?"
Who is "more bad" than you?
Of course the answer for those who have a Bhakti education, is that indeed bad things do happen... it is called karma. The difficulty to many who are students of this discipline is "Why don't these bad things happen to these bad people... NOW?"
Well I don't have that answer, but I can say with absolute certainty that in my heart of hearts I can only hope that your karma is realized before I leave this planet.
Yes, it is a sin (in most belief structures) to wish bad things to happen, but I can also say with complete impunity that you are what many would refer to as human garbage, and that one can only hope that the karma that you engender will occur in this lifetime so that those who subscribe to the principle will be able to witness it... which will of course serve to reinforce our belief in the paradigm.
Yes, it is wrong for us to wish bad things even for the most evil. Why? Because we don't HAVE to wish it. We KNOW through the concept of karma (at least to those who believe) that this WILL happen.
So, putting my hope and faith in karma (please, let it be soon!) let me give you, as Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story." I'm sure you will enjoy hearing about the suffering of others... I'm sure it is what you enjoy most in your pitiful life.
My wife (of 28 years come July 26) has a history of depression mostly due to her poor physical health. She was basically crippled by arthritis twenty years go forcing her to leave her profession as a surgical RN.
On Aug. 3 she is going to Sutter General Hospital for her 4th hip replacement. They did the right one, a few years later did the left one, a number of years after that they had to repair (replace the socket) on the right one, and now they have to do same on the left one.
In addition to the above is the fact she needs both knees replaced...and a new ankle because the disease has decimated those joints as well.
Moon... I can see that big smile on your face now.
So yes, Moonlight... go ahead and make jokes. But do understand that there are those of us who sincerely wish that your karma will be realized in our lifetime. Of course, most often it isn't... and is met in your next or the one after that.
I know I create bad karma for myself in wanting human garbage like you to suffer... indeed I'm weak and I simply can't help myself. I would hope that Krishna would indeed visit you with what I would term as some kind of punishment for your terrible transgressions of hate and intolerance, but I know that, as you Christians are fond of saying, "God works in mysterious ways." I don't know what it will be or when it will happen, but I have no doubt that your fate is sealed and that you will indeed inherit the wind.
And all this coming from a person that said he likes hearing about hunters killing other hunters. How can he possibly be getting on to Moon for what he said?
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Excalibur Benefits
Larry Roberts
Larry.Roberts(at)Excaliburbenefits. com
And all this coming from a person that said he likes hearing about hunters killing other hunters. How can he possibly be getting on to Moon for what he said?
Are you a hunter or thinking about taking up hunting? I think you should. You sound like the kind of person who would enjoy it. And just to set the record straight, I think it is horrible when hunters kill other hunters. No matter what or who is killed, hunting in our modern day society is nothing more than the manifestation of watching a death for the enjoyment of it.
But it IS something that tens of millions of people like to do, (similar to bull fighting, cock fighting, and dog fighting.) To a certain (and large) segment of our population, death is "fun."
And while I repeat that it is horrible when one hunter kills another, given that many people enjoy the killing of animals, is it wrong for some to enjoy the killing of hunters? If one is OK, I can only suppose that the other is as well.
Al
That is incorrect.
The Doctor can state that the patient must take the brand name and then the insured pays the brand name co pay.
I have never had a problem with Anthem/wellpoint since they went public.
I have clients that incur $100,000 in claims a year and I have not had any problems getting them paid. I even been able to get out of network Doctors to be treated as in network without the Doctors taking a network discount.
I think Anthem is the leader in the health insurance field.
Al, are you implying that killing an animal is analagous to killing a human? Also, do you have a problem with hunting if the meat is eaten or donated to a shelter to be eaten? Just trying to figure you out
I have the same problem with hunting that Al has but won't express it the same way.
The thrill of killing is the reason people go hunting. You can try to tell me that it's a sport and the meat is eaten, but it's still all about killing.
I am a supporter of the right to bear arms and would never suggest that hunting be illegal. However (for me) the thought of killing an animal for sport turns my stomach.
While I do eat meat, I try to put out of my mind the fact that the steak I just ate was an animal that walked into a slaughterhouse.
Rick
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Training, Community, Support, and Success Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn rick@iliaa.org
In answer to briko3, Rick (GreenSky) said it better than I could. I echo his sentiments 100%.
Own a whole armory if you want. Shoot targets all day long. But leave the wild defenseless animals to nature. I think you can justify killing a coyote to protect a flock or a fox a chicken coup or a bear... well because if you see one either he is your lunch or you his. But hunting deer, raccoon, ducks, squirrels, pheasants, quail, doves, and so on simply has no purpose than for the pleasure of the kill.
So AL, what are you going to do when our economy totally collapses and you can't get a single M&M for $1?
Well, to be honest, I expect I'll have $2. Why? Two reasons.
First, I made good, solid, rational, and mostly safe financial decisions starting in my late 20s. I learned to live just a bit below my means and save 15 pennies from every dollar I ever made... and invested 13 pennies in whole life, gov. and corp. bonds, annuities, bank CDs and I put 2 pennies in equities.
Second, I've seen downturns like this before. Worse than this. We've always come out of them... sometimes it takes four or five years, but we always end up stronger (and in most cases) better off than we were before.
You are in the financial service business, right? There are some fifty million baby boomers who need financial advice. What the hell are you worried about?
You can follow Winter and the right-wing whack-jobs down their road of gloom and doom... or you can read history and see that we've always had the Winter's around and they are always wrong.
Does that answer your question? If not I'll be happy to write a 10,000 word essay on it. I can, you know!
Second, I've seen downturns like this before. Worse than this. We've always come out of them... sometimes it takes four or five years, but we always end up stronger (and in most cases) better off than we were before.
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You can follow Winter and the right-wing whack-jobs down their road of gloom and doom... or you can read history and see that we've always had the Winter's around and they are always wrong.
Al
Al, that's ridiculous. This isn't a rough patch, just a down turn, or a bump in the road, this is a recipe for disaster. Let's just pause for a moment and digest the irony of what some of these "right-wing whack-jobs" have noticed.
-Realistically we're looking at double digit unemployment rates and the President wants to tax "main street" on their health insurance benefits.
-"Obama's" cash for clunkers program is helping people use the vehicles they had paid off and owned free and clear to purchase brand new cars and get into more debt. So now it's even easier for people to own cars they can't afford to go along with the homes they can't pay for.
-As much as we'd all like to believe that the bulk of this "financial meltdown" is over, double digit unemployment, increased taxes, and government handouts to financially insolvent companies are not fixing the problems we have.
Americans will continue to get into more and more debt because the majority of them have not only kept the same spending habits, but they've been rewarded for bad behavior.
Higher taxes hurt the growth of small businesses which means fewer jobs and a slower economy, making it even more difficult for those who want to pay off their debt to do so.
There are people who are paying their mortgage this month that wont have jobs next month so foreclosures will continue.
In other news, Social Security will be running in the red starting in 2012 and is projected to be completely bankrupt by 2043. Add to that the Medicare hospital fund projected to be insolvent by 2017 and whatever type of "healthcare reform" gets passed, what makes you honestly believe that our economy will recover and thrive in the near future? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad my retirement portfolio is up 6% this year, but I'm not convinced that our exalted President can stop the financial disaster that's a result of millions of individuals bad decisions and programs that were started before he was even born, regardless of whether it was the U.S, Kenya, or Krypton.
Al, that's ridiculous. This isn't a rough patch, just a down turn, or a bump in the road, this is a recipe for disaster. Let's just pause for a moment and digest the irony of what some of these "right-wing whack-jobs" have noticed.
I'm always told by the right-wing that even with 20% unemployment it means 80% of people are working. Hey, 80% is good, right? Lots of countries would kill for that number.
And I'm always told that most who are out of work are lazy and on welfare so why bother with them.
And I'm told that those without health insurance are illegal or just fat/lazy irresponsible dumb-s--ts... so who cares... they don't count for anything.
And I'm always being told by the right wing that everything right now is really good and that we don't/shouldn't change a thing. We don't need health reform or banking reform or economic regulations, etc.
I'm told that if we just let the greed and avarice of the free market "take charge" that everything will get better than they ever have. Look how good it worked for Enron and Global Crossing.
I'm told that if we privatize social security that its value can never go down... similar I guess to how no one's 401K ever went down.
I'm told that Medicare will go broke but there is no shortage of right-wing money to fight and lose two wars.
I guess the one thing I don't understand about the right-wing is... how come they not only lost the last election but they don't have one governorship or one state house majority in any state state with a large population (and our Arnold is more of a Dem than a Rep... just ask his "Kennedy" wife.)
So sure, you may be right. Maybe we really are headed for social oblivion but I've heard it before in my 61 years on the planet... a lot more convincingly than from the current right-wingnuts. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. Besides, the "we're all going to hell" message is usually reserved for the left-wing.
You, of course are welcome to believe what you want, say what you want, and do what you want. My suggestion is that you take your message to a wider audience than found here... and maybe win an election somewhere.
Where is your next Ronald Reagan? Yeah, Palin rhymes with Reagan, but I think that's about as far as it goes.
Anyway, if things are as bad as you say, you should want them to stay that way so that maybe you can claw your way back to power... and maybe dismantle whatever hated legislation that Dems are able to push through.
So rejoice... the worse things get... the better it is for you. They don't call you "The Party of NO" for nothing. These should be exciting days for you as I'm sure you can see victory just up ahead... next to the sign that says...
Hey Al, marinated dove breast, wrapped in bacon then grilled, is one of the best things I ever ate. IMO, the kill is the worst part of my hunting, but part none the less.
Hey Al, marinated dove breast, wrapped in bacon then grilled, is one of the best things I ever ate. IMO, the kill is the worst part of my hunting, but part none the less.
OK, I understand. But what about this. What if you die and go up to that big court house in the sky where you stand for your judgment.
You hear a voice... and it says:
"Say hey there BlueMarlin dude... I jes don't understand y'all. I mean, I put a whole mess of them animals down there an' some were meant to be domess-toe-kated for you to use as good eatin' and some are just plain wild... and them wild ones they belong to me and my young 'un Jesus.
Now do you realla think I wanted y'all to be shootin' and eatin' my wild birds when I gave y'all a zillion varieties of chickens and turkeys to be munchin' on?
Ya know somethin' son, I'm purty pissed off at you, so y'll ain't goin' to no heaven. No sir ree bob. Y'all going back... as a dove... and I'm gonna watch from up here and see jes how you like bein' shot at with a high power rifle. It's gonna be mo fun than watchin' the Cowboys play this year!"
A new level of stupid.
Unless you are a veggie, you've got no legs to stand on. Trying not to think about where the meat comes from ... Please.
That’s about as hypocritical as trying to sell health insurance while gleefully waiting for the demise of the health ins. industry. BO’s honeymoon with the American public is coming to a close soon enough.
Just try to find a way to make money doing what you do best, being a hypocrite. Yeah, the way you talk out of both sides of that mouth of yours maybe politics? Na, someone would have to like you in order for that to work.
Let’s see, it’s only certain types of animals that are o.k. to eat and then only if someone else kills them. Oh, and it's better that they are farm raised before they are killed foryou.
Got it. How noble.
Hey Al, marinated dove breast, wrapped in bacon then grilled, is one of the best things I ever ate. IMO, the kill is the worst part of my hunting, but part none the less.
Mmmmmmmmm, no dipping sauce?
What type of marinade?
Please tell me you let it soak into the little guys flesh overnight at least? Much more flavor that way. Helps also to “score" the flesh thoroughly with a tenderizer to make it more porous thus allowing said marinade to really soak in.
Last edited by ins.dave : 08-18-2009 at 09:55 PM.
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