Monday, October 8, 2007

Michigan Lawmaker: Private Medicare Rips Off Seniors

A Michigan lawmaker is in the middle of the fray over private insurance companies that are ripping off senior citizens after selling them expensive policies subsidized by regular Medicare recipients.

Rep. Bart Stupak, a Democrat who represents Michigan's 1st congressional district, is head of the investigations subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He told The New York Times for a story in editions for Sunday (Oct. 7, 2007) that he had “verified countless stories of deceptive sales practices by insurance agents who prey upon the elderly and disabled to sell them expensive and inappropriate private Medicare plans.”

The plans offered to senior citizens as an alternative to Medicare are subsidized by regular Medicare recipients. Audits of the companies offering the plans have turned up thousands of instances of predatory marketing practices, refusal to pay claims, and shockingly poor service, including long waits to talk to claims representative.

Why do we put up with such treatment of our parents and grandparents, in the name of private enterprise? Is there nothing this country will not sacrifice for profit?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oversite and investigation of private industry is necessary. Too many positions of non partisan Government employees are being cut. Instead President Bush expands Government with appointed supporters.