Health Net, a health insurance company dropped Patsy Bates from coverage when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The company refused to pay her medical bills, forcing her to stop receiving chemotherapy treatments for months.
An arbitration court ruled that Health Net was primarily concerned with its own financial interests and gave little to no concern to the insured. (The company even gave bonuses to employees who cancelled customers' policies retroactively.) The judge awarded Bates more than $9 million, most of which is in punitive damages. Bates' attorney thinks that the award is "precedent-setting for the nation because it will stop this shameful practice" of insurance companies dropping sick people from coverage.
This piece was reported in a straightforward manner, and the information is relevant and important for news viewers because these health insurance practices affect everyone.
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