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Lawmakers must be proactive to defend consumers

State legislators and insurance industry regulators must be alert as health insurance companies seek to put profits over people.

Greed is defined as a being “a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed.”

A good example of greed in action was a plan quietly announced last month by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to impose limits on the length of time anesthesia can be administered during surgery and medical procedures in Connecticut, New York and Missouri. The change would have had accountants and paper-pushers deciding how long surgeries should last based on what was good for corporate profits rather than the doctors in the operating rooms.

The intent of the change was to cut costs and further increase the $5.99 billion in profits the health insurance giant saw in 2023. Apparently double digit profit growth year over year doesn’t cut it any more and they have to innovate to try and squeeze every dime they can out of consumers.

The planned changes were only widely reported on last week. The news rightly drew massive public scorn and outrage. The combination of public outcry and political pressure from state officials caused executives with the company to backpedal and drop the plan, at least for now. In media statements, company spokesmen have been heard claiming it was all the result of misinformation.

While it is great that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has seemingly found its heart just in time for Christmas, it would be foolish to think that company executives won’t seek to circle back on the idea when they feel things have calmed down. It would be even more foolish to believe that other heath insurance providers won’t try the same nonsense with or without some minor variations.

Lawmakers and regulators here must be proactive to ensure that no schemes like this are allowed to rear their heads in Wisconsin. In the absence of the federal government doing anything other than cheering on corporate greed and the inflated salaries of CEOs, it will be up to the states to look out for themselves.

Health insurance is a necessary evil in American society. As the only developed nation without universal healthcare for residents, health insurance is a necessity, especially as the cost of medical care continues to skyrocket. Unfortunately, the profitdriven model focuses more on short term gains and protecting the corporation’s bottom line than ensuring healthy populations or outcome-based practices.

It is time for lawmakers and regulators to take the offensive when it comes to the predatory practices of insurance providers and not settle for paying more for getting less and less, year after year.

The Central Wisconsin Publications Editorial Board consists of publisher Kris O’Leary and editor Brian Wilson.

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