CMS investigates Humana letter to beneficiaries on health reform

sounds like big brother censorship to me

I think Humana was telling their client members what will happen to Humana and its Medicare Advantage plans as a result of these reforms.

This is called FREE SPEECH and is protected by the Constitution of the US. Additionally, CMS grants Humana permission to communicate to members as necessary. If there was nothing "scarey" about the health reform proposals, then there would be nothing for Humana or other health plans to discuss with their members.

Since nothing is finalized, we don't know what may happen with healthcare, so it is a fact that reform COULD result in loss/reduction of service, as Humana has pointed out. I have yet to hear any politician say anything that I'd take to the bank regarding reform, but you can be sure that since the cost of healthcare is what's driving this push for reform, it will result in a benefit reduction. Having worked in healthcare (at an insurer and as management of a state employee health plan) for many years, the only way to guarantee cost reduction (or even cost stabilization) is to reduce benefits - unless you have a way to mandate provider participation and payment levels. If the reform that comes out of all this will require all providers to participate and set their reimbursement levels, then we may see a reduction in cost - but likely it will result in a reduction in quality, too.
I have no ties to Humana or any other insurer, but I find it laughable that the government is accusing Humana of scare tactics - isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? If the government hadn't use scare tactics about terrorism, we wouldn't be fighting two wars or have been reduced to herd mentality when trying to fly!

And yet it's OK for the President to be on EVERY liberal news outlet spewing the same crap without ever telling anyone HOW he's going to make his "nirvana" work? Give me a break. I don't see the gov't investigating ACORN yet!

I am a health care provider and I must say my experience in dealing with Humana has been awful. They do not pay their claims in any timely fashion. They pay inaccurately when they do pay. They don't follow their own guidelines when approving services and then disregard their own inhouse auditing when errors are found. If they aren't crooks then they are in need of serious mental health treatment for their disorganized thinking. The strange coincidence is that they always make mistakes in their favor. Hmmmm.