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Sunscreen, A Swimsuit, and Your Health Insurance Card

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According to a Business Week article, most of the major US health insurance carriers are moving towards including overseas hospitals in their provider networks, in an effort to encourage policy holders to utilize the much less expensive services that can be found in many of Asia’s top-notch private hospitals. Most of the hospitals are accredited… Read more about Sunscreen, A Swimsuit, and Your Health Insurance Card

Lower Share Prices For Humana And Wellpoint

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Humana and Wellpoint – both major players in the Colorado health insurance market – lowered their 2008 earnings projections on Wall Street this week. In both cases, higher-than-expected claims volume is partially to blame. Humana’s earnings drop is mainly tied to claims with their Medicare prescription drug program, which the company says will reset after… Read more about Lower Share Prices For Humana And Wellpoint

More Transparency For Network Negotiated Prices

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When Jay had an MRI on his knee last month, we were charged $1200. The EOB tells us that the Vail Valley Medical Center in Vail, Colorado, charges $1600 for the procedure. Our Humana health insurance has a negotiated rate of $1200, which is what we paid (we hadn’t met the deductible yet, so we… Read more about More Transparency For Network Negotiated Prices

If You Break It, You Buy It

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I read somewhere recently that compliance with hand washing standards in American hospitals is less than 50%. That alone is enough to make me thankful that Jay and I have chosen a home birth for our baby this spring, but it also raises lots of questions about medical care in general. If something as simple… Read more about If You Break It, You Buy It

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Product Enhancements

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Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has long been a major player in the Colorado health insurance market. Brokers and clients alike tend to feel comfortable with Anthem Blue Cross, due in large part to their stability and network size. Yesterday I met with our Anthem Blue Cross representatives, and discussed some of their product enhancements…. Read more about Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Product Enhancements

Autism Funding Still A Struggle

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Abby Tappert has autism. The four year old from Boulder, Colorado has had developmental difficulties since birth, and didn’t take her first step until age two. But with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy, she has improved dramatically, and can now talk and interact with her family – something they didn’t know if she would ever… Read more about Autism Funding Still A Struggle

Health Insurance Policy Maximums Stuck in the 90s

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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

Anthem Blue Cross Leads The Way

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Over the past couple years, I’ve made a push to eliminate bigotry from the Colorado health insurance market. My main focus has been to persuade Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado into making those positive changes first. They’ve got the biggest market share of the Colorado individual and small group health insurance markets, so… Read more about Anthem Blue Cross Leads The Way

Colorado Health Insurance Companies Walking the Walk

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Some popular health insurance companies in Colorado are making the news with their healthy employee incentive programs. A growing number of companies in Colorado and nationwide are offering free medical screenings, discounts or cash incentives to motivate employees to exercise more, eat better and quit smoking. They hope that a healthier work force will contain… Read more about Colorado Health Insurance Companies Walking the Walk

New MyAnthem Member Portal at Anthem.com

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Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado is introducing a better way for our clients to track their explanation of benefits (EOB) forms, accumulations and out-of-pocket expenses – through MyAnthem member portal at anthem.com. The new site features familiar functions and intuitive navigation. And, members who previously registered with MyAnthem don’t have to re-register…. Read more about New MyAnthem Member Portal at Anthem.com

Online Application Video Tutorials

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We’ve been trying to figure out a convenient way to help people with the online application process for the various health insurance companies in Colorado that they can use at any hour. Our clients can call or email us with questions, but sometimes they just want to see a tutorial that they can just reference… Read more about Online Application Video Tutorials

Universal Health Care and the Colorado Health Insurance Industry

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A very hopeful Bill Ritter was inaugurated as the new Governor of Colorado on tuesday.  He campaigned about changing the healthcare system in Colorado in order to help the 700,000 Coloradoans without health insurance.  And in his inaugural speech, he reminded us that because he is “here for the people of Colorado”, he’ll actually do… Read more about Universal Health Care and the Colorado Health Insurance Industry

Tonik Rate Increase for Colorado Effective February 1, 2007

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In 2005, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado launched Tonik, three simple, affordable and comprehensive individual PPO plans with a quick online application designed specifically for uninsured 20-somethings. So far, Tonik has done very well – in fact, 60 percent of Tonik applicants were previously uninsured, and 75 percent of Tonik applicants are… Read more about Tonik Rate Increase for Colorado Effective February 1, 2007

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

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

Financial Incentives For Good Health

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I have a friend who is a physician’s assistant, and spent some time working for a city wellness program.  The plan was set up to help city employees improve their overall health, and in the process, get a discount on the health insurance premiums that were deducted from their paychecks.  I think this could be… Read more about Financial Incentives For Good Health

Separate Your HSA from Your Health Insurance

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All of the health insurance companies we work with in Colorado now offer HSA qualified high deductible health insurance plans (HDHP). After you’re approved for an HSA qualified HDHP with these companies, they’ll send you information and application information to sign up for a health savings account with a bank they work with. For example,… Read more about Separate Your HSA from Your Health Insurance

End of an Era

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Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado has come out with new non-group health insurance applications.  On the previous applications, they only requested medical history information from the previous 5 years.  This week, they increased that amount of time to 10 years “so the underwriting department can appropriately assess risk for certain medical conditions.”  Now,… Read more about End of an Era

Caz Matthews Comes Back to Denver

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Caz Matthews led Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Colorado as President from 1999 to 2005.  In that time, she turned around the company from having unorganized customer service and a sinking financial outlook.  After the merger of Anthem Inc. and WellPoint,  Caz left Colorado to lead Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia; which was… Read more about Caz Matthews Comes Back to Denver