America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has released a comprehensive survey of the individual health insurance market in this country, and has come to the conclusion that individual health insurance is “more accessible and affordable than is widely known.” It’s hard to view the results as completely unbiased, considering that AHIP is a national trade association… Read more about Individual Health Insurance Not That Affordable Or Accessible
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Continuing Discussion on Vaccines and Choice
The Public Health Council in NJ has voted 5-2 to make flu shots mandatory for preschoolers. The Department of Health and Human Services has a vaccination schedule that calls for at least 34 vaccines by the time a child is six years old. As a parent-to-be, I am very uneasy about the ever-increasing number of… Read more about Continuing Discussion on Vaccines and Choice
Another Step Forward for the Blue Ribbon Commission
The Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform is moving closer to its goal of overhauling the Colorado health care system. On Thursday, the members of the commission presented a 101 page draft of their final recommendations on changes that need to be made to the ailing health care system in the state. The… Read more about Another Step Forward for the Blue Ribbon Commission
Christmas Cav
The Christmas edition of risky blog posts is hosted by Matthew Paulson, who runs American Consumer News blog. Check it out.
Vaccines A Personal Choice
This was an accidental “double post” on the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. View the original post “Vaccines a Personal Choice.”
Fitting Health Care Into The Budget
This probably won’t come as much of a surprise, but a study released last week by Families USA has found that health insurance in Colorado is becoming less affordable. According to the study, 1.1 million Colorado residents (out of a total state population of 4.8 million people) will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax… Read more about Fitting Health Care Into The Budget
Shark Bait
Business Week magazine has an alarming article in their December 3, 2007 edition. “Fresh Pain For The Uninsured” is a story of medicine and capitalism on a collision course, with the patient squashed squarely in the middle. For years, people without health insurance have been able to repay medical bills in small amounts, without interest… Read more about Shark Bait
Another Proposal For Health Care Reform In Colorado
Last week Republican lawmakers in Colorado unveiled their version of health care reform. It’s an attempt to make small fixes to the state’s ailing health care system without raising taxes or turning health care over to the government. The proposed reforms are far less substantial than the options being considered by the Blue Ribbon Commission… Read more about Another Proposal For Health Care Reform In Colorado
Managed Care Matters Has Your Cavalcade of Risk
Joe Paduda hosts the pre-holiday edition of the Cav and he’s done a great job explaining each article so you can just breeze through it and read what sounds interesting. My favorite post was from Jonathan Pletzke who has just written a book called “Buying Health Insurance Without Getting Ripped Off“. So he started a… Read more about Managed Care Matters Has Your Cavalcade of Risk
History Of Obstetrics Is Not Reassuring
I’m reading a fascinating book right now – Birth, by Tina Cassidy. Ms. Cassidy gave birth in 2004 in a standard hospital setting, culminating in a cesarean and a healthy baby. Afterwards, she was intrigued by the cultural and historical influences on the process by which every one of us arrived on this planet. Her… Read more about History Of Obstetrics Is Not Reassuring
Pelvic Exams During Pregnancy
This post is a little more personal than most I write. Jay and I are expecting a baby in the spring, and have been seeing a midwife for the past couple months for prenatal care. We’re planning a home birth and are covering the cost of the midwife ourselves, since our health insurance doesn’t cover… Read more about Pelvic Exams During Pregnancy
Health Insurance Policy Maximums Stuck in the 90s
Ten years ago, it was very rare to hear of someone incurring a medical bill that topped $1 million. Twenty years ago, it was almost unheard of. But today, although it’s still not that common, it doesn’t surprise most people when they hear stories of seven-figure hospital bills. According to a Kaiser Network article, 34%… Read more about Health Insurance Policy Maximums Stuck in the 90s
Hospital Sale Will Limit Health Care
Physicians and patients are watching a pending $611 million sale of Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheatridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette to Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, a Catholic organization in Kansas. At issue are the “ethical and religious directives” that many hospitals owned by Catholic organizations must follow,… Read more about Hospital Sale Will Limit Health Care
Health Wonk Review at Health Care Renewal
Roy Poses has the latest Health Wonk Review over at Health Care Renewal.
More on Mandatory Health Insurance
Several presidential candidates have put forth health care plans that include making health insurance mandatory, much like liability auto insurance. Governor Schwarzenegger has been pushing for universal health care in CA for months now, and part of his plan is to make health insurance mandatory. And Colorado is considering two proposals that would make health… Read more about More on Mandatory Health Insurance
Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk
Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of the Cavalcade of Risk at the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. We’ll start with insurance related articles and blend into finance and investing. Does your health insurance policy pay for sex? InsureBlog’s Bob Vineyard explores the question, and comes up with some surprising info with his post about Sex Insurance…. Read more about Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk
Losing Weight A Good Idea Before Surgery
Francis Kinley-Manton has arthritic hips that have confined her to a wheelchair for two years. She wanted hip replacement surgery, but her doctor told her that she needed to lose 30 pounds before he would do the surgery. She lives in the UK, and the British National Health Service would have paid for the operation… Read more about Losing Weight A Good Idea Before Surgery
Health Insurance Can’t Be Optional
In Mass, everyone has to have health insurance by January 1. Their new universal health insurance system has expanded government coverage options and driven down the price of private insurance with government subsidies and state collaboration with health insurance companies. But everyone has to sign up. If they don’t they’ll face tax penalties starting next… Read more about Health Insurance Can’t Be Optional
Moving Away From Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Julie Appleby has written an article for USA Today discussing the decline of employer-sponsored health insurance in the US. As group health insurance premiums continue to rise, it’s impractical to expect employers to keep absorbing the costs. More and more employers are collecting larger premium percentages from their employees, and the number of employers who… Read more about Moving Away From Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Health Beat Hosts the Health Wonk Review
A newcomer to our little “health wonk blogosphere”, Maggie Mahar of Health Beat hosts the latest Health Wonk Review. She’s done a nice job of going through each of the articles and coming up with an opinion about them, and (like a blogger is supposed to) letting us know what her opinion is. This gives… Read more about Health Beat Hosts the Health Wonk Review
What Are We Waiting For?
Paul Krugman has written an op-ed piece for the New York Times that perfectly sums up the excuses we keep hearing about why universal health care wouldn’t work in the US, and why the excuses aren’t really valid at all. He sums up the problem: The United States spends far more on health care per… Read more about What Are We Waiting For?
A Sad Story About Generic Drugs
With the advent of TV advertising for pharmaceuticals, I lost a lot of respect for the drug industry. The more I learned about how much money they spend wooing doctors and medical schools, and paying practicing physicians as consultants, the more that respect dwindled. But I think it’s hit a new low. I didn’t know that… Read more about A Sad Story About Generic Drugs
Of Course It Won’t Be Easy
According to policy experts, it might not be an easy task for other states like Colorado to duplicate the new Massachusetts law the brings nearly universal health coverage to the state. Apparently Mass. already had a “free care pool” in place that they are able to use to subsidize the new health-care-for-all program. In other… Read more about Of Course It Won’t Be Easy
Health Care Has Become Too Complicated
In 1999, 70.4% of Americans under age 65 had employer sponsored health insurance. By 2005-2006, that number had fallen to 63.2%, and the trend is likely to continue as health care costs rise, taking health insurance premiums along for the ride. Health care has become the 800 pound gorilla in the room in our current… Read more about Health Care Has Become Too Complicated
Cavalcade of Risk #38 Is Up
“Super Saver” is hosting this weeks Cavalcade of Risk. This week’s Cavalcade concentrated on Insurance and Investing risk, with a smaller representation on Health, Business and Personal risk. Bob Vineyards submission, I Am Not a Carpenter, is a very entertaining read for experienced health insurance agents. By the way, ask him about his pantyhose. I am excited that… Read more about Cavalcade of Risk #38 Is Up