Free Republic

Let the blame game begin over ObamaCare’s oversights. The nation’s largest health insurer, UnitedHealthcare, claims the Affordable Care Act is responsible for forcing it to boot doctors from its Medicare Advantage program that serves thousands of elderly patients in the New York metro region. CEO Jack Larsen, under fire for separating seniors from their MDs, took out full-page ads to explain that cuts in Medicare spending forced the ­insurer’s hand.

Retired chemist Edward Schokowitz was incredulous when he received a letter from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey early last month saying his Medicare Advantage Plan, which had no premium, would be eliminated next year.“They took all the senior citizens and threw us out of the plan. They now want to give us the same plan for $153 [per month],” he told the Daily Caller. “The President said you can’t be kicked out of your plan. He lies.”Schokowitz is one of many Medicare beneficiaries now learning that — like Americans who buy insurance on the individual market —...

Dan Pfeiffer, the top White House communications strategist, tweeted out a liberal organization's hit piece on Edie Sundby's insurance company Pfeiffer has one of the few 'official' White House Twitter accounts The story ran on the Think Progress blog, a project of the Center for American Progress – run by a former Clinton White House chief of staff It alleged Sundby's now-famous health insurance limbo is United Healthcare's fault, not Obamacare's Sundby, who has battled gallbladder cancer for nearly seven years, wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed about how Obamacare will affect her health Her insurance plan will be canceled...

In the midst of major changes in health care, UnitedHealthCare has sent thousands of pink slips to Connecticut doctors. Termination letters went to physicians caring for Medicare patients. Those letters were sent out to doctors caring for 'Medicare Advantage' patients. It's a plan, marketed to Seniors to provide additional services through UnitedHealthCare. A mix of primary care and specialty doctors are affected by it. And it comes at a questionable time. Open enrollment for Medicare starts next Tuesday, and it's still not clear at this time as to which doctors are still in the United network.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)-- In the midst of major changes in health care, United HealthCare has sent thousands of pink slips to Connecticut doctors. Termination letters went to physicians caring for Medicare patients. Those letters were sent out to doctors caring for 'Medicare Advantage' patients. It's a plan, marketed to Seniors to provide additional services through UnitedHealthCare. A mix of primary care and specialty doctors are affected by it. And it comes at a questionable time. Open enrollment for Medicare starts next Tuesday, and it's still not clear at this time as to which doctors are still in the United...

A second health insurer notified state regulators Tuesday that it will stop selling individual policies in California. UnitedHealthcare announced it will no longer offer individual insurance plans after the end of the year. It will focus instead on its core business of group plans for large and small employers. "Our individual business in California has always been relatively small and we currently serve less than 8,000 individual customers across the state," the company said in a statement. "Over the years, it has become more difficult to administer these plans in a cost-effective way for our members in California." ,,,, "While...

On April 1, 2013, the TRICARE West Region contract will transition to and be managed by United Healthcare Military & Veterans (UHC M&V). To make sure you understand the timing and key information about the TRICARE transition, visit the TriWest Transition Update Center.

Steve Larsen, who has played a key role in directing the Obama administration's efforts to implement the health care reform law, will resign, effective next month. Mr. Larsen left his position as Maryland insurance commissioner shortly after the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010 to head what is now known as the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight.

A gay couple will use the traditional White House Easter Egg roll Monday to lobby President Obama to sign an executive order banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Jarrod Scarbrough and Les Sewell of New Mexico, partners for 18 years, will bring their eight-year-old daughter to the event to try to influence Mr. Obama on the proposed order that would cover federal contractors. "I work for a federal contractor, and there's a piece of paper sitting on President Obama's desk that would give me a little more security for my family," Mr. Scarbrough, who works for United Healthcare, said...

he AARP, formerly the The American Association of Retired Persons, sent U.S. senators a letter last week asking them to oppose any increases in Medicare copayments. But the self-described pro-senior group hasn’t acknowledged that it has a financial stake in the debate’s outcome. (Snip) The AARP collects 4.95 percent of every dollar United HealthCare takes in from AARP members’ Medigap plan premiums. Not allowing Medigap plans to cover seniors’ Medicare copayment costs is a disincentive for AARP members to continue purchasing the supplemental coverage. In its letter to Congress, the AARP made no mention of any financial stake it may

Remember when Nancy Pelosi called private health insurers “villains” and “almost immoral” two months ago? Well, never mind, eh, Nancy? The Open Left blog reports exclusively that Pelosi will attend a fund-raiser next week hosted by villainous Steve Elmendorf, a registered lobbyist with almost immoral private health insurer, United Health. He’s throwing the party at his house on Sept. 24. Price of admission? $5,000 for PACs and $2,400 for individuals.

“Free Market” sterilization - shocking, but that is what United Healthcare’s (UNH) subsidiary Golden Rule told a 39-year-old women in perfect health. The New York Times “After Caesareans, Some See Higher Insurance Cost” reports that private health insurers either do not issue medically underwritten policies or charge substantially higher premiums to women who have undergone Caesarean deliveries. Given that most individual policies are medically underwritten and 31.1% of deliveries are Caesarean, a large percentage of women of childbearing age are not eligible for health insurance. The excuse is that it is statistically more likely that a second Caesarean will follow...

by Mark Finkelstein April 20, 2006 On the heels of MSM outrage at the retirement package granted to Exxon/Mobil CEO Lee Raymond, Good Morning America was back at the class-warfare ramparts this morning with a new target in its sights, Dr. William McGuire, head of United Health Group. As the result of share prices that have increased over 7,000 percent, stock options granted McGuire are currently worth in excess of $1 billion. ABC reporter Dan Harris narrated the segment, and GMA set the tone with its title - "You Must be Kidding!" But there was no joking about the class-warfare...