Here's yet another reason why, in modern hypercapitalistic America, with the Federal Trade Commission and other relevant agencies doing little more than waving "go ahead" at mega-mergers, Obamacare may be the (alleged) good that's the enemy of the best.
The latest on this front? TWO planned mergers at the same time; Anthem wants to buy Cigna and Aetna wants to take over Humana.
Anthem, of course, is a biggie, the parent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield. This merger, for sure, should be crushed, but with a neoliberal Dear Leader, that won't happen. The merged company would be the insurer of 53 million.
The usual will happen.
Layoffs in the name of "cost efficiencies" which will:
1. Make customer service even worse;
2. See no savings that get passed on to us, though there will be savings.
Even more attempts to deny coverage at hospitals and doctors.
More hoops to jump through in general.
Both proposed mergers have been rejected by the pursued partners, but that doesn't mean that we won't see new ones made soon. Plus, other companies, like United Health, are also rumored to be lurking.
Yet another reason why America needs not just single-payer national health care, but a full-blown British National Health System, as I said two weeks ago.
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