Delay, Deny, Defend? The Uncomfortable Truth

“Delay, deny & defend.”

Was the motive behind the UnitedHealthcare’s CEO’s assassination the Health Insurance Industry’s policies of delay, deny and defend? It appears likely that the murder’s motive was the perceived belief of Insurance Industry misdeeds.

While this act of vigilantism should not be a “feel so good” moment., the assassin is now both a legend and a sex symbol by his adoring sycophants.

There is a sad truth to what occurred. The assassin’s aim was at the wrong target. If the target was those of practicing in deny, delay, there are others sharing in the blame. A recent story development received in the middle of crafting proves this assertion is correct.

If the assassin thought long enough, he would have also taken pointed his finger at the American Health Care Consumers. They too practice their own form of delay, deny and defend. Their three “d”s also compromise health care services in many ways. They as well create increased costs and extended queues.

For over three decades I have been intimately connected to Insurance Companies, Health Care Providers and Health Insurance Consumers. While I am a consumer advocate, I see all players in the system contributing to its dysfunction and inefficiency. This opinion is based upon reading hundreds of thousands of pages of medical reports as well as massive amounts of medical records. It is not uncommon for me to review over a thousand pages of records in a week. My intimate knowledge is enhanced by my ability to engage in frank discussions with patient concerning their medical records.

One of the conclusions that I reached is that many Health Care Consumers practice their own tactics of “delay”, “deny” and “defend.” They too compromise the health care quality and access.

Delay

Breasts, Prostates and Colons are three areas having medical protocol for early detection. How many insured individuals are non-compliant? With those who are non-compliant, how many required more extensive and expensive due to the non-compliance?

Health Care Consumer delay matters such as the need to diet. How many individuals are repeatedly advised by their doctors to address both their weight and weight? How many put off losing the weight? Obesity impacts a wide range of body system and parts. For example, it can accelerate the need for knee joint replacement. The cost of Consumer’s dietary habits on the Health Care System is staggering.

Deny

Many Health Care consumers simply deny they have a problem. They fail to admit that they have medical issues, i.e. diabetes, require greater attention. In the end, their denials lead to complicated medical conditions which require extensive medical care. In the case of diabetes, a stroke is possible.

Defend

Some angry Health Care Consumers ignore themselves as the source of their own medical problems and need for treatment. It is all too convenient to blame other when one has compromised their own health. Cigarette consumption, excessive drinking, gluttony, recreational drug use, high risk sex, and thrill-seeking activities can all lead to compromising one’s health. These enraged individuals, who practiced denial, would rather deflect any self-condemnation and place it upon others.

Conclusion

According to a Dailymail report, the alleged assassin has a telling background. He reportedly engaged in the high risk thrill seeking activity of surfing and suffered a severe injury. The injury required extensive spinal surgery. This medical condition apparently led to his downward spiral from a well educated talented individual into a cold-blooded murderer. Did this alleged assassin take out his otherwise self-directed grievance and place it upon an innocent man? The alleged assassin chose to go surfing and failed. In the end, he made the UnitedHealthcare CEO pay the price.

Be well!!

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