Go Read It: Wellpoint (Blue Cross Blue Shield) Health Insurance Targeted Breast Cancer Patients for Rescission

You may recall the greed of Wellpoint, a health insurer that thought it could raise premiums for California purchasers of individual insurance by 39% and do it with impunity.

After much deserved brouhaha, including passage of a health insurance reform law designed to prevent this kind of extortion from happening in the future, one of the results of the conflagration over the proposed rate hike in California was a scheduled review by an outside agency. Their assessment would inform a decision on premium increases by the California Insurance Commission. The deadline for Wellpoint to provide the California Department of Insurance with justifications for rate hikes is May 1, 2010, with a decision released shortly thereafter.

Keep that in mind when you read this long, exhaustively detailed story documenting how Wellpoint used computer algorithms to identify women who developed breast cancer in order to cancel their policies.

Please let the following executives at Wellpoint know exactly how you feel about their rescission policy for those unlucky enough to have breast cancer.

• Angela Braly, CEO, Wellpoint (Blue Cross Blue Shield's parent company): Wellpoint’s Indiana headquarters: 120 Monument Circle Indianapolis, In 46204, (317) 488-6748
• Brian Sassi, Executive Vice President, President and Chief Executive Officer Consumer Business, Wellpoint: 1 Wellpoint Way, Westlake Village, CA 91362-3893, (805) 557-6655 or (805) 557-6333
• Cheryl Leamon, Public Policy and Governmental Affairs, Wellpoint: cheryl.leamon@wellpoint.com, (317) 488-6748

While you're at it, let GOP gubernatorial candidate and current California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner know he'd better deny Wellpoint's proposed rate hike if he has a hope in hell of running for governor: 916-492-3500 Sacramento state capitol offices; CA residents 1-800-927-4357.

Cynematic writes at P i l l o w b o o k. She'll be directing a short film soon which has nothing to do with health insurance, thank goodness. Because that would be a horror show.

Comments

[val laurent]

I just contacted California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner to not allow rate hike for wellpoint and posted it on their website as well and sent an email to:

•Cheryl Leamon, Public Policy and Governmental Affairs, Wellpoint: cheryl.leamon@wellpoint.com, (317) 488-6748
Letting her know of my concerns detailed below:

Mrs Leamon,

This is a public outrage and an outright violation of consumer rights and wellbeing of the citizens of the United States. What well point, as well as many other(s) corporation(s) is/are attempting to do is negligent, abusive, a perjury and outright fraud. You are in violation of your terms of oath as an insurer to insure the needy in times of crisis. Uphold your obligations and responsibilities or you will face the legal consequences.

Truthfully yours,

A citizen activist
Val laurent. San francisco CA.
Thank you for your concern.

[شات عسل]

physical but about your zest for life, even through society tells us that we are not as valuable anymore. At least that is what I think the general concensus is on age, especially about women. I can't stand to be around people