Health Benefits Denied

Islam in Action ^ | July 5, 2008 | Exposing Islam

[Islaminaction]

I know this is off topic for me, but this seems to be a growing problem. People invest their whole lives, put their trust into a company and then when they turn around and ask for what was promised to them. They get the back of a hand. It is just not right. I am not for universal health care.

For the rest.....

http://islaminaction08.blogspot.com/2008/07/health-benefits-denied.html

[Onelifetogive]

People invest their whole lives, put their trust into a company...

This, to me, seems like the problem. Why should I rely on my company to provide my health insurance. They don't feed me, the don't buy my clothes or house or cars. They don't pay for my homeowners or auto insurance.

It would seem to be the height of folly to switch my trust from an unreliable company to a dishonest and corrupt government.

I have an idea, I work, pay me money, I'll buy what I need, including food, clothing, shelter and insurance.

[Lancey Howard]

Excellent comments. BUMP

[dawn53]

I read this story earlier on FR. This wasn’t talking about health insurance, it was talking about life insurance.

The guy had paid into life insurance during his career, he got sick, the company switched life insurance companies during his illness. He kept paying premiums, kept asking questions to make sure he was covered, and they failed to tell him he needed to work 1 day, just 1 day, to be covered under the new plan (his wife said had he known it, he would have managed to work the 1 day, even though he was ill.)

So when he died, his wife received zero benefits from his life insurance, they just refunded the payments he had made under the “new” plan, and because of ERISA, she was not allowed to sue the company for the benefits, the case was thrown out of court because you can’t sue a company for large amounts of money.

P.S. I trust insurance companies about as far as I can throw them. Pay in your whole life, make a claim, and they’ll cancel you. Win the health lottery, don’t get sick, pay the premiums and you have no problem. Get a disease or chronic illness...you lose, they’ll use every trick in the book to drop you from their rolls or deny payment of essential services. Group benefits offer more protection than individual policies, but in this guy’s case, that wasn’t so.

[usconservative]

Thanks for your comments and clarification.

After reading this article though, I'll never use Spherion again, and I *am* a hiring manager with the authority to make that decision. The company I work for may use them, but I as a division manager don't have to.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

the case was thrown out of court because you can’t sue a company for large amounts of money.

I'm not sure what you are saying here, because clearly folks sue companies for large amounts of money all the time (and win).

[dawn53]

Read the article, it explains the loophole that the large companies are using.

[endthematrix]

Jun 25, 2008
Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN) shares jumped 26.5% after securities firm C.L. King upgraded the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based staffing company from “neutral” to “strong buy.” Spherion’s shares are currently at $5.78 up about $1.21 from Tuesday’s close. The stock reached its highest point in the past month.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Read the article, it explains the loophole that the large companies are using.

I see what you mean 'companies that offer health, life and retirement benefits under ERISA cannot be sued for large amounts of money', and it explains my confusion since 'companies that offer health, life and retirement benefits under ERISA', is not the same thing as 'companies'. As I understand it if the federal ERISA had not been passed the controlling laws would have been the state insurance laws, and this problem would not have arisen.

[socialismisinsidious]

Socialized Medicine aka Universal Health Care PING LIST

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this ping list.

[Onelifetogive]

He kept paying premiums, kept asking questions to make sure he was covered, and they failed to tell him he needed to work 1 day, just 1 day, to be covered under the new plan (his wife said had he known it, he would have managed to work the 1 day, even though he was ill.)

My insurance agent tells me that he has errors and omissions insurance on himself. If there is some mistake (i.e I'm paying premiums but not getting coverage) then I will still be covered under his plan. I've never actually needed that, of course, and it may not work. I think if you have record of paying premiums to a private plan, you'd have a good case that you were covered.

It still seems to be the "workplace" coverage angle that screwed him.