Darned trial lwayers - Let the market decide.

[uscitizen]

Cut-Off Cancer Patient to Get $9M

Saturday February 23, 2:30 PM EST

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who had her medical coverage canceled as she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer has been awarded more than $9 million in a case against one of California's largest health insurers.

Patsy Bates, 52, a hairdresser from Lakewood, had been left with more than $129,000 in unpaid medical bills when Health Net Inc. canceled her policy in 2004.

On Friday, arbitration judge Sam Cianchetti ordered Health Net to repay that amount while providing $8.4 million in punitive damages and $750,000 for emotional distress.

"It's hard to imagine a situation more trying than the one Bates has had to endure," Cianchetti wrote in the decision. "The rug was pulled out from underneath, and that occurred at a time when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death for women."
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The award came a day after the Los Angeles city attorney sued Health Net, claiming it illegally canceled the coverage of about 1,600 patients. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo also said the company illegally ran an incentive program in which it paid bonuses to an administrator for meeting targets of policy cancelations.

http://finance.myway.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt.jsp?section=news&feed=ap&src=601&news_id=ap-d8v07a204&date=20080223

 

[Cypress]

Let consumers decide. Regulation and tort law just muck up the markets. I'm sure this cancer patient could have just shopped around, and gotten a different policy after her insurance company kicked her off.

 

[evince]

Yeah the market knows who should live and die.

What the fuck did this lady think she knew about her life. She should have just done the right thing and died instead of costing the economy so much money. Damn now everyones insurance bill will go up.

 

[uscitizen]

Let consumers decide. Regulation and tort law just muck up the markets. I'm sure this cancer patient could have just shopped around, and gotten a different policy after her insurance company kicked her off.

Hmm never heard of exemptions for pre-existing conditions ?
Fat chance of getting another insurance policy that would cover your pre-existing condition unless thru an employer. And even then there is usually a waiting period for pre-existing conditions. Plus fewer employers are offering medical insurance every year.

I know this very well by experience as I have degenerative spinal disease.
It is one reason older folks have to keep working until they can cet Medicare.
Or you can spend all your money on medical bills and then file bankruptcy and get medicaid, but this is not the most pleasant way to go.

 

[evince]

With a preexsisting condition she could have still gotten insurance but it would have cost more than treating the condition outright. The maeket will only "bare" what makes them a profit. If you have an expensive precondition you are shit out of luck.
I have an uncle that worked all his life and then retired only to have to go back to work because his wife got sick and his insurance wont cover it.

Profit does not belong anywhere near a decision about life and death. Just like firefighting and policing.