[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 6 (Tuesday, February 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              SHAME ON AETNA INSURANCE; RIPOFF OF SENIORS

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 1, 1994

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, Aetna Insurance Co., one of the architects of 
the managed competition movement is ripping off seniors in my 
congressional district.
  Their behavior is shameful. It is life-threatening. It could result 
in the death of vulnerable senior citizens.
  I urge my constituents to avoid this company and its sales pitches at 
all cost.
  Followng is a letter I've received from an outstanding community 
health center called the ``Over 60 Health Center'' of Berkeley, CA.

       Recently, one of our long time clients, an 83 year old 
     woman who is residing at a local nursing home and suffering 
     from dementia, was signed up for Aetna's risk HMO. We learned 
     about the problem when payment was denied to Over 60 after 
     our physician went to visit her patient in the nursing home.
       We called the patient's niece who reported that she knew 
     nothing about her aunt joining an HMO. The nursing home also 
     claimed to know nothing about it, although they did admit to 
     allowing the HMO to make a presentation to their residents. 
     It appears that this woman, suffering from dementia, was 
     invited to sign up at the presentation, and did so.
       She was subsequently assigned to a doctor who does not make 
     home or nursing home visits. When our staff and her niece 
     both inquired about this to Aetna staff, we were told that 
     the niece would have to call doctors on ``the list'' until 
     she found one who would visit her aunt in the nursing home 
     and care for her. The niece wishes to disenroll her aunt from 
     the HMO but does not have power of attorney or a 
     conservatorship, so she cannot.
       I have some concerns in general about HMOs or other 
     insurers being invited into nursing homes for marketing 
     purposes. The practice of signing up a nursing home resident 
     suffering from dementia without any consultation with her 
     family is simply outrageous. This woman's experience in 
     trying to get care, once signed up, also makes me wonder and 
     worry about how other disabled elders will fare in the world 
     of managed care and HMOs.

  Mr. Speaker, I want to note that 3 months ago, ``Over 60'' sent me 
another letter about Aetna luring a senior away from her local doctor 
and assigning that senior, who is recovering from double hip surgery 
and has no means of transportation, to a doctor 10 miles away. I 
entered this example in yesterday's Congressional Record without 
mentioning Aetna'a name, since I thought that one abuse might just be 
an accident.
  Today's letter convinces me that these sales practices are no 
accident--this is just a greedy, sleazy corporation out to make money 
off of very vulnerable, sick seniors.
  If this is what Aetna means by managed competition, God help us all.

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