President Obama reads letter from OH woman who lost her health care ... to insurance company execs.

[jefferson_dem]

President Barack Obama reads a letter he received from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio at a meeting with insurance company executives hosted by HHS Secretary Sebelius in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, March 4, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4406686105/

To Make a Point About Skyrocketing Health Insurance Premiums, President Obama Shares the Story of Ohio Woman
March 04, 2010 3:27 PM

As we reported earlier,in his pop-in on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's meeting with top health insurance company executives, the president read a letter from a Ohio woman to make a point.

At the briefing this afternoon, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs read the December 2009 letter, from Natoma Canfield of Medina, Ohio.

ABC News spoke with Canfield this afternoon.

Born and raised in Medina, she told us she’s a cleaning woman and her insurance company was Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Ohio – the company that just announced sizable premium hikes all over the country despite its parent company having made almost $5 billion in profits in 2009.

“I just could not afford it,” Canfield told us. “I went into debt trying to keep coverage when it was $500 a month, and I couldn’t do it anymore at $700 a month.”

Messages for Kim Ashley, the communications director of Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Ohio, were not immediately returned.*

Here’s the letter she wrote the president, per Gibbs:

"Dear President Obama:

“I am 50 years old. I was diagnosed with carcinoma 16 years ago. And following my divorce 12 years ago, I became self-employed.

“After my COBRA benefits ran out, I was able to find costly but affordable health insurance. As a responsible individual, I have struggled to maintain my individual coverage and have increased my deductible and out-of-pocket limits in an attempt to control my cost and keep my health insurance.

“Last year, 2009, my insurance premium was increased over 25 percent, even though I increased my deductible and out-of-pocket to the highest limits available. I paid out over $6,075.24 in premiums, $2,415.26 for medical care, $225 in co-pays, and $1,500 for prescriptions. I never reached my deductible of $2,500, so the insurance company only paid out a total of $935.32 to my providers.

“I must repeat, in 2009 my insurance company received $6,075.24 in premiums, and paid out only $935.32.

“Incredibly, I have been notified that my premium for the next year -- for next year, 2010, has been increased over 40 percent, to $8,496.24. This is the same insurance company I've been with for 11 cancer-free years. I need your health reform bill to help me. I simply can no longer afford to pay for my health-care costs.

Thanks to this incredible premium increase demanded by my insurance company, January will be my last month of insurance. I live in the house my mother and father built in 1958, and I am so afraid of the possibility I might lose this family heirloom as a result of being forced to drop my health-care insurance."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/03/to-make-a-point-about-skyrocketing-health-insurance-premiums-president-obama-shares-the-story-of-ohio-woman.html

[bluestateguy]

1. Why is he meeting with these scumbags

They belong in jail, not in a private meeting with the president.

[babylonsister]

2. Sebelius was meeting with them. Obama 'popped in' to make a point. nt

[boston bean]

13. Are you for real. Sebelius meets with them and Obama doesn't know, or have any say in the matter at

all.

Stop making him into a weak knee'd, nothing!

He's the President of the United States for chrissakes!

[babylonsister]

14. I didn't say that, so don't put words in my mouth. Of course he knew;

he showed up, didn't he? But it was Sebelius' meeting.

[jefferson_dem]

17. No worries. Nobody said or even insinuated what you are suggesting.

n/t

[boston bean]

21. One of his subordinates was meeting with the vultures and in response to someone

pointing that out, the response is that it wasn't his meeting??

To me, that is an effort to make some excuse for it, and the excuse for it makes Obama appear like a bumbling fool.

People should really be careful how all these excuses make him appear less powerful than he is.

It's NOT a good thing.

[dionysus]

24. poutrage, party of 1, your table is ready...

:rofl:
ZOMG OBAMA TALKED TO INS EXECS!!1!! HE'S WEAK!!1!! *self soil*

[boston bean]

25. You shit yourself, well, let me explain.

the meeting was to discuss the rate hikes. Not a bad thing.

What is bad is to make excuses that make the President of the United States look weak and incompetent, by making ridiculous excuses like it wasn't his meeting, it was Sebelius'.

He runs the place, give him his due.

[dionysus]

26. mountain, meet molehill

:shrug:

[cliffordu]

53. Are you drunk?

WTF does your 'take' on what happened actually have to do with what happened??

[CreekDog]

3. i hope you aren't against him confronting them

because I'm not.

[frazzled]

4. Well, if he said he would meet with leaders of Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea ...

he can certainly meet with these guys.

You don't get what you want by refusing to meet with the enemy. You must always try to solve things through diplomacy and direct talks. And if that doesn't work ... kaboom.

[jefferson_dem]

6. String 'em up.

Yeeee haw...

Pitchfork-wielding, lynch mobs kind of suck. :thumbsdown:

[Perky]

8. I suspect it was t make this point.....

Stand in the way of these reform and kiss your antitrust exemption good bye. For starters.

[phleshdef]

47. Exaclty what laws did they break?

[HughMoran]

48. To drive home a point

Since your solution of throwing them in jail does not fall within the confines of our constitutional government, I think his approach may be just a tad more pragmatic than yours.

[quiet.american]

5. A picture's worth a thousand words - taking it directly to them, excellent.

I see the piece states that this was actually Sebelius' meeting and that the president decided to "pop in," bringing the letter with him. I love it that he read it to their faces. I would be interested to know what kind of mealy-mouthed replies they came up with after that.

[bluestateguy]

7. Here (Just a bunch of excuses)

* UPDATE: Late Thursday afternoon, Anthem Ohio issued a statement: "We understand and strongly share our members’ concerns over the rising cost of health care services and the corresponding adverse impact on insurance premiums. Unfortunately, the individual market premiums are merely the symptoms of a larger underlying problem in Ohio's individual market - rising health care costs. The increasing demand for medical services, the use of new prescription drugs, and demand for advanced technologies are driving up the cost of health care at an unprecedented rate. Anthem is investing in many initiatives to reduce the cost of care, promoting wellness and preventive care for our members and communities, as well as, working with providers to encourage high-quality, evidence-based care, which costs less over time. In addition, our health plans offer members significant discounts through access to a large network of health care providers across the country. These efforts, however, cannot completely offset all the increases linked to the cost of care. The pricing structure of our individual products is a reflection of the medical risks and costs associated with this market. As the cost of care increases, premiums rise accordingly.

"Anthem regularly evaluates its rate structure to make sure that the cost of claims incurred is offset by the premiums collected, and that we anticipate the cost of future, expected claims. At times, based on the cost of covering benefits, rates may be either raised or lowered. To assist members who are looking to explore alternative plan options, Anthem offers a team of licensed Health Plan Advisors. These advisors are dedicated to assisting members in finding solutions to meet the balance between their coverage needs and their budget, especially in these challenging economic times.

"It is important to note that premiums are expensive because the underlying health care costs are expensive. Anthem offers a variety of health benefit plans, and we are dedicated to working with our members to find health coverage plans that are the most appropriate, and affordable for their needs. We are more than happy to take a look at a member’s health benefit plan and review possible options to more closely meet the member’s current needs. This may include moving to a lower priced plan.

"We are determined to support quality care for our members, we share their concerns about the upward rise in premiums and must adjust our rates as needed to cover the costs and risks associated with providing quality health care for all of our individual members."

[quiet.american]

19. Thanks - and yep, mealy-mouthed in the extreme. nt

[Diamonique]

20. This is nuckin futs!

"At times, based on the cost of covering benefits, rates may be either raised or lowered."

Excuse me? Has anyone here ever heard of an insurance company lowering their rates?

::: crickets :::

[LisaM]

41. I don't think much of their response, BUT

one accurate point they made was the rising cost of drugs. I know this is true - I shelled out $327 in prescriptions this month for my dog.

Why doesn't Obama pop in at a meeting with Big Pharma and read them the riot act?

[goclark]

23. +1

[Cha]

31. It really is a personal touch that

even if they're not moved..they know the President is.

[rudy23]

9. When are people going to get the message that these thugs WANT to thin out the herd?

Playing on emotions isn't going to get it done, though I commend his efforts on this front. The only way to win this game is to point out that the right wants to thin out the herd.

[katandmoon]

10. All the meetings in the world aren't going to do a damn thing without a PUBLIC OPTION.

[RC]

18. Forget the "Public Option" already.

It is nothing but a con game so we keep paying the insurance companies.
Single Payer, or better yet, Single Payer, Universal Health Care.

[The empressof all]

11. Don't take it Personally

It's just Business.

I never understood why it was perfectly justifiable if not laudable for a company to do what ever it takes in the name of profit. Sometimes the world just sickens me.

[denimgirly]

15. Honestly, don't blame the Companies -- Blame the Government...

When yuo think about it more you realize companies are doing what is in their nature: Make profit. THey are following the rules laid out and so i honestly think they are not the evil people in this and so their blatant willingess to KILL PEOPLE is actually legal and also expected. The evil doers in this faerytale is actually the government. They hold the cards to enact reform and instill regulations to prevent people from being killed. They do not. Everyone knows precisely a quick fix to resolve this death march of the people and the U.S. treasury but no one does it. Why, because as it stands the government is set up to be influenced and controlled by those same companies....All part of the rules and 100% legal. Until you fix the foundation nothing really changes.

[denimgirly]

12. Reading a Letter wont Change Anything -- There business is Denying Care -- That's profit.

Reading a letter of someone dying from lack of insurance dur to high costs is not worth doing. These CEOs got into the business knowing full well that their actions involve killing people. That is why they are wealthy. If a letter is all they needed to change their minds they can look at the 10,000 that arrived in their mailbox and sent to the toilet-paper recycling plant yesterday.

I'd rather the president and Sebilius use their time wisely by fighting to FORCE these companies to do what the people want, not ask them nicely.

From my point of view the companies seem more in control and are being asked a favor from the President than the other way around...that is just plain sad, pathetic, and very wrong!

[FrenchieCat]

16. It didn't hurt anything, and if I had written a letter like that,

you better goddamn know that I would approve of Barack Obama
having taken his time to read that it to the goddamn folks responsible!

I say, Well Played President Obama. At least you got it!
A letter not written in vain......
may be yours the next time!

[Cha]

32. Yes, indeedy..it's like chicken soup..

it can't hurt.

[Raineyb]

51. Of course the letter was written in vain.

People have been sharing similar stories and we still get a half assed health insurance "reform" package. And as far as the insurance companies are concerned as they make money by taking your money and denying you care they won't give a flying fuck who read the letter. They will ignore it and continue to do whatever the hell they want just as they have been.

[Kitsune]

22. Trying to make sociopaths feel bad. Great idea.

[angelicwoman]

29. Yeah let's fix Rush Limbaugh by making him feel bad about his being racist

I'm sure he'll cry.

[WonderGrunion]

46. It worked for Ebeneezer Scrooge

It certainly couldn't hurt here.

[Raineyb]

52. Yeah well Ebeneezer Scrooge is a fictional character.

Most of us have to live in the real world.

[harun]

27. Not every day Obama sits in a room full of people with much higher salaries than him.

Sebelius might be the only one making less.

Glad he read the letter but those people should be tried for crimes against humanity.

[democracy1st]

28. K & R

[Cha]

30. This woman and others like her seem

like the perfect candidates to be helped by the Health Care Reform Bill.

[glinda]

39. Seems but I am like her and I don't see help so far. The lower middle class really are hurting

because they pay tons for nothing. We are bled dry right now at our home. AND, do not laugh, we make under 80 thou a year and are on the edge. Everyone has hit us, all utilities, taxes, insurances, everything because the biggest group of people fall right in that range and everyone has taken their lion's share and more.

[jeanpalmer]

33. Ms Canfield is a good example

of why Obama's health care proposal won't do much good. Obama's proposal presumes the health care cost driver is the lack of competition in the insurance market, but according to Anthem it's the increasing costs of care. Anthem's response: "Unfortunately, the individual market premiums are merely the symptoms of a larger underlying problem in Ohio's individual market - rising health care costs. The increasing demand for medical services, the use of new prescription drugs, and demand for advanced technologies are driving up the cost of health care at an unprecedented rate."

So this raises the issue -- what effect will competition in the insurance market have on price if the underlying costs are increasing 40%? Not much. This is a fatal weakness in Obama's proposal -- it doesn't attack costs, and it mandates everyone pay for them as they skyrocket. ABC News kind of questioned Robert Gibbs about this, "How would the health-care reform bill that the president is trying to get passed help this woman Natoma Canfield? How would it help her?" Gibbs replied she would have "greater choice" and she could "join an exchange" and she's not going "to have to worry about an insurance company discriminating against her on the basis of a preexisting condition." But he never said it would negate or even moderate Canfield's 40% premium increase. Because it won't, especially if it's based on increases in underlying costs.

Before he dropped in and read the letter, Obama should have done some homework and researched why Canfield's premium increased by 40%. Was it because of lack of competition in the insurance market, or was it because the underlying costs really did increase by 40%? If it was the latter, then he has to explain how his proposal will stop 40% rate increases based on exploding underlying costs. And how people like Ms Canfield won't be mandated to pay for them.

[eridani]

34. And there is not one damned line in this shitty "reform" that mentions requiring

--insurance companies to actually pay claims.

[boppers]

49. What additional cost controls would you like?

"It should cost less" isn't a very compelling argument, what are you proposing that hasn't been proposed before?

[jeanpalmer]

50. Single payer

That would be a start. But there should be an analysis why our health care system is so expensive. Has Obama conducted a detailed study to find out why our health care is so much more expensive than other countries'? If so, where is it? A study like that should have been the first step. It should have provided the road map to real change. Anthem listed several cost drivers: "the increasing demand for medical services, the use of new prescription drugs, and demand for advanced technologies are driving up the cost of health care at an unprecedented rate." That list is weak, but it's something to explore. But a look at other countries' systems would have expanded the list. But Obama wasn't really interested in that because he had decided from the start to go with the overpriced private insurance system.

[DrToast]

35. Insurance companies are only doing what they're supposed to do

They're supposed to act for their shareholders, not their policy holders.

[slipslidingaway]

36. Guess that is one reason they moved the meeting to the White House ...

:shrug:

Sebelius Invites Insurance Company Leaders to Discuss Health Insurance Premiums

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/02/20100224c.html

"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today invited insurance company chief executive officers to a March 3 meeting at HHS to discuss their companies’ insurance premiums..."

[asdjrocky]

37. That's showin' 'em.

[dkf]

38. Health insurance isn't health care. Never was and never will be.

Having health insurance can be a complete waste of money. This poor woman got nothing for it.

[readmoreoften]

40. So the best a US president can do is offer a feeble protest and be ignored. Awesome system!

"Leader of the Free World" my ass.

[northofdenali]

42. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) is solidly pro healthcare as well.

The Democratic senator went on to write that the editorial more closely resembled the "barkings from the nether regions of Glennbeckistan" than the "sober and second thought" of his hometown newspaper.

From Sen. Byrd's letter:

With all due respect, the Daily Mail's hyperbole about "imposing government control," acts of "disrespect to the American people" and "corruption" of Senate procedures resembles more the barkings from the nether regions of Glennbeckistan than the "sober and second thought" of one of West Virginia's oldest and most respected daily newspapers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/05/robert-byrd-daily-mail-ed_n_487542.html

My only disappointment is the lack of attention to single payer. These insurance execs need a little jail time; maybe that would wake them up.

[Soylent Brice]

43. unreal, but not uncommon. K&R n/t

[jesus_of_suburbia]

44. They don't give a damn... but I'm still glad he did it.

[GeorgeGist]

45. the vapid response team ...

wink, wink, nod, nod.

[QC]

54. I'm sure this had them sobbing in their Learjets. n/t