Editing Humana (section)

==Controversy==
In 1987, Humana sued [[NBC]] over a story line in the television [[medical drama]] ''[[St. Elsewhere]]'' in which the hospital was to be sold to a [[for-profit]] medical corporation and renamed "Ecumena", with subsequent changes to the hospital, both positive and negative, emanating from that change. The company claimed that the program infringed on the Humana trademark.<ref name="Potts-1987">{{Cite news |last=Potts |first=Mark |date=October 1, 1987 |title=HUMANA SUES NBC OVER NAME |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1987/10/01/humana-sues-nbc-over-name/2f5f2235-e25c-46a8-8528-c7b759547d46/ |access-date=October 5, 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Humana failed to block the airing of the show,<ref name="Potts-1987" /> but was successful at forcing NBC into showing a disclaimer at the beginning of the September 30 episode saying that the drama had no connection whatsoever with Humana.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3847944.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516172845/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3847944.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= May 16, 2011 |title=Humana lawsuit over 'St. Elsewhere' prompts TV disclaimer by NBC |publisher=Chicago Sun-Times|date=October 1, 1987| access-date=August 5, 2009}}</ref>

On May 30, 1996, [[Linda Peeno]], a physician who was contracted to work for Humana for nine months, testified before [[United States Congress|Congress]] as to the downside of [[managed care]]. Peeno said she was effectively rewarded by her employer for causing the death of a patient, because it saved the company a half-million dollars. Peeno stated that she felt the "managed care" model was inherently unethical.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://harp.org/peeno.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601094042/http://www.nomanagedcare.org/DrPeenotestimony.html |archive-date=June 1, 2008 |title=Testimony of Linda Peeno, MD about Managed Care in the Healthcare Industry – May 30, 1996 |publisher=harp.org|access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

In 1999, season one of Michael Moore's TV series ''[[The Awful Truth (TV series)|The Awful Truth]]'' reported on Humana refusing to pay for a diabetic patient with [[pancreatic failure]] needing a transplant. The man's policy stated it covered all of his [[diabetes]]-related expenses, but another section of the policy stated that it did not cover organ transplants. Moore conducted a fake funeral on the front steps of the Humana building, and three days later Humana changed its policy and authorized the man's treatment.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Chris Kaltenbach|title=Moore to tell 'Awful Truth'|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/04/07/moore-to-tell-awful-truth-tv-the-documentary-filmmaker-michael-moore-will-do-what-he-does-best-on-his-new-show-on-bravo-expose-hypocrisy-and-press-those-in-power-to-do-the-right-thing-radio-and-televi/|access-date=March 23, 2015|work=Baltimore Sun|date=April 7, 1999|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402123220/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1999-04-07/features/9904070248_1_michael-moore-awful-truth-bravo|url-status=live}}</ref> 

[[Michael Moore]]'s 2007 documentary ''[[Sicko]]'' used the video of Linda Peeno's testimony.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rovner |first=Julie |date=September 3, 2007 |title='Sicko's' Peeno Sees Few Gains in Health Insurance |url=https://www.npr.org/2007/09/03/13979799/sickos-peeno-sees-few-gains-in-health-insurance |access-date=October 5, 2023 |website=NPR |archive-date=February 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225004055/https://www.npr.org/2007/09/03/13979799/sickos-peeno-sees-few-gains-in-health-insurance |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 28, 2007, Humana declared that Peeno was never a Humana "associate" (permanent, full-time employee), but rather a "part-time contractor." Humana disputed portions of her Congressional testimony by saying that because the patient's healthcare plan did not cover heart transplants, denial of coverage was valid.<ref>{{cite news |title=Humana issues statement on Moore's 'Sicko' |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/06/25/daily35.html |publisher=Business First |date=June 28, 2007 |access-date=July 7, 2007 |archive-date=July 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705021201/http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/06/25/daily35.html? |url-status=live }}</ref>

On September 21, 2009, the [[U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services]] opened an investigation into Humana for sending flyers to [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] recipients that the [[AARP]] characterized as deceptive.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164893.php |title=Medicare Probes Humana's Letter To Patients About Effects Of Health Reform |work=[[Medical News Today]] |date=September 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927083029/http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164893.php |archive-date=September 27, 2009 |access-date=April 26, 2024}}</ref> The mail was made to appear to contain official information about [[Medicare Advantage]] and prescription drug benefit information, but instead alleged that core Medicare benefits could be cut by the [[Obama administration]]'s healthcare reform,<ref name=Teo>{{cite news |first=Dawn |last=Teo |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/humana-mailer-targets-eld_b_289421.html |title=Humana Mailer Targets Elderly, Claims Medicare Benefits To Be Cut |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107195706/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/humana-mailer-targets-eld_b_289421.html |archive-date=January 7, 2016 |work=[[Huffington Post]] |date=November 16, 2009 |access-date=April 26, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> a claim refuted by John Rother, [[AARP]]'s executive vice president.<ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Neil|date=August 25, 2009|title=GOP Tees Up Medicare Manifesto|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125112553661853921|access-date=October 22, 2010|publisher=WSJ|archive-date=April 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405121614/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB125112553661853921|url-status=live}}</ref> Douglas Elmendorf, the head of the [[Congressional Budget Office]] (CBO), supported the claim that Medicare benefits could be cut,<ref>[http://www.seattletimes.com/politics/democrats-try-to-move-on-health-bill-gop-objects/ Budget chief says Medicare benefits could be cut] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018122026/https://www.seattletimes.com/politics/democrats-try-to-move-on-health-bill-gop-objects/ |date=October 18, 2023 }} Erica Werner, Associated Press. September 23, 2009</ref> but his comments were in reference to just one of several congressional bills. CBO estimates of another healthcare reform bill found that changes to premiums would vary.<ref>[http://www.cbo.gov/publication/24959 The Effect of H.R. 3200 on Medicare Part D Premiums] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018122025/https://www.cbo.gov/publication/24959 |date=October 18, 2023 }} Congressional Budget Office, Director's Blog. August 28, 2009</ref> The [[Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]] instructed Humana to cease all such mailings to Medicare plan members pending an investigation.<ref name=Teo/> HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in a letter to the insurance industry, threatened that bad actors may be excluded from new health insurance markets that were to open in 2014. Senate Republicans pointed out in a letter to Sebelius that a 1997 directive from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services explicitly allowed HMOs to tell members about legislation and urge them to express opinions.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}