CVS Is Said to Agree to Buy Aetna

Post by exclusiv » Sun, Dec 03, 2017, 10:02 PM UTC

rsync wrote: post #28

I feel that perhaps healthcare is the ultimate triumph of capitalism. Every other avenue of runaway consumerism and overconsumption can obviously be pointed to as either indulgent or unnecessary. But not healthcare: it's your health, after all - your wellbeing. It's a fundamental right, right ? ... The received wisdom is that the aging of the baby boomer generation is driving expanded healthcare expenses as this larg…

Post by leekyle333 » Sun, Dec 03, 2017, 10:09 PM UTC

throwaway0255 wrote: post #39

rsync wrote: post #28

I feel that perhaps healthcare is the ultimate triumph of capitalism. Every other avenue of runaway consumerism and overconsumption can obviously be pointed to as either indulgent or unnecessary. But not healthcare: it's your health, after all - your wellbeing. It's a fundamental right, right ? ... The received wisdom is that the aging of the baby boomer generation is driving expanded healthcare expenses as this larg…

> The boomers represent an irresistible pile of money. But they don't smoke. They don't have new households to start. They're getting wise to the whole sugar thing. What is left to tempt them with ? > What if there were a clear imperative on the part of a variety of industries to keep this population as unhealthy as possible - so they can stripmine their assets for "healthcare" ? It's not clear that living a healthy…

Post by perseusprime11 » Sun, Dec 03, 2017, 10:14 PM UTC

Something1234 wrote: post #52

All I can say is fuck Aetna. Worst insurance ever, maybe this will make them not be shit. Good luck getting your promised benefits out of them and making it work for you. Every single time I've called them, I get put on hold for 20 minutes, before getting someone who can barely speak English, and the worst part is that their call center is in America.

Post by greenyoda » Sun, Dec 03, 2017, 10:21 PM UTC

rgbrenner wrote: post #54

quadrangle wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flu shots are required to be covered in all U.S. insurance per the ACA. The point was that Aetna was requiring the more expensive (for them!) visit to a doctor's office for them to cover it and wouldn't cover it happening at a pharmacy.

probably not more expensive for them... to go to your doctors office, you need to make an appointment, take time off work, etc. To go to a pharmacy, you can stop by on your way home or do it on the weekend. By making it inconvenient, you reduce the number of people getting a flu shot... and I would bet that more people drop out from the inconvenience, than the extra amount it costs aetna when you go to the doctors of…

Post by dd36 » Sun, Dec 03, 2017, 10:37 PM UTC

etskinner wrote: post #56

mbesto wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aetna is a healthcare payer (or commonly known as a 'carrier') and CVS is a healthcare provider (specifically 'pharmacy') and minute clinic's are also providers (specifically 'care'). Aetna doesn't add any more to the equation of CVS other than streamlining payments. It's only interesting if you use Aetna I guess, but you can generally use CVS pharmacy + minute clinic with your insurance provider today. General high…

Isn't it possible that the two companies being under the same management could have a second-order effect of expanding their Minute Clinic business? That is, because Aetna is part of the same company, it would be less costly for patients to visit MC since the prices that insurance providers usually have to negotiate with providers would go down enormously (to cost + profit instead of cost + MC profit + Aetna profit),…