UPMC's greed and complete disservice to our community. Non-profit status? I think not! (Pittsburgh: bankruptcy, university)

[Tractor Face]

My family's UPMC doctor choices are gone as well. I have the option of switching from Highmark to UPMC. When and if we switch and when many others switch, and choices become very limited, what will keep UPMC from gouging people?

My experience switching to AGH has actually gone well so far but the rest of my family will have to switch their doctors so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Plus, it's actually difficult to compare plans to determine what's best, finaincially speaking.

This is capitalism but UPMC doesn't pay taxes like a typical corporation would. It seems the city residents will be the ones who get the worst end of the deal in that, their taxes keep going up while infrastructure gets worse.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Tractor Face

This is capitalism but UPMC doesn't pay taxes like a typical corporation would. It seems the city residents will be the ones who get the worst end of the deal in that, their taxes keep going up while infrastructure gets worse.

This is actually a very good point and sort of overlooked in a way. Yes, we complain about the tax exempt status, but writing it like you do here, provides more ammunition, as it shows that if you aren't paying taxes, governments need to keep a close watch to make sure they are providing service to their community. Clearly UPMC is NOT!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!!! That being said, they need to pay taxes, since they are picking and choosing what people they will see in our community! I feel they can stick it!

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gg

This is actually a very good point and sort of overlooked in a way. Yes, we complain about the tax exempt status, but writing it like you do here, provides more ammunition, as it shows that if you aren't paying taxes, governments need to keep a close watch to make sure they are providing service to their community. Clearly UPMC is NOT!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!!! That being said, they need to pay taxes, since they are picking and choosing what people they will see in our community! I feel they can stick it!

Could you please specifically list what UPMC is illegally doing wrong in regards to their tax exempt status?

[gg]

To be considered a non-profit company you need to benefit the community at large. Once UPMC denies a significant number of people in the community access to their services because they require citizens to switch to their insurance, they should no longer be a non-profit company. I wish I was an attorney and wanted to make a name for myself. A hungry attorney should take UPMC to court representing the people at a large in our region and get as much press as possible behind them to show local residents how much UPMC is costing our city being tax exempt and in turn show how many people they are denying access to their hospitals/doctors due to their greed.

It is clear UPMC should be stripped of their non-profit status NOW for not being in compliance.

I hope this simplifies it for you. I suspect it won't, but I tried to get you to understand that a non-profit needs to benefit the community at large. UPMC has failed to do so once they denied access to countless residents of our community.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-pr...al#cite_note-2

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/fu...-031914-122357

[jay5835]

Goodness. You'd think you were being evicted from your home so they could put up a Whole Foods in The Boro.

[gg]

Originally Posted by jay5835

Goodness. You'd think you were being evicted from your home so they could put up a Whole Foods in The Boro.

What gets me is how cold people have become. You make this personal. It isn't a personal matter. It is a community matter. How would you like to lose your oncologist that just helped you beat cancer due to UPMC denying you coverage because the international company you work for happens to have Blue Cross. How cold can people be to make this matter a personal one?

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gg

To be considered a non-profit company you need to benefit the community at large. Once UPMC denies a significant number of people in the community access to their services because they require citizens to switch to their insurance, they should no longer be a non-profit company. I wish I was an attorney and wanted to make a name for myself. A hungry attorney should take UPMC to court representing the people at a large in our region and get as much press as possible behind them to show local residents how much UPMC is costing our city being tax exempt and in turn show how many people they are denying access to their hospitals/doctors due to their greed.

It is clear UPMC should be stripped of their non-profit status NOW for not being in compliance.

I hope this simplifies it for you. I suspect it won't, but I tried to get you to understand that a non-profit needs to benefit the community at large. UPMC has failed to do so once they denied access to countless residents of our community.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-pr...al#cite_note-2

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/fu...-031914-122357

UPMC isn’t denying anyone access. They’re just not accepting certain insurance plans.

Is Highmark paying taxes?

You don’t have anything to show they’re operating illegally under their tax exempt status and you’re assuming they’re breaking the law in regards to it.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by Tractor Face

My family's UPMC doctor choices are gone as well. I have the option of switching from Highmark to UPMC. When and if we switch and when many others switch, and choices become very limited, what will keep UPMC from gouging people?

My experience switching to AGH has actually gone well so far but the rest of my family will have to switch their doctors so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Plus, it's actually difficult to compare plans to determine what's best, finaincially speaking.

This is capitalism but UPMC doesn't pay taxes like a typical corporation would. It seems the city residents will be the ones who get the worst end of the deal in that, their taxes keep going up while infrastructure gets worse.

Highmark isn’t paying any taxes either. If both started paying taxes tomorrow, your healthcare options wouldn’t improve.

[kewlwhip]

When free market forces do not serve the public interest, government is the only institution that can provide correction - through regulation.
Health insurance is heavily regulated on the state and federal level. If you want change in the SWPA market, your best bet is to lobby Harrisburg. There is a health insurance commissioner with oversight power.
The downside is that the insurance commissioner is appointed by the governor and will typically reflect the governor's position. This is where politics comes in. Does the governor have an interest in going after UMPC insurance practices?
So, as with many situations, government is the answer - but politics gets in the way.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by gg

How would you like to lose your oncologist that just helped you beat cancer due to UPMC denying you coverage because the international company you work for happens to have Blue Cross.

Actually, I did have this happen, but in orthopedics rather than oncology. Suddenly, I had to go to a UPMC orthopedic practice instead of the one I'd been going to for years at West Penn. I was not happy. Finally, I accidentally learned I could see my old ortho doc again. I don't know what the behind-the-scenes drama was about, but I was glad I could go back to him. And then he turned me over to his nurse practitioner. Both hospital situations turned out to suck. I don't get that attached to specific doctors any longer.