Health Insurance Blog

SmartSense® health plans are a portfolio of affordable health plans for individuals offered by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Monthly premiums for SmartSense can be less than $50 per month for an individual (single Male in Ohio, age 27)  if a high deductible ($10,000) is selected.  If a $2,500 deductible is chosen the monthly rate would be just over $60/mo.

Some of the highlights of SmartSense® include:

• A wide range of deductibles to choose from
• Access to a large network of doctors and hospitals
• No referrals or paper work needed
• Prescription drug benefits
• Online health support
• One of the most trusted names in health insurance

Just an example of high quality and affordable health insurance that can be found if you take a few minutes to shop around.  You can compare health insurance quotes right here at healthinsurancesort.com in less than 5 minutes.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas gives some great information on Medicare Supplements on their website.  Having Texas health insurance or Medicare often isn’t enough to cover you in the case of medical treatment.

The article on BCBSTX’s website outlines a summary on medicare supplements.  As more people know, Medicare is a federally run program which helps older Americans and some disabled Americans cover the costs of health care.  Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover all medical costs and this is where supplement insurance can come in very handy. 

Even with full Medicare coverage many are still responsible for other health care charges such as hospital deductibles, copayments for hospital stays over 60 days, care in a skilled nursing facility after 20 days, and a portion of doctor bills or other medical expenses.  Medicare supplements fills in the gaps between what your health care costs and what Medicare is covering.  Medicare supplement insurance, by law, is standardized into 12 plans and can get complicated.  To learn more and see if you qualify, visit BCBSTX’s website.

BCBSAL has a unique walking program available to their members.  More information is available on their webiste.

The walking program offers the opportunity to make a committment to walk regularly and to keep a record of your success.  Research shows that a regular routine of walking briskly daily can help with weight loss, lowering cholesterol, strengthening your heart and reducing health problems down the road. 

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports recommends 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week.  It also is recommened to take approximately 10,000 steps daily to produce the best results.  The BCBSAL Walking Works Program online assists in these goals.  It outlines the importance of walking and offers all the tools you will need to make your walking program effective.

US News and World Report recently released their updated health plan rankings for 2009-2010.  Their rankings of Medicare Health Plans was as follows, with 2008 ranking in parenthesis.

1. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado (8)
2. Fallon Community Health Plan (Not In Top 10)
3. Geisinger Health Plan (3)
4. Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization (10)
5. Capital Health Plan (7)
6. MVP Health Care (Not in Top 10)
7. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Northwest (Not in Top 10)
8. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Southern California (2)
9. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Northwest (Demonstration Project) (NR)
10. Capital District Health Plan (9)

In 2008, Preferred Care was the top rated Medicare Health Plan by US News.  In this years study, they failed to make the top 10.  Kaiser Foundation Health Plans fared very well in the 2009-2010 study, with 4 of their regional plans being ranked among the top 10 plans in the country, with the Colorado plan occupying the top spot.

This Monday, health officials in Dallas reported the 17th death linked to the H1N1 virus in Dallas County according to the article “Dallas County Reports 17th H1N1 Death” by WFAA.com staff on that website.  A 51 year old man with an underlying health issue passed away recently and was infected with H1N1 according to Dallas County Health and Human Services.

The health department has been urging everyone to get the H1N1 vaccine to protect themselves from getting severely ill.  The county has administered around 10,000 vaccines to residents without Dallas health insurance last week and they now have ran out.  There is no word yet when it will be made available. 

There are certain people on a priority list to get the vaccine.  These include pregnant women, health care workers, people who care for babies under 6 months old, and those between 6 mos and 24 years old and those 25-64 with health conditions.  Many are frustrated that there has been such an emphasis on getting the vaccine, yet it is challenging to find the vaccine in many parts of the country.

As of November 9th, the alleged shooter in the Fort Hood massacre is conscious and talking according to the article “Alleged Ft. Hood shooter awake and talking at San Antonio hospital” by Jpost.com Staff.  The source was a spokesperson for Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX.

The spokesperson also stated that Nidal Malik Hasan, the alleged shooter, is currently the one and only suspect in the shootings that occurred at the US Army base in Fort Hood and killed 13 people while wounding 29.  We was taken off the ventilator Saturday and has since regained his consciousness. 

He was taken down by a civilian police officer, Kimberly Munley, during the event.  Currently, his condition is stable and being taken care of by the San Antonio hospital. 

Learn more about San Antonio health insurance.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) doesn’t advertise their Medicare Supplement plans because they are such money losers for the company.  BCBSM has a dominant market position with nearly 60% market share, and the second largest Medicare Supplement membership rests with United Healthcare who maintains just under 20% of the market.

Several other health insurance carriers in Michigan are trying to take advantage of the fact that BCBSM’s is not marketing their plans aggressively by launching products of their own in Michigan in 2010.  Priority Health, Aetna, and Blue Care Network (a subsidiary of BCBSM), will all launch Medicare Supplement offerings to Michigan residents in 2010.  In addition, Health Alliance Plan began selling Medicare Supplements in 2008.

More information about Michigan health insurance.

Residents living in Chicago suburbs pay on average 14.6% less on their health insurance rates according to the article “Health-care Insurance Cheaper in the Suburbs” by Sandra Guy on suntimes.com.  This may surprise many carrying Chicago health insurance.

Those living 15 to 25 miles from downtown Chicago pay 12-15% less on their health insurance premium and those living 25-40 miles outside the city pay 20-30% less.  This is according to data gathered by Norvax Inc.  They also found that people who live in the southern and western suburbs, which are generally considered blue collar, pay 24.5% less for Chicago health insurance.  Those who live in the northern areas pay 14.6% less.  The findings highlight the cost of health care in these various regions.

Health insurance quotes are definitely being affected by location, but the question is, is this fair?  Health insurance companies claim it’s a matter of risk-based pricing.  Astonishingly, 26.5% of Chiacgo residents do not carry health insurance according to the latest US Census Bureau report.  This may be a direct result of the insurance companies and the way they price their customers as well as regulations created by the state.

To recognize Veterans Day, State Farm Insurance is helping to say thank you to military members and their families according to the article found on reuters.com through PRNewswire sourced from State Farm.  State Farm, which offers State Farm health insurance, auto, and property insurance, will be donating $1 for every “thank you” sent on the newly launched website, ThanksforBeingThere.com.  The money will be donated to the Fisher House Foundation. 

The Fisher House Foundation is a military support organization which offers a helping hand to military families whose relatives are being treated at military or VA medical centers across the country as well as Germany.  They will be sending donations up to a total of $50,000. 

There are 43 Fisher Houses located on 18 military bases and 13 VA medical centers in the US.  Homes are operated by the Army, Navy, USAF, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Their main goal is to provide a home away from home for families struggling with a loved one who is injured or sick and seeking treatment.  In 2008, these homes saved military families over $12 million in lodging expenses, which is a huge relief, especially during these tough times. 

According to the article “Humana Profit Rises 65% Despite Commercial Falloff” by The Associated Press on the NYTimes.com, Humana One posted a significant profit because of an increase in membership and premiums from Medicare Advantage. 

Humana’s quarterly revenue increased by 8% as enrollment rose 11% from last year in its Medicare Advantage.  Enrollment in its plans sold to employers dropped by 7.6% from a year ago.  This contributed to a pretax loss in their commercial segment.  Many health insurance companies are suffering as employer-sponsored health coverage plans drop because of layoffs and companies going out of business.  In October, the 3 largest publicly traded health insurers, incliding United Health Group, WellPoint and Aetna, reported 3rd quarter results which were below expectations.

Humana says it spent approximately $5 million on swine flu related costs in the 3rd quarter.  The chief financial officer said the company expected a heavier swine flu season for the 4th quarter.  Now more than ever it’s crucial to ensure you have proper health insurance coverage.  You can get Humana insurance quotes online to see if you can save some money and get insured.