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Outcry forces Blue Cross to stop controversial letters
Posted on Feb 15th 2008 10:13AM by Bethany SandersFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
When it became common knowledge that Blue Cross had been sending letters to doctors, asking them alert the insurance company when a patient had a pre-existing condition that wasn't reported on their insurance form, the outcry was so great that Blue Cross immediately terminated the practice.
Though Blue Cross claims that they only sent out the letters to protect themselves from fraud, critics say that they used the knowledge they gained to cancel policies when patients racked up expensive medical bills. The company has been accused of offering coverage and then using practices like this one to pull it away just when it's needed most.
California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were among those calling for a halt to the practice. Blue Cross was also targeted in Michael Moore's movie Sicko, in 2007.
Though Blue Cross claims that they only sent out the letters to protect themselves from fraud, critics say that they used the knowledge they gained to cancel policies when patients racked up expensive medical bills. The company has been accused of offering coverage and then using practices like this one to pull it away just when it's needed most.
California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were among those calling for a halt to the practice. Blue Cross was also targeted in Michael Moore's movie Sicko, in 2007.
