How do health insurance companies gain so much influence? That’s easy. By lining the pockets of legislators, policy makers, insurance brokers and the media. Get the facts about how health insurers throw their weight around.
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Insurance Industry Profile. 2018 Annual Lobbying Expense. From Open Secrets, The Center for Responsive Politics
Blue Cross/Blue Shield: $18,754,221 . . . . Cigna Corp: $7,400,000 . . . . America’s Health Insurance Plans: $6,730,000
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From Tarbell. By Michael Corcoran – 08/15/2018
“A new Tarbell analysis shows the health care industry as a whole is giving generously to leaders of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC describes itself as “charged with recruiting, assisting, funding, and electing Democrats” to the House. The industry includes pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, hospitals, nursing homes and professional health associations.
The industry investment appears to be paying off. Very few of the candidates endorsed by the DCCC in 2018 primary races support the idea of a national government health care program — dubbed “Medicare for all” by champions of the proposal, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.).”
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Insurers Hand Out Cash and Gifts To Sway Brokers Who Sell Employer Health Plans
By MARSHALL ALLEN | NPR | February 20, 2019
“The pitches to the health insurance brokers are tantalizing.
Health Net of California’s pitch is not subtle: A smiling woman in a business suit rides a giant $100 bill like it’s a surfboard. “Sell more, enroll more, get paid more!” In some cases, its ad says, a broker can “power up” the bonus to $150,000 per employer group.
The effect of such financial incentives is troubling, says Michael Thompson, president of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, which represents groups of employers who provide benefits. He says brokers don’t typically undermine their clients in a blatant way, but their own financial interests can create a “cozy relationship” that may make them wary of “stirring the pot.”
. . . the insurance companies offer huge commissions to promote lucrative supplemental plans like dental, vision and disability. The total commissions on a supplemental cancer plan that one insurer offered came to 57 percent, . . .”
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Brokers’ incentives to keep health care premiums high
From Axios. By Sam Baker. February 21, 2019.
“Employers often turn to brokers to help them find the right health care plan for their workers. But there’s a catch: Brokers have several layers of incentives to steer companies toward plans with higher premiums.
How it works: For starters, brokers’ commission is a percentage of the plan’s total annual premium. Higher premium, higher commission.”
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