Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
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Thank you for your eye-opening article describing Mark Christensen’s surprise denial of insurance coverage for lifesaving care (“The care was crucial. He had insurance. The hospital billed him $155,493,” front page, Oct. 28). His too-common experience is unique to the U.S. among developed nations. Only here must patients suffer first through serious illnesses and then from the threat of financial ruin.
What is different in the other developed countries? They have national health care programs that cover everyone. Does that mean they endure lower-quality care? No. Their citizens report high satisfaction, and they have better public health outcomes. On top of that, they spend about half per person what we do.
One line from the article is particularly telling, where Allina stated that “the complexity of the billing process resulted in a miscommunication between the hospital and health insurer.” While this does not capture all the wrong that was done, it does point to the useless, wasteful complexity that drives up costs in our system that depends on private insurers. Hospitals must hire armies to handle complex billing from multiple insurers, each with different requirements, with which different rates have been negotiated. Insurance companies also hire armies to process claims, vigilant to spot claims that can be denied on technicalities.
Consider how much staff time was wasted by the Allina hospitals, which seemed to sincerely advocate for Christensen to Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Also, consider resources wasted by BlueCross to determine the claim should be denied, only to reverse itself to be saved from public disapproval and embarrassment.
Mark Friedman, Mankato
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Saturday’s lead story about the gentleman who was billed over $150,000 by his insurance company for critical care was like déjà vu PTSD for us. A few months after one of us had surgery in early 2022, we opened a letter from our insurance provider to see an explanation of benefits with $40,000 in the “patient responsibility” column. We had good insurance through an employer, and the weeks leading to the procedure had included tests and consultation with a medical team who assured us that they had notified the insurance company about this medically necessary procedure. So we assumed some kind of clerical error had occurred and called our insurance provider to straighten it out.
The agent who took the call was polite but assured us that the statement was correct. The type of procedure was included in the coverage, she explained, but only if prior authorization was obtained. How should we have known about that requirement, we asked? Well, that was usually taken care of by the provider, but the insurance company didn’t receive that paperwork, so we were stuck with the bill. This experience would help us know better the next time so it wouldn’t happen again, she said. Have a nice day.
After many weeks of stress and worry, we eventually worked it out with the insurance company — which was Anthem, a division of which was also the insurer for the gentleman mentioned in the article. Perhaps that company is a particular problem, but our concern is whether the entire health insurance industry is moving in this direction. We have similar questions as he does: How often do these situations happen? What if we hadn’t had the time or the energy to take on this unexpected hassle? How many others are hit with these shocks but don’t have the resources to fight back?
Julie and Jeff Naylor, Minneapolis
HISTORY
D.J. Tice’s excellent Oct. 29 column on Minnesotans’ attempts at higher national office, “A big week in the land of political also-rans” (Opinion Exchange), overlooked our state’s first unsuccessful presidential candidate: Cushman Davis, governor from 1874-1876 and U.S. senator from 1887-1900. After receiving a burst of national attention for decrying railroad strikes and the nation’s “rising tide of anarchy” on the Senate floor, Davis announced his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination in the spring of 1895. Though he received some support around the country, he was overwhelmed by the popularity of William McKinley and his protectionist tariffs and withdrew his candidacy at Minnesota’s Republican convention in March 1896.
A multitalented man, Davis can also be remembered as an expert Shakespearean scholar, for serving as a lawyer for railroad magnate James J. Hill and, by the salaciously minded, for leaving his wife of 18 years in 1878 for the attractive 20-year-old seamstress working in their home.
To learn more about Davis and other Minnesota governors, check out the Ramsey County Historical Society’s podcast series “The March of Governors” at tinyurl.com/march-of-governors.
Ken Peterson, St. Paul
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Something in emeritus Prof. Steven Schier’s commentary on Oct. 29 was very misleading (“Dems haunted by ghosts of wounded incumbents past”). Even professors risk being haunted by the ghost of a significantly wounded analogy. In comparing Jimmy Carter’s circumstances in 1979 to Joe Biden’s in 2023, among other issues Schier wrote that “Carter faced high inflation” and that “Biden faces inflation and widespread economic discontent.” If we use rounded numbers, in 1979 inflation was 13%, and it was rising from the year before. In 2023 inflation is 4%, and it is decreasing from the 8% of 2022. So-called pocketbook concerns are the priority in voters’ minds. As 2024 approaches, if wages continue to increase, if inflation continues to decrease and if Trump continues to increase his weird behavior, Biden could very well surpass Carter by winning a second term.
Jim Bartos, Maple Grove
RELIGION
The letter to the editor “Shutting out women solves nothing” (Oct. 24) chastises ancient religions for excluding women from “priestly” roles. It’s not stated, but those ancient religions are probably Judaism, Catholicism and Islam. I can only speak from the Catholic perspective. The letter writer mourns: “Catholic women, this very month, are begging male leadership to at least let them be deacons … .” No doubt she was referring to the Synod on Synodality taking place in October in Rome. Lately, Pope Francis has been turning the ancient Catholic Church upside-down with his novelties concerning homosexuality, women’s ordination and divorced and remarried Catholics.
Pope John Paul II addressed women’s ordination (priests, deacons) during his pontificate. He reiterated 2,000 years of continuity on the issue: The priesthood, which includes deacons, will remain male only. This is considered renewed infallible teaching. In theology, the diaconate is on par to the priesthood, just a lesser role.
The examples for this perennial teaching are biblical and therefore cannot be changed. Christ chose 12 men from his followers to be the original Apostles. In emulating Christ, the Apostles chose only men to continue the ministry of the Christian faith (including deacons), as evidenced in the Acts of the Apostles. Paul, the 13th Apostle, ordained Timothy and Titus (of the New Testament) as bishops, and Paul instructed them to appoint worthy men (only).
The letter finishes with: “Was this really the intent of an all-knowing creator?” In the Catholic faith the biblical answer is yes.
Daniel Pryor, Delano, Minn.
