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Analysis — ‘Reframing’ the debate to make insurers look poor

By Wendell Potter

While the country was struggling to emerge from a recession, and more and more of us were struggling with no medical coverage, the big for-p

Excerpts from this story referencing "Aetna":

"… r-profit health insurers.Over the past few weeks, UnitedHealth, WellPoint, Aetna, CIGNA and Humana—reported fourth quarter 2010 earnings, and all but Hum …"

"… UnitedHealth’s profit margin last year was 4.92; WellPoint’s was 4.91; Aetna’s was 5.16; and CIGNA’s was 6.35. The profit margin for Humana, the ru …"

ANALYSIS: Blue Cross, Blue Shield get richer by borrowing playbook of corporate insurers

By Wendell Potter

ANALYSIS: Examining the soaring profits of the nonprofit Blues

ANALYSIS: Insurers value profits over people

By Wendell Potter

Columnist Wendell Potter says insurers' quarterly reports show earnings up; health care down

Excerpts from this story referencing "Aetna":

"… e three companies that have already spoken — UnitedHealth, WellPoint and Aetna — earned a combined $2.51 billion from April through the end of June, mo …"

"… erformance during the first half of this year, UnitedHealth, WellPoint and Aetna have all have raised their profit forecast for 2011. In other words, they …"

"… uch they value profits over people. Occasionally, though, they slip up, as Aetna’s chief financial officer, Joseph Zubretsky, did last Wednesday during h …"

"… conference call with analysts.Clearly concerned that investors might think Aetna was willing to grow by adding people to its rolls who might have substanti …"

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ANALYSIS: Great Scott! Florida governor limits health care choices for state employees

By Wendell Potter

Florida Gov. Rick Scott criticized 'Obamacare'; now he's cutting health care choices for Florida state employees

OPINION: Why insurers want ObamaCare's Medicaid business

By Wendell Potter

Pay no attention to GOP governors; health insurers want that new Medicaid business.

Excerpts from this story referencing "Aetna":

"… from the big five for-profit insurance companies (UnitedHealth, WellPoint, Aetna, Cigna and Humana), you’ll see that the biggest growth in their membersh …"

OPINION: Real-world health insurance math doesn't add up

By Wendell Potter

Grad student had insurance, but had to shame Aetna to get cancer bills covered.

Excerpts from this story referencing "Aetna":

"… e caps? I expect the CEO is a nice guy... but his company policies suck.” …"

"… f its own stock instead of paying more claims. But a few days before that, Aetna’s CEO got a real-world understanding of just how inadequate some of the …"

"… nadequate policies they sell, especially to students.A significant part of Aetna’s revenues come from its student health plan business. The company contr …"

"… and to use Twitter and other social media to raise money to pay the claims Aetna was denying. Tweeting as Poop Strong, Guha soon drew the attention of …"

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OPINION: The illusory promise of free-market health care miracles

By Wendell Potter

Republicans keep touting free-market health care, but there's no evidence it works.

Health insurance PACs have love-hate relationship with health care reform

By Reity O'Brien

Health insurance PACs gave generously to reform opponents while supporting the Obama plan.

Excerpts from this story referencing "Aetna":

"… cessful implementation.”Likewise, Ron Williams, then chairman and CEO of Aetna, the country’s fifth-largest health insurance company, also spoke favora …"

"… ing the quality and value of care people receive.”But Williams, who left Aetna in April 2011, has since changed his mind. This past June, Williams penned …"

"… rst of 33 repeal efforts that have reached the House floor.That same year, Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint — which together control 28 pe …"

"… ’s telephone or email inquiries requesting comment. Representatives from Aetna, Amerigroup, Cigna and Humana declined to comment for this story.Ethan Rom …"

OPINION: Who wins with Medicare Advantage?

By Wendell Potter

Medicare Advantage plans are profit centers for private insurance companies because of government incentives to participate.

OPINION: Vermont law illuminates claims statistics

By Wendell Potter

Vermont law illuminates disparities among health insurers

Excerpts from this story referencing "Vermont":

"… eir CEO? You can now find all of that information and more if you live in Vermont, thanks to a law that was enacted last year at the urging of the Vermont P …"

"… n Vermont, thanks to a law that was enacted last year at the urging of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. In compliance with that law, the insurers …"

"… arch Group. In compliance with that law, the insurers that do business in Vermont have just disclosed data they’ve been able to keep secret for years.&nbs …"

"… keep secret for years. And that information should come in handy when Vermonters begin shopping for coverage at the state’s online health insurance ex …"