Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Sauce for the Gander

It occurs to me that insurance companies (in general, but especially health insurance) have gotten into a habit of promising things they never deliver. "Bait and switch" is generally illegal, and grounds for lawsuit or complaint to chamber of commerce, Better Business Bureau, etc. And insurance companies often wind up owing people huge amounts of money that they refuse to pay. That's grounds for setting a collection agency on them.

I don't expect this sort of tactic would work very often; the companies are too rich and powerful. But if a LOT of people started suing the insurance companies and turning collectors onto them, it would drive them nuts, maybe even make them stop being so horrid. And halting that kind of attack would be a giant game of whack-a-mole, because there are millions of dissatisfied customers out there.
Tags: economics
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  • 29 comments
elalyr

elalyr

September 11 2009, 22:25:31 UTC 11 years ago

Lawsuits might or might not work, because part of the problem is that often, the insurance companies are delivering the benefits they're contracted to provide...but the contracts are so abstruse and misleading that the ordinary consumer can't understand them.

Now if you're a journalist, you might have more luck. See this article in Double X about one woman's experience with maternity coverage.
ysabetwordsmith

Hmm...

ysabetwordsmith

September 11 2009, 23:45:25 UTC 11 years ago

>>Lawsuits might or might not work, because part of the problem is that often, the insurance companies are delivering the benefits they're contracted to provide...but the contracts are so abstruse and misleading that the ordinary consumer can't understand them.<<

The primary goal would be to raise awareness of problems and to force the insurance companies to fight harder to keep screwing people. I expect most cases would be lost. But I also think a good lawyer could make a case that insurance companies deliberately and pervasively mislead consumers. It's as if you went onto a car lot and asked to buy a car, and they delivered a tricycle to your house ... and billed you for the car. That's usually illegal.

>>Now if you're a journalist, you might have more luck. See this article in Double X about one woman's experience with maternity coverage.<<

Cry havoc! and loose the DOGS OF THE BLOGOSPHERE!!

... where 15 minutes of determined writing can become a burr under your enemy's collar for all eternity.