HMO Sales Tactics

Re “Sales Tactics of Medi-Cal Plans Under Fire,” Nov. 12.

Large HMOs never seem to do any wrong until some whistle-blower exposes the problems that exist. For Universal Care executives to say that they received no complaints about enrollers offering inducement flies contrary to human nature. If Medi-Cal covers my health needs and someone offers me money to go elsewhere, I will take the money and change. I have immediately benefited and I am not the one that will complain about this. When Dr. Barry G. Lew complains because he is adversely affected by his patients being siphoned away by inducements made to his patients, he is said to have no merit.

Given the past sorry record of state agencies in protecting the public, especially the Department of Corporations’ dismal record, to hear that Department of Health Services officials contend that accusations of cash kickbacks and other marketing abuses are overblown makes me think that your reporter has just barely begun to scratch the surface of the problems that exist.

Finally, how much of the limited health care dollars are not going to patient care but to paying enrollers to shift patients from one health care provider to another? And what are the incentive bonuses that these enrollers get?

BARRY LEVY

Redondo Beach