Health Insurance Blog

Geisinger Health Plan has an extremely useful website which offers tools for their members to better their health.  Their main goal is that their members have positive and comfortable encounters as they navigate the website and use the various services available.

Some of the tools offered on the website include health librarians available to answer questions, CareCost estimator to assist with health care finances, viewing and paying bills online, patient rights and responsibilities and help for teens and young adults.

The Teen Help option is a proactive approach to keeping teens safe.  They offer hotlines for AIDS, runaways, STD’s, suicide prevention, pregnancy care, and domestic violence.  It is sponsored by the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Task Force and supported by Geisinger Health Insurance.  You can sign up online to receive additional information on Geisinger Health Plans and their various tools and services.

Canadian Kristie Moore, age 30, is 5 1/2 months pregnant and is an Winter Olympic alternate in Vancouver according to the article on Yahoo Sports by Chris Chase.  She is an alternate for Team Canada’s curling team and has yet to be called upon but it’s a possibility.  It’s a shocking story but from all accounts Moore is fit, in shape, and up for the challenge.

Moore is only the 3rd known Olympic athlete in history to be with child.  The first was Swedish figure skater Magda Julin 90 years ago who won a gold medal in her first trimester.  In 2006, Germany’s Diana Sartor came in 4th in the skeleton.

Moore found out she was pregnant a few weeks before she was asked to join the team, and when she shared the news with them everyone was supportive.  She should have no problem finding health insurance and having proper coverage while she spends this time at the Olympics.  With Canada being strong contenders for a gold medal Moore is bound to have an exciting few weeks whether or not she competes.

To fill the need of those looking for short term health insurance in these tough times, Humana One has extended its short term health insurance to five more states.  These states include Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Georgia, and Kansas.  With these 5 new states Humana One now offers short term health insurance to 20 states total according to their website.

This is great news for many consumers in these states as the need for short term health insurance is increasing with the unemployment rate.  The design of the program varies from state to state, but they are quality benefits throughout.

Short term health insurance offers immediate and affordable health care coverage for those who are in between jobs or in the middle of a transition.  It’s a great opportunity for students who are about to graduate, seasonal employees, recent retirees waiting to be eligible for Medicare and those who are unemployed looking for new work.  It can be a very convenient option for many and it’s worth getting Humana Insurance quotes if you are in a state of transition.

Mega Health Insurance has named Keith Gleason on Maine as their National Personal Producer of the Year for 2009.  He was presented with the award at the annual convention for insurance agents held in December in Dallas, Texas.  Gleason is the first to win both the National Personal Producer of the Year and the National First Year Achiever.

Gleason finished 2009 with about $1.6 million in personal production which has brought his career production to over $6 million in only 3 and a half years with Mega Insurance.  In addition to being the top personal producer recognition, Gleason received awards in 10 other categories including top Value Seller Award and the President’s Award for personal and team production.

Senior Vice President Jack Heller says that Gleason works with integrity and a strong commitment to Mega Insurance.  They want other agents to follow in his footsteps and strive for his goals.  He continuously shows quality business with his client relations.

According to their website, Vista Health Plans has expanded their obstetrical and gynecologic (OB/GYN) network.  This was done as part of their Women’s Health Program located in Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

Vista Health Plans has added 100 OB/GYN physicians and will provide members with access to one of the largest and quality OB/GYN networks in Southern Florida.  The members of Vista Health Plans may see participating specialists in general obstetrics and gynecology in addition to some sub-specialty fields.  These fields include gynecology oncology, uro-gynecology, maternal fetal medicine, and reproductive endocrinology.

You can get a more extensive list of specialties as well as participating physicians in your area by using the “Find A Physician” tool located on Vista Health Plan’s website.

According to the article “Married, with Benefits: California Mom Terri Carlson Starts Will Marry For Health Insurance Web Site” by Rosemary Black on nydailynews.com, a woman desperate for good health insurance because of a chronic condition has started a campaign online to get a husband with excellent health insurance.

Finding health insurance has not been easy for Terri Carlson because she hasn’t been in the work force long enough to qualify for social security, but her COBRA is about to expire in May.  She has an autoimmune disease which prevents her body from fighting infections so she needs to take 10-20 different prescriptions everyday.  She knows that finding individual health insurance for herself will not be easy.

The 45 year old divorced mom did realize though, that if she married a man with excellent health benefits she could automatically be placed on their health insurance policy and her problems are solved.  Well, her old problems are solved.  It seems like she may have a new list of problems if she marries a stranger just for health insurance coverage.  This just goes to show how important health care reform really is.

KPS Health Insurance describes in detail what is involved in the serious crime of health care fraud on their website.  Health care fraud is committed when a provider or customer submits false information to a health insurer for use of obtaining a payout of some sort.

There are many different forms of health care abuse.  One of the most common is filing a claim for services or medications not really performed.  Billing for non-covered items using codes for items that are covered in a health insurance plan.  There is also altering billings or medical records or accepting gifts for patient referrals.

KPS Health Plan is working hard to ensure they protect their policy holders.  They have a dedicated special investigation unit who works to review all cases of fraud and health care abuse.  They verify all providers’ credentials to ensure consumer safety.  They encourage all of their members to protect their KPS Health Plan Identification cards as if it were one of their credit cards.  Identity theft through health insurance can be just as serious, if not more.

Humana Inc, a leader in finding health insurance for consumers, will be presenting the 20th annual UBS Global Healthcare Services Conference according to their website.  Chief financial officer and treasurer will be making the presentation to investors at the conference on Monday, February 8th.

There will be a live audio Web cast of the presentation available on Humana’s website.  They recommend logging in abou 15 minutes early to allow time to run systems and download any necessary software which is free.

Humana Health Insurance is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and is one of the country’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies.  They have about 10.3 million medical members and about 7.2 million specialty-benefit members.  They offer a wide variety of health solutions for individuals, employer groups and government programs.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association issued a statement on the US Department of Health and Human Services’ National Summit on Health Care Fraud held in January.

BCBS believes health care fraud is a serious crime and they commend Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder for bringing the summit together.  They bring together private sector stakeholders, law enforcement, Medicare beneficiaries, health insurance companies, and other experts to help combat health care fraud.

Blue Cross Blue Shield companies across the country work together aggressively to discover fraud and educate consumers in an effort to protect them from fraud.  BCBS anti-fraud activities resulted in about $350 million in savings in 2008.  BCBS wants to protect all of their customers, from Medicare customers to Go Blue health insurance.  They continue to work with the Obama administration to fight against this very expensive crime which compromises an effective health care system.

Oxford Health Insurance has a priority to keep their members healthy and fit by providing valuable information.  On their website they have a publication with a variety of health tips called Healthy Mind Healthy Body. The publication goes over important information such as medical updates, diet advice and exercise programs.  They spend a great deal of time focusing on the importance of eating right.  The American society creates challenges when choosing the right foods, but it is possible to make healthy choices.

There is a lot of medical research to show links between eating the proper foods and staying healthy.  Many experts agree that diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes may be prevented through the appropriate diet and exercise.  The diet should include moderate portions of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and low fat dairy.  It’s also important to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight.  Limiting certain foods is important as well, including saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugar.

Through being a member of a Oxford health plan not only do you get access to competitive prices and great benefits, but you get the reassurance that they truly have your best interest as a priority.