Just so the waters don't remain muddied...here's some information about health care insurers and their CEO's. I find it interesting that their compensation is similar to, and apparently significantly less than in some instances, to those of some in the media industry. As stated before, I don't condone some of the actions of the health insurers. However, I don't condone the majority of the valueless, morally bankrupt garbage that, for instance, Les Moonves puts on his network. Therefore, I don't tune in. Apparently though, someone sees fit to award him a hefty salary for peddling much of this trash. I've also posted the operating and profit margins of a few of those companies. All information was either obtained from AOL Finance or Yahoo Finance, but the source is likely to be their annual financial disclosures as they are public companies.

Industry = Health Care Plans

Aetna CEO Ronald Williams Total Compensation = $7.65 Million
Aetna Profit Margin = 3.87% (Operating Margin = 6.76%)

Humana CEO Michael B. McAllister Total Compensation = $1.69 Million
Humana Profit Margin = 3.13% (Operating Margin = 5.10%)

United Health CEO Stephen J. Hemsley Total Compensation = $1.42 Million
United Profit Margin = 4.20% (Operating Margin = 7.36%)

Wellpoint CEO Angela F. Braly Total Compensation = $3.06 Million
Wellpoint Profit Margin = 3.83% (Operating Margin = 6.94%)

Cigna CEO H. Edward Hanway Total Compensation = $1.16 Million
Cigna Profit Margin = 4.10% (Operating Margin = 6.73%)

Industry = Entertainment - Diversified
Time Warner CEO Jeffery L. Bewkes Total Compensation = $4.00 Million
Time Warner Profit Margin = -31.29% (Operating Margin = 18.72%!)

Industry = Entertainment - Diversified
Walt Disney Former CEO Robert Iger Salary = $15.95 Million*
Walt Disney Profit Margin = 9.15%! (Operating Margin = 15.76%!)

Industry = Entertainment - Diversified
News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch Salary = $13.54 Million*
News Corporation Profit Margin = -11.03% (Operating Margin = 12.18!)

Industry = Entertainment - Diversified
Liberty Media CEO Gregory Maffei Total Compensation = $3.00 Million
Liberty Media Profit Margin = -8.15% (Operating Margin = 11.78%!)

Industry = Broadcasting TV
CBS CEO Leslie Moonves Total Compensation = $24.80 Million!
CBS Profit Margin = 2.33% (Operating Margin = 9.62%)

Industry = Movie Production, Theaters
Marvel Entertainment CEO Issac Perlmutter Total Compensation = $3.18 Million
Marvel Entertainment Profit Margin = 24.40%!!! (Operating Margin = 43.76%!!!)

Industry = Movie Production, Theaters
Dreamworks CEO Jeffery Katzenburg Total Compensation = $6.10 Million
Dreamworks Profit Margin = 21.76%! (Operating Margin = 26.33%!)

Industry = Cigarettes
Altria CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk Total Compensation = $5.08 Million
Altria Profit Margin = 19.09% (Operating Margin 37.01%!)

Industry = Beverages, Brewers
Molson Coors CEO Peter Swinburn = $3.55 Million
Molson Coors Profit Margin = 13.61% (Operating Margin = 20.38%)

* Total Compensation Information not available on AOL Finance so sourced from Yahoo Finance

Oh, and also, I'm not sure why it is necessary to be so hostile toward Stormy (at least this is my perception). It is an emotional topic, but I believe all of us can stick to the issues and respectfully disagree when needed.

Last edited by Jaybird; 12/18/09 06:07 PM. Reason: Don't Worry About It
Kind Regards,
Jay

Almost all of us long for peace and freedom; but very few of us have much enthusiasm for the thoughts, feelings, and actions that make for peace and freedom. - Aldous Huxley

Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now. - Thomas Jefferson