What’s up, doc? (And what’s down?)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Nick DeLuca |
Well, ask a doc that question today, and the answer would be profits – Blue Cross’ profits. Here’s how the Wall Street Journal reported it on Wednesday: “WellPoint, one of the nation's largest health insurers, said second-quarter net income rose to $835.2 million, or $1.35 a share, from $751.2 million, or $1.17 a share, a year earlier. The Indianapolis company said revenue increased 7.7% to $15.26 billion from $14.17 billion a year ago.”
And somewhere back in Indiana (where WellPoint is based), they’re giving a shout out to California for helping to make it all possible. (That’d be the $950 million in our healthcare dollars, that Blue Cross sent back earlier this year.)
What’s down – is the state of children’s health in California.
The Annie F. Casey Foundation released its annual report card on children in the U.S. Here’s the Chron’s summary:
“But the state lags behind national averages for children's health insurance coverage and basic education benchmarks. The findings are based on the most recent data available, either 2004 or 2005, and compared to data from 2000. … Of the 8.3 million U.S. children without health insurance in 2004, 15 percent were in California. That year, 13 percent of the state's children had no health insurance, slightly higher than the national average of 11 percent.”
So – health insurance profits up at Blue Cross of California; health coverage for kids in California – down.
Maybe someone should ask WellPoint – how much health coverage would that $950 million buy? Or California could just demand it back, and find out for ourselves…
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July 25, 2007 at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Blog Reactions
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