Fox: The Wellpoint Rate Increase Was Bad Because it Re-energized HCR

[kpete]

Fox: The Wellpoint Rate Increase Was Bad Because it Re-energized HCR
by mcjoan
Tue Feb 16, 2010 at 07:06:03 AM PST

How dare Anthem Blue Cross strengthen the case for reform?

Earlier today on Fox Business, WellPoint VP Brad Fluegel appeared to discuss the hikes. Fox hosts Charles Payne and and Stu Varney lashed out at WellPoint for increasing rates just when "it was safe to get out of the healthcare debate." The hosts were uninterested with how the increasing rates would affect customers and struggling families in California. Instead, the pair attacked Fluegel for re-energizing advocates for health reform. Payne groaned, asking Fluegel why he didn’t "take Wall Street’s lead" and "wait for this to blow over and maybe a year from now try to hike rates":

PAYNE: But Brad this is like Jaws 2, just when you thought it was safe to get out of the healthcare debate, you brought everybody back into it. <...> Didn’t someone though, wasn’t there a committee that said listen, let’s take Wall Street’s lead, do the minimum we can, wait for this to blow over and maybe a year from now try to hike rates?

VARNEY: You handed the politicians red meat at a time when healthcare is being discussed. You gave it to them! <...> You couldn’t see this coming? I mean really, you couldn’t see this coming? <...>

VARNEY: You actually did make a net in that quarter in twleve weeks, you made what, $500 million net profit didn’t you? You tell that to a politician and they’re going to say, ‘you made a half billion dollars in twelve weeks and now you put the price up 25%.’

....At the end of the interview, the Fox hosts chuckled with the WellPoint VP. They apologized for being so harsh and warmly reminded Fluegel that their criticism of insurer profits was only meant to be "warm up" for Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-CA) investigation. "You did very good," cooed one of the cohosts.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/16/837360/-Fox:-The-Wellpoint-Rate-Increase-Was-Bad-Because-it-Re-energized-HCR
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/02/15/wellpoint-fox-business/

[wtmusic]

1. Do these people or their employers not also pay for healthcare?

Do they not see their own rates going through the roof? Do they never get sick?

What am I missing here? :silly:

[KittyWampus]

2. It also threw a spotlight on Evan Bayh's wife who's paid big money by Wellpoint.

[phantom power]

3. It's pretty amazing that insurance companies can't even control their own greed long enough...

to make sure HCR is good and dead, before trying to fuck us all over. If I was running an insurance company I would be throwing some bones to the hoi paloi right now, just to take the wind out of HCR sails.

[Javaman]

4. fox news hates when reality infringes upon their "reporting". nt

[HughMoran]

5. Painful reminder of the selfish ignoramuses we're up against

They hate Americans, they love their own money.

[rhett o rick]

6. The threat of HCR is no longer a concern of the insurance killers.

There is nothing stopping them from raising rates however high they want. I think you will see them start a feeding frenzy to get the most they can before their prey dies.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Priceless. nt