Denied

By Joseph Ashby

Investors Business Daily has put out an editorial expanding on the recently publicized report by the American Medical Association on Medicare claim denial.

From investors.com:

As for denial of care, Medicare, which we've described as the government's public option for senior citizens, has the highest denial rate in the country, according to the American Medical Association's 2008 National Health Insurer Report Card.

From March 1, 2007, to March 10 of last year, Medicare rejected 475,566 of 6.94 million claims for a rate of 6.85%.

Aetna was the only private insurer that had a similar number, denying 43,317 of 637,239 claims for a rate of 6.8%. But the average of seven carriers was 4.05% including Aetna. Dropping Aetna as an outlier takes the denial rate down to 3.08%.

[Snip]

The lesson here is that a government program, even one as beloved as Medicare, is no more efficient, no more caring, no more morally superior than private coverage.

Medicare even denies claims due to [gasp] pre-existing conditions.

Now I know there are people out there who cannot be swayed by all the evidence in the world (and the world is full of evidence against socialist health care). I know there are politicians who want to pass a health care bill to consolidate political power. But at some point don’t facts have to convince a majority of congressmen and constituents alike that any federalization of health care is a bad idea?

Reality is screaming “stop!” on the health care overhaul. Will America listen?