|
Corporate Crimefighters of America Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << January04, 2004 - Corporate Crimefighters of America |
January06, 2004 - Corporate Crimefighters of America >> |
|
CORPORATE CRIMEFIGHTERS OF AMERICA -- Media Alert -- Sunday, January 04, 2004 PLEASE PAY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION TO KEEP OUR WORK GOING - $15/YR MINIMUM, MORE IF YOU FEEL THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK AND CAN AFFORD IT. WE ARE ESPECIALLY SHORT FOR THE NEW YEAR SO HELP OUT IF YOU CAN. P.O. BOX AND PAYPAL LINK AT BOTTOM. ====================================================== "Wisdom is born, stupidity is learned.'' - Russian proverb ====================================================== I just got word that the February Kiplingers has an article exposing UNUM. It should mention the case of Joan Hangarter, who got a multimillion dollar award and whose judge enjoined UNUM to stop breaking the law. Of course they ignored the judge and haven't paid her a penny, hoping to starve her out as they do most of their victims. She even went on welfare at one time. Newspaper reports of "big jury awards" are always so fraudulent. They never mention that the insure arrogantly refuses to pay anything, stalls and appeals for years, then gets a big reduction or reversal seventy percent of the time, in front of a corrupt appellate judge who has benefited from industry vacations and "speaking fees." (What you and I would call "bribes.") If anyone has a subscription and it is onsite, please send me the electronic copy. I subscribed to Business Week to see their article ahead of time, but was sorely disappointed by the waste of money. Although it did some service in keeping UP in the bad news, an overzealous or chicken editor cut the hell out of the article, and didn't even do a good hack job, leaving one subheading without any matching body. I'm not going to waste money twice. Besides, I have read Business Week regularly so it's not a total waste. But I don't read Kiplingers since I have no money to invest ;') =========================================================================== SEEING THE PATTERN I became involved with UP as the result of the work I do. Some of my clients are claimants of UP. Over the past few years, I've seen a number of people file claims with UP and have them denied. I began to notice that people with short term problems, such as surgery or a broken leg and who had a definitive return to work date, had their claims paid. I didn't think much about it. It was when I began hearing about people, and talking to several, who had long term problems, such as chronic pain, respiratory problems, arthritis, etc. that I noticed an interesting pattern. Many of these people had their claims paid for a short time, such as 2-6 months, then had their claims denied. The usual reason: UP could find no "medical reason" as to why they could not go back to work. Interesting, since in many cases, the claimants' conditions had not improved and in some cases, had actually gotten worse. So, what changed from the time the claim was being paid (and they met UP's criteria of disability) and the time UP closed it? Why? I began to wonder. I then noticed the same pattern emerging with nearly all the people who had their long term claims denied. Medical information absent from the files, valid data from seasoned physicians being questioned and torn apart, information being isolated and taken out of context, demands for more information, putting clamiants thru endless rounds of medical testing (sometimes painful) that had already been performed and validated. Delays and more delays. It didn't happen to just one or 2 people, it was the same for nearly all of them. After complying with UP's requests, the claims were nearly always denied with the only recourse being a lawsuit or forfeiting benefits entirely. Once it reached that level, the challenge then became finding lawyers to take ERISA cases. Another rude awakening: punitive damages could not be assessed in these cases, regardless of how outrageous UP's behavior. And costs may or may not be awarded. It was patently obvious UP had a good thing going at the cost of the health and financial security of its own customers. Then came the 60 Minutes and Dateline interviews, the shake-up at UP HQ and the tumbling stock price. Followed by an avalanche of lawsuits. I could not at first actually believe what I was seeing, but after doing more research and talking with professionals in the legal, human resource and medical fields, the pattern continued. UP was emerging as the leader in refusing to pay claims. Claimants denied benefits are in a double bind. They can't work, so they can't pay their bills. This means that many cannot afford their health insurance premiums, so how do they get needed medical attention? The SSDI process can take many months and Medicare is the only option for those w/o health insurance. But not all will qualify. In many cases, UP requires claimamts to see a doctor monthly especially while the claim is under review. Failure to do so, will kill the review process. But how can they afford the doctor and medications when they can't afford to keep a roof over their heads? Is it any wonder that so many claimamts thow up their hands in despair? UP continues to put claimants thru the wringer, I have seen nothing change. This is the "income protection" I have witnessed and you're right, it's not worth the paper the policies are written on. Webmaster's comments: This poster is anonymous. =========================================================================== PUBLIC PRAISE, PRIVATE SCREWING In other news I was just reading in the Sunday paper that in order to preserve every penny of the tax cut for billionaires, Bush will cut aid to the poor, and medical care to veterans. Huh? Veterans medical care? Aren't these the same guys the draft-dodging little weasel is praising to high heavens for being heroes of freedom? About 2,000 Iraq vets are now seriously injured or permanently disabled and often have to wait months for decent care in spare non-climate-controlled barracks. Even that horrible level of care will now be cut. This really, really stinks and is the height of hypocrisy. Young men are sacrificing their lives and health but Bush's compassion is best described by "leave no billionaire behind." This is disgusting for those of us who are Vietnam vets and if I offend someone by saying our current great leader is a lying weasel, so be it. Darn, six people just unsubscribed but that was after Judydoc's personal update letter was sent. I hope they aren't new subscribers who were looking for hard info and thought every issue was just personal stuff. People need to have a little patience. They may miss info valuable for their case. I've been preoccupied but I'm just getting really ramped up in organizing anti-Unum forces. And if you are interested in other insurers I will soon be expanding once I get my funding on an even keel. But then, I'll probably beat Judy and lose about forty people with the above remarks about our fearless leader. So be it. I am not known for temperate opinions. And neither is Judydoc. If you want mushmouth stuff and corporate-leaning half-truths, read the Washington Post or the New York Times ;') ============================================================================ PLEASE PAY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION TO SUPPORT OUR CAUSE - $15/YR MINIMUM, MORE IF YOU FEEL THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK. WE ARE ESPECIALLY SHORT FOR THE NEW YEAR SO HELP OUT IF YOU CAN. IF I ANNOYED YOU FEEL FREE TO DOUBLE YOUR CONTRIBUTION ;') Send subscription fees or donations for our work to: James Mooney PMB # 106 4495-304 Roosevelt Blvd Jacksonville, FL 32210-3381 OR Via Paypal at: https://www.paypal.com/affil/pal=cybervigil@earthlink.net Jim Mooney, webmaster: www.micethatroar.com www.corporatecrimefighters.com UNUM'S SECRET "DESTROYED" CLAIMS MANUALS NOW AVAILABLE - Email manuals@micethatroar.com for details. Newsletter Archives are at: http://www.corporatecrimefighters.com/html/newsletter_archives.html |
|
| << January04, 2004 - Corporate Crimefighters of America |
January06, 2004 - Corporate Crimefighters of America >> |
|
Corporate Crimefighters of America Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on Corporate Crimefighters of America |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |