Which ones?
Off the top of my head, Kaiser Permanente and many/most/all of the Blue Cross/Blue Shields (each state may differ, but I know in Maryland and a few other states the Blues are nonprofit).
What an odd thing to say.
Doesn’t seem to be that cut and dried.
Kaiser Permanente Maryland’s site says that
CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland is currently non-profit, but not for lack of trying:
So we’ll see what happens next year.
*Wellpoint is a publicly traded, for-profit company
A bit of a zombie, but may get traction because of the health care plans currently being proposed. Here’s Bill Moyers talking with a resigned high-level health insurance bigwig who discusses the industry’s disinformation campaign against Moore and the film (which he characterizes as “hitting the nail on the head”).
None of the ones my employer offers are non-profit. Nor would it make any difference to the limitations placed on in/out network, referrals, pre-existing denials, misbilling, etc.
I found the full interview. Really astonishing - the pictures from the “health fair” are really something. His “Road to Damascus” moment at 6:30 is really something.
Holy shit.
I’m listening to this interview, and it’s shocking to hear a former Vice-President of Cigna admit:
You know, we have more people who are uninsured in this country than the entire population of Canada. And that if you include the people who are underinsured, more people than in the United Kingdom. We have huge numbers of people who are also just a lay-off away from joining the ranks of the uninsured, or being purged by their insurance company, and winding up there.
What I find most striking in comparing the U.S. and Canadian health care models is that the United States spends twice as much per capita on health care for a comparable quality of care.
Not per user, mind - we’re talking about looking at the entire population. “Okay, we pay twice as much per person, but nearly a quarter of the population is still going to have to go without. Let’s just keep going with this, it’s working great!”
You have missiles? :eek:
The US is obliged to assist in defending Japan by virtue of treaty established by the US. Japan pays about US$ 2 billion a year in subsidies to the US forces.
I was visiting my partner in England a few years ago and tore my cornea in my sleep (extreme dry eye condition). A third of my cornea was hanging off and flapping to and fro. The pain was blinding… or would have been if I’d had full use of my eyes. Still, was it life-threatening? Not in the least. My hunny called the doctor’s clinic and I was seen immediately. The doctor then sent me straight to hospital where I was examined by two specialists who performed laser surgery on my eye within an hour. I also received a prescription for antibiotic eye drops and had two follow-up appointments. Total cost: $46. Not having my cornea flapping in the breeze: Priceless.
I’ve been a convert ever since.
(This is my first post ever. 
)
I came in here to post about this Cigna guy, CIGNA Public Relations Chief turned whistleblower Wendell Potter.
Thanks for sharing, Helena, and Welcome!
Same guy.
It’s absolutely astonishing how well the majority of the Democratic party followed the insurance industry’s lead on this. It’s hard to find anyone here on the Dope who will praise Moore without falling all over themselves qualifying their praise and all but calling him a liar, while the most absurd whoppers from the Right are accepted with nary a peep. Moore responds to every single accusation with data and refutations, something I’ve never seen Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, or any of the Right-wing polemicists even try.
http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/07/wendell-potter-speaks-on-pbs-with-bill.html Wendell Potter was an executive with Cigna. He thought everything was fine. He went home to Tennessee and heard there was a Healhcare Exoedition in another state, but not far away. He went there and was shocked to see long lines of people in the rain. He did not really understand the problem until then. These Expeditions were originally founded to go to 3rd world countries with poor health coverage. They found a need in rural America. Like most people who had no worries, he did not believe the depth of the problem. Then he became aware of what Cigna’s contribution was. He is now a spokesman for a UHC option.
He says Moore told the truth. They spent a lot of money trying to discredit him.
Surely the implied subject of the second, passive clause, was not Dopers, right?
You’ll be happy to know your very first post made me dry heave a little then run around the room shrieking/ ‘Flapping to and fro’? Gahhhh!
Can’t speak for other countries, but France’s military budget dwarfs every other subsection of tax use (according to wiki : 55 billion dollars, out of a 800 billion budget).
It’s all very nice to rely on the US/OTAN for defense purposes, but it makes you their thrall. So we opted to get our own ICBMs, our own submarines, even our own aircraft carriers.
And we still get kickass healthcare.
I can say that I’ve seen far less self-flagellation from the right wingers here over the excesses of Limbaugh than I’ve seen of left wingers doing the same about Moore. Also, please point me to the web site where Limbaugh supplies factual support for his various assertions.