EXETER AND ANTHEM UP IN A TREE!!!!

Well I think you know the rest of the little ditty. The two 900 pound greedy gorillas had their fight and it looks like Exeter Hospital came out on the losing side. They are going to have to trim their rates down from being the most expensive hospital in the state (and probably northern MA) to the most expensive but with a little less profit; ok, boo hoo, hoo, my grieving is done, over it and I’m all better now.

Let’s look at the reality that the newspapers don’t know how to get to. First of all on one of my earlier blogs I predicted this was how it was going to turn out, an agreement in place at the last minute. I don’t have a crystal ball; but, only experience in dealing with insurance companies, hospitals and their lobbyists in Concord. It is all about greed and both sides had huge cooperate egos and neither could afford to lose out on this contract.

I had met early on with the insurance commissioner and described my thoughts on how this was going to turn out, and he pretty much agreed. Since that was a private conversation I felt it should stay that way among other things we discussed. If you remember the insurance commissioner was the one (he oversees and regulates the insurance industry in NH) who, at my and Matt’s request jumped in and helped Exeter after the huge hail storm. I knew Roger, a retired VN Army Colonel, holds his cards close to his vest; but, does care.

Although Governor’s Councilman Chris Sununu got good publicity for offering to be a mediator in this problem, I felt it was not governments place to get involved in private or corporate contract negotiations. Basically, Anthem’s response was, “go away kid you bother me”, or was that W.C. Fields, after awhile they all look alike. In Anthem’s passion to prove how tough they were, they lost sight of the fact that they have about a 20 million dollar contract to administer the State of NH health insurance plan, which I think Chris Sununu might be voting on as a councilor. Now you can start to see why politics is like soap opera, you never know how it is going to turn out until the last act is played out and the last act is not played out yet. Chris, please be gentle.

Plague on both their houses for the way they caused fear and stress in the hospital patients; but, also the Anthem subscribers. I have never seen such a total disregard for the people who thought they could trust each of them to do the right thing; never forget that human greed is one of the most powerful emotions we have and unless your willing to do or say anything to win, please don’t get involved in the fight the other side will almost always win.