To the editor:

As a former Blue Shield board member, and a participant in a small business group insured from the 1940s, and a BCBS policy holder I think Insurance Commissioner Sebelius deserves a big thanks for her recent decision of denying the sale of BCBS to Anthem Insurance. In my opinion this entire process is very similar to all that went on with Columbia Hospital taking over the hospital care of Kansans, including the high power pressure methods they utilized, particularly for a takeover in Lawrence. Where is Columbia now?

This is further emphasized by BCBS and Anthem now going to court to get the ruling changed. The Sebelius decision took place after many hearings. The member vote is completely misleading as many of these votes were made with little thought other than the promise of twelve to fourteen hundred dollars for a yes vote.

It would appear that the present BCBS board should be replaced by the policyholders as well as the senior executive staff as there is considerable indication that they no longer have the confidence of the policyholders. They have spent thousands of dollars of policyholder money to promote their position, made recommendations on promises from Anthem that guarantee nothing. Kansas doesn’t need another out-of-state for profit health insurance company. It is possible the board has violated its fiduciary responsibility to the policyholders in not setting proper rates for small insured groups as well as their desperate efforts to promote their recommendation.

In my opinion we don’t need to lose a good health insurance program that may need a little fixing, but can continue to provide good health coverage for many Kansans.

Russell Mosser,

Lawrence