State legislators in Wisconsin want to tighten individual health insurance regulations, reports Guy Bolton in the Milwalkee Journal-Sentinel. Currently, medical coverage can be denied or taken away if a person fails to disclose any pre-existing medical condition. The bill, which is supported by the state’s Insurance Commissioner, is said to be more consumer-friendly. For example, [...]
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Fewer Small Businesses Offering Health Insurance
Due to economic struggles and the rising cost of health insurance, many small businesses have eliminated or cut back their coverage of employees. Eve Tahmincioglu of MSNBC has reported on the trend of employers dropping their health coverage. Small businesses are suffering from decreasing sales from customers who are struggling financially. With lower profit margins, [...]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Won’t Cut Hospital Payments
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Dakota (BCBSND) has come to an agreement with local hospitals that they will not lower reimbursement payments, reports Retha Colclasure of KFYR Bismarck. In order to save money, the insurer had sought to reduce payments to health care providers without contract renegotiations. The North Dakota Insurance Department blocked [...]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii Offers Online Doctor Visits
The Hawaii Medical Service Association (which is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii), has launched a new virtual doctor’s visit service, according to the Arizona Republic’s Ginger Rough. Patients in Hawaii can now have a short consultation with one of 140 physicians whenever they need to, available 24/7! Online doctor visits take place [...]
Happy Holidays from Health Insurance Sort!
No matter what you celebrate, we at Health Insurance Sort wish you a peaceful holiday. (Photo credit: kimberlyfaye under CC 2.0)
State Health Rankings
Americas Health Rankings recently released their annual report of the healthiness of the country as well as the relative healthiness of each state. The annual rankings are completed through collaboration b/w United Health Foundation and the American Public Health Foundation. The healthiest state for the 2nd year in a row was Vermont, and the least [...]
Medical Tourism Pilot Program
Wellpoint became the latest health insurance company to dabble with a medical tourism program. Under this new Wellpoint pilot, members can travel to India to have some surgeries done. Wellpoint would not only save thousands on medical costs, but they would also gain leverage in negotiatons with doctors. Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, [...]
Maternity Coverage
If you are a woman who is planning on starting a family in the near future, you should first make sure that you have maternity health coverage before you get pregnant. If your health insurance is covered by employer sponsored coverage you are likely covered, however if you purchase individual health insurance on your own, [...]
Wellpoint’s $10 Million Contest
Wellpoint in conjunction with X Prize Foundation, has announced a $10 Million competition to produce a system of health care proposals that would improve health care quality and reduce costs. Wellpoint will payout the prize to the winner of the competition. The competition could take several years as proposals would be tested in various state [...]
Health Care for Canadians in US?
A Calgary Canada based health care company called Acure Health Corp. has been selling a health insurance policy called wait-time insurance to Canadians for several years now, and it has been under the radar until recently when the British Columbia began offering the policy to its 800,000 members. Wait time insurance esentially allows Canadians who [...]
