Health Insurance Today

Comparing Affordable Health Insurance Plans

eMaxHealth.com - Hickory,NC,USA — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:05:33 +0000

Health insurance is extremely important not only in emergencies but to maintain your health and take preventative measures. While it is expensive to many - there are affordable health insurance options. Three main options that are available include: state sponsored, individual, and group. Here is an overview of each: Individual Health Insurance This health insurance option is usually reserved for those who don't qualify for the insurance programs mentioned above, either because your company doesn't offer health benefits, you are self employed or are unemployed. This is typically the most expensive option but you are still given a lot of choices, especially now with the internet and online comparisons of programs and costs. There are many options when considering an individual program from the policies that cover only the most basic emergencies to very comprehensive programs, so take your time and comparison shop. State Sponsored Health Insurance This option is generally for those who are unemployed or those whose employer doesn't offer a group plan. While there are income requirements to qualify for this option, it well worth exploring. Requirements may vary state by state, but overall this is the cheapest option and in many cases is completely free. Group Health Insurance This option is usually obtained through your employer and allows you to add your spouse and children to the policy. Another way this may be an option for you is through various organizations and associations. These are benefits for being a member of the organization. There will be costs for the insurance but this option is still cheaper than and individual policy. You should inquire through your employer to see what benefits they offer and also ask at any clubs you may belong to. Most bankruptcies in the United States are due to medical bills, so please protect you and your family and find an affordable health insurance policy ...

Increase in need for health care driving up premiums

Urbana/Champaign News-Gazette - Champaign,IL,USA — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:43:53 +0000

For Darrin Lehman, getting healthy has become a high-wire act without a safety net. Unable to afford health insurance for the last six years, he found out he has high cholesterol only when he sold his blood plasma for some extra cash. When he got strep throat last summer, a trip to a local convenient care center cost him $159. A 39-year-old former Parkland College nursing student, Lehman says he's trying to lower his cholesterol on his own, with diet and exercise. But he doesn't know how well it's working because he can't afford to see a doctor. "I think it's really a shame that in a country as wealthy as we are, that so many people have to go without insurance," he adds. "I don't understand that." America needs some form of universal health coverage, he says. Even if the system has to offer less, he adds, it might be better than leaving so many people without coverage at all. Spending more Behind the increases in insurance costs are decades' worth of rapidly growing health care spending. In the last 40 years, health care costs have grown much faster than other segments of the economy and eaten up an increasingly larger share of the money Americans spend on goods and services. In the Brady Bunch era of 1970, just over 7 percent of the nation's economic activity was devoted to health care. By 2007 it was up to just over 16 percent. Nine years from now, the federal government projects, health care spending will account for a bit over 20 percent of all economic activity in the U.S. The increases are built into private insurance premiums, the cost of which have steadily outpaced inflation and average worker wages. Last year alone, the cost of employer health insurance premiums rose 5 percent, twice the rate of inflation. Local managed-care executive Jeff Ingrum places a lot of the blame for insurance increases on Uncle Sam. Medicare and Medicaid, the government's health programs for the elderly ...

College graduate decisions about health insurance

CNN - USA — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:34:26 +0000

Lindsay Straub says it was her "dream job." Straub graduates from college Saturday, and just a few weeks ago, she was offered an entry-level position with an entertainment company. "I was ecstatic," says Straub, 21, a communications major at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. "I was ready to make the phone call to accept the position." But just minutes before she was going to dial, her mother called with some bad news. She told Straub that come fall, she'll get kicked off the health insurance she currently has as a dependent through her mother's employer. This new job doesn't offer health insurance, so Straub had to turn down the job. "I was devastated," Straub says. But she was also realistic: "In this economy, who can afford out-of-pocket for every doctor, every dentist visit?" Unless she figures something out -- and fast -- Straub will become one of the millions of young Americans without health insurance. A report by the Commonwealth Fund last year showed that 34 percent of college graduates will spend some time uninsured in the year after graduation. The report also found that two-thirds of young adults ages 19 to 29 who spent time without insurance coverage in the past year had gone without needed medical care because it cost too much. Watch more on getting health insurance if you're a recent college grad » Of course, the solution is to get a job that offers insurance, but that's not so easy these days. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nearly 80 percent of recent college graduates who are looking for jobs haven't found one. "Lack of coverage and access to health care services puts the health of young adults at risk, and can subject them, as well as their families, to potentially dire financial consequences," says Sara Collins, co-author of The Commonwealth Fund report. Some college grads, like Straub, are furiously trying to figure out a way to get insurance. But others, dubbed the "young invincibles" think they don't need it since they're young and healthy. Watch a young invincible bike messenger talk about his experience But if something goes wrong -- a car accident, a cancer diagnosis -- a young, uninsured person could be in real trouble. According to the Commonwealth Fund study, half of uninsured young people said they were paying off medical bills or medical debt over time. So if you're about to graduate: Congratulations -- and welcome to the real world, where you'll need health insurance. Here are some ways to get it...

Buying individual health insurance online

The Editor — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:47:14 +0000

Searching for affordable individual health insurance? You are not alone. Across the country, there are countless individuals who buy their own health insurance each year. Some of them are unemployed or work for themselves. Many are early retirees or people who don’t have health insurance coverage through their job. Here are some tips to help you navigate the individual health insurance market and find individual coverage that you can afford.

In the busy rhythm of present-day life the way we shop for things has significantly changed. There is no need to spend days and hours for the old way of brick and mortar shopping. We can simply go to favorite stores on the Internet and buy everything we need with a click of the mouse.

The same is true for health insurance. You do not need to sit with a broker watching the clock and listening to his endless sales proposals. Now you can find and buy individual health insurance online. Obtain quotes in the privacy of your home or office and choose medical insurance from the company that offers the best coverage and the most reasonable price.

Individual health insurance

If you are unable to obtain medical insurance through your employer, you can seek coverage under an individual health insurance plan. This type of coverage is ideal for solo entrepreneurs and people looking for additional options.

Obtaining private health insurance on your own may be a difficult task, especially if you have been spoiled by years of carefree coverage through your employer. What exactly will you pay for? What’s the difference between insurance plans? The information about claims, co-pays, deductibles, etc. is enough to drive you crazy.

Health insurance is an agreement between …

Least competitive region on health insurance

Gary Post Tribune - Gary,IN,USA — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:31:10 +0000

A report released Thursday by a worker's rights organization says Indiana's private health insurance industry is a "near monopoly" and the Gary metropolitan area has the least competition in the state. The report, compiled by Health Care for America Now and released in Indiana by Central Indiana Jobs With Justice, says consolidation within the private health insurance industry is most to blame for huge increases in health care costs nationally and within the state. It also calls for a public insurance option to be included in any government reform package to create more competition. "We don't really have competition in the health care market that benefits anybody except for the big players," said Dr. Richard Stone, an emergency room physician in Bloomington who serves on the board of trustees with the Indiana State Medical Association. "When you look at how markets work, there seems to be great competition in the early phases and then they move toward consolidation. We're deep into the consolidation phase now." The report uses 2007 data culled by the American Medical Association. The two largest health insurers in the Gary metropolitan area -- Health Care Service Corp. (Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois) and WellPoint Inc. -- combined to control 92 percent of the market, the highest concentration in the state. HCSC's share was 68 percent, while WellPoint held 24 percent. The next highest concentration rate was in Anderson, where WellPoint (72 percent) and UnitedHealth Group Inc. (15 percent) combined to control 87 percent of the market. "(92 percent) is an incredibly shocking number, but all of the market share numbers in Indiana are shocking," said Alex Lawson, a health care researcher at Institute for America's Future. He noted the U.S. Department of Justice's definition of a concentrated market, which is any one company having more than 42 percent market share. The report shows that as of 2007, Indiana's two largest private health insurers -- WellPoint and M*Plan -- controlled 75 percent of the market share. That placed Indiana 14th nationally among least competitive states. The report also says from 2000 to 2007, insurance premiums ...

Employer health insurance no longer option for many

The Editor — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:04:43 +0000

Recession, depression, cutbacks and layoffs are words all too commonly heard these days in news reports and conversations. Since the beginning of the financial crisis, millions of Americans have lost their jobs and many economists are predicting that more job cuts are on the horizon. With the loss of their jobs, Americans are not only losing their source of income, but for the 63 percent of Americans under the age of 65 who have health insurance through their employer, they are losing that as well. In February, the unemployment rate hit 8.1 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This translates into roughly 12.5 million people who have lost their jobs. The Urban Institute, a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization, estimates that for each 1% rise in unemployment, 2.4 million Americans lose employer-based health care. For many of the newly unemployed, their first step to maintaining health insurance is to sign up for coverage via the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). COBRA gives recently unemployed workers and their families the right to choose to continue health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances. These include a voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce, and other life events. To maintain coverage via COBRA, qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102 percent of the cost to the plan (BLS). But there are other health insurance options ...

Domestic-partner health insurance approved

University of Wisconsin-Madison University Communications - Madison,WI,USA — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:22:27 +0000

The Joint Committee on Finance today (May 22) approved Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposal to authorize the offering of health insurance benefits to same- and opposite-sex domestic partnerships. This is a very important development and brings the reality of this provision becoming law one step closer, according to Don Nelson of UW-Madison’s State Relations. Both houses of the Legislature still need to approve this provision, and that approval is more likely after today’s action, Nelson ...

Q&A About Health Insurance

KMBC.com - Kansas City,MO,USA — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:53:02 +0000

As unemployment continues to rise, people are struggling to keep their health insurance. KMBC's Brenda Washington spoke with Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger. Praeger has just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where she met with Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services and the former governor of Kansas. The meeting revolved around the various health coverage reform plans being discussed in Congress. Praeger said that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners wanted to be certain that it would maintain its role as regulator for the insurance industry. Praeger believes that the final health plans ...

Competitive Health Insurance in Florida

eMaxHealth.com - Hickory,NC,USA — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:17:20 +0000

Some consumer groups and policy advocates claim a lack of competition is preventing affordable health insurance in Florida. Reports show that a handful of large insurers dominate the state's urban regions. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida currently holds nearly 50% of the market in the central Florida region stretching from Lakeland to Kissimmee. Groups such as Health Care for America now, who publicly support President Obama's goal of government-run health care, claim additional government intervention is needed to create more affordable health insurance in Florida. According to a 2007 report by the American Medical Association, premium rates for family health insurance nearly doubled from 2000 to 2007. The average rate for a family in 2000 was $6,812, the average jumped to more than $11,000 by 2007. Critics blame insurance companies of raising their rates to increase profits and pushing rates across the market higher, making affordable health insurance in Florida harder to find. Accusations of breaking anti-trust laws are now being thrown at insurance companies as groups like Health Care for America Now investigate the details of more than 400 insurance company mergers since the late 1990's. Critics say these mergers have stifled competition and led to increased rates in both Florida and nationwide. The call for a public insurance option comes from those claiming such plans would drive down prices and create affordable health insurance in Florida. The problem with a public plan, meaning government-set prices, is that an artificial price floor could arise, thus driving private companies out of the market. Health Care for America Now and other critics of the current system seek to only reform the health insurance aspect of the industry. Rather than address the costs themselves and the reasoning behind such increases, insurance companies solely take the blame on rising health care costs. Increased rates in chronic disease, medical malpractice insurance rates, uncompensated care, and increases in drug costs are just some of the challenges on the road to more affordable health insurance in Florida. The insurance companies say the government agencies themselves responsible for ensuring the existence of competition haven't a problem with the current ...

RI health insurers ask for rate increases

Forbes - NY,USA — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:44:37 +0000

Rhode Island's largest health insurance companies are seeking rate hikes. Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher Koller says Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is proposing a 16.3-percent rate increase for businesses with 50 or more employees. UnitedHealthCare of New England has asked to raise its large group rate by 11.6 percent. Blue Cross insures 70 percent of Rhode Islanders who receive health insurance through their employers, excluding state workers. UnitedHealthCare insures 25 percent of residents ...