The Onion thumps Cigna and CEO Cordani
"50 billionth" claims denial
The Onion thumps Cigna and CEO Cordani
Joseph N. DiStefano
We can't print the headline (this is still a family publication) so you'd have to check out The Onion's satirical hatchet job on (formerly Philadelphia-based) health insurer Cigna Inc. and its chief executive David Cordani, depicted as celebrating the company's "50 billionth" claims denial, for yourself, here.
Excerpt: “'In my 13 years helping this company prevent sick people from getting the health care they need, there has never been a more exciting—or lucrative—time to work here,' said Cigna’s executive vice president Mark Boxer, celebrating at the office with the national accounts team, which took turns swinging at a cancer-patient shaped piñata." As I've noted before, when it comes to getting someone to pay for your health care, eventually somebody has to say no, because there isn't enough money in this world for all the medical attention everybody wants. You don't have to wait for government "death boards;" your private insurer or care provider can do an equally final job separating what's payable and what's not.
I asked a Cigna official about the Onion item -- "It's the kind of publicity you just can't buy," I said -- and was told, "Ugh."
"...your private insurer or care provider can do an equally final job separating what's payable and what's not"...Except that your private insurer consumes a much large portion of your premium - and the fact that the only way your private insurer can pay for their bonuses, perks, state of the art offices, with state of the art art, planes etc. is by taking your premium and not paying back in service what you have paid in for. Which is why the US pays 3X more per capita than the rest of the civilized world to NOT insure 100k's of it's citizens and rank behind them all in life expectance and infant mortality. Another example of the twisted logic used to defend the commoditization of a basic human right. You same people cry and hue about not getting back all you put into social security (thus the ridiculous rationalization to privatize that too). If a private for-profit company with a clear conflict of interest can determine the amount of care you get, then the government of the people can surely determine the amount of payback you get from that type of insurance, right? Logical gymnastics to rationalize a completely oxymoronic position begins in 3...2....1....— CiceroSpuriousDeodatusTheSecond- Insurance companies should not practice medicine. They do not have the license or expertise yet it is done daily. SHAME ON CIGNA. You may view my video story on how CINGA has caused me undue pain. Shame on you!
http://vimeo.com/51786733— DanielPettus
