Gold : John Biwer VP of Discovery Benefits of ND, a workplace health insurance administration company, deserves the gold award for stealing money from sick people. While undergoing chemo for Leukemia, La Rosa Carrington was informed that her Cobra benefits which she’d just paid, were frozen.The friendly insurance agent demanded that she send a money order for one cent before her coverage and chemo could continue. It only becomes more absurd from here, and must be seen to be believed. The hard-working single mother of two is the poster woman for our national health care program. While her payments are in the $160. per month range, the norm for one person on Cobra is over $400. a pricey neighborhood for anyone who is no longer employed through no fault of their own.
Silver: Gov Linda Lingle Rep. of Hawaii wins the cowardly avoidance trophy. Same sex civil unions passed the legislative process in April. Hawaii would have been one of six states to give the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without sanctioning marriage itself. Plans were made, flights booked, ceremonies planned…until Lingle hauled out a traditional Pu Pu Platter variation of Chicken Veto and Evasive Excuses. The entire process would have taken roughly three seconds and an ordinary Bic pen.
Bronze: Detroit Tigers win the near-sighted Bronze award for their decision to send Armando Galarraga to the minor league Toledo Mud Hens…it’s only temporary. Apparently they’ve forgotten the tragic call which ruined his perfectly pitched game a month ago.