Donald Sterling, Biggest POS in Sports

[Buck]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Players-chip-in-to-save-coach-8217-s-life-after?urn=nba-wp184

Players chip in to save coach’s life after Clippers decline medical coverage
By Kelly Dwyer

Seven years ago, former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Kim Hughes was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and the ensuing aftermath will change the way you feel about several NBA types significantly.

Up until Tuesday afternoon, the only functional knowledge I had of former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Kim Hughes was that he was, in fact, a former Los Angeles Clippers head coach, and that he once touched his elbows on the rim in a lay-up line at a high school tournament in Illinois, which really impressed my father.

Beyond that, nothing. Until Tuesday afternoon, when Howard Beck brought this column to Trey Kerby's attention, and he brought it to our attention. And now we're passing the feel-good savings on to you, in the form of an anecdote that reveals that NBA players Corey Maggette(notes), Marko Jaric(notes), Chris Kaman(notes) and Elton Brand(notes) all chipped in to pay for expensive life-saving surgery for Hughes, after the Clippers organization (read: Donald Sterling, noted worst person in the world) declined to cover the costs.

Declined to cover the cost of a surgery that would save their employee's life. While playing rent-free in an often sold-out arena in America's second-biggest television market. Unyieldingly evil.

Gary Woelfel has the original story:

"Those guys saved my life," Hughes said. "They paid the whole medical bill. It was like $70,000 or more. It wasn't cheap.

"It showed you what classy people they are. They didn't want me talking about it; they didn't want the recognition because they simply felt it was the right thing to do."

Hughes said he will be forever grateful to Brand, Jaric, Kaman and Maggette. In fact, Hughes said every time he runs into any of them, he thanks them from the bottom of his heart.

Maggette said that was indeed the case, laughing how he has repeatedly told Hughes over the years it wasn't necessary.

"Kim thanks me every time he sees me; he does that every single time," Maggette said smiling. "I've said to him, 'Kim, come on. You don't have to do that. You're good.'

No, you're good, Corey Maggette. You're pretty fantastically good. And so are you, Marko Jaric, Elton Brand, and Chris Kaman.

And Donald Sterling? You remain a terrible, terrible person.

[Saul Good]

That's a cool story, but I don't understand why Sterling would have been expected to pay for the surgery. I don't think any of my former employers would pay for a medical procedure for me. What am I missing?

[Buck]

If you were worth $1.8 Billion and one of your employees needed a $70,000 surgery to save his life you wouldn't pony up?

[Saul Good]

If you were worth $1.8 Billion and one of your employees needed a $70,000 surgery to save his life you wouldn't pony up?

I really can't answer that. I've worked for some pretty big companies. I don't think that any of them would pony up $70,000 to pay for a surgery for me, though.

[DJ's left nut]

I'll be honest.

On the grand scale of what makes Donald Sterling an intolerable shithead, this barely even registers.

If anyone is actually surprised by this news, it's their own fault for not realizing what a ghoulish human being Donald Sterling truly is. This is just par for the course.

[pr_capone]

Why should an employer be on the hook for an employees illness? Because he has money? As SG said, there are very few multi-billion companies that would be willing to do that for an employee.

My mom had cancer while working for Coleman but the insurance she had would not cover certain procedures. Should Coleman just give her the cash for the procedures?

Hey Donald Trump! Surely you won't miss the paycheck you got from Comedy Central for your roast. I could definitely use the cash.

[Brock]

Says more about the general state of health care in the US than anything else, IMO.

[Saul Good]

Says more about the general state of health care in the US than anything else, IMO.

Yep. It's the best in the world. This guy was able to have his life saved for the bargain price of $70,000.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110316/ap_on_he_me/us_med_us_life_expectancy_1
US life expectancy surpasses 78, a new record
ATLANTA – U.S. life expectancy has hit another all-time high, rising to about 78 years and 2 months.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the estimate Wednesday. It's for a baby born in 2009, and is based on nearly all the death certificates for that year.

About 2.4 million people died in the United States in 2009 — roughly 36,000 fewer than the year before.

More good news: The infant mortality rate hit a record low of 6.42 deaths per 1,000 live births, a drop of nearly 3 percent from 2008.

[Brock]

Yep. It's the best in the world. This guy was able to have his life saved for the bargain price of $70,000..

Yes, I know health care in America is the best, I also know that in a lot of circumstances people have no access to it.

[Saul Good]

Yes, I know health care in America is the best, I also know that in a lot of circumstances people have no access to it.

This is true. It could also be said that the American consumers' priorities are so out of whack that they elect to spend their money on frivolities rather than health care/coverage. For example, this guy was highly compensated and knew for several years that he had prostate cancer. I find it odd that he wasn't able to scratch together $70,000 for a life-saving procedure.

Do you think he's homeless? I'd guess that he lives a more upscale lifestyle than I do, and I could swing $70,000 in a life or death situation.

[Brock]

I don't know what his situation is. I do think that there are probably faceless thousands who had the same problem but didn't personally know a bunch of millionaires to help them. Anyway, I'm not too interested in turning this thread into that.

on the topic, I don't think Donald Sterling owed him anything. If I were him, however, I'd probably try to earn all the good press I could.

[googlegoogle]

That's a cool story, but I don't understand why Sterling would have been expected to pay for the surgery. I don't think any of my former employers would pay for a medical procedure for me. What am I missing?

I'll be honest.

On the grand scale of what makes Donald Sterling an intolerable shithead, this barely even registers.

If anyone is actually surprised by this news, it's their own fault for not realizing what a ghoulish human being Donald Sterling truly is. This is just par for the course.

Saul is CP's John Stossel.


http://irasciblemusings.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/StosselTZH.jpg

[rageeumr]

They were talking about this on the Border Patrol this morning. I took it differently than this story makes it sound.

My take was that the Clippers' insurance (possibly self-insured) had a very limited list of doctors. The doctor in their network said the surgery could wait. Hughes got a second opinion and that doctor said it was life threatening and needed to happen now. Hughes got the surgery, but was denied coverage since he used an out-of-network doctor.

[Frazod]

I really can't answer that. I've worked for some pretty big companies. I don't think that any of them would pony up $70,000 to pay for a surgery for me, though.

The only thing I'd say to this is it's not like the person in question was some dude cleaning shitters on the concourse level that the owner had never met. It was the head coach.

[DJ's left nut]

That's why I said this doesn't register on my "Sterling is a shithead" O-Meter.

I can't hardly expect anyone to chip in $70K to someone else, be it life-saving or not. But it's something that I believe 90% of people that have the means to do something like that would've done.

So on balance, this was a chance for Sterling to do something benevolent and something that I believe most similarly situated individuals would've done. As is to be expected with Donald Sterling, he didn't come through.

That's Donald Sterling. If anything, this brings his 'shithead' average down a peg in relation to his general racist rants and diatribes against the little people.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

If you were worth $1.8 Billion and one of your employees needed a $70,000 surgery to save his life you wouldn't pony up?

Republicans generally don't give two shits about anything but their tax bracket. They're all way better than us and contribute more to society than we could ever hope too collectively. They're happy to see us die off and quit taking their money. Someone else will step in and make their steak.

[Valiant]

Republicans generally don't give two shits about anything but their tax bracket. They're all way better than us and contribute more to society than we could ever hope too collectively. They're happy to see us die off and quit taking their money. Someone else will step in and make their steak.

Rich Democrats would do the same..

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Rich Democrats would do the same..

Fair. I shouldn't make this partisan. It's the haves vs. the have nots. There are exceptions to every rule, but in general our society has become all about me. Fuck everyone else. Because I'm special dammit.

[pr_capone]

Fair. I shouldn't make this partisan. It's the haves vs. the have nots. There are exceptions to every rule, but in general our society has become all about me. **** everyone else. Because I'm special dammit.

It is one thing to help a have not that has not because of the poor economy. It is something completely different to give to people that are in the position they are in because they overspent on credit and lost their ass.

Welfare was set up to help people make ends meet if the reason they were not able to work was a circumstance beyond their control. We have people abusing the system and help is not getting to where it is needed.

I'm not against any public assistance but the solution is not to throw more money at it. It needs to be fixed.

[Saul Good]

Republicans generally don't give two shits about anything but their tax bracket. They're all way better than us and contribute more to society than we could ever hope too collectively. They're happy to see us die off and quit taking their money. Someone else will step in and make their steak.

The average Republican donates triple the amount to charity that the average Democrat donates. Democrats are just generous with other people's money.

[Saul Good]

The only thing I'd say to this is it's not like the person in question was some dude cleaning shitters on the concourse level that the owner had never met. It was the head coach.

No, he wasn't cleaning shitters. He was a highly compensated employee who made more than enough money to save up $70k. Its not like this hit out of nowhere. He's known about his condition for several years.

[Buck]

Is this Karma? Was this bump necessary?

Edit: supposedly Sterling has prostate cancer himself.

[Otter]

I realize why the bump but just had to add - dude, rich people, especially old money rich people are cheapest MFs you'll ever meet. They make Mr. Pink look like a good tipper.

[planetdoc]

After receiving a diagnosis of a slow-growing prostate cancer, Hughes wanted to postpone surgery, but then-coach Mike Dunleavy encouraged him to get a second opinion. That doctor urged Hughes, who has a family history of the disease, to have surgery quickly, but he was told by the Clippers that his health insurance did not cover the $70,000 surgery and that they could not make an exception for him. Hughes proceeded with the operation and later learned that players Chris Kaman, Corey Maggette, Elton Brand and Marko Jaric had paid for it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/05/02/clippers-owner-donald-sterling-battling-prostate-cancer/

I honestly cant blame Sterling for this. The insurance company denied care based on what they considered standard of care. He could have gone through the process to appeal the decision even after completing the surgery.

As an employer, one would not want to set the precedent (and take on the liability) of paying for treatments denied by health insurance or that may be considered "experimental."

Based on the article his prostate cancer was considered "slow growing" and might have been at an early stage. Many men are able to manage prostate cancer via active surveillance and non-surgical means (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_prostate_cancer) (hormonal therapy).

Invasive treatment (such as surgery) is not always the most appropriate solution.

[J Diddy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/05/02/clippers-owner-donald-sterling-battling-prostate-cancer/

I honestly cant blame Sterling for this. The insurance company denied care based on what they considered standard of care. He could have gone through the process to appeal the decision even after completing the surgery.

As an employer, one would not want to set the precedent (and take on the liability) of paying for treatments denied by health insurance or that may be considered "experimental."

Based on the article his prostate cancer was considered "slow growing" and might have been at an early stage. Many men are able to manage prostate cancer via active surveillance and non-surgical means (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_prostate_cancer) (hormonal therapy).

Invasive treatment (such as surgery) is not always the most appropriate solution.


I certainly wouldn't expect my employer to dole out of pocket for uncovered medical expenses when I couldn't afford them.

[SAUTO]

I certainly wouldn't expect my employer to dole out of pocket for uncovered medical expenses when I couldn't afford them.

You could work for me then...
Posted via Mobile Device

[Cannibal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/05/02/clippers-owner-donald-sterling-battling-prostate-cancer/

I honestly cant blame Sterling for this. The insurance company denied care based on what they considered standard of care. He could have gone through the process to appeal the decision even after completing the surgery.

As an employer, one would not want to set the precedent (and take on the liability) of paying for treatments denied by health insurance or that may be considered "experimental."

Based on the article his prostate cancer was considered "slow growing" and might have been at an early stage. Many men are able to manage prostate cancer via active surveillance and non-surgical means (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_prostate_cancer) (hormonal therapy).

Invasive treatment (such as surgery) is not always the most appropriate solution.

It's total fucking bullshit that insurance weaseled out of it. Our healthcare may be the best in the world, our method of providing it is EPIC fail.

[J Diddy]

You could work for me then...
Posted via Mobile Device

Well I wish I knew you were hiring prior to my open heart surgery. That being said, the pacemaker pretty much outlaws being around anything with a high magnetic field.

[J Diddy]

It's total ****ing bullshit that insurance weaseled out of it. Our healthcare may be the best in the world, our method of providing it is EPIC fail.

Exactly. This is/was totally on the insurance company.

[planetdoc]

It's total ****ing bullshit that insurance weaseled out of it. Our healthcare may be the best in the world, our method of providing it is EPIC fail.

Look, I've seen this from all sides of the spectrum and all stakeholders.

Insurance companies have to have policies in place regarding what is covered, and how much is reimbursed. If they dont than providers will bill for all kinds of things because its easy money, and costs will go up for everyone. I think most agree that healthcare in the US is too damn expensive, and unecessary treatments wont help in that regard.

On the flipside, an insurance policy is worthless if you cant use it at the time you need it. Ideally the system is such that there is check and balances so that insurance companies do not have too high an incentive to deny care (to increaes profits), and patients/health providers dont have too much incentive to undergo outlandish (and sometimes dangerous) treatments. Thus I dont know if the second physician Mr. Hughes spoke with was an Oncologist or a surgeon (who might be incentivized to resect).

Ultimately all parties should be working under the philosophy of what is in the best interest of the patient.

[planetdoc]

last point. Its not "charity" when someone is forced to do it. People who are voluntarily charitable should be held in high regard.

In the same manner, I am not going to criticize someone else who chooses to spend their money in a way that I dont want. Its not my money, and I have no right to tell (or shame) someone else for how they spend it.

[Cannibal]

Insurance companies are in the business of denying coverage.

[Cannibal]

The more claims they deny, the more profit they see. This fact cannot be denied.

[planetdoc]

Its contract law.

Insurance companies deny coverage that are outside the scope of the coverage that was agreed upon. If they deny things that should be covered, than they risk tort. Juries tend to be sympathetic to patients and many are happy to impose large punitive damages.

As I've said before, there are checks and balances.

[Cannibal]

Its contract law.

Insurance companies deny coverage that are outside the scope of the coverage that was agreed upon. If they deny things that should be covered, than they risk tort. Juries tend to by sympathetic to patients and many are happy to impose large punitive damages.

As I've said before, there are checks and balances.

Insurance companies deny everything they can possibly get away with and they do get away with it. It's completely shitty way of rendering healthcare... in my opinion.

[In58men]

I don't see why it's his responsibility to pay for his employees medical bill. How many employees would expect Sterling to pay for theirs in the future? Every employee would crawling to him.

[planetdoc]

Insurance companies deny everything they can possibly get away with and they do get away with it.

they are accountable to their investors and stockholders too. Any insurance that doesnt do that will be forced to raise premiums and then risks getting into a "death spiral" (in which healthy people leave the insurance because of cost).