Gary Grist
New member
Over the last 30 years politicians, heath insurance companies and trial attorneys have been passing legislation designed to cheat Americans with health insurance. I have not used my health insurance much in the last 25 years, so I didn't know what was going on. Here is my story. I have health insurance through my employer (a hospital). Recently I had back surgery. A couple of weeks after my surgery I get a questionnaire in the mail from the "Xerox Recovery Company". The questionnaire wanted to know if my injury or illness was due to another person. They wanted the name of the person, where the incident took place, any insurance information I had on the other person. The questionnaire asked for a lot of other personal information including my own liability insurance information.
I was certain that this was a scam, so I contacted my HR department to warn them that these questionnaires were being sent out. They told me that this wasn't a scam. This 'recovery company' is contracted by my health insurance company to litigate (in my name) against any person who they deem might be the cause of my need for surgery. For example if I fell and injured myself in my neighbor's yard, the Xerox Recovery Company would contact my neighbor and his homeowner's insurance for reimbursement of the costs of my medical treatment. The reason they also wanted my homeowner's liability insurance is that if I injured myself, they could technically sue me to recover the medical costs that incurred as a result of my own negligence (in other words, sue myself and give the money to them). HR told me that I must complete the questionnaire or risk losing my health insurance altogether. I said that didn't remember signing anything giving the health insurance company the right to sue someone else in my name for my health expenses. HR showed me the inconspicuous clause in the health insurance contract that gives them this right. Also they have the right to give my personal health information (which is supposed to be kept confidential under federal law) to a third party like the Xerox Recovery Company that has absolutely nothing to do with my healthcare.
I contacted the state insurance commission and they told me that this legal. In addition to that, should I choose to sue someone for damages after an accident for which I used my health insurance, the health insurance company automatically has priority claim on whatever settlement I receive from the other person or their insurance company. And if the health insurance company does receive compensation for their health costs for me, they are under no obligation to reimburse me for the premiums I paid.
The scum politicians that pass this type of legislation (no doubt as a result of campaign contributions by lobbyists) should all be removed from office. We should do away with all state and federal congressional elections and choose our representatives by lottery with a limit of one term. That would give us a true statistical representation of public sentiment and do away with expensive elections, cronyism and political graft.
I worry about the direction our country is heading, not for myself but for my children and grandchildren.
I was certain that this was a scam, so I contacted my HR department to warn them that these questionnaires were being sent out. They told me that this wasn't a scam. This 'recovery company' is contracted by my health insurance company to litigate (in my name) against any person who they deem might be the cause of my need for surgery. For example if I fell and injured myself in my neighbor's yard, the Xerox Recovery Company would contact my neighbor and his homeowner's insurance for reimbursement of the costs of my medical treatment. The reason they also wanted my homeowner's liability insurance is that if I injured myself, they could technically sue me to recover the medical costs that incurred as a result of my own negligence (in other words, sue myself and give the money to them). HR told me that I must complete the questionnaire or risk losing my health insurance altogether. I said that didn't remember signing anything giving the health insurance company the right to sue someone else in my name for my health expenses. HR showed me the inconspicuous clause in the health insurance contract that gives them this right. Also they have the right to give my personal health information (which is supposed to be kept confidential under federal law) to a third party like the Xerox Recovery Company that has absolutely nothing to do with my healthcare.
I contacted the state insurance commission and they told me that this legal. In addition to that, should I choose to sue someone for damages after an accident for which I used my health insurance, the health insurance company automatically has priority claim on whatever settlement I receive from the other person or their insurance company. And if the health insurance company does receive compensation for their health costs for me, they are under no obligation to reimburse me for the premiums I paid.
The scum politicians that pass this type of legislation (no doubt as a result of campaign contributions by lobbyists) should all be removed from office. We should do away with all state and federal congressional elections and choose our representatives by lottery with a limit of one term. That would give us a true statistical representation of public sentiment and do away with expensive elections, cronyism and political graft.
I worry about the direction our country is heading, not for myself but for my children and grandchildren.
