Wellmark: High premiums, poor care

Posted 6/23/21

Wellmark knows how to profit. Increasing premiums every year helps. For instance, Iowans on individual grandfathered plans are paying $2,000 a year more on premiums than they were five years …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Wellmark: High premiums, poor care

Posted

Wellmark knows how to profit. Increasing premiums every year helps. For instance, Iowans on individual grandfathered plans are paying $2,000 a year more on premiums than they were five years ago.

Wellmark also knows how to keep money. Three years ago, after a relapse of lymphoma, my husband was a perfect candidate for a new immunotherapy with a high success rate. But Wellmark, after deeming the treatment medically necessary, took a month to negotiate the price with the hospital and the drug company, during which his aggressive cancer was taking over. He was never able to get the treatment.

He died at 43.

We all have stories of denials and delays like this. Wellmark knows how to keep doing what it wants. In 2020, Wellmark contributed $114,250 to PACs and candidates, including $14,000 to Feenstra, Hinson, and Young, all candidates who oppose most health insurance reform.

I recently received a settlement notice from a lawsuit. Blue Cross Blue Shield companies, including Wellmark, have been agreeing not to compete with each other so we have few options but to pay their increasing premiums.

Wellmark makes enough money. They must freeze premiums, stop denying and slow walking claims and stop buying politicians! And if you agree, go to http://bit.ly/Wellmark.

Jenny Turner

West Des Moines