The Dow Jones News Service reports in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is planning on limiting out-of-pocket charges and plans under private Medicare Advantage insurance. The Obama administration has announced plans to enact cost-sharing limits; patients will pay less for certain treatments, including: home nursing services/home health care renal [...]
Archive for March, 2009
New Hampshire Low Income Health Insurance
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is considering enacting legislation what would increase coverage of their health insurance program for low-income New Hampshire residents. The proposed legislation would enable adults aged 19 to 25, who earn less than $3600 per month, to be eligible for the New Hampshire Healthy Kids Program. Currently the program is [...]
Health Discount Plans Need Regulation
Washington state Insurance Commissioner, Mike Kriedler, is advocating regulating the currently unregulated health discount plans, that have become much more common over the past few years. Specifically, Mr. Kriedler would like to enact legislation that would make these plans financially responsible for paying the health care expenses that they advertise. Commissioner Kriedler states that he [...]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Reduces Maternity Coverage for New Individual Policies
The Detroit Free Press’ Patricia Anstett recently exposed several forthcoming changes to new Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan individual policies. Among them is a reduction in maternity coverage. After March 31st, all new individual health plans will include only a $7,500 reimbursement for the cost of a medically necessary Cesarean sections. There was previously [...]
Pre-Existing Condition Prevention Act Would Increase Health Insurance Access
Walt Williams reports in the State Journal that West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller has introduced a bill that is intented to increase health insurance access to those with pre-existing conditions. The Pre-Existing Condition Prevention Act would prevent insurance companies from excluding a pre-existing condition from their coverage. Rockefeller claims that over 130 million Americans suffer [...]
Small Business Health Insurance Help From CHOICE Act
A representative in the U.S. House of Representatives will reintroduce legislation to help small employers pay for their employees’ small business health insurance, reports Astrid Fiano in DOTMed Business News. The CHOICE Act, according to sponsor and chair of the House Small Business Committee Nydia Velasquez, will do the following: Offer a tax credit equal [...]
Medicare Health Plan Deadline
After April 1, Medicare beneficiaries will be locked into their current plan through the remainder of 2009. If you are enrolled in a Medicare health plan and unhappy with it, don’t procrastinate shopping for a new plan. According to Paul Precht from the Medicare rights Center, below are the changes that can be made before [...]
Indiana Health Insurance Program: Childless Adults Waitlisted
Since the Healthy Indiana government-subsidized health care program was opened to adults without children in January 2008, it has given thousands greater access to Indiana health insurance. According to the Courier-Journal‘s Leslie Stedman Weidenbener, the plan has been so successful that many people are on a waiting list to enroll (due to limited program funds). [...]
Tuscon Health Insurance Fair for Arizona’s Uninsured
On St. Patrick’s Day, there will be a Tuscon health insurance fair to assist the local uninsured, reports the Arizona Daily Star. 30 insurers will be in attendance at the event, taking place in the El Rio Community Health Center. People without Arizona health insurance (about 1 in 5 of the state’s population) will be [...]
