Published: Wednesday, 18 February 2009
At first glance, the above title of this week’s column may seem to be the title of a movie slated for release later this year. It’s true; there is a film by the same name that is currently in post-production, (which is the technical term used in film-making that describes how a film is edited for final release). However, this is not a column dedicated to movies, but rather one about health insurance. So how does this relate to the topic at hand? As we’ll see, there are many similarities (and bad puns) about the flurry of activity in the branches of government relating to
Published: Wednesday, 11 February 2009
I like learning new words. And every year there seems to be more to learn. The folks over at Merriam-Webster added more than 100 words to their dictionary in 2008. Last year saw a whole new lexicon of words; however, one word was plastered all over the newspapers. It was talked about (and spoofed) on late night television shows. It was discussed on talk radio. It was debated in classrooms. The interesting thing about this particular word however is that it wasn’t new. In fact, it was first used in the year 1175. This word has given hope to millions of Americans. It’s the word
Published: Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Much has been written and discussed regarding the plight of the uninsured. Various programs and subsidies have been proposed to help alleviate this problem. It’s important to ask, who exactly constitute the uninsured? Most experts define uninsured as people who routinely pay at least 10 percent of their annual income toward medical expenses, not including insurance premiums. Federal law allows the deduction of medical expenses that exceed 7.65 percent of gross income. The burden of increased healthcare costs are not only affecting the uninsured, but also people that have insurance.
Published: Wednesday, 28 January 2009
The last few weeks we looked at how the health insurance industry currently works and what may change and what may stay the same when President Obama’s healthcare vision takes shape. Some people wonder how that will look and whether the health insurance companies will be able to survive it. Certainly there will be insurance companies that will leave the health insurance market to pursue other insurance opportunities, like life and disability insurance policies. However, the health insurance industry has been around for a fairly long time. During that time it has changed in response
Published: Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Last week we talked about current barriers to getting health insurance and what could likely change under President Obama’s administration, with his promise of health coverage for all. This week we continue that discussion on current options when you lose coverage through an employer and how that may change with any new developments from the new administration.
Published: Wednesday, 14 January 2009
The last two weeks we looked at some things that weren’t likely to change with the expected shakeup in the health insurance industry courtesy of the incoming administration. This week we look at some of the items that are considered the cornerstones of any new legislation and are likely to change.
Published: Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Last week we looked at some of the things that should stay the same with our healthcare system regardless of how President Obama’s plan is implemented. It also gave us an opportunity to review the important aspects of health insurance plans and how they fit together. Last week we touched upon insurance premiums (your monthly fee to be in the plan), deductibles (that portion of a medical bill that you pay before the insurance company steps in) and coinsurance (how the insurance company splits the bill with you after you pay your deductible). This week we continue the discussion.
Published: Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Now that we’re about to start a new year, it’s a strong possibility that we’ll see some changes in the health insurance industry. What is a certainty is that the industry is poised for a shakeup of epic proportions; it’s just a matter of working out the kinks. Whether it will transpire this year, with all the challenges, will be interesting to say the least. With all the proposed changes to our healthcare system, it’s important to understand what is not likely to change. It also allows us to start fresh, with an understanding of basic insurance terminology.
Published: Wednesday, 24 December 2008
New year’s is a time when people can begin anew. Mistakes or missed opportunities can be left on the side of the road. The new year brings a sense of hope and renewal. A time when the slate is wiped clean and the future is bright. While the past may be written in stone, the future hasn’t happened yet and as such, gives us a chance to make it better than the past. Some people have made a career out of trying to predict what we can expect for the upcoming year. Some predictions, like alien first-contact, simply make us chuckle. Others, like stock market turnarounds are hopeful
Published: Wednesday, 17 December 2008
With healthcare access and affordability on the top of everyone’s agenda, we’re heading for a crisis that hasn’t been touched upon in either the presidential campaigns or legislatively. It’s something I have told my clients for years: The best health plan in the world is useless if you aren’t able to see a physician when you need one. With payments to primary doctors being slashed, many doctors have to see as many patients as possible just to continue practicing. Because of this and other pressures, doctors are increasingly moving away from insurance networks
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