4cubbies

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As an atheist, I use to think America would become a better place without religion. What I've seen instead is people losing their minds without something to tether themselves to, so much so that people don't even understand basic realities like man/woman.

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I'm sorry i crapped on your "insurance is the devil" thread that you wanted to start.

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You do know you are not forced to have health insurance, right? You are welcome to pay out of pocket for your medical costs.

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It's not a threat. It's a fact. Insurance companies are not charities. They don't provide health insurance free of charge. If they are to lose a $421M lawsuit, then those expenses will be paid out by the insured and the company.

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Nearly two years after an Orleans Parish jury rendered a $421 million judgment against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, finding the insurer shortchanged a New Orleans surgical hospital on thousands of reconstructive breast surgeries, the Louisiana Supreme Court is preparing to take up the landmark case.

On Tuesday, the state’s high court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the long-running litigation between St. Charles Surgical Hospital and Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, a privately owned surgical center, and the state’s largest insurer.

In October 2024, a jury ruled that Blue Cross committed fraud by authorizing some 7,800 surgeries from 2015-23 then paying only about 9% of the bills, on average. Blue Cross denied the allegations, arguing that because the hospital is not a member of its provider network, it had no contractual obligation to pay anything.

Earlier this year, the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the jury award — the highest ever against Blue Cross and among the highest in the state's history — and sent the matter back to the lower court for a new trial.

Both sides in the dispute have since asked the Supreme Court to take up the matter. The hospital is seeking to reverse the Fourth Circuit ruling and reinstate the original judgment. Blue Cross wants the case, which has been litigated twice before, to be dismissed altogether.

The state’s insurance industry is closely eyeing how things play out. In a state known for large jury awards, industry experts say the nearly half-billion-dollar judgment — which, with interest, now tops $655 million, court documents show — could have a chilling effect on the market and potentially drive up premiums.

“Louisiana already faces a property-insurance crisis,” the Louisiana Association of Health Plans said in a “friend of the court” brief filed in the case. “If this Court does not put an end to this litigation and dismiss (the case) once and for all, the State will be on the brink of a health-insurance crisis too.”

James Williams, the hospital’s attorney, declined to comment.

Blue Cross, in a statement, said, “Louisiana Blue has always been confident in its position and appreciated receiving the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision reversing the judgment. Throughout this process, we have remained fully committed to improving the health and lives of Louisianians by ensuring access to high quality, affordable care.”

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We need to wait for the Hinds County Sheriff to weigh in

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