One of the most persistent memes the left uses in its government-run sales pitch is that even if government-run health care will lead to longer waits for health care, at least it won’t reject claim down like those evil (i.e. money-grubbing) private insurance companies.
Well, guess what? Mark Hemingway found that the AMA, which actually endorsed government-run health care (over the objections of many of its members), considers that claim a load of hooey.
In fact, according to the American Medical Association’s 2008 National Health Insurer Report Card, “Medicare Denied 6.85% Of Submitted Claims – A Higher Percentage Than Any Private Insurer Sampled By The American Medical Association.” Oh and when a private insurance company denies your claim, you at least have legal recourse. Good luck suing the government.
That wasn’t only true for 2008 either. The AMA found Medicare led the claim-denial parade in 2009 as well.
What’s more, Medicare is easy pickings for thieves and con artists. Mark found that 1 out of every 8 claims Medicare didn’t reject was actually fraudulent and that some estimates have Medicare losing more to fraud than all 14 private insurance companies in the Fortune 500.
This is why the would-be totalitarians have to use a nice and fluffy phrase like “public option”, behind which they can hide their own intentions and a multitude of sins. But don’t look for Republicans in the Senate to stop them. They’re more interested in prettying up around the edges than they are in being an actual opposition party. Keep all of this in mind come the 2010 election. There needs to be an accounting, in both parties.
Tags: National Health Care
