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Ranchers.net

I saw Ben Nelson on "Now", the PBS show with David Bronchachio. They were discussing the new law on health insurance.

I have always wondered how we are to hold politicians accountable and how we could tell the "good guys" from the "bad guys".

The "bad guys" will sell out the public interest for the campaign dollars that roll in as a result of selling out the public interest for themselves.

"Now" did a report on health insurance policy scams. To customers, they seem to be a good deal when they are sold by the salesmen. Salesmen can sell the policies and explain everything correctly and it still be a sorry policy. The story line was about a couple who bought a policy from the NASE association, the National Asociation of Self Employed (Mega Life Insurance) and the policy didn't cover hardly anything. They even sold the man and his wife an extra rider for chemotherapy to be extra safe. The policy was just a scam. The policy holders were out millions. They did eventually sue and were awarded a large sum (this goes to tort reform) which seemed to cover the expenses.

Many states have had dealings with these kind of scams and have passed state laws governing insurance companies in the states that push these fraudulent policies.

The new law being pushed by Bush is a law that would do away with the myraid of state laws that were passed to address these concerns of their citizens so insurance companies will have an even playing field across state lines. It would also encourage more of these "association" type insurance organizations that have been fraudulantly used in the industry.

In the interview, Ben Nelson (D-NE) supported the republican legislation. It was his thought that passing the proposed bill would get more insurance in the state for those who can not get insurance.

If it allows the kind of insurance that the NASE and Mega Life sells to collect permiums, and then not really cover anything when needed, who needs it? It isn't really insurance at all. It is a company profiting off the ignorance of consumers with very detailed insurance contracts that they couldn't possibly understand.

Many cattle ranchers/farmers may have these type of policies because they are self employed. NE is a huge state for these kind of citizens that need this kind of insurance.

What bothered me about Nelson is that he was insurance commissioner for the state. He would truely know these issues and the problems with the new bill unless it had some real protections for the consumers.

Can big business culture people like this from the get go in order to farm out favors later? Do we have leaders in Congress who are susceptible to this kind of system?

I am not from Nebraska and know little else about Nelson. I have no other political observations about him. (little disclaimer here)

We have to have ways to identify people who will put their own (or corporate interests over the interest of the people. The devil is always in the details on these things. It matters who is managing the details.
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