PacifiCare/UnitedHealth Group Inc. "It's a story of intense corporate greed."

[another saigon]

latimes.com

California regulators seek up to $9.9 billion in fines from PacifiCare


The health insurer violated state law nearly 1 million times from 2006 to 2008 after it was bought by UnitedHealth Group, the Department of Insurance says.

By Duke Helfand, Los Angeles Times

7:16 PM PDT, September 7, 2010

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pacificare-unitedhealth-20100908,0,2437719,print.story


California regulators are seeking fines of up to $9.9 billion from health insurer PacifiCare over allegations that it repeatedly mismanaged medical claims, lost thousands of patient documents, failed to pay doctors what they were owed and ignored calls to fix the problems.

In court filings and other documents, the California Department of Insurance says PacifiCare violated state law nearly 1 million times from 2006 to 2008 after it was purchased by UnitedHealth Group Inc., the nation's largest health insurance company by revenue.

Regulators said the companies broke promises to maintain smooth operations for 130,000 of PacifiCare's customers, resulting in what insurance officials nationwide believe is the largest fine ever sought against a U.S. health insurer.

"This is about intentional disregard for the interests of doctors, hospitals and patients in California, and the pursuit of cutting costs at any means possible," said Adam Cole, the insurance department's general counsel. "It's a story of intense corporate greed."

-snip-

"Nobody should have to go through this," Wiser said in an interview last week. "Insurance companies should not be allowed to victimize patients at their most vulnerable, when they need them the most."

[w8liftinglady]

1. kicking-this needs to be communicated to all that oppose universal health care

[w8liftinglady]

2. a view of Insurance CEO salaries

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/industry.cfm

Ticker Company CEO Name Year Compensation ($)
AET AETNA INC Ronald A. Williams 2009 18,058,162
AFL AFLAC INC Daniel P. Amos 2009 13,591,511
ABK AMBAC FINANCIAL GP David W. Wallis 2008 2,832,065
AEL AMERICAN EQTY INVT LIFE HLDG David J. Noble 2008 514,624
AIG AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP Robert H. Benmosche 2009 2,706,530
ANAT AMERICAN NATIONAL INSURANCE Robert L. Moody Sr. 2009 22,325,432
ACAP AMERICAN PHYSICIANS CAPITAL R. Kevin Clinton 2009 1,844,272
AGP AMERIGROUP CORP James G. Carlson 2009 5,232,249
AIZ ASSURANT INC Robert B. Pollock 2009 6,444,198
AGO ASSURED GUARANTY LTD Dominic J. Frederico 2009 7,661,221
CNC CENTENE CORP Michael F. Neidorff 2009 6,077,900
CI CIGNA CORP H. Edward Hanway 2009 18,818,467
CIA CITIZENS INC Harold E. Riley 2009 1,032,943
SUR CNA SURETY CORP John F. Welch 2009 2,210,807
CNO CONSECO INC C. James Prieur 2009 3,326,059
DFG DELPHI FINANCIAL GRP -CL A Robert Rosenkranz 2009 2,393,125
FFG FBL FINANCIAL GROUP INC-CL A James W. Noyce 2009 2,204,218
FNF FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL Alan L. Stinson 2009 5,379,038
FAF FIRST AMERICAN CORP Frank V. McMahon 2009 6,439,941
FPIC FPIC INSURANCE GROUP INC John R. Byers 2009 2,704,376
GNW GENWORTH FINANCIAL INC Michael D. Fraizer 2009 7,252,186
HNT HEALTH NET INC Jay M. Gellert 2009 3,643,342
HS HEALTHSPRING INC Herbert A. Fritch 2009 3,966,635
HUM HUMANA INC Michael B. McCallister 2009 6,509,452
IHC INDEPENDENCE HOLDING CO Roy T.K. Thung 2008 657,764
LNC LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP DENNIS R. GLASS 2009 6,996,596
MKL MARKEL CORP Alan I. Kirshner 2009 1,021,709
MBI MBIA INC Joseph W. Brown 2009 5,167,360
MET METLIFE INC C. Robert Henrikson 2009 11,600,338
MTG MGIC INVESTMENT CORP/WI Curt Culver 2009 2,279,259
MOH MOLINA HEALTHCARE INC J. Mario Molina 2009 1,866,260
NWLI NATIONAL WESTERN LIFE -CL A Robert L. Moody 2008 3,136,353
NYM NYMAGIC INC A. George Kallop 2009 1,208,970
ORH ODYSSEY RE HOLDINGS CORP Andrew A. Barnard 2008 4,460,033
PNX PHOENIX COMPANIES INC James D. Wehr 2009 3,439,396
PMI PMI GROUP INC L. Stephen Smith 2009 3,032,733
PPD PREPAID LEGAL SERVICES INC Harland C. Stonecipher 2009 1,852,538
PLFE PRESIDENTIAL LIFE CORP Herbert Kurz 2008 723,496
PFG PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GRP INC Larry D. Zimpleman 2009 4,909,023
PRA PROASSURANCE CORP W. Stancil Starnes 2009 2,522,909
PL PROTECTIVE LIFE CORP John D. Johns 2009 4,606,270
PRU PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL INC John R. Strangfeld Jr. 2009 18,425,632
RDN RADIAN GROUP INC Sanford A. Ibrahim 2009 2,828,960
RGA REINSURANCE GROUP AMER INC A. Greig Woodring 2009 3,546,187
SFG STANCORP FINANCIAL GROUP INC J. Gregory Ness 2009 3,723,004
STC STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES Stewart Morris Jr. 2009 962,333
TMK TORCHMARK CORP Mark S. McAndrew 2009 2,836,298
GTS TRIPLE-S MANAGEMENT CORP Ramon M. Ruiz-Comas CPA 2009 1,318,431
INDM UNITED AMERICA INDEMNITY LTD Larry A. Frakes 2008 1,779,955
UNH UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC Stephen J. Hemsley 2009 8,901,916
UAM UNIVERSAL AMERICAN CORP Richard A. Barasch 2008 3,503,701
UNM UNUM GROUP Thomas R. Watjen 2009 9,378,363
WCG WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS INC Heath Schiesser 2008 8,077,718
WLP WELLPOINT INC Angela F. Braly 2009 13,108,198

[w8liftinglady]

3. pharmaceutical CEO salaries

Ticker Company CEO Name Year Compensation ($)
ABT ABBOTT LABORATORIES Miles D. White 2009 26,213,996
ACUR ACURA PHARMACEUTICALS INC Andrew D. Reddick 2009 2,543,525
ADLR ADOLOR CORP Michael R. Dougherty 2009 1,187,480
AKRX AKORN INC Arthur S. Przybyl 2008 1,318,430
ALKS ALKERMES INC David A. Broecker 2009 2,091,129
AGN ALLERGAN INC David E.I. Pyott 2009 11,994,315
ALNY ALNYLAM PHARMACEUTICALS INC John M. Maraganore . 2009 1,547,396
AOB AMERICAN ORIENTAL BIOENGR Tony Liu 2008 778,267
AMLN AMYLIN PHARMACEUTICALS INC Daniel M. Bradbury 2009 3,710,755
RDEA ARDEA BIOSCIENCES INC Barry D. Quart Pharm.D 2009 1,605,630
ARYX ARYX THERAPEUTICS INC Paul Goddard . 2009 865,285
AUXL AUXILIUM PHARMACEUTICALS INC Armando Anido 2008 2,573,076
AVNR AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS INC Keith A. Katkin 2009 1,293,328
BCPC BALCHEM CORP -CL B Dino A. Rossi 2008 837,962
BDSI BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTL Mark A. Sirgo 2008 624,595
BSTC BIOSPECIFICS TECHNOLOGIES CP Thomas L. Wegman 2008 254,891
BJGP BMP SUNSTONE CORP David Gao 2009 881,245
BMY BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CO James M. Cornelius 2009 18,221,434
CPD CARACO PHARMACEUTICAL LABS Daniel H. Movens 2009 764,826
CELG CELGENE CORP Sol J. Barer . 2008 8,525,089
CTIC CELL THERAPEUTICS INC James A. Bianco 2009 12,007,030
CEPH CEPHALON INC Frank Baldino Jr. 2009 11,149,392
CHTT CHATTEM INC Zan Guerry 2008 2,487,224
CSKI CHINA SKY ONE MEDICAL INC Liu Yan-Qing 2008 85,700
CHBT CHINA-BIOTICS INC Song Jinan 2009 129,586
CRTX CORNERSTONE THERAPEUTICS INC Craig A. Collard 2009 934,720
CBST CUBIST PHARMACEUTICALS INC Michael W. Bonney 2008 1,905,064
CYTK CYTOKINETICS INC Robert I. Blum 2009 1,230,373
DEPO DEPOMED INC Carl A. Pelzel 2009 960,154
DRRX DURECT CORP James E. Brown 2008 1,101,068
ENDP ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS HLDGS David P. Holveck 2009 5,684,367
FRX FOREST LABORATORIES -CL A Howard Solomon 2009 5,117,999
GTXI GTX INC Mitchell S. Steiner 2009 1,236,793
HITK HI TECH PHARMACAL CO INC David S. Seltzer 2009 603,000
HSP HOSPIRA INC Christopher B. Begley 2009 7,566,017
IMGN IMMUNOGEN INC Mitchel Sayare . 2009 1,910,750
IPXL IMPAX LABORATORIES INC Larry Hsu 2009 4,195,716
INFI INFINITY PHARMACEUTICALS INC Adelene Q. Perkins 2009 748,282
ISPH INSPIRE PHARMACEUTICALS INC Christy L. Shaffer 2009 1,190,212
ISIS ISIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC Stanley T. Crooke 2009 2,128,436
ISTA ISTA PHARMACEUTICALS INC Vicente Anido Jr. 2008 1,246,434
JAV JAVELIN PHARMACEUTICALS INC Martin J. Driscoll 2008 899,577
JNJ JOHNSON & JOHNSON William C. Weldon 2009 30,813,844
KV.A K V PHARMACEUTICAL -CL A Marc S. Hermelin 2008 8,661,312
KG KING PHARMACEUTICALS INC Brian A. Markison 2009 4,979,764
LCI LANNETT CO INC Arthur P. Bedrosian 2009 899,518
LGND LIGAND PHARMACEUTICAL INC John L. Higgins 2009 1,667,739
LLY LILLY (ELI) & CO John C. Lechleiter 2009 20,927,649
MTEX MANNATECH INC Wayne L Badovinus 2009 755,489
MNKD MANNKIND CORP Alfred E. Mann 2008 3,351,536
MAPP MAP PHARMACEUTICALS INC Timothy S. Nelson 2009 1,570,293
MTXX MATRIXX INITIATIVES INC Carl J. Johnson 2009 1,092,571
MDCO MEDICINES CO Clive A. Meanwell 2008 2,858,469
MRX MEDICIS PHARMACEUT CP -CL A Jonah Shacknai 2009 6,151,658
MRK MERCK & CO Fred Hassan 2009 49,653,063
MBRK MIDDLEBROOK PHARMACEUTICALS Edward M. Rudnic . 2008 1,695,591
MYL MYLAN INC Robert J. Coury 2009 16,481,387
NTY NBTY INC Scott Rudolph 2009 3,476,257
NKTR NEKTAR THERAPEUTICS Howard W. Robin 2008 2,149,092
NOVN NOVEN PHARMACEUTICALS INC Peter Brandt 2008 2,083,201
OMPI OBAGI MEDICAL PRODUCTS INC Steven R. Carlson 2008 813,279
ONXX ONYX PHARMACEUTICALS INC N. Anthony Coles 2009 4,136,535
OPK OPKO HEALTH INC Phillip Frost 2009 628,935
OPTR OPTIMER PHARMACEUTICALS INC Michael N. Chang 2009 1,068,180
PTIE PAIN THERAPEUTICS INC Remi Barbier 2009 1,649,953
PRX PAR PHARMACEUTICAL COS INC Patrick G. LePore 2009 3,667,258
PRGO PERRIGO CO Joseph C. Papa 2009 3,674,023
PFE PFIZER INC J. Kindler 2009 14,898,038
POZN POZEN INC /NC John R. Plachetka 2009 2,393,539
QCOR QUESTCOR PHARMACEUTICALS INC Don M. Bailey 2009 1,554,503
REGN REGENERON PHARMACEUT Leonard S. Schleifer 2009 6,349,308
RPRX REPROS THERAPEUTICS INC Joseph S. Podolski 2009 635,624
RIGL RIGEL PHARMACEUTICALS INC James M. Gower 2009 1,998,246
RMTI ROCKWELL MED TECHNOLOGIES Robert L. Chioini 2009 1,537,722
SLXP SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS LTD Carolyn J. Logan 2008 1,603,966
SNTS SANTARUS INC Gerald T. Proehl 2009 1,048,690
WNI SCHIFF NUTRITION INTL INC Bruce J. Wood 2009 531,649
SCLN SCICLONE PHARMACEUTICALS INC Friedhelm Blobel . 2008 1,380,572
SEPR SEPRACOR INC Adrian Adams 2008 6,585,731
SCMP SUCAMPO PHARMACEUTICALS INC Ryuji Ueno 2009 612,517
SNTA SYNTA PHARMACEUTICALS CORP Safi R. Bahcall . 2008 1,152,639
THRX THERAVANCE INC Rick E. Winningham 2009 2,300,609
UTHR UNITED THERAPEUTICS CORP Martine A. Rothblatt 2008 2,199,700
USNA USANA HEALTH SCIENCES INC David A. Wentz 2009 726,214
VRX VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS INTERNATIONAL J. Michael Pearson 2009 24,047,455
VRTX VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC Matthew W. Emmens 2009 19,278,158
VPHM VIROPHARMA INC Vincent J. Milano 2009 1,754,879
VVUS VIVUS INC Leland F. Wilson 2008 2,008,635
WCRX WARNER CHILCOTT PLC Roger M. Boissonneault 2009 6,533,058
WPI WATSON PHARMACEUTICALS INC Paul M. Bisaro 2009 4,277,180
WYE WYETH Bernard J. Poussot 2008 21,357,397

[w8liftinglady]

4. and other healthcare CEOs

AIQ ALLIANCE HEALTHCARE SVCS INC Paul S. Viviano 2009 942,470
AHCI ALLIED HEALTHCARE INTL INC Alexander Sandy Young 2009 535,761
AFAM ALMOST FAMILY INC William B. Yarmuth 2009 1,923,663
AMED AMEDISYS INC William F. Borne 2009 4,318,454
ASGR AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC Richard Hallworth 2009 996,358
ANCI AMERICAN CARESOURCE HLDGS David S. Boone 2008 534,379
AMSG AMSURG CORP Christopher A. Holden 2009 1,695,998
ARRY ARRAY BIOPHARMA INC Robert E. Conway 2009 1,312,180
BRLI BIO REFERENCE LABS Marc D. Grodman 2008 1,012,301
BIOS BIOSCRIP INC Richard H. Friedman 2008 1,987,292
BKD BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING INC Mark J. Schulte 2008 2,415,268
BEAT CARDIONET INC Randy H. Thurman 2009 10,460,318
CHE CHEMED CORP K. J. McNamara 2009 5,732,640
CYH COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS INC Wayne T. Smith 2009 17,835,990
CNU CONTINUCARE CORP Richard C. Pfenniger Jr. 2009 896,115
CVH COVENTRY HEALTH CARE INC Allen F. Wise 2009 17,427,789
CRY CRYOLIFE INC Steven G. Anderson 2009 1,475,717
DVA DAVITA INC Kent J. Thiry 2009 11,672,142
ENSG ENSIGN GROUP INC Christopher R. Christensen 2009 926,631
ENZ ENZO BIOCHEM INC Elazar Rabbani 2009 1,186,705
GXDX GENOPTIX INC Tina S. Nova . 2009 2,852,636
GTIV GENTIVA HEALTH SERVICES INC Tony Strange 2009 4,042,558
HGR HANGER ORTHOPEDIC GRP Thomas F. Kirk 2009 2,535,239
HMA HEALTH MANAGEMENT ASSOC Gary D. Newsome 2009 4,306,064
HLS HEALTHSOUTH CORP Jay Grinney 2009 6,038,344
HWAY HEALTHWAYS INC Ben R. Leedle Jr. 2009 3,139,930
IPCM IPC THE HOSPITALIST CO INC Adam D. Singer 2009 1,670,840
KND KINDRED HEALTHCARE INC Paul J. Diaz 2009 4,745,504
LH LABORATORY CP OF AMER HLDGS David P. King 2009 8,938,814
LCAV LCA VISION INC Steven C. Straus 2009 287,923
LHCG LHC GROUP INC Keith G. Myers 2008 836,708
LPNT LIFEPOINT HOSPITALS INC William F. Carpenter III 2008 4,222,179
LNCR LINCARE HOLDINGS INC John P. Byrnes 2009 19,754,002
MDTH MEDCATH CORP O. Edwin French 2009 2,133,203
MD MEDNAX, INC. Roger J. Medel 2009 8,035,314
MDF METROPOLITAN HLTH NTWRKS INC Michael M. Earley 2008 888,746
NHC NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP Robert G. Adams 2009 3,561,663
NHWK NIGHTHAWK RADIOLOGY HLDGS David M. Engert 2009 1,358,687
NOVA NOVAMED INC Thomas S. Hall 2009 1,553,847
ODSY ODYSSEY HEALTHCARE INC Robert A. Lefton 2009 4,085,961
PSYS PSYCHIATRIC SOLUTIONS INC Joey A. Jacobs 2009 6,967,003
DGX QUEST DIAGNOSTICS INC Surya N. Mohapatra 2009 12,474,784
RDNT RADNET INC Howard G. Berger 2009 500,000
RHB REHABCARE GROUP INC John H. Short 2009 3,223,049
RSCR RES-CARE INC Ralph G. Gronefeld Jr. 2009 440,000
SFE SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFICS INC Peter J. Boni 2009 1,970,862
SKH SKILLED HEALTHCARE GROUP INC Boyd W. Hendrickson 2009 1,492,783
SUNH SUN HEALTHCARE GROUP INC Richard K. Matros 2008 2,400,574
THC TENET HEALTHCARE CORP Trevor Fetter 2009 10,700,750
TRCR TRANSCEND SERVICES INC Larry G. Gerdes 2009 764,655
USPH U S PHYSICAL THERAPY INC Christopher J. Reading 2009 1,502,522
UHS UNIVERSAL HEALTH SVCS -CL B Alan B. Miller 2009 12,006,675
VRAD VIRTUAL RADIOLOGIC CORP Robert C. Kill 2009 1,645,995

[another saigon]

7. have you read this?

It is on my reading list. :)




Hijacked: The Road to Single Payer in the Aftermath of Stolen Health Care Reform

https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/307/t/9397/shop/item.jsp?storefront_KEY=298&t=&store_item_KEY=3065


Is health care "reform" 2010 better than nothing? Dr. Geyman warns of soaring costs, no price controls, and more Americans going without necessary health care. This is our future in the aftermath of Health Care "Reform" 2010, guided by a failing industry bailed out by new government subsidies. This well-documented book charts a path to that end. Hijacked: The Road to Single Payer in the Aftermath of Stolen Health Care Reform is essential reading for anyone who wants to better understand how our health care system got this way and what we can do about it.

"You think the battle for real health care reform is over? John Geyman says 'Not on your life!' And, by the way, your life is what's at stake. This former Republican country doctor and long-time respected scholar, editor, and advocate for reform that puts the patient, not the industry, first, has issued an informed, convincing, and passionate account of why the battle has just begun, and how we, the people, can win."
— Bill Moyers

[depakid]

5. Just the sorts of companies one would like to be seen as having protected

:eyes:

[area51]

6. Just slightly important,

"The health insurer violated state law nearly 1 million times from 2006 to 2008...."

Yet Obama and congress have crafted a law making us slaves to these for-profit corps.

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

We don't need the GingrichCare of mandated, unregulated, for-profit insurance that is still too expensive, only pays parts of medical bills, denies claims, and bankrupts people. Republinazi '93 plan:

"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005."

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

[Hannah Bell]

8. i hope they get pinned to the wall.