Just as we learn that health insurance premiums in Colorado have increased by 11% for the third straight year (followed by a 22% increase in 2002), the blue ribbon commission has narrowed down it’s options to four proposals. What are they aiming for? I would say the most important factor, even above efficiency, is a… Read more about The Final Four
Submit to the Cavalcade of Risk
I just found out that I’ll be hosting the Cavalcade of Risk on Wednesday. If you have any good risk related articles that you’ve written or know of one somebody else has written, email it to me at jay (at) insuranceshoppers (dot) net.
Misperception of a Free Market
Proponents of private health care make it sound really simple to the average person. I always hear the statement “A free market system will ensure the best price and service”. While that may be true with most other industries, that argument over simplifies what healthcare is and misses the point. I’ll show you what I… Read more about Misperception of a Free Market
Green Cavalcade
Getting Green has a short, but sweet Cavalcade of Risk this week. Check it out!
What if…
What if businesses weren’t allowed to deduct the cost of employee health insurance benefits? And what if businesses were required to show the employees how much they pay for their benefits and offer the choice for the employee to either keep receiving the group insurance benefit or to get that same amount as a raise?… Read more about What if…
Employer Group HSA Comparibility
Colorado employers that want to make HSA contributions to employees on a pre-tax basis are required to make those contributions on a “comparable” basis. This rule is designed to prevent employers from favoring one group of employees over another. Of course, it gets somewhat complicated. For one thing, the rules allow employers to treat the… Read more about Employer Group HSA Comparibility
Non-Transparency
Note: This is the first entry in this nightmare to get some transparency on a simple lipoma removal surgery. See the second entry here, and the third entry here. I’ve had a lipoma on my right shoulder blade for the past 5 years. I didn’t do anything about it right away because the doctor told… Read more about Non-Transparency
What’s Next For Colorado Health Care?
Colorado currently has a universal health care system administered out of the emergency room. And companies like WellPoint aren’t doing much to prove that even if you have private health insurance you have any peace of mind. So Gov. Ritter’s Blue Ribbon Commission is hard at work finding a better healthcare system for Colorado by… Read more about What’s Next For Colorado Health Care?
Colorado House Bill 1355 Passes Senate
Colorado House Bill 1355 (in reference to small groups between 2 and 50 employees) was passed by the senate today including an amendment that would have the change slowly brought in over the course of two years. So it will go back to the House for consideration of this (and other) amendments. HB1355 is a… Read more about Colorado House Bill 1355 Passes Senate
A Very Risky Cavalcade
The Cavalcade of Risk #24 is up over at The Digerati Life. A good selection of, but not too many, posts all put together in a good looking presentation will make it easy for you to browse for something of interest. Might I suggest one? Getting Green will open up your eyes with the article: Over… Read more about A Very Risky Cavalcade
It’s Tax Day
Because it’s tax day, we thought we might give you some more to read about taxes (just in-case you haven’t had enough yet). Don’t mess with taxes has a great tax carnival out called “Quit Monkeying Around“. Read up and make tax day a lot less stressful next year…..
Insurance Help Hub Takes a Risk
A new and exciting blog called the Insurance Help Hub is the host of this weeks Cavalcade of Risk. With nice descriptions of each risk-related article, you’ll find plenty of interesting topics to catch your eye. My favorite article of this weeks Cavalcade is “Does Expanding Health Insurance Affect Health?” from Cato-at-liberty.
IRS Rules On HSAs Not Finished for 2007
I have a Colorado client that has had an HSA with us for a few years. Her husband is on medicare, so she’s had a high deductible health insurance plan with a family deductible of $5,000 with just her and her daughter on the plan. This spring, her daughter graduates from college and will be… Read more about IRS Rules On HSAs Not Finished for 2007
Gov. Ritter Fixes a Big Bill Owens Mistake
In May of 2006, a bill supported by 85 out of 100 Colorado legislators came across then-Gov. Bill Owens’ desk. S.B. 198 would have put an end to the practice of large health insurance companies taking advantage of family physicians by having their expert attorneys write contracts that (among other things) are purposely obfuscated and… Read more about Gov. Ritter Fixes a Big Bill Owens Mistake
Wonky Health Affairs
Jane Hiebert-White of the Health Affairs Blog presented a great Health Wonk Review today. With sharp descriptions and relevant quotes, it’s well worth your time to browse the collection of health policy related articles she’s put together. Joe Paduda’s contribution about United Healthcare not helping consumers become better buyers in the consumer-directed health care system… Read more about Wonky Health Affairs
Grand Rounds at UroStream
UroStream blogger, Keagirl, hosts a fantastic Grand Rounds. With a good selection of posts separated into helpful categories, she makes it easy to browse for the most interesting articles. The most interesting article, in my opinion, is from the Health Business Blog. When socialism is good for capitalism talks about a recent Los Angeles Times article about how… Read more about Grand Rounds at UroStream
Improving Colorado’s Health Insurance Market
The health insurance system works best when as many people as possible (preferrably all people) are covered. In a free market system, legislating the insurers is a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, we need to keep them from trying to only insure healthy people and excluding those with health conditions. But on the… Read more about Improving Colorado’s Health Insurance Market
Bad Timing
A proposal to offer health insurance to about 180,000 Colorado children who lack coverage got bipartisan support Wednesday in a Senate committee. Senate Bill 211 would raise the income limits for kids to receive coverage under the Medicaid and Children’s Basic Health Plan programs. It also would fund a team of state workers to find… Read more about Bad Timing
Doctors Fight Back Against United Healthcare
United Healthcare has shown that it can be thuggish with its providers in the past by threatening to fine them $50 if patients decide to get testing done at facilities other than Laboratory Corp. of America or other United Healthcare selected labs. Readers have commented that the “AMA could of course advise physicians not to… Read more about Doctors Fight Back Against United Healthcare
Vaccine Required on Colorado Health Insurance?
As Colorado lawmakers consider one proposal to promote the vaccination of young girls against cervical cancer, they’re also looking at another measure that would require all health insurance companies to pay for shots for their patients. The measure from Reps. Bernie Buescher and Dianne Primavera, D-Broomfield, would also set aside $1.5 million from the state’s… Read more about Vaccine Required on Colorado Health Insurance?
Why Am I Still Faxing?
A couple weeks ago, our fax machine stopped working. Common sense just tells me that actually buying a new one would be like buying a new Sony Walkman cassette player… stupid. And we’re kinda wannabe hippies, so we’re trying to have a completely paperless office. And the whole paperless thing is going very well, except… Read more about Why Am I Still Faxing?
What We Have for Health Insurance
We only use our health insurance on the very rare occasion that I hurt myself snowboarding or riding my MUni. But we would like to have the protection there just in case something big does happen. And in the future, we would like to finance a childbirth or two, dental procedures, and maybe LASIK. And… Read more about What We Have for Health Insurance
Grand Rounds Worth a Look
Grunt Doc put up a great Grand Rounds today that is worth browsing because it’s presented in an organized easy to read format. The rest of the website is also worth a read too.
Funny Logic
In Colorado, there is underwritten health insurance and there is guaranteed issue health insurance. Underwritten health insurance has a much lower cost structure because they aren’t covering pre-existing conditions at all or without covering the cost with a premium increase, so it costs much less if you can qualify for it. Employers that are paying… Read more about Funny Logic
Colorado Group Health Insurance Law Proposed
Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, is proposing that Colorado roll back a law created in 2003 that allows insurers to take the relative health of a group into account when setting health insurance rates. The Denver Business Journal briefly states that the new law “could increase the costs of buying health insurance.” Hmmmm, but they don’t… Read more about Colorado Group Health Insurance Law Proposed