See all the other happy donkeys?

From Insurance News (dot) Net, an insurance industry trade site:

New ''Wellness Score'' from CIGNA Can Forecast Health Risks Years in Advance

BLOOMFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 2008--What if you could see into the future and know more now about the things you're doing - or not doing - that are likely to result in health risks and health care expenses down the road? CIGNA is giving its members the ability to do just that by launching its sophisticated, "next generation" health assessment and predictive capabilities.

It goes on to describe how vast majorities of people surveyed thought it would be beneficial to have in-depth assessments done online. They said they would follow online "coaching" programs to improve their future health outlook. Sounds fairly positive and benign so far. After all, I trust Cignachokegasp.

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There's more...

Here we go again.

What is it, about one per quarter now? If this one goes as well as the first did - maybe buried in election hysteria instead of Christmas (the distraction that worked so well last time) - maybe they can squeeze in two or three more before Christmas '08.

What a quarter that will be!

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Nyceve wrote [another] very important diary at dkos today.

Pacificare denies 17-year-old cancer patient lifesaving treatment
by nyceve
Mon Mar 24, 2008 at 08:50:39 AM PDT

Remember Nataline Sarkisyan?

Well here we go again.

We're facing an eerily similar situation.  A phone call from you may help save another child's life from the depraved indifference of Pacificare.  Who owns Pacificare? Who else?  UnitedHealth.

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Today I'm going to tell you about Nick Columbo. Nick is only 17 years old and has Ewing's Sarcoma (bone cancer). His insurer, Pacifi care death, is denying him a treatment which doctors think may save his life.

The family and the nurses are  urgently appealing to the public to call PacifiCare at 714-828-1821 or Tyler Mason, the UnitedHealth/Pacificare spokesperson at 714-226-3530 and demand they provide the care Nick needs.

I urge everyone to read Eve's article and to call or contactPacificare.

There's more...

I am pasting a release below about the Dec. 20 "Patient's Revolt" that forced heartless CIGNA corporation to approve the liver transplant that could save the life of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkysian.

It's been an emotional day involving hundreds of people, but there are a couple of lessons I want to take away.

First--we have power.  We shouldn't be afraid to use.  A unique coalition of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, a union, together with netroots and the Armenian Community shamed a global insurance corporation into doing the right thing.

Second--we shouldn't have to do this...and every candidate pushing to mandate individuals purchase insurance products from the likes of CIGNA, who would still be in the business of profiting through the denial of care, should think long and hard.  Are the CIGNA's of the world really the people who should control our healthcare dollars?

There's more...