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[<thomas AT tbeckett.com>]

> That is pretty scary. Without trying to be nosy, why did they dump you?
> Your premium didn't have enough zeros to work with their new billing
> software?

The answer is three little letters:  IPO.

BCBS is trying to convert from a non-profit to a for-profit
corporation.  They'll give all their shares to a foundation
which will promptly sell loads of them on the stock market.

It has never been clear to me why exactly this is,
they keep saying it will allow them to provide better service.
How /adding/ the additional cost of profits-to-shareholders is
supposed to allow them to provide better service is a mystery
to me.  How a non-profit foundation is supposed to be of benefit
to me, a longtime BCBS /member/, is likewise unclear.  After 10
years of paying them premiums, they ought to be /giving/ me some
shares.

I think the main motivation is that BCBS management
want to have CEO-style salaries and perks.  You know, line their
pockets.  And the "investment community" wants more opportunities
to make money off of the health benefits of poor slobs like me.

Bloodsuckers.

TaB