Making A Killing: HMOs and the Threat to Your Health [Hardcover]

Jamie Court (Author), Francis Smith (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One of the most powerful indictments to date of the managed care industry, this scathing expos? presents case histories of those who have lost their health or their lives because an HMO denied or delayed vital treatments, tests or surgery. Consumer activist Court, advocacy director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, and public policy consultant Smith zero in on the insidious incentive for HMOs to withhold medical care in order to increase profits, thanks to the current capitation system, which allocates a fixed lump-sum payment for every patient under a provider's care, regardless of how much treatment each needs. HMOs, as portrayed here, are institutions driven by shortsightedness, negligence and greed, in which clerks without medical licenses overrule treating physicians to make life-and-death decisions, accountants scale down medical procedures and determine patient discharge times, and taxpayers are cheated out of billions by distorted federal expense claims for reimbursement. The authors set forth an arsenal of sensible proposals for reforms that would level the playing field for patients. An appendix, "HMO Patient Self-Defense Kit," offers practical pointers on how readers can negotiate with their HMOs to get the care they need. This lively probe is must reading for anyone concerned with the health of the U.S. medical system. (Dec.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Common Courage Press (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567511694
• ISBN-13: 978-1567511697
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,503,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wakeup Call, June 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Making A Killing: HMOs and the Threat to Your Health (Paperback)

Have you had problems with medical providers and the organizations that control your access to health care? This book tells how the system works, and unveils the politically correct industry phrases, explaining what they really mean. The book is full of well documented cases that will make your hair stand on end. The authors do not skirt the issues -- they confront them head on, with practical suggestions on how to survive the health care "industry." There are excellent resources listed for those who want to further research these issues. This book moved me to tears, and I only wish that the book were fiction instead of fact, but the truth is that there are atrocities being committed every day. My heartfelt thanks to all of the victims, or in some cases, their survivors, for sharing their experiences with the reader. Don't believe it couldn't happen to you, and if you're not actually in an HMO, you will still benefit from this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE..are you next to become a victim of an HMO..., May 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Making A Killing: HMOs and the Threat to Your Health (Paperback)

My mother was the victim of a denial for a procedure. The doctor's name and the HMO who denied the procedure are in the book. The denial was ultimately overturned in the "review process." However, it was too late for her. She suffered needlessly for months, and died. A classic example of something described in the book.

This book was a gift. I started casually reading the first several pages not knowing what to expect. As I read, I am more outraged and sickened about HMOs, than I have been for the past year. I have had to set the book aside on several occasions until I could calm down enough to read more.

I have worked in the medical field for almost thirty years. I am now quite convinced I should change professions and I have not yet finished the book. Better yet, counterattack from within!

I highly recommend reading this book. I truly sympathize with the individuals who have been victimized and survived, and can certainly relate to the victims' families.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Potentially life-saving info for any managed care member!!!, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Making A Killing: HMOs and the Threat to Your Health (Paperback)

"Making a Killing" finally pulls back the curtain on the life-threatening scam that is the managed care industry. This is a must-read for any managed-care member or anyone who cares about a managed care plan member. The book uses compelling stories of victims of HMO and managed care abuse to show what we can all really expect from these organizations when we are truly ill. The book puts the entire current healthcare system into context. It explains that managed care is really about draining dollars from the healthcare system to fatten corporate coffers on Wall Street, and patients be damned! It explains what most consumers don't understand about how their healthcare premiums are used. It provides explanations of the role of monied special interests in healthcare, discusses the government's failure to protect the public, and the insurance industry's intense effort to usurp the Constitutional rights of their members. Most importantly, it also provides a call to action for change for all of us who are fed up with the current industry's offerings of third world medicine at premium prices. The forward by Ralph Nader should be endorsement enough for anyone interested in consumer issues. The book is extremely well annotated and believeable. The information it contains could very well save your life or the life of someone you love. In short, a very compelling read!