It seems that about every third client we talk with here in Colorado is unhappy with the current health insurance system. If you look at the clients with pre-existing medical conditions, nearly all of them have complaints about the system. For people with employer-sponsored coverage, the complaint is that the policy costs too much or… Read more about No Easy Fixes for Health Insurance
C-Sections, Maternal Death, and Health Insurance
According to new government data, maternal death from childbirth is on the rise in the US, up to 13 deaths per 100,000 live births – 30 years ago the rate was 10 per 100,000 live births. The increase is attributed to several factors, including changes in how deaths are reported in some states, increasing maternal… Read more about C-Sections, Maternal Death, and Health Insurance
A Pretty Lady, A Puppy, and Some Daisies
I was heartened today to see this article announcing that the FDA is going to start studying whether “relaxing, upbeat images featured in TV drug ads distract consumers from warnings about the drugs’ risks.” According to the article, drug companies in the US spent $29.9 billion on advertising in 2005 – up 330% from a… Read more about A Pretty Lady, A Puppy, and Some Daisies
How Do We Improve Our Health Policy?
According to recent Census Bureau data, life expectancy for a baby born in the US in 2004 is 77.9 years. Of the 222 countries that the Census Bureau tracks, there are 41 with longer life expectancies, including Guam, Andorra, Macau, and Singapore. Something’s wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the… Read more about How Do We Improve Our Health Policy?
Medical Identity Theft
I was thumbing through some library magazines recently, and came across a facinating article in Good Housekeeping. Medical identity theft is still a very rare crime compared with all the other id theft problems, but apparently it’s growing at an alarming rate. The article is full of horror stories, including a pregnant meth addict who stole a… Read more about Medical Identity Theft
Our 1st Blogiversary
August 9th. One year since we started the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. We were on blogspot for about a month before we decided to host the blog on our website. Last year at this time, we knew a lot about health insurance in Colorado, since that’s our market. But being in the health care blogosphere has… Read more about Our 1st Blogiversary
Past Averages Do Not Predict the Future
I just read a blog post by Dani at Living Behind the Curve. She writes about her thoughts on going without health insurance in order to work part-time. Initially, she goes looking for individual health insurance, but talks herself out of it for several reasons. The policy has a $5000 deductible, and Dani calculates that… Read more about Past Averages Do Not Predict the Future
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
Angelina Ortiz’s family income must not exceed $41,304 annually. If it does, she and her brother would no longer qualify for Colorado Childrens’ Health Plan Plus, and the family would be forced to pay $1200/month for Angelina’s lifesaving medications. Her condition? Asthma. The ubiquitous respiratory ailment that can range in severity from a minor tight-chested… Read more about Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness
Humana Says the Price is a Secret
Note: This is the fourth entry in my price transparency experiment. See the first entry here, the second entry here, the third entry here, and the fifth entry here. Jay has written several times over the last month about his lipoma surgery and the billing headache that it has become. When we got the bill… Read more about Humana Says the Price is a Secret
Diabetes – An Ounce of Prevention
“We are spending as much on diabetes as we are on the entire Department of Education.” That statement, from Dana Haza, a senior director for the National Changing Diabetes Program (NCDP) is an eye-opener. The numbers are staggering. 12% of the government health-care budget in 2005 was spent on treating diabetes. And a recent study found… Read more about Diabetes – An Ounce of Prevention
Colorado Health Insurance and Bariatric Surgery
For the last few days, I’ve been pondering how I feel about health insurance paying for gastric bypass surgery. My first reaction is ‘no way!’ I don’t want to be subsidizing the cost of this surgery with my health insurance premiums. I tend to take a very hard-line approach to the current obesity crisis. It’s… Read more about Colorado Health Insurance and Bariatric Surgery
Individual Health Insurance Jitters
Yesterday I was talking with a friend about what we would do if we had tons of money. One of those pie in the sky conversations that makes you thing about what’s important in life. Neither one of us is a big shopper – we’re both pretty frugal and didn’t think that would change much. … Read more about Individual Health Insurance Jitters
Even More Thoughts On Pregnancy Coverage
Over the past few weeks, I’ve written here and here about paying for pregnancy. I think that my ideas are sound, but Jay’s post yesterday made me rethink some of my plan. The program I envisioned would separate maternity care from health insurance, and would pay for pregnancy using tax money combined with contributions from… Read more about Even More Thoughts On Pregnancy Coverage
Pregnancy Expenses Revisited
I recently wrote a post about paying for pregnancy. A comment from a reader caught my attention and I felt that it deserved a mention and a few more of my thoughts on the matter. The problem with having a pool of money from all insurance companies to pay for pregnancy (or anything else) is… Read more about Pregnancy Expenses Revisited
Steve Dieckhoff Benefit
Update: Steve Dieckhoff died Saturday morning (3/15) just as the sun began to rise, friends said. He was 56 years old. A memorial service in Boulder has not yet been scheduled. Daily Camera story here Latest info and pics here Steve Dieckhoff is a local Boulder rock climber who is battling lymphoma. His friends and… Read more about Steve Dieckhoff Benefit
Paying for a Pregnancy
Lately I’ve been pondering the expenses involved with having a baby. Jay and I have been married four years, and we’ve started discussing the idea. Obviously, there are enormous costs that continue to accrue over the years – everything from cribs to college, most of which can be lowered through frugal living. But what about… Read more about Paying for a Pregnancy
Cutting Group Health Insurance Costs
A new study has found that obese employees have more workers’ comp claims than their fit counterparts. This should come as a surprise to no one, as obese people have higher medical costs in most aspects of life, not just during the work day. New York employment attorney Richard Corenthal cautioned employers not to overreact… Read more about Cutting Group Health Insurance Costs
Colorado Small Group Health Insurance Changes
Yesterday in Colorado, a senate committee approved a bill that would prohibit health insurance companies from using health status and claims history to set premiums for small groups (fewer than 50 employees). Since 2003, small groups in Colorado could have a discount of up to 25% or an increase of up to 10% on their… Read more about Colorado Small Group Health Insurance Changes
Colorado Health Insurance Reform
In Colorado, the legislature’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform is currently reviewing 31 proposals from various business, union, and consumer groups trying to find a way to solve the state’s health care crisis. There are about 770,000 people in Colorado with no health insurance, and the state has joined a handful of others… Read more about Colorado Health Insurance Reform
COBRA Versus Individual Health Insurance
I came across a blog post this morning that talked about the loss of health insurance that goes along with being laid off from a job. The author mentioned that COBRA is an option, and correctly explained that COBRA allows us to continue to get health insurance coverage through a former employer, as long as… Read more about COBRA Versus Individual Health Insurance
Increased Demand = Better Health
With a new governor in place, Colorado has been proposing changes to the health care system lately. The recent Colorado State-of-the-State presentation focused on health care and boosting the ranks of Colorado insureds. One of the points that was made was that if we insure more people, there will be more of a demand for… Read more about Increased Demand = Better Health
Personal Accountability in Health Care
I strongly agree with Marcy Morrison, the Colorado Insurance Commissioner, on her recent statements regarding personal accountability for health: “If people take better care of themselves, we can look at other options besides how to get more care. We read a lot about diet and exercise, but we have to ignite the public to put… Read more about Personal Accountability in Health Care
Only in America
Nathan Wilkes’ story is heartbreaking. His son, Thomas, is an adorable three-year-old who was born with severe hemophilia, and a year later developed a resistance to treatment. The Wilkes family is now in a situation that should scare the hell out of anyone who’s covered by private health insurance. Basically, Thomas needs treatments that can… Read more about Only in America
Havidol – Helping you get more.
Do you ever feel that the high-paced modern lifestyle of consumerism and keeping up with the Joneses is getting you down? You may want to talk to your doctor about Havidol, the only treatment approved for the newly-recognized condition of Dysphoric Social Attention Consumption Deficit Anxiety Disorder (DSACDAD). This modern miracle drug is available in… Read more about Havidol – Helping you get more.
What Its Like
I just spoke with a woman who got health insurance quotes on our website today. Turns out she was sitting in a Denver emergency waiting room when she got the quotes, and was still in the ER a few hours later when I called her. She and her husband have no health insurance, although their… Read more about What Its Like