Obamacare: Many top cancer hospitals off-limits for newly insured

[Theowl32]

Obamacare: Many top cancer hospitals off-limits for newly insured | WJLA.com


WASHINGTON (AP) - Cancer patients relieved that they can get insurance coverage because of the new health care law may be disappointed to learn that some the nation's best cancer hospitals are off-limits.

An Associated Press survey found examples coast to coast. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is excluded by five out of eight insurers in Washington state's insurance exchange. MD Anderson Cancer Center says it's in less than half of the plans in the Houston area.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering is included by two of nine insurers in New York City and has out-of-network agreements with two more.

Doctors and administrators say they're concerned. So are some state insurance regulators.
In all, only four of 19 nationally recognized comprehensive cancer centers that responded to AP's survey said patients have access through all the insurance companies in their state exchange.

Not too long ago, insurance companies would have been vying to offer access to renowned cancer centers, said Dan Mendelson, CEO of the market research firm Avalere Health. Now the focus is on costs.

"This is a marked deterioration of access to the premier cancer centers for people who are signing up for these plans," Mendelson said.

Those patients may not be able get the most advanced treatment, including clinical trials of new medications.

And there's another problem: It's not easy for consumers shopping online in the new insurance markets to tell whether top-level institutions are included in a plan. That takes additional digging by the people applying.


"The challenges of this are going to become evident ... as cancer cases start to arrive," Norman Hubbard, executive vice president of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, said.
Advocates for cancer patients are in a quandary.

Before President Barack Obama's health care law, a cancer diagnosis could make you uninsurable. Now, insurers can't turn away people with health problems or charge them more. Lifetime dollar limits on policies, once a financial trapdoor for cancer patients, are also banned.

"Patients may have fewer choices of doctors and hospitals in some exchange plans than others ... but the rules for such plans go a long way toward remedying the most severe problems that existed for decades," said Steve Weiss, spokesman for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

The new obstacles are more subtle.

To keep premiums low, insurers have designed narrow networks of hospitals and doctors. The government-subsidized private plans on the exchanges typically offer less choice than Medicare or employer plans.




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Not much is being reported about this on the usual national news sources. So, therefore, the brainwashed hacks on the left will not know much about this. Not that any of them would ever care, cause we all know they don't.

Not to worry though. The national media will shortly be reporting about the wonderful success of this bag of shit that the left voted for....as they brag about it.

Here I thought it was republicans that wanted to keep cancer patients from getting insurance. Yeah, yet another thing the left cockledoodledoo about, but in reality could not possibly care any less about.

Brave new world everyone. Welcome.

 

[jillian]

you do understand those people had NO insurance before.

hmmmm....let's see what's worse....

no insurance or some POSSIBLE limitations on hospitsl.

oh wait... I know....

 

[Zoom-boing]

Before President Barack Obama's health care law, a cancer diagnosis could make you uninsurable. Now, insurers can't turn away people with health problems or charge them more.

People with p/e's should be able to get insurance and I'm glad they now can.

People with p/e's should pay more as they are a higher risk to insure. It's bullshit that everyone who doesn't have a p/e now has to pony up more just so those with p/e's get the 'pay the same'. Really? How about we let 16 year old drivers pay the same insurance rates as someone with 25 years experience and a good driving record.



Higher risk should pay more. Exorbitantly more so they can't afford it? No. But MORE? Absolutely.

 

[Theowl32]

you do understand those people had NO insurance before.

hmmmm....let's see what's worse....

no insurance or some POSSIBLE limitations on hospitsl.

oh wait... I know....

only four of 19 nationally recognized comprehensive cancer centers that responded to AP's survey said patients have access through all the insurance companies in their state exchange.

Oh looky, a brainwashed idiot.

Remember when we said most of those uninsured could get insurance if they just went out and got insured?

Remember when you morons said the only reason so many were uninsured, was because it was not available?

Well, there must not be anymore uninsured now, now that this Obamacare bullshit is available to everyone.....AND everyone must PURCHASE it by LAW.

Remember all of the morons on the left thought it was FREE HEALTHCARE? I do.

Well, there must be a lot less uninsured now.....right?

Plus, you miss the whole point of the article. It is not about the uninsured. It is about a lot less available to the insured. Meaning there WERE 19 prominent cancer centers available to the insured BEFORE Obamacare. Now there are only FOUR!!!!

Yet, you some how looped it back to your pathetic demented left wing logic?

Here is a question just to reiterate. Are there more or less uninsured now? Tell us how much less. I will bet you will quote some stupid site put out by the white house.

 

[Mr. H.]

" a marked deterioration of access"

...for all, not just some.

Hey at least we're all in the same boat, comrades.


Sent from my ass using USMessageBoard.com

 

[Theowl32]

Before President Barack Obama's health care law, a cancer diagnosis could make you uninsurable. Now, insurers can't turn away people with health problems or charge them more.

People with p/e's should be able to get insurance and I'm glad they now can.

People with p/e's should pay more as they are a higher risk to insure. It's bullshit that everyone who doesn't have a p/e now has to pony up more just so those with p/e's get the 'pay the same'. Really? How about we let 16 year old drivers pay the same insurance rates as someone with 25 years experience and a good driving record.



Higher risk should pay more. Exorbitantly more so they can't afford it? No. But MORE? Absolutely.

Oh really? No shit asshole. That is what you people argued against when you pointed your shit stained fingers at those evil insurance companies.

Now, that Obamacare is proving to doing the same thing.....well it makes perfect sense all of a sudden.

Meanwhile only 4 of the 19 comprehensive cancer centers are open to Obamacare patients, and there are no more insured people, even though it is a law to purchase bullshit.

No, it is a rousing success. I can see the left wing media is already reporting it is a big success. Can you believe folks how easy it is to lie to the obnoxious know it all hypocrites?

 

[Bombur]

Yeah we don't have a single payer system in this country. I actually don't think this is necessarily a bad thing btw. One of the benefits of the US system are some really really good hospitals. It is one of the reasons for a system more like Germany.

 

[Theowl32]

Yeah we don't have a single payer system in this country. I actually don't think this is necessarily a bad thing btw. One of the benefits of the US system are some really really good hospitals. It is one of the reasons for a system more like Germany.

Does Germany provide health insurance to non-citizens? Does any other country other than here?

Here, let me help you. No, no other country provides free health care to non-citizens.

So, you want to me more like Germany? Cool. Lets not provide free health care to the illegals here.

Oh thats right. You did not factor that in, cause you are ignorant.

Obama to Hispanics: We Won’t Deport Your Relatives If You Enroll in Obamacare

In an interview with Univision Deportes, a Spanish-language sports radio show, Obama said immigration officials won’t have access to the personal information that consumers provide when signing up for healthcare on the new exchanges.

“Well, the main thing for people to know is that any information you get, you know, asked with respect to buying insurance, does not have anything to do with … the rules governing immigration,” Obama said. “And you know, you can qualify if you’re a legal resident, if you are … legally present in the United States. You know, if you have a family where some people are citizens or legally here, and others are not documented, the immigration people will never get that information.”

 

[Bombur]

Yeah we don't have a single payer system in this country. I actually don't think this is necessarily a bad thing btw. One of the benefits of the US system are some really really good hospitals. It is one of the reasons for a system more like Germany.

Does Germany provide health insurance to non-citizens? Does any other country other than here?

Here, let me help you. No, no other country provides free health care to non-citizens.

So, you want to me more like Germany? Cool. Lets not provide free health care to the illegals here.

Oh thats right. You did not factor that in, cause you are ignorant.

Obama to Hispanics: We Won’t Deport Your Relatives If You Enroll in Obamacare

In an interview with Univision Deportes, a Spanish-language sports radio show, Obama said immigration officials won’t have access to the personal information that consumers provide when signing up for healthcare on the new exchanges.

“Well, the main thing for people to know is that any information you get, you know, asked with respect to buying insurance, does not have anything to do with … the rules governing immigration,” Obama said. “And you know, you can qualify if you’re a legal resident, if you are … legally present in the United States. You know, if you have a family where some people are citizens or legally here, and others are not documented, the immigration people will never get that information.”

I am not aware of any other country having an illegal immigration problem like the US has.

Nations with single payer systems or UHC create agreements with one another to cover people coming into their country from other nations.

The fact that we don't turn people away is never going to change and has little to nothing to do with the discussion.

 

[Theowl32]

Yeah we don't have a single payer system in this country. I actually don't think this is necessarily a bad thing btw. One of the benefits of the US system are some really really good hospitals. It is one of the reasons for a system more like Germany.

Does Germany provide health insurance to non-citizens? Does any other country other than here?

Here, let me help you. No, no other country provides free health care to non-citizens.

So, you want to me more like Germany? Cool. Lets not provide free health care to the illegals here.

Oh thats right. You did not factor that in, cause you are ignorant.

Obama to Hispanics: We Won’t Deport Your Relatives If You Enroll in Obamacare

In an interview with Univision Deportes, a Spanish-language sports radio show, Obama said immigration officials won’t have access to the personal information that consumers provide when signing up for healthcare on the new exchanges.

“Well, the main thing for people to know is that any information you get, you know, asked with respect to buying insurance, does not have anything to do with … the rules governing immigration,” Obama said. “And you know, you can qualify if you’re a legal resident, if you are … legally present in the United States. You know, if you have a family where some people are citizens or legally here, and others are not documented, the immigration people will never get that information.”

I am not aware of any other country having an illegal immigration problem like the US has.

Nations with single payer systems or UHC create agreements with one another to cover people coming into their country from other nations.

The fact that we don't turn people away is never going to change and has little to nothing to do with the discussion.

You do not think the illegal immigration situation has ANYTHING TO DO with the discussion on Obamacare?

It is literally impossible to debate such moronic shit.

You even admit in your statement that illegal immigration is a PROBLEM and the logistical reality of what is happening here as opposed to any other place on earth means the situation needs to be factored in whenever discussing this bag shit known as Obamacare.

Now, shift away from this and hold on to that straw in trying to say Obamacare is working.

 

[guno]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Cancer patients relieved that they can get insurance coverage because of the new health care law may be disappointed to learn that some the nation's best cancer hospitals are off-limits.

An Associated Press survey found examples coast to coast. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is excluded by five out of eight insurers in Washington state's insurance exchange. MD Anderson Cancer Center says it's in less than half of the plans in the Houston area.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering is included by two of nine insurers in New York City and has out-of-network agreements with two more.

Doctors and administrators say they're concerned. So are some state insurance regulators.
In all, only four of 19 nationally recognized comprehensive cancer centers that responded to AP's survey said patients have access through all the insurance companies in their state exchange.

Not too long ago, insurance companies would have been vying to offer access to renowned cancer centers, said Dan Mendelson, CEO of the market research firm Avalere Health. Now the focus is on costs.

"This is a marked deterioration of access to the premier cancer centers for people who are signing up for these plans," Mendelson said.

Those patients may not be able get the most advanced treatment, including clinical trials of new medications.

And there's another problem: It's not easy for consumers shopping online in the new insurance markets to tell whether top-level institutions are included in a plan. That takes additional digging by the people applying.


"The challenges of this are going to become evident ... as cancer cases start to arrive," Norman Hubbard, executive vice president of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, said.
Advocates for cancer patients are in a quandary.

Before President Barack Obama's health care law, a cancer diagnosis could make you uninsurable. Now, insurers can't turn away people with health problems or charge them more. Lifetime dollar limits on policies, once a financial trapdoor for cancer patients, are also banned.

"Patients may have fewer choices of doctors and hospitals in some exchange plans than others ... but the rules for such plans go a long way toward remedying the most severe problems that existed for decades," said Steve Weiss, spokesman for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

The new obstacles are more subtle.

To keep premiums low, insurers have designed narrow networks of hospitals and doctors. The government-subsidized private plans on the exchanges typically offer less choice than Medicare or employer plans.




--------------------------------------------------------

Not much is being reported about this on the usual national news sources. So, therefore, the brainwashed hacks on the left will not know much about this. Not that any of them would ever care, cause we all know they don't.

Not to worry though. The national media will shortly be reporting about the wonderful success of this bag of shit that the left voted for....as they brag about it.

Here I thought it was republicans that wanted to keep cancer patients from getting insurance. Yeah, yet another thing the left cockledoodledoo about, but in reality could not possibly care any less about.

Brave new world everyone. Welcome.[/quote]

And this is why we need universal health care like the rest of the civilized world, the ACA is a sop to Insurance company's. Right now the insurance company's are the gate keeper of care and skimming off the top without adding any value

 

[Bombur]

Does Germany provide health insurance to non-citizens? Does any other country other than here?

Here, let me help you. No, no other country provides free health care to non-citizens.

So, you want to me more like Germany? Cool. Lets not provide free health care to the illegals here.

Oh thats right. You did not factor that in, cause you are ignorant.

Obama to Hispanics: We Won’t Deport Your Relatives If You Enroll in Obamacare

In an interview with Univision Deportes, a Spanish-language sports radio show, Obama said immigration officials won’t have access to the personal information that consumers provide when signing up for healthcare on the new exchanges.

“Well, the main thing for people to know is that any information you get, you know, asked with respect to buying insurance, does not have anything to do with … the rules governing immigration,” Obama said. “And you know, you can qualify if you’re a legal resident, if you are … legally present in the United States. You know, if you have a family where some people are citizens or legally here, and others are not documented, the immigration people will never get that information.”

I am not aware of any other country having an illegal immigration problem like the US has.

Nations with single payer systems or UHC create agreements with one another to cover people coming into their country from other nations.

The fact that we don't turn people away is never going to change and has little to nothing to do with the discussion.

You do not think the illegal immigration situation has ANYTHING TO DO with the discussion on Obamacare?

It is literally impossible to debate such moronic shit.

You even admit in your statement that illegal immigration is a PROBLEM and the logistical reality of what is happening here as opposed to any other place on earth means the situation needs to be factored in whenever discussing this bag shit known as Obamacare.

Now, shift away from this and hold on to that straw in trying to say Obamacare is working.

We didn't turn people away before Obamacare.

Illegal immigration is a problem for a lot of reasons. Health care costs only being one of them.

I thought this thread was about high end hospitals.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Some insured for the first time are not going to be able to access some of the great hospitals?

They weren't able to access any before.

 

[Theowl32]

And this is why we need universal health care like the rest of the civilized world, the ACA is a sop to Insurance company's. Right now the insurance company's are the gate keeper of care and skimming off the top without adding any value

Right on que. Here they come. The next step, after this bag of shit (single payer trojan horse known as Obamacare) fails, the left will march to the script of blaming the insurance companies.

They will fall right in line, and it will be done. Within just a few years, Obamacare will be scrapped. Marching protests (organized from the Saul Alinsky disciple community organizing agenda) will insist that single payer is the only solution.

That is because according to these puppets/pawns, it is working so well in other countries. That is because according to these puppets/pawns our system of medicine was so much worse than every other country. Yet, no country gives free health care to non-citizens. Notice folks, that they will not address that. I mean none of their socialist politicians in office will. They will promise the illegals free care, all to the loud claps of the ignorant on the left (puppets/pawns).

Yes folks, just as we predicted, it is happening right before our eyes. Right on que.

 

[PredFan]

you do understand those people had NO insurance before.

hmmmm....let's see what's worse....

no insurance or some POSSIBLE limitations on hospitsl.

oh wait... I know....

You are either a liar or very stupid. Got a link showing that all cancer patients had no insurance prior to obamacare? Because its ALL current and future cancer patients on obamacare that won't have access to these hospitals.

 

[Theowl32]

I am not aware of any other country having an illegal immigration problem like the US has.

Nations with single payer systems or UHC create agreements with one another to cover people coming into their country from other nations.

The fact that we don't turn people away is never going to change and has little to nothing to do with the discussion.

You do not think the illegal immigration situation has ANYTHING TO DO with the discussion on Obamacare?

It is literally impossible to debate such moronic shit.

You even admit in your statement that illegal immigration is a PROBLEM and the logistical reality of what is happening here as opposed to any other place on earth means the situation needs to be factored in whenever discussing this bag shit known as Obamacare.

Now, shift away from this and hold on to that straw in trying to say Obamacare is working.

We didn't turn people away before Obamacare.

Illegal immigration is a problem for a lot of reasons. Health care costs only being one of them.

I thought this thread was about high end hospitals.

No, you forced peolple to buy it and the same number of uninsured is roughly the same, and those that were dropped from their better insurance coverage now have worse coverage.

Yeah, but this lying bag of shit in chief did not know that was going to happen.

Fucking idiots.

 

[Howey]

you do understand those people had NO insurance before.

hmmmm....let's see what's worse....

no insurance or some POSSIBLE limitations on hospitsl.

oh wait... I know....

Not only that but very few insurance companies allowed clinical trials. This is, once again, much ado about nothing.

 

[Howey]

"Ensuring Coverage for Individuals Participating in Clinical Trials.*Insurers will be prohibited from dropping or limiting coverage because an individual chooses to participate in a clinical trial.* Applies to all clinical trials that treat cancer or other life-threatening diseases.*Effective January 1, 2014.*"

 

[PredFan]

Some insured for the first time are not going to be able to access some of the great hospitals?

They weren't able to access any before.

And stupid #2 shows up.

How about you? You have a link that shows all cancer patients on obamacare had no insurance prior to getting on it? Because all current and future cancer patients on obamacare are denied access.

 

[Bombur]

You do not think the illegal immigration situation has ANYTHING TO DO with the discussion on Obamacare?

It is literally impossible to debate such moronic shit.

You even admit in your statement that illegal immigration is a PROBLEM and the logistical reality of what is happening here as opposed to any other place on earth means the situation needs to be factored in whenever discussing this bag shit known as Obamacare.

Now, shift away from this and hold on to that straw in trying to say Obamacare is working.

We didn't turn people away before Obamacare.

Illegal immigration is a problem for a lot of reasons. Health care costs only being one of them.

I thought this thread was about high end hospitals.

No, you forced peolple to buy it and the same number of uninsured is roughly the same, and those that were dropped from their better insurance coverage now have worse coverage.

Yeah, but this lying bag of shit in chief did not know that was going to happen.

Fucking idiots.

Dude how many times are you going to change the talking point?

The system is built to increase the number of people insured over time. Insurance plans are dropped all the time as prices increase. Obamacare did shift some costs around and increased the standards of plans. It did not establish complete government control over all health insurance plans and their prices. It actually did very little to control costs. Instead the costs are becoming more transparent and spread out which is annoying people.

Definitely helps a lot of people who were going bankrupt because they got cancer though.