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Specialty Drugs Boost Health Insurance Premiums in Colorado

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Health insurance premiums in Colorado and the rest of the country are expected to increase by at least 10% in 2007, driven mainly by the cost of expensive specialty drugs. An article I just read from the Associated Press (published by the Insurance Journal) said that specialty drugs accounted for 19 %, or about $40 billion worth of pharmaceutical… Read more about Specialty Drugs Boost Health Insurance Premiums in Colorado

Universal Private Health Insurance for All

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In a previous article on the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, we were excited about Gov.-elect Bill Ritter’s promise to provide health insurance to the 760,000 residents of Colorado that are uninsured, but skeptical of universal health insurance plans recently enacted in other states. However, I’ve since reviewed a new plan by Senator Ron Wyden (D OR)… Read more about Universal Private Health Insurance for All

Health Wonk Review #22

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You’ll find the latest edition of the Health Wonk Review over at the MSSP Nexus blog.  The Colorado Health Insurance Insider gets mentioned with Louise’s opinion of what needs to be done to fix the health care crisis in this country.  You’ll also find an article by InsureBlog, which comments on what a county in California is actually… Read more about Health Wonk Review #22

What Needs To Be Done

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There is a crisis in the American health care system.  The government got very excited about health savings accounts a couple years ago, but HSAs have not fixed anything.  There are 41 million uninsured people in this country – and that doesn’t count everyone who’s already on government-sponsored Medicare and Medicaid.  It is not uncommon… Read more about What Needs To Be Done

Alternatives to Prescriptions for Common Ailments

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I recently read two articles touting alternatives to prescriptions for very common medical scenarios.  The first was about treating depression, the second was about treating ear infections in children.  Antidepressants and antibiotics for ear infections are very close to the top of the list of most frequently mentioned prescriptions when we ask Colorado health insurance clients about their… Read more about Alternatives to Prescriptions for Common Ailments

Big News for HSAs

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Over the weekend, Congress passed huge new changes in HSA Legislation, it only needs the President’s signature to become law. With an effective date of 2007 for the law, we wanted to make Colorado Health Insurance Insider readers aware of the possible changes. All of the legislation is an improvement for HSAs and includes the following. Full HSA Deduction. The new… Read more about Big News for HSAs

Eagle County Colorado Offering Same Sex Partner Benefits

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Eagle County, in the Colorado mountains, will begin offering health insurance benefits to their employees’ same sex partners, provided the couple meets the same “common law” guidelines required for heterosexual couples to obtain benefits.  Same sex partner benefits are becoming more common among private companies, but Eagle County is the first public (ie, tax-payer funded)… Read more about Eagle County Colorado Offering Same Sex Partner Benefits

Anthem Blue Cross of Colorado Small Group Health Insurance News

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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance recently announced the expansion of their HMOSelect network in Colorado to Elbert, El Paso and Teller counties effective November 1, 2006. What this means For cost-conscious Small Group employers, there’s bound to be an HMOSelect plan that fits their unique needs. These employers can make the most… Read more about Anthem Blue Cross of Colorado Small Group Health Insurance News

Health Insurance For All Colorado Citizens by 2010

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America’s health system is breaking down and health costs are increasing more than five times the earnings increase for Colorado workers.  HSAs were introduced in 2004 as a way to cut down on over-utilization, but they aren’t gaining wide acceptance, they don’t really help the problem anyway, and they won’t work.  But there is a more progressive… Read more about Health Insurance For All Colorado Citizens by 2010

Mullets, Cotton Candy, and Ringtoss…

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Yup, it’s carnival time! Yesterday, Emily of The Antidote hosted a very well written Grand Rounds.  She included Louise’s article “Wasting Health Care Dollars”.  She comments… Colorado Health Insurance Insider bemoans the waste of money from “routine” childbirth procedures like episiotomy (no longer recommended as a routine procedure, by the way) and unindicated cesarean sections…. Read more about Mullets, Cotton Candy, and Ringtoss…

Don’t Confuse Generic with Brand Name

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Since Wal-Mart rolled out their $4 generic prescription program in Colorado, I’ve talked to several people who said they don’t need a policy with prescription coverage “because Wal-Mart has $4 prescriptions now“. The $4 prescriptions at Wal-Mart were such big news, I don’t think the message got through in the media that generics weren’t that expensive… Read more about Don’t Confuse Generic with Brand Name

A Healthy Employee Is a Good Employee

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It seems that every day we hear more bad news about health, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, healthcare costs, and uninsured Americans.  I just read a great AP article about employers who are doing more than just talking about improving the health of their employees.  From loaning bikes to employees to making nutritious food more affordable in… Read more about A Healthy Employee Is a Good Employee

For Health Wonks Only

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Michael Cannon has put together a great Health Wonk Review over on Cato at liberty.  He does a great job commenting and describing each post so you’ll have an easy time deciding which articles suit your interest.

How To Save on Health Insurance in Colorado

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1. Get quotes from multiple Colorado health insurance companies Premiums for health insurance in Colorado can vary greatly, sometimes as much as 50% for similar plans. When comparing plans, be sure to look at the benefits as well as the monthly premium. Make sure your plan provides adequate catastrophic coverage, preferably at least two million… Read more about How To Save on Health Insurance in Colorado

The Healthcare Battleground

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The rapidly rising cost of health care has taken a toll on the relationships between hospitals and insurers. The suspension of the agreement between HCA and United HealthCare in Denver garnered national attention this fall as the two health care big-dogs struggled to work out their differences. Rather than harmoniously working towards a common goal… Read more about The Healthcare Battleground

The Logical Insurance Salesman Has Skinny Kids

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I was recently talking to a Colorado client about her husbands health insurance options.  She had the option of adding him to her group plan for $415 per month.  They had been shopping all over the internet for an individual health insurance plan and had decided that they wanted the most comprehensive plan available and… Read more about The Logical Insurance Salesman Has Skinny Kids

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Now Has Rating Areas

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Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado used to be the only company with one rate grid for the entire state of Colorado.  That’s not the case anymore now that they’ve released their rates for 2007.  Anthem’s number crunchers have come up with four sets of rates for Colorado, based on the cost of services,… Read more about Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Now Has Rating Areas