Research gathered from pre-election surveys compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation in conjunction with researchers from Harvard School of Public Health has not surprisingly shown that health care reform is a very important issue in the upcoming election. Seventy percent of registered voters believe that significant changes are needed in our existing health care system. [...]
Archive for October, 2008
Arizona Health Care Initiative
There has been a considerable amount of discussion surrounding the health care proposals from presidential candidates Obama & McCain, however state-level health care plans haven’t received much attention. Arizona in particular has a health care initiative on the ballot called Arizona Proposition 101. If this proposition were to pass, the state of Arizona would be [...]
Individual Health Insurance Enrollment Rankings
A brief prepared by Mark Farrah, ranks health insurance companies across the nation based on their enrollment of individuals & families in non-group health plans, i.e. individual health insurance. In the private health insurance marketplace there are an estimated 17 million individuals enrolled in non-group health insurance coverage purchased directly from insurance companies, although only [...]
Medicare Advantage Commissions
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in a memo to health insurance companies that they have a plan to combat rapidly rising commissions paid out to insurance agents selling private Medicare Advantage plans. Some health insurance companies are paying as much as $600 to an agent for an enrolled member. Three of [...]
Shopping For Health Insurance Under McCain’s Plan
AP reporter Kevin Freking weighed on on McCain’s health care proposal and how the encouraged interstate shopping for health insurance might effect the market. Mr. Freking’s take is that the interstate shopping would clearly benefit younger healthier Americans that are healthy enough to purchase health insurance from a health insurance company in a state that [...]
Selecting a Health Insurance Plan
Things you should consider when shopping for a health insurance plan for you and your family. Make sure your family doctor or any specialists that you typically use or plan to use in the future are in the network. Co-pays and co-insurance percentages will be higher to utilize service from out of network doctors. Some [...]
Individual Health Insurance Mandate?
Aetna CEO Ron Williams recently called for health care reform to include a mandate to purchase individual health insurance. He stated “Some people can afford health insurance and choose not to be covered,” he said. “Others should get a tax subsidy or credits to purchase insurance.” Williams went on to state that nearly 20% of [...]
Medical Mutual of Ohio Missing Data
Medical Mutual of Ohio announced that 11 disks contained personal information on more than 36,000 Ohio retirees is missing and believed to be somewhere within the postal system. The retiree groups that are affected include: The School Employee Retirement System (SERS) and its employees The State Teachers Retirements System (STRS) Ohio Police and Fire Fund [...]
Consumer Directed Health Plans
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association recently released the findings of a research study which concluded that health insurance shoppers are much more vigilant about both their health as well as their health care related costs when they are enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP). Specifically, the report entitled 2008 CDHP Member Experience [...]
2008 Health Care Reform and Children
A recent report released by First Focus (www.firstfocus.net) examines how the presidential candidates health care reform plans will impact children, and identifies pros and cons with each plan, as they relate to children. The report also takes into account the unique health care needs of children including the impacts of tax credits, purchasing private health [...]
