Trump going after United Health

Just so people dont think I universally hate everything Trump does.

I fully applaud today's decision to sick the DOJ on UNited Health who has reportedly been overcharging Medicare Advantage to the tune of 100 billion/year.    And  thats in additon to the fact they have the lowest claim approval of any private insurer.

There are some sivler linings to Trump's reign.....

(1) He's dragged Republicans away from their absolutist position on Free Trade

(2) He's made Republicans focus on corruption and toxicity in our food supply

(3) And now he's got Republicans declaring war on the private health insurance industry

These are three things historically championed by Democrats who were met with opposition calls of "Venezeula", "Nanny State", or "Government takeover".     Its nice to see the GOP finally listen to reason..or just take marching orders from Trump. Positive development regardless.

And with Elon Musk as their new hero it only begs the question...how long before Republicans embrace EV vehicles and the truth about cimate change?

But do you really think that the Turd is targeting UH because of waste/fraud blah blah, or because he's all butt-hurt over some offhand remark their CEO made a decade ago?

Remember, the facade aside, he doesn't care about "waste, fraud, and abuse " Those things not only don't affect him at all--theyre actually alien concepts to him. Do you think he's ever had to make and conform to a budget?

Trump ONLY takes actions that directly benefit him. If they also benefit the country, that's a happy coincidence. If any of his lackeys have a conscience or sense of public duty (doubtful), they can flatter/cajole him into taking a publicly beneficial action by showing him how wonderful that would be for him.

A good question is why after all these years didn't Medicare audit UHC?

Corruption donations aka bribes paid to politicians. The whole Medicaid Advantage program is a scam that subsidizes for profit private businesses with taxpayer dollars and ought to be shut down. 

Because Republicans have constantly and relentlessly deprived Medicare of funding beyond the bare minimum needed to keep it operational. For the last three decades, their what you call "audit" division has received 1/5 or less the funding it needs. Republicans have always vociferously opposed this kind of policing, calling it "wasteful" even though, as with the IRS, it would be just the opposite.

And of course, since the Trump tax giveaways went into effect, Medicare doesn't DARE divert money to fraud prevention--there's none to divert. And you might recall that Trump reversed several Obama executive orders regarding reducing Medicare costs incurred by the government.

So the short answer to "why" is...Republicans. Same as the answer to most questions on the order of, "Why is this all fucked up?"

Which party has been in power for most of this century?

Wall Street Journal:

"Additionally, this probe may have been launched under the Biden administration, making it unclear whether the Trump administration will vigorously pursue the case, wrote Scott Fidel, an analyst at Stephens."

Of Congress, where budget decisions are made? Republicans. But had your reading skills been up to at least their usual low level, you would have read "the last three decades." The 1994 Congressional elections dumped diehard anti-spending hawks into the House and doomed Clinton's goals and agenda--one such goal being an overhaul of the health care system. Look up what happened to Medicare funding in subsequent years, if you're really interested. (And for stupid Tom--of course it increased. But not in pace with population growth. It decreased on a per capita basis.)

Its alot like IRS finding tax cheaters.  Its difficult and requires alot of manpower.   
Biden hired people to find Medicare fraud.  Trump is actively firing them.    Just like he is with IRS auditors.

But speaking of Medicare Fraud...can someone tell me what party this Medicare fraudster belongs to?   Much like insurrectionsists.  Not only do Republicans ignore Meidcare frau - they elect the perps of it to higher office.

Meet Senator Rick Scott of FLorida : His company found guilty of 1.7 BILLION in Medicare fraud

Right now one of our two major hospital systems is in negotiations with UHC and about to be dropped from that facility if contract negotiations break down.  The hospital is demanding a big increase in pay-back from UHC which UHC is unwilling to meet.  If they separate, employees (group insurance plan) and patients under UHC insurance will be without coverage.

Group health insurance premiums and reimbursement are figured for the next year based on a lot of things, including patient age/illness/expenditure last year(s) and predictions for those things going forward.  Notice that rates differ by region of the country.  People are living longer and having more expensive medications (thanks, pharma), expensive treatments, procedures, on and on.

Insurance fraud occurs when doctors bill (Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies) for care/procedures not performed.  Or a clerk in the office diverts reimbursements to his/her own account.  Lots of ways.  And of course nobody checking for it...for years.

Social Security fraud occurs when a covered patient dies but the family doesn't report it and continue cashing the checks every month.  Direct deposit should have reduced that problem, but depends on where the check is deposited and who has access to the funds.

Fraud due to carelessness and dishonesty.  Remember the story of the two sisters who decided to establish a small business selling small hardware items?  They were able to get a contract with a Federal agency.  They made a nice little income shipping items to the agency.  One day the sister who completed the order form accidently entered an incorrect figure for the cost of shipping a small item.  Like the shipping cost should have $1.98.  Instead it read like $1980.00, typing/computer error.  Nobody at the agency caught the error, the ladies were paid $12.87 price of the item, and $1980.00 for the shipping.  The sisters were shocked, but decided to try again, increasing the 'shipping' cost figure each time, which went on a long time, nobody at the agency catching it.  They profitted millions.  They both bought mansions, expensive cars, boats, treated their families and friends to trips to exotic places.  Meanwhile the shipping 'cost' still not noticed at the agency.  I forget how it was finally discovered, then each sister blaming the other once the indictments started coming in.  I think one committed suicide rather than go to prison, something like that. Saw it on the TV show "American Greed", if anyone wants to look it up.  Little of that money was clawed back, as I remember, as often happens.

Rant over.

Candy