Family Health Articles » Health Insurance

What is in the pipeline for reform of health care?

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:27:31 +0000

The new Administration is taking over facing an unprecedented economic crisis. The country is already deep in debt and proposes to spend billions more to help prevent a long-lasting recession. Looking overseas, the war in Iraq still has eighteen months to run and there is no end to the war in Afghanistan in sight. So some would argue this is not a good time to start proposing major changes to the health care system. The last time this was tried under the Clinton Administration, the economy was doing well and the momentum for change was lost. Trying it again now is inviting a battle over the legislation when the country would be better served if its leader was focussed on the economic problems. Well, the nay-sayers would be wrong. This is the right time to talk about it again.

According to the latest figures, it is estimated that out of a population of about 305 million, some 45 million people in the US do not have health care cover. They are entirely dependent on the emergency rooms and the public hospital system subsidized by local, state and federal bodies. Why are so many people without insurance? The answer is, as everyone is all too painfully aware, that the premiums have been rising faster than inflation for the last five years and more. Now that unemployment is rising at a fast rate, more people will be unable to afford the instalment payments. The Administration’s own estimate is that someone is driven into bankruptcy every thirty seconds. If fewer people pay their health plan premiums, the premiums must rise for everyone else. Treatments remain expensive and have to be paid for. If the hospitals cannot collect any money from their uninsured patients, the costs for all the insured must rise. Businesses are now passing on these increased costs to the members of their health plans. In effect, this is a pay cut. That is why this Administration wants to see a more fair system with affordable care and cover for everyone.

This means a halfway house. The current Administration would probably prefer to move to a single payer system of health insurance immediately, but there is too much invested in the current private insurance market. So the government is proposing a state-based system for all those without private insurance, allowing those with insurance policies to change over if they wish. Health care coverage for children is already here. The budget has $634 billion earmarked for preventative medicine and the provision of more affordable services. This is going to put a lot of pressure on private health insurance companies to respond with their own cost-cutting measures. Failure to stay competitive with a growing efficiency in public provision could lead down the slippery slope into a single payer system. That this is the standard model in most of the rest of the world, does not make it right for the US. Or does it? We can only wait and see what happens.

Just what resolutions did you make this New Year past?

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:45:49 +0000

Christmas is all about the year just past. You look around, gather in your family and friends, and celebrate the strength of your friendships by giving and receiving presents. Then comes New Year and, in a gesture to taking some responsibility for what happens in the next twelve months, people traditionally make resolutions. Most commonly, these are to diet and exercise to lose weight and, if you have not already done so, to quit smoking. For the majority, these best intentions last all of twenty-four hours before being forgotten. Yet, this year, there are good reasons for taking New Year’s resolutions a little more seriously. As you will have noticed, there’s a recession. People are losing their jobs and homes. Debts are being caught up in credit crunching and the cost of health care is going ballistic. So, losing weight is good because, if you shed 10% of your body weight, this reduces the chances of you getting type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Why should this matter? Have you seen the cost of the medications you would need to keep reasonably healthy if you are diagnosed with diabetes or your heart starts giving you trouble? It’s better to stay healthy by losing weight and save your bank account from being hit with co-payments. And, if you are still smoking, quitting now can reduce the risk of cancers later in life. Fear of pain should encourage you to quit now.

But since we are talking about your health, there are other things to consider. Since jobs are at risk, now is the time to think about what would happen to your health plans if unemployment comes. Could you afford to pay for the COBRA cover? The reason for asking is that a recent survey found most families could not. So, if you cannot start a savings plan to provide enough cash, what would you do? Well, now is the time to do some research. There are a number of private medical plans available. Spending time online can identify some good cover at affordable prices. One of the starting points is the company currently supplying auto or home insurance. If you bundle policies together, you can get reasonable discounts for personalized solutions. You should also talk with local agents. Although they are driven by the commission, you can often get good ideas about how to save money with higher deductibles and more limited coverage. Then it’s for you to decide, making plans with a clear head now rather than when under pressure when the job is lost.

Health insurance is not something you should leave to the last minute. Planning now saves time and money later on. Although insurance companies can change the detail of their policies, what you research and agree now will stand up for months to come. be recession-proof, stay ahead of the game and keep your family safe. Indeed, health insurance should be the one New Year’s resolution you make and keep the longest.

Health coverage plans for college teens

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:02:25 +0000

When fresh high school graduates hit their prom ball, most of them already has a very good idea about where to go next. But do you have any idea about insuring your new student’s health when he or she leaves to college? In most cases, teenagers younger than 24 years old are covered by the medical insurance policy their parents have. But if your or your spouse’s plan doesn’t cover college student, it’s time to see what the education facility your teen is heading to has to offer in terms of insurance.

Out-of-network issues

The primary concern for parents with their kids going to college is how the teen will be covered by the family insurance plan (if choosing to stay with it) and how the doctors will respond when he or she goes out-of-state. If you have an HMO plan, it requires special referrals for visiting doctors and other healthcare specialists out of your network. PPOs simply pay less when a person visits out-of-network specialists. In case the teen is leaving for a college that is out of your state, and you don’t want him or her to hassle with domestic doctor referrals, getting prompt medical attention, going with what the college has to offer insurance-wise is the most rational decision for you.

Points to think of when deciding on a college insurance plan

There is a set of factors to think about when selecting a cheap health insurance plan that may save you time and money in the future if evaluated correctly. Here are the main ones:

Learn if there is any coverage during the vacation periods.
See if there is any health coverage during the summer or winter breaks for the student.
Find out of there are any restrictions concerning providers that a student can apply to.

Avoid the coverage from lapsing

Lapsing health insurance when your teen already has a pre-existing condition is likely to cause issues later on. HIPAA imposes that any pre-existing medical conditions can be covered as exclusions in not more 12 months after enrollment. But in case the qualifying coverage is kept without lapsing of 63 days, the insurance company has to take out the length of coverage from the period of exclusion. For example, a 4-month exclusion will result from a 8-month prior coverage, however there won’t be no exclusion period for 18-year coverage. This way it is very important to keep continuous coverage for all medical conditions, regardless whether you buy cheap medical insurance at the college or renew your present policy.

Eating your way into much trouble

admin — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:01:01 +0000

Obesity is one of the most serious health concerns for American healthcare industry these days. Lean how obesity affect your cost if you want to insure your health and why is that so. Social: Eating plus-sized meals not only affects your waistline but your insurance costs too. And there’s a serious problem if looking at obesity from the insurance point of view. Learn how obesity affects insurance rates all across the country from this article. Growing prices and expanding waists. When speaking about the costs of insuring your health these two definitions seem to blend into one big problem. And when you’re getting another super-sized meal or a cheap fast food snack, you know you’re going to pay much more in the long run, and those dollars are already ticking on your insurance rates. That is, leaving your personal health issues out of the frame, of course. When obesity becomes a very serious concern for the national healthcare industry, you have to understand that it’s your wallet that will become much thinner, not your waist. Pounds and dollars The cost of insuring your health has been on a dramatic rise during the last coupe of years. Many tend to refer such tendency to the fact that all services are getting more expensive, especially in other domains of insurance and this leads to a chain reaction. But the fact is that people have started going to the doctor’s office more frequently than in the past. Is it just a psychological need to consult with a doctor or there’s something serious happening with the nation? Unfortunately, the latter seems to be the right answer. And the cause for such a problem is simple: obesity. It may be a simple coincidence, but insurance costs have started to increase pretty much at the same time as more Americans were becoming overweight and obese. Today, about 60% of US citizens qualify for obesity or overweight, and children are no exception. There’s no need to remind you the fact that obesity leads to various heart diseases, diabetes, strokes and even certain types of cancer. And you don’t have to be a scientist or a financial analyst to realize the connection between the costs of insurance and obesity from that perspective. Short fact: in 2000 alone the losses to American economy caused by obesity were estimated for $117 billion USD. Obesity and Insurance Of course, the insurance companies realize that obesity isn’t quite profitable. In case you are an overweight person trying to find good health insurance coverage, there’s a rather high probability that most companies will even turn down your application because of the many associated health risk factors. Or you will be charged with much higher fees than your slimmer friends. Speaking about discrimination. But you have to understand the insurer’s point of view as well: they try to minimize their risks and expenditures, and dealing with an obese person that has a much higher potential of developing a serious disease is not their definition of a less-risky deal. Even your employer-sponsored insurance is likely to cost you more, and not only you, but your co-workers as well. Now that is not a cause for the slim people to accuse obese individuals for forcing the insurers to raise their fees. There are many other factors contributing to the problem as well, like the increase in prices for prescription drugs or costly medical services. But the fact remains the same, obesity affects not only persons suffering from it but the entire nation too. And the problem has to be addressed on a national scale, not because of health insurance costs but primarily for the sake of public health.

Make the most out of your insurance plan

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:42:37 +0000

Most of us hesitate to change something in our lives. We give ourselves excuses and prolong things that could be done today – postponing them as much as we can. Why do we need to wait until the 1 of January to start something new? When it comes to our health we always wait. We wait to start taking care of ourselves. But just think of how much money we could economize if took our health state seriously. Here are three simple advices that will help you save your check and improve your health.

1. Take care of your health situation.

If everyone took care of his health doctors would have no work. We do not realize that we risk our own life and cost ourselves big bucks when we don’t want to treat ourselves on time. According to some of the most renowned doctors in USA – the following four things could lower your proneness to cancer, heart problems and diabetes.

Eat right
Stay active
Don’t smoke
See your doctor every now and then

2. Make good use of your pre-tax income.

Lots of employers around USA supply Flexible Spending Accounts or other types of tax-advantaged savings accounts that can be employed to save some money. All you have to do is specify the sum you want payroll to divert into your flexible spending account, which is then is taken from your paycheck before they begin calculating tax withholding amounts. The money from your Flexible Spending Account can be used for different kinds of medical expenses that are not covered by insurance. It is very convenient and doesn’t cause too much trouble to organize.

Approach your Human Resources Department about Flexible Spending Account. You should know all the details before you apply for it.

3. Read and save every piece of paper you get from your doctor’s office, the hospital, and your insurance company

We don’t like to collect stuff. Sometimes we receive a bill, bring it home and find it in the trash bin a few minutes later. But what if this piece of paper is significant? All the medical bills should be placed in one box and remembered about. Medical bills aren’t always correct. We are all humans that make mistakes. Doctors are not insured from a mistake – not literally. They can make a mistake and if you find it you are lucky enough to correct it. If you threw the paper away – it is quite impossible to hold somebody responsible without a proof or evidence. If someone switched digits or missed a letter in the billing code, you (or your insurance company) could be billed for a procedure that costs far more than the one you actually received.

If you feel like your medical bill has some sort of mistake – please don’t be shy to contact your healthcare provide for further assistance. It is your health and it should not be kidded around with. After all your doctor will owe you an explanation and you will know the truth about what happened. It is also important to read your health insurance statements carefully. If you health insurance company refuses to cover your medical expenses – make sure you are given a reasonable explanation about it. Everybody can make a mistake. Make sure it is not related to your health.

Health care industry reform of 2009

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:13:14 +0000

Let there be no doubt: health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year.” The USA president, Barak Obama, made some statements about provision of affordable and quality health care for every US citizen. This certainly is a step forward, moving both Democrats and Republicans onto resolving the problem and sharing their point of views on the subject. Now that the world is taken by the crisis, only a little percentage of the nation will have health care insurances through their place of work. And as medical costs go on rising, USA residents meet significant difficulties in supporting their health the way they should do. This is tragic situation as both small and large businesses as they have to reduce the coverage, increase co-payments and deductibles and raise the sum of money employees used to pay monthly. Certain small business bosses have even transformed typical health insurance plans into high deductible plans. My employer offers me to choose from HMO and PPO. Which one is best? HMO is what most people prefer, if it is the network of medical assistance and hospitals you need to treat yourself in. The health Maintenance Organization is more or less affordable for regular citizens. You have to choose an HMO physician who will be your primary health care provider. This physician will manage all of your medical care, as well as referrals to specialists within your HMO network. If you receive treatment from a non-network physician, you will typically pay the biggest part of the cost yourself, which no one wants to do. When it comes to a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), then we must admit this plan is a lot more flexible in comparison with HMO. But you have to keep in mind that it deals with the specialists and hospitals that are included into the PPO circle and you will have to choose the one from the list. Visiting a non-network physician is possible but you will have to take the wallet and pay the difference between the PPO network and out-of-network prices. Not so great. I have cheap health insurancehealth insurance It is so. You have to stay with your network plan if you don’t want to pay anything. Any other deviation from the plan will cost you money (co-payment is required here). HMO plans, for example, do have co-payments but they do not have deductibles unlike other health care plans. The most common co-insurance payment is 80/20. Your insurance company hands out 80% of your bills while you pay 20% after the deductible is subtracted. What if I don’t have a health insurance? Your case should be analyzed in by a financial aid office, seen in most hospitals, and after the analysis of your situation you are able to request paid-for health insurance. We do agree with Mr. President and hope his words will find their way to become reality as health care insurances are all we count on sometimes.

More about health insurance

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:05:42 +0000

The general statistics show that health insurance premiums have been rising faster than inflation in the business sector while the extent of the cover is being more narrowly defined. It is the old “less for more” syndrome. Insurance companies are not unjustified in raising their premiums. They can point to the rising costs of drugs and medical devices, and the increasing charges levied by hospitals, clinics and professional health care providers. Since their costs are rising and their investors expect a dividend, premiums must rise. Worse, the health of the nation is deteriorating. With an epidemic of obesity, the health services are buckling under the resulting waves of cases with high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Unless there is government intervention to fund the national expansion of health care, the costs for all will rise. This gives business owners and managers a serious problem as the recession gathers pace and revenues fall. How does a business reduce costs without sacrificing the employees’ goodwill? Under normal circumstances, it would trade-off between the cost of the health plan and other benefits. But in this economic situation, it is likely that pay and benefits must be reduced if the business is to survive with full employment. Among small businesses, the number of employers providing health plans has dropped 10% in the last three years. Alternatively, a number of nonessential employees will have to leave to pay for continuing benefits for the survivors – painful downsizing. One compromise tactic is to play the yearly “shuffle”. As an incentive to transfer business, insurance companies often offer a first year discount. So some small businesses look to transfer their health plan to a new carrier every year. This is a real administrative headache and inconvenient for all the employees to switch doctors, but it does save money. The great hope was that businesses would pool their insurance and negotiate their cover as a group. Insurance companies have mostly won the war against this both as an initiative of business associations and at state level. California, for example, attempted to combine features of the individual and group market. This was not a great success. This leaves business with the choices of increasing the deductibles or making the co-payments or paying the expenses fo the employees. These are slightly risky options because, unless limits are written into the commitment, a serious accident involving one employee or one long-term illness can swamp the budget. However, this is a balancing of cause and effect. In any group plan, major costs incurred by one can also drive up the premium for everyone in the plan. Insurance helps to keep businesses afloat. Small business insurance is particularly important because, until there are cash reserves to fall back on, even a small liability can be devastating. Health insurance is a valuable part of the remuneration package in businesses of all size. It helps maintain staff morale and gives a business the best chance of keeping key personnel healthy. But, equally, business insurance premiums must remain affordable. Hence, the interest of business associations and states in group schemes. business insurance

Choices and Options of Long-Term Care

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:04:29 +0000

When we grow older we start thinking about some things that we never thought of being younger. Will we be able to take care of our family – not just of one person but of everybody it consists of? Will we be able to satisfy our own needs? If you consider that one day you will need long-term care – it is better to start thinking of your options now. In-home Care In-home care is convenient and perfect for those who need some health-care assistance but prefer to remain home all the time. It is an alternative to nursing homes and other institutions. In-home care includes – health care, household help and personal care services. You can receive these services by hiring a private care assistant or by contacting a home health care agency in your area. Continuing care retirement communities There are such organizations as Continuing Care Retirement Communities. They offer you housing, meals, social activities, and health care ranging from minimal personal assistance to skilled nursing care. If your health state is good these communities are perfect for you, but if you aren’t proud of your health state – you might want to try another option. But we must warn you to be wise about any deal you are planning to submit to. Make sure you read your contract good before you sign it. Be aware of the requirements. You should know what you pay for. Nursing homes Nursing homes are like the final destination. It is for those people who are not able to take care of themselves at all. Unfortunately it happens. Let’s see the list of services nursing homes provide to their patients: Nursing care, which is provided by registered nurses or professional therapists Intermediate care or nursing and rehabilitative help provided as you need it by qualified medical personnel under the main doctor’s supervision. Custodial care or assistance with personal needs such as bathing, eating, or dressing. Before you decide your only option of the nursing home, please consider a few things. If you need some medical assistance – try to research on the level of assistance this nursing home is able to provide. Match it with the level of care you need and make up your mind. Your nursing home should really be a HOME for you. It needs to be clean and well kept. The staff should be caring and attentive. It is also extremely important. Take a family member or a friend of yours with you to investigate and ask for their honest opinion based on their impressions. Payment issues Nursing homes usually charge a fixed daily rate so you should not be confused about the price. If you feel like you are charged something you should not be charged – please don’t hesitate to ask for a written form of the services you will be provided and their costs. Normally, nursing houses are affordable. But it is always better to be covered. If you are a lucky owner of a health insurance – then your troubles with health can be solved by means of the health care deal. Health insurance is the key to a “happy today” without being scared of tomorrow.

Short run sickness insurance

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:59:54 +0000

If you have lately lost your health coverage, but still are expecting to receive new coverage during a year, a short run health coverage plan might be what you need at the moment. To learn more, simply continue reading this article.

Short run health coverage – what is it?

Several insurance policies proffer policies that are made to wash off people through short intervals in sickness insurance coverage. These policies carry the name of temporary or short-term health coverage policies.

While it might be workable for you to find a short-term insurance policy that will be covering you for up to three years, or thirty six months, most of these kinds of policies are restricted to twelve months, or one year, of coverage or even less. Short run policies are excellent for robust people that are processing through some sort of transition period – for instance, modern college seniors that are waiting for sickness insurance advantages at their first job to start. The efficacious term here is “robust” – short run sickness insurance policies are set forth below, which means that the insurance provider company must be gratified that you are not probable to make many claims for the duration of the current policy.

How much would I need to spend on it?

Short run sickness insurance is tending to be essentially low-priced than the other kinds of insurance, involving COBRA prolongation coverage. Some customers might qualify for exhaustive coverage for less than hundred dollars per month. This is the reason some people who are losing their job-based insurance select short run policies gladly than choosing COBRA. Nevertheless, if you fail to select and discharge your COBRA prolongation coverage, you will definitely lose some of the buyer rights – involving your right to coverage of any pre-clinical medical situations, and the right to obtain a constant personal health insurance policy at a subsequent date.

If you settle to purchase a short run health insurance policy, make certain you comprehend what you are obtaining for your finances. If you discover a policy for fifty dollars per month, but it has a three thousand dollars deductible per damage or sickness, you will be returning for practically all of your medicinal costs out of your own pocket. This kind of policy would only maintain you if you underwent an exceedingly expensive damage or sickness. Make certain you read your policy documents and comprehend what your out-of-pocket costs are probably going to be.

So, what is it covering?

Short run policies normally do not cover certain prophylactic medicinal care or pre-clinical situations. Nevertheless, if you become sick or you are injured while covered under a short run health insurance coverage policy, any extraordinary facilities, admission to hospital, diagnostic program, or medical supervision visitation costs you endure must be covered under your health insurance policy. During just the length of time that your health care costs might be connected to a certain sickness or damage that you’ve had experienced within the limit of the term of your coverage, you have to be covered.

Insuring health for unmarried couples

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:35:32 +0000

Companies sometimes offer insurance coverage to the spouses of their employers. This, unfortunately, doesn’t mean the unmarried partner of a co-worker can get coverage as well. There is such a document as Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) under which the employers are not required to grant health insurance to any of their employees, their spouses, gay or lesbian couples as well as unmarried couples of opposite sex. ERISA doesn’t support the deviation from this act and drastically opposes against the provision of insurance for employees and dependents to extend coverage to domestic partners.

Despite of this fact there are thousands and thousands of companies or employers all over the country that have started to point out domestic partner benefits in the past several years. They are offering the help and the number of these employers continues to grow. It is some sort of trend that has taken over the country. The experts, dealing with the problems of employment claim that if nothing changes, small companies will start to follow the example of large employers that have given the world such thing as “domestic partner benefit plans”.

To add some more information to this case, we have to say that some local laws, as well as state laws, have actually been viewed in benefit of domestic partner rights. Cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle are managing the problem of same-sex benefits as well as benefits for married couples. Vermont has adopted the country’s first ever “civil union” law by which the same-sex couples are given all of the benefits and rights the opposite-sex couples have. Provisions on the health insurance for those people are still being considered and the outcome is still not being discussed.

Let’s talk about the benefits that are offered to domestic partners. If the domestic partners are offered benefits, it doesn’t mean they are common. The coverage here will totally depend on the employer. Benefits that could be granted may differ from: long-term care, group life insurance, family and bereavement leave, and most commonly, health, dental, and vision insurance. It also should be mentioned that the definition of domestic partner may also vary and can’t be explain in one certain way. There are companies that will include same-sex couples, unmarried opposite-sex couples, and common law marriages. There are also companies that only deal with same-sex couples explaining it the following way: the opposite-sex couples could be getting married to obtain spousal benefits while getting married, when same-sex couples do not have this possibility. The term is not the major problem though. The employers that agree to offer health insurance coverage require the domestic partners to sign an affidavit by which they state that they are in a good serious and long-lasting relationship. They may also need a couple to be living together for some time before they offer some benefits to them This way the employer is sure he doesn’t get fooled for any beneficial reasons and purposes that a potential insured couple might have. Unmarried couples have to go though some trouble getting health insurances but this only brings them closer.