Virtually Every Insurer Has Committed Fraud Through Their Medicare Advantage Plans. Yes, including Highmark, which has been accused of overbilling by the Inspector General. But Carney and DeMatteis knew that. They just didn’t/don’t give a shit:
Each of the strategies — which were described by the Justice Department in lawsuits against the companies — led to diagnoses of serious diseases that might have never existed. But the diagnoses had a lucrative side effect: They let the insurers collect more money from the federal government’s Medicare Advantage program.
Medicare Advantage, a private-sector alternative to traditional Medicare, was designed by Congress two decades ago to encourage health insurers to find innovative ways to provide better care at lower cost. If trends hold, by next year, more than half of Medicare recipients will be in a private plan.
But a New York Times review of dozens of fraud lawsuits, inspector general audits and investigations by watchdogs shows how major health insurers exploited the program to inflate their profits by billions of dollars.
The government pays Medicare Advantage insurers a set amount for each person who enrolls, with higher rates for sicker patients. And the insurers, among the largest and most prosperous American companies, have developed elaborate systems to make their patients appear as sick as possible, often without providing additional treatment, according to the lawsuits.
As a result, a program devised to help lower health care spending has instead become substantially more costly than the traditional government program it was meant to improve.
It goes without saying, read the entire article. Especially recommended for John Kowalko and Karen Peterson.
Ukraine Blows Up Key Russian Supply Link:
KYIV, Ukraine — A giant explosion ripped across the Crimean Bridge, a strategic link between mainland Russia and Crimea, in what appeared to be a stunning blow early Saturday morning to a symbol of President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions to control Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the government had no timeline for repairing the 12-mile bridge.
Kremlin Axes Military Commanders:
Far from bestowing glory on Russia’s military brass, the war in Ukraine is proving toxic for top commanders, with at least eight generals fired, reassigned or otherwise sidelined since the start of the invasion on Feb. 24. Western governments have said that at least 10 others were killed in battle, a remarkably high number that military analysts say is evidence of grievous strategic errors.
The upheaval in the upper ranks of uniformed officers highlights Russia’s fundamental mistakes in war planning, and the dysfunctional chain of command that resulted first in Moscow’s failure to achieve its primary military objective — the quick capture of Kyiv and toppling of the Ukrainian government — and more recently in the retreats on the eastern and southern fronts.
Rethugs: If You Love America, You Love Russia.
Time for Biden to wrap himself in the Ukrainian flag–and challenge the Rethugs’ love for Putin and Orban. See, is that so hard?
TruthSocial Deal On Verge Of Collapse. Per usual, it looks like Trump will walk away unscathed, leaving wreckage behind. It’s his business model.
Expanded Voter Options Ruled Unconstitutional By Delaware Supreme Court. So. What can we do? Elect Kyra Hoffner and Russ Huxtable to the State Senate, ensuring a super-majority, and elect Frank Burns in the House, making a yes vote on a Constitutional Amendment more likely. Because that’s how we’re gonna get it done, if we get it done.
What do you want to talk about?