Wednesday United Health Care, the big behemoth in the health insurance industry, announce that it is cracking down on emergency room visits beginning on July 1st in 34 states. This includes Iowa.  From an article in USA Today:   

UnitedHealthcare this month told its network hospitals in 34 states  that it will assess emergency room claims to determine if visits were indeed medical emergencies.

Claims that are determined not to be tied to emergencies will be subject to no coverage or limited coverage based on the patient’s insurance plan, according to the insurer’s notice sent to hospitals. As many as 1 in 10 claims could be rejected, said Tracey Lempner, spokeswoman for the Minnesota-based insurer.

Claims that are determined not to be tied to emergencies will be subject to no coverage or limited coverage based on the patient’s insurance plan, according to the insurer’s notice sent to hospitals. As many as 1 in 10 claims could be rejected, said Tracey Lempner, spokeswoman for the Minnesota-based insurer.

Claims that are determined not to be tied to emergencies will be subject to no coverage or limited coverage based on the patient’s insurance plan, according to the insurer’s notice sent to hospitals. As many as 1 in 10 claims could be rejected, said Tracey Lempner, spokeswoman for the Minnesota-based insurer.

This news was immediately condemned by American Hospital Association CEO Richard Pollack:

“Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” Pollack said in his letter. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.

Once again, consumers are about to take it on the chin. When it has been determined by you or your family that you need emergency care, the last thing on your mind is coverage. That is what you pay those expensive premiums for. Now UHC is throwing that concern into the mix.

But wait there is more. The ACA, commonly known as Obamacare is in it 11th year. This month the SCOTUS will be deciding on a case that will essentially determine whether Obamacare will still be considered constitutional:  

“With just three weeks left until the Supreme Court’s self-imposed deadline of June 30 for rulings in its current term, there remain dozens of cases that it must resolve, including a judgement on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

The case, California v. Texas, hinges on an argument made by Republican governors and attorneys general, and supported by the Trump administration, that after the successful GOP effort in 2017 to eliminate individual penalties for not maintaining health insurance, the entire law must be struck down.”

With the stolen SCOTUS seat where Neil Gorsuch sits plus the addition of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett the prognosis for Obamacare is not good. Dismantling Obamacare and the overturning of Roe v. Wade has been the focus of Republican court appointment policy.

They may get to celebrate soon, but millions will be left without health care. This is an incredible cruel policy, but they do not care. Health insurance rates will most likely jump big time with fewer insured people causing millions of unpaid hospital bills to force hospitals to charge much more to those who can pay.

Can the Congress step in and fix Obamacare so it meets SCOTUS objections or create a true national health care system? Very unlikely when the filibuster rule will still be the rule of the senate, thus making any law in this area subject to a 60 vote super-majority. 

This is a hell of a time to put the squeeze on health insurance. The pandemic is far from over. We continue to see hospitalizations rise in counties where vaccination rates are low. If people don’t want to protect themselves with a free vaccination, they’d better be prepared to pay.

Why can other countries create and implement national health care systems that take the worry out of being sick? In the US the political system is currently designed to favor a minority that can stop important legislation through a so called ‘filibuster.’ This allows a minority of 41 senators to block pretty much anything in a 100 seat senate chamber. Currently Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kirsten Sinema have become the guardians of the antiquated filibuster system that allows a small minority to block the will of the people.

Most other democracies throughout the world are parliamentary systems. In a Parliament a party is elected to a majority in order to implement their party agenda. While in some cases the majority party may have to form a coalition with a minor party, the objective of the majority party is to pass and implement their agenda. 

There are no minority blocking of highly desired legislation. There is often little need to bend the agenda in search for the elusive “bipartisanship.” Think about that when you lose you health insurance or you get stuck with a giant unexpected bill or your insurance rates skyrocket.