What I said (speculating as to a possibility I did not endorse but could not dismiss), was a cabal of particularly bloodthirsty HMO, Big Pharma and insurance executives [could be] dictating the published clinical "results, but in that sentence "bloodthirsty" is intended to modify "executives" rather than the individual or collective industry sectors. No indictment of HMOs generally or yours specifically was intended.

That your employer does not cavil at paying for "herbs and what-not" speaks well of it, although to assert as confidently as you do that the "healer is keeping the cancer in remission" seems a bit of a stretch, given that you're familiar with the case only in broad outline. The remission and the alternative regimen may simply be occurring simultaneously without any deeper connection. It sounds as though someone has elected—wisely, it is to be hoped—to let sleeping oncogenes lie.

Some other HMOs...not so good. WellPoint, the largest of the lot, has been implicated over the past couple of years in some treatment decisions so heartless that it is difficult to imagine any administrator issuing these orders without cackling and twirling his moustache. I'm glad you're working for one of the good guys.

cordially,