My job involves getting health insurance companies to pay legitimate medical claims.
I spend hours on the phone with people whose command of the English language can best be described as poor to fair. I sometimes think of the Abbott & Costello comedy routine “Who’s on First?” The people I speak to are often reading from a script and what they say doesn’t relate to my situation.
I think UnitedHealthcare is better than other companies that I would like to publicly shame. I write this letter because of the headline news of the murder of Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO, in New York City. Killing Thompson wasn’t the answer to anyone’s problems. That selfish crime added to the misery in our world, devastating his family.
I know President-elect Donald Trump wants to eliminate waste in our federal government, but we need oversight of for-profit health insurance companies. Let the public speak at corporate board meetings. Subscribers and medical professionals should be able to more easily report unfair payment issues. Repeat offenders among the insurers need to be fined, because money is their primary language.
I read that health insurance companies are stepping up their security in the wake of Thompson’s murder. How about revisiting their unethical and immoral business practices? That investment would really pay off.
Carol Rhodes, Barnsboro
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