[…] Even in Colorado – the thinnest state – one in five of us is obese, and health insurance rates have been steadily outpacing inflation for years. If obesity is not self-inflicted, one would expect to see no changes in the levels of obesity following a dramatic change in our lifestyles. If you had to make a bet one way or the other, what would it be?
Blog
What Issues Concern Debra Bartoshevich?
I was watching our local Colorado news after the DNC tonight. John McCain had a commercial featuring a Hillary Clinton supporter who said she was voting for McCain. The ad said she was a “Former Hillary Delegate” and she claimed she was voting for McCain’s “experience and judgement.” This intrigued me because she was obviously very involved in the political process […]
A Tenacious Appeal
[…] We work with all of the major health insurance carriers in Colorado, and I talk with people from most of those companies on a daily basis. And almost all of them go out of their way to be helpful. The appeals process for claims and pre-authorizations can be long and painful, but if you think you’ve got a good case, don’t give up.
The Economics Of Obesity
[…] I’d like to see a similar program in Colorado. With lots of help provided for those looking to lose weight. Anything that could lower our obesity rates would lessen the amount we’re spending every year to treat obesity-related health problems. And that would in turn have an impact on health insurance premiums, which would benefit all of us.
Health Insurance 101
[…] We talk to clients in Colorado on a regular basis who aren’t aware that individual health insurance is medically underwritten. Since this is the case in 45 states, it’s not something you want to be finding out after you’ve already quite your job and lost your group benefits. A high school class detailing the basics of insurance would be a good start.
Taxes And Health Care
I like a system that rewards people who put aside money to pay for medical bills. We encourage our clients in Colorado to apply for high deductible health insurance and set up HSAs if they are able to do so. But tax breaks for health care shouldn’t be limited to those who have the means to fund an HSA, or to people with very high medical bills relative to their income. […]
The Power Of Anecdotes
[…] We talk to clients in Colorado on a regular basis who have very little in the way of options for health insurance, despite their best efforts to obtain coverage. Should we simply tell these people that life isn’t fair, and carry on with our day? I just don’t think that’s enough. There but for the grace of God go a lot of us.
What A Difference Fifteen Years Makes
Harry and Louise are back. Where they once talked about the evils of rationed health care in a government run system and how “having choices we don’t like is no choice at all,” now they’re talking about people without health insurance “falling through the cracks.” The ad will debut on tv today, just in time for the convention in Colorado next week […]
Taking Care Of Those Who Really Need It
It’s easy to get frustrated with our health care system. In Colorado, we have three quarters of a million people without health insurance. Across the country, that number reaches 47 million. […] Obviously, financial decisions do play a major role in medical situations. But it’s nice to read a story now and again where money isn’t the trump card.
Health Care In A Drug Store
[…] SmartCare just closed 15 clinics here in Colorado last month, for what appears to be financial reasons. But if this type of clinic can operate successfully, provide a service to patients, keep costs reasonable, and take walk-in patients without health insurance, they could be a great addition to our health care system.
Oy Anecdotes
“The plural of anecdote is not data” – Movin’ Meat, in a comment on (one of our favorite local Colorado blogs) Patient Power I just had to say this is one of the best quotes I’ve heard in a while. It sums up a lot of things really well. There are always anecdotes, especially in… Read more about Oy Anecdotes
Grand Rounds And Prescription Drugs
[…] Perhaps in the future we’ll have a system that allows for more coverage of pre-existing conditions on individual health insurance policies. But for now, we don’t. It would be in the best interest of consumers -in Colorado and elsewhere – to question whether a lifestyle adjustment instead of an Rx might do the trick and also preserve their insurability.
Health Insurance Getting More Out Of Reach
[…] It stands to reason that the ranks of the uninsured – 47 million nationwide, and 750,000 right here in Colorado – will be higher a year from now. We better get going on all these ideas that are floating around to lower the cost of health insurance. Because the problem sure doesn’t seem to be getting better on its own.
Dems United Towards Health Care For All
The Democratic party has committed to guaranteed health care for all. Obama wants to make health insurance more accessible and affordable for everyone. It will be interesting to see what health care reform details are presented later this month when the party leaders arrive here in Colorado for the DNC. […]
Supporting Volunteer Doctors
The Volunteer Health Care Program Act (S3354) would provide funds that states could use to assume liability when doctors volunteer their services for patients without health insurance or a means to pay for care. If it passes, I would love to see Colorado get on board in order to provide more access to health care for residents without health insurance.
Health Wonk Review Is Up
[…] The HWR is up, including a post from the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. A post about the underinsured caught my eye. It’s the responsibility of those of us in the industry to clearly explain the ins and outs of the various options. Being underinsured is a very real problem – one that people often don’t see until they have a large claim.
No Freedom Of Choice For CSU Grad Students
[…] to be a graduate student at Colorado State University, and needs to get a health insurance policy. Last year, CSU made a requirement for graduate and international students to have health insurance. The students may either get a policy through CSU’s Hartshorn Health Plan, or they can show proof of comparable coverage obtained elsewhere. The Hartshorn policy costs […]
A New Transparency Tool From Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has introduced a useful tool for their Colorado health insurance members. It’s time to lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds network negotiated pricing. Health care is too important – and way too expensive – for consumers to have to guess when it comes to pricing and picking a provider […]
An Amazing Discount from Humana
We got the EOB from Humana for our son’s PKU test. This test is vitally important for newborns, and not something that anyone should skip for financial reasons. But for the 770,000 Colorado residents without health insurance, a PKU test would cost 18 times as much as it costs for people with health insurance […]
Higher Lifetime Maximums On Health Insurance
[…] We can do this by eliminating the lifetime maximums on private health insurance policies. Very few of us can come up with an extra few million dollars to pay medical bills. That’s why we have health insurance – but it doesn’t do us any good if we hit the lifetime maximum before the end of our lifetimes.
Grand Rounds at Edwin Leap
Since health insurance is our niche, I tend to focus on health insurance related articles when I highlight entries for the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. But this week some posts that caught my eye had nothing to do with health insurance at all. I just liked them, and thought you might […]
Freedom Of Choice In Health Care
[…] We like to think that we have a free market health care system and can make our own choices about our care and our health insurance. But for a Colorado resident without an employer-sponsored health insurance policy, and with pre-existing conditions that put private health insurance out of reach, Cover Colorado is the only real option for health insurance.
A Huge Fine For HealthMarkets
[…] HealthMarkets has been hit with a $20 million fine after a three year investigation led by insurance commissioners in 29 states, including Colorado. Colorado will get $650,000 in the settlement, which found that HealthMarkets was negligent in both front- and back-end issues – including agent training and disclosure to consumers, as well as the handling of claims and complaints.
Cavalcade Of Risk
[…] Everyone needs health insurance, except maybe Warren Buffet. I’ve never had any medical issues at all, but I sure as heck need health insurance. Tomorrow might be the day I trip over a sidewalk crack and break my neck, or find a lump where there’s not supposed to be one. Individual health insurance guards against possible future risk, rather than known current risk. The trade off is that it’s a lot less expensive than guaranteed issue policies.
Attracting More Docs To Primary Care
[…] private health insurance carriers and Medicare. It’s much more profitable to see a patient for 12 minutes and write a prescription (and repeat this process all day long) than it is to spend 45 minutes with the patient, putting together all the pieces of his health puzzle. A Colorado Springs Business Journal article describes the challenges faced by doctors who choose to spend time with their patients rather than squeezing as many patients as possible into a day.