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Strategies & Market Trends : Galapagos Islands -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: NOW who wrote (7269)	10/15/2002 11:58:39 PM
From: Susan G	Respond to of 57110

Not sure, I don't bothered with the fundamentals unless I'm investing, I just watch the charts and sectors for trading patterns. BUT what constantly amazes me, is how impossible the battle between profits and patients benefits is in the HMO biz. In my heart, I think they should all be non-profit, there only to provide benefits to those who need them. The thought of an HMO denying someone treatment critical to their lives, in order to keep corporate profits up keeps me from ever investing in some of these for-profit health care companies. The trade off - profits for lives is something I cannot fathom. Or any plan, with cost skyrocketing. I do know they are still slashing Doctor's benefits, there was a story about it today, In the Wall Street Journal I think, and I also see the "discounts" my doctor is forced to take every time I get a claim payment form. Got one today, $135 for an eye exam, my Plan chopped 67 bucks off the $135! And even with their price hikes and discount payments to physicians, skyrocket costs and waste is eating up the profit margins for all of them. And my own insurance premium - a self employed 1 person "group" plan, just went up from $430 to $498 a month - for 2 people, one of them a teenager. And it's cheap in comparison to many others. And it's tough to even get coverage as a 1 person company. You hit on a nerve - health care vs profits <g> These stocks are being driven up supposedly because the boomer generation is aging, and will be spending on knee replacements etc for the rest of their lives. Will someone please tell them that a ton of boomers have lost their jobs, health insurance and life savings, so they won't be spending money on things like that <G> On another subject, today in my local paper, there was a story about a company discontinuing malpractice insurance in my state. Local Doctors are retiring instead of paying premium increases that go from 12k per year - to over $100k due to some kind of one time payment needed to get this type of insurance with a new carrier. The frivolous malpractice suits are skyrocking, and driving them right out of business...