Blue Cross/Blue Shield of California, a for-profit health insurance company, is always looking for ways to fatten its bottom line. Their latest tactic is one that was used back in the good old days of the Stasi, the late-and-unlamented East German secret police: enlist doctors to spy on their patients.
You see, doctors all over California received a letter from Blue Cross which said in part: "Any condition not listed on the application that is discovered to be pre-existing should be reported to Blue Cross immediately. We ask for your assistance to help identify medical omissions because you, being the primary provider, will have first-hand knowledge of services provided and/or requested."
In other words, Blue Cross is telling doctors to inform on their patients' medical conditions so the company can see if they were properly listed on the original application. If not, they're cut off. And if they are buried in medical bills and have to declare bankruptcy - well, them's the breaks.
And health insurance companies wonder why they are some of the most hated businesses in the country.
UPDATE: After the story hit the wires and the company was swamped by outrage, they quickly backed down. Nice to know they're not completely clueless.
You see, doctors all over California received a letter from Blue Cross which said in part: "Any condition not listed on the application that is discovered to be pre-existing should be reported to Blue Cross immediately. We ask for your assistance to help identify medical omissions because you, being the primary provider, will have first-hand knowledge of services provided and/or requested."
In other words, Blue Cross is telling doctors to inform on their patients' medical conditions so the company can see if they were properly listed on the original application. If not, they're cut off. And if they are buried in medical bills and have to declare bankruptcy - well, them's the breaks.
And health insurance companies wonder why they are some of the most hated businesses in the country.
UPDATE: After the story hit the wires and the company was swamped by outrage, they quickly backed down. Nice to know they're not completely clueless.
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