In scathing ruling, judge rips insurer for putting 'bottom line' over patients' health

In a scathing decision, a federal judge blasted a subsidiary of the nation's largest insurance company for focusing on the"bottom line as much or more" than patients' health, saying the insurer illegally denied treatment to thousands of people. The judge also slammed the company's medical directors for being"deceptive" under oath.

US Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero issued his decision Tuesday against United Behavioral Health, a unit of UnitedHealthcare, saying the insurer created internal policies that effectively discriminated against those seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment.

"Given the fact United is the largest insurer in the country, this is a very disturbing decision, and it has implications for United that they really haven't come to grips with."He said that the decision is made even more important because it comes at a time when life expectancy in America as been going down because of a"public health crisis in mental health and addiction.

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

It's been like that since businessmen has taken over healthcare.

It's a business; the bottom line is what it's all about! They shouldn't be penalized.

Fallout from the great Obamacare joke and the ever mutating for profit healthcare system that give us unnecessary treatments for imaginary ailments.Pill up and when the pills make you sick we will treat you right into oblivion.

Money over life. Insurance is corrupt and needs more regulations and oversight.

I know this and it is awful...does this mean I want the gov to take over healthcare because they'll do a better job...no, they won't...I see how much worse it is with Obama care...my daughter has a serious problem, appt is three months from now...unacceptable...

DESPICABLE

This should be brought up every time a conservative yells about not wanting bureaucrats making decisions about their healthcare.

The insurance industry readily pays only for politicians. Better bottom line than sick folks. Where do you think the mafia went when they left the neighbourhood?

Yeah so, that's their business model! Its been going on a long time. Sad thing is voters keep allowing for it.

Who’s payroll are you on? That decision is ridiculous! You need to be replace with someone that knows good from bad!

The things in life are free...love, joy, peace...all free.

We offer free health care at our facility, for all, it's called medicaid.

HAVE YOU READ OBAMACARE AS A SENIOR, IF MY CARE IS DEEMED MORE COSTLY THAN MY LIFE EXPECTANCY...THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO REFUSE ME TREATMENT... AND THAT IS ALL ABOUT BOTTOM LINE...

This is why we need Medicare for all. Just eliminating the percent of health care cost that is the profit of the health care industry will free up billions of dollars for actual health care, as well as eliminate the incentive to deny health care to increase profit.

Capitalism breeds death panels

For profit healthcare began in 1974. If the cost of Viagra had risen as fast as insulin, there would have been congressional hearings out the wazoo.......

Nooooooo... really? I mean, how could this have happened? A judge holding an insurance company responsible? That’s unthinkable!

Thank you.

Insurance...Always about the Benjamin’s 💵

Think how things would be with the gov't running it.. all sectors have good and bad. Gov't running is a terrible idea. Social Security cannot be sustained as it is, Medicare has had to restrict a lot of funding as cannot be sustained. Yet people think government has a magic wand

Again, the Insurance companies themselves make the argument for Single Payer.

'Cpt Obvious' could have done this. ALL insurance co are focused just on bottom line - after all it's GOP pure capitalism! 🇺🇸 should be embarrassed with the politicalization of a must have service like healthcare. But then again, where is better than anything bigly Trumpcare?

Face eating leopards and so on.

It’s always puzzling to me how people are shocked about stories like this. The U.S. functions under a capitalist system that we all buy into by living here. It’s for PROFIT above all else. Even PEOPLE.

According to Trump, it's the American way. (The bottom line)

This is what health insurance companies do. It’s a business. They are in it for the money.

Insurance in general is like this. All seem to look to NOT PAY. Just collect. Health, property, any kind. They want to be paid for nothing and do what they can to make that happen.

They can be beaten. Pay a lawyer $300. He will write a letter saying my client understands his ERISA rights. They will settle the claim and move on to someone else whose doctor doesn't tell them, 'you don't have a medical issue, you have a legal issue'.

For profit health insurance is murder.

United Healthcare is awful. When they took over our medical insurance everything became hard. We even had to appeal for a new wheelchair, which our prior insurance approved, it took almost a year to finally get the denial reversed.

Learning English is beneficial.

Socialized Insurance would make sense. How can we allow these top execs to profit to the extent they do on the shoulders of those in need.

Wow... Really... You people are just now figuring this out... Where the hell have you been for the past several decades

It’s been going on forever. Doubt anything will change. They have deep pockets for both political parties.

Is this the AARP endorsed health insurance company?

The stories I could tell about dealing with this company. I wish I had a better choice than these jerks.

I thought this was a common practice

It's not just insurance companies that care more about money than patient care, it's hospitals, too.

An insurance company that put profits before people? *Gasp*

ALL insurance companies are more focused on the bottom line ! Their main goal in business is finding ways NOT to pay for treatment.

Over 2 years,manipulating the hostility of the customs of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, bypassing the USsanctions, the illegal flow was increased by 400% medications (7 billion rubles) from Russia to Ukraine (for 2 years the Minister of Health of Ukraine is a US citizen)

Yea, no one is going to do anything about it. Maybe a few Hail Marys, Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

Wait until you see how many people will be denied once our Government takes over our insurance....

Wow

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