PSA! Blue Cross knows best!

(Ross Daniel) #1

Been keto for over 2 years, don’t frequent the forum much, but thought of you guys while I was on hold with my health insurance company.

Apparently we’ve all been misled with all of this high fat way of eating. The on hold “music” was very informative and has all of this medical advice. Just so you guys know, it says during the fall months, it is best to make healthy soups with plenty of veggies like tomatoes, potatoes and carrots. Don’t add salt, but instead mix in flavorful herbs and spices. Oh, and it also says that it is best that you replace the cream in creamy soups with non-fat evaporated milk. I should have known that losing 60lbs and being in the best health of my life was too good to be true. Oh well, I guess I’ll be tossing my HWC…

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

You fool! Anyone could have told you that keto is an unsustainable way of eating and will kill you. (Whether before or after you give up eating that way, is never made clear.)

Myself, I expect keto to kill me at age 97, while sky-diving, but that’s just me . . . . :grinning::rofl:

#3

Cause of fatality? Inconclusive.
Must have been the keto diet. Concur.

(Roy D Rushing Jr ) #4

Ok I’m going to play devil’s advocate just a bit here. I think Blue Cross is wrong in this instance, but when an insurance company gives me advice that would lessen their payouts and presumably increase their profits I tend to view that with a bit more weight than usual. This is one of the rare situations where both you and a large corporation share an interest. You’re interested in your own health for obvious reasons, but more importantly the insurance co. is interested in not having to pay for expensive procedures, which generally happens when you are unhealthy. Just something to think about.

(Ross Daniel) #5

Incentive alignment. I know exactly where you’re coming from and I agree with you. I’m not saying the advice they gave me was intentionally meant to be detrimental to my health, after all, me being healthy keeps them from paying for big procedures as you said. However, the fact that they aren’t more informed and up-to-date on the research is troubling and if I were to follow that advice, it would cost both sides money.

Swiss RE seems to have taken a great interest in nutrition, LCHF, Keto, etc. Since they are a huge re-insurer, hopefully it is only a matter of time before they will nudge the likes of BCBS in that same direction. Probably due to BCBS realizing their premiums would decrease. Akin to a safe driving discount, just more of a “healthy eating” discount. The more people they insure that improve their health, you’d think everyone would benefit.

But something tells me its not that simple and big pharma and the like want to keep you on the proverbial “teat”. Follow the money.

#6

Do we really, though? If it’s in their best interest, then why aren’t they at the forefront of information to keep us healthy?

When the hospital charges the insurance company $400 dollars for 6 stitches, but I can pay that personally for $70, I think there’s something about how the insurance industry works, in this country, that I don’t understand.

This leads me to think what makes common sense to you and me, isn’t so common in the industry.

Of this I’m sure, these companies are still making a profit, but we’re still stuck with a system that fundamentally keeps us unhealthy and medicated.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #7

One thing is for sure, it is not in the interest of the life insurance companies for life expectancy to decline. Health insurance is a very different beast. The insurance industry as a whole is fractured on this issue.