BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

Out-of-network insurance practices face scrutiny Ever wonder how that bill was calculated if you had to pay to see a doctor outside your insurance network? Might be a scam, says a senator investigating the issue. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wants answers at a hearing Tuesday from the chief executives of UnitedHealth Group Inc. and its subsidiary Ingenix Inc., a claims database used by insurers nationwide to calculate out-of-network rates. The inquiry follows lawsuits and an investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo alleging that UnitedHealth and Ingenix manipulated rate data so insurers had to pay less and patients more for out-of-network services. "They're lowballing deliberately. They deliberately cut the numbers so the consumer has to pay more of the cost," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday. "It's scamming. It's fraud," he said....

After what he did to Hillary -- I am glad to see that what went around, came around more quickly than I'd hoped. Buh-bye, BILL! New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract. Richardson's withdrawal was the first disruption of Obama's Cabinet process and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has touched Obama's transition to the presidency. The president-elect has remained above the fray in both the case of arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the New Mexico case. A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation coul...

What kind of person can be bought? A WHORE. Call 1-888-4OL-MERT whore (def.) A person who is unscrupulous, especially one who compromises their principles for gain. Only a 'guilty person' would try to keep someone from talking. The last thing guilty people want out? is the TRUTH. They will kick, scream, cry 'foul', smear or propagandize to silence the TRUTH. Attorneys for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, are fighting to keep state prosecutors from questioning American businessman Morris (Moshe) Talansky in the investigation against their clients. Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz was granted permission by the Jerusalem District Court on Friday to take a deposition from Talansky, a well-known philanthropist and fundraiser for numerous causes. Talansky raised money for a number of Olmert's election campaigns. Part of the investigation centers on whether he transferred large sums of cash to Olmert during his tenure as mayor of Jeru...

SEVEN LEVEL WIPE When I was a new mother, I had a huge 'diaper bag' packed with formula, bottles, diapers and loads of baby wipes. For years after I had a packet of baby wipes in my purse too. After I heard about this 7-Level Wipe I thought perhaps it was a new product for those really messy moments . It's not but it sure IS a REALLY MESSY MOMENT! The Bush Administration really needed classes in Ass-Covering 101. And how to cover your own while you are covering someone elses. This guy called GEEK SQUAD rather than his own I.T. people and then had the temerity AND stupidity to pay for the 7-level wipe with an agency credit card (traceable). And now he tries to say it was for a "virus"? SCOTT BLOCH YOU WIN MY GOLDEN (B.S.) SHOVEL OF THE WEEK AWARD! Head of Rove Inquiry in Hot Seat Himself Bloch Used Private Company, Geeks on Call, to Delete Files On His Office Computer By JOHN R. WILKE The head of the federal agency investigating Karl Rove's White House p...

DICK'S A JOHN? Can we get a collective EEEEEEWWWWWW! And pardon me while I lose my lunch and a few other things. (did I mention how I loathe liars?) May 8, 2007 -- Cheney on DC Madam's list . Yesterday, WMR reported on the DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey's list: " WMR has been informed that the CEO of a major corporation is a former CEO but, nonetheless, the aforementioned extremely high-level official of the Bush administration. The individual, who is definitely "newsworthy," reportedly engaged the services of Palfrey's escort firm while he was the CEO and maintained a residence off Chain Bridge Road in the Ballantrae neighborhood in McLean, Virginia, a few blocks from the headquarters of the CIA." Cheney "X'd" off the DC Madam's list by ABC/Disney. WMR has confirmed with extremely knowledgeable CIA and Pentagon sources that the former CEO who is on Deborah Jeane Palfrey's list is Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney was CE...