[…] everywhere I look these days, the outlook seems pretty bleak. I wonder how many of the optimistic ideas that were tossed about during last year’s campaign will be scrapped for the time being. Hopefully the people who don’t have health insurance (and all the people who are at risk of joining them) will not become a forgotten minority.
Group Health
The Real Price Of Brand Name Prescription Meds
[…] If a rep presents a new med to a doctor, mentions that it’s a whiz-bang drug, and brushes the cost off by saying something like “it’s a brand name drug, but the copays on brand names are usually only about 20 bucks more than generics” the fact that the drug actually costs more per month than most car payments will probably not factor into the doctor’s prescribing decisions. […]
Different Perspectives
[…] Sometimes we need to be reminded that not everyone is aware of the actual cost of health insurance or health care. To us, reform that lowers costs across the board is a very important issue. But with such huge discrepancies in what people are paying for their health insurance, we’re not even in the same book yet, say nothing of on the same page.
The Affordability Of Individual Health Insurance
[…] Colorado has average premiums below the national rate, at $141/month for an individual. If you’re healthy there are plenty of affordable options available, and in the event of a serious health problem, an individual health insurance policy will protect your assets. Which is why we have health insurance in the first place.
The Cover Colorado Option
[…] going uninsured means that if (when) they do run into an expensive medical problem in the future, they will be out of luck, as Cover Colorado (and other high risk pools) will enforce a waiting period on pre-existing conditions. So we still find ourselves in a situation where people are uninsured and lacking realistic access to health care.
Know the Numbers Behind Health Insurance Reform
[…] At the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, I’ve written about how employer-sponsored health insurance might not be the best set up. But while I see flaws in the group health insurance system, I’ve don’t believe a switch to individual health insurance would be prudent without making major changes to how individual health insurance is set up.
More Regulation Needed To Mandate Employer Coverage
[…] If our overall goal is increasing the insured population among employees of small businesses here in Colorado and across the country, I think the answer lies with the government covering some portion of the premiums or the claims, in addition to asking employers to take more responsibility for their employees’ health insurance.
Business 101 For Joe The Plumber
[…] So Obama would increase taxes on the plumbing business by $900/year (if the business is making an annual profit of $280,000). McCain would let the business keep that $900/year, but he would take away more than $9,000 in tax savings that the business gets by deducting health insurance premiums.
Where The Uninsureds Live
[…] In Colorado, there are 12 counties with at least 29.7% of their population with no health insurance. I think this micro-analysis of the uninsured population is long overdue, and I’m hopeful that it will help lawmakers and health insurance carriers target the hardest hit areas when new policy designs and future government health care subsidies are introduced.
What To Look For When You Choose A Health Insurance Policy
John Martie, President of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Colorado, has written an article with pointers consumers can use when choosing a health insurance policy. His article focuses on group coverage, but I think his advice is just as pertinent for people searching for their own health insurance in the individual market. […]
How HB1355 Will Affect Our Colorado Clients
[…] HB1355 prohibits any type of rating based on health history of a group. So while I’m sure the businesses that had been paying an increased rate for their health insurance will be grateful to see the implementation of HB1355, there are four Colorado businesses that I know will not benefit at all, and will actually see significantly higher health insurance premiums next year.
Lower Rate Increases Often Come With Fewer Benefits
[…] Once HB1355 takes effect in Colorado in January, we’re likely to see even more small businesses switching to lower-cost, high deductible health insurance plans. HSAs will eventually lead to more transparency in health care and more savvy consumers. But it will be a bumpy road for families adjusting to the change
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 […]
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.
Individual Health Insurance Vs Government Intervention
[…] regulations would also be eliminated. For example, state laws that mandate coverage for mammograms or hospital stays after childbirth could be ignored at will.” I’m not sure what they’re referring to here, as there are plenty of mandates on individual policies in Colorado, and I haven’t heard anything about individual health insurance carriers being able to ignore them.
Obama And Individual Health Insurance Mandate
[…]I’m curious how Obama’s plan would allow people to buy in groups without regard for pre-existing conditions, without driving the cost of health insurance even higher. Attacking the problem from the health insurance side is putting the cart before the horse. While I’m pleased to see health care taking such a major position in this election, I’d like to see both candidates focus on the underlying costs of our entire health care system, rather than just looking at ways to get everyone insured. Because if people can’t afford the insurance, and if insurance companies can’t afford to pay claims, simply having access to insurance won’t solve our health care problems.
McCain Health Care And Individual Health Insurance
[…] because if we remove the underwriting from individual health insurance plans, the prices would increase dramatically. But for people with serious pre-existing conditions, options for coverage are seriously limited in the current market. In Colorado, we’re lucky to have a guaranteed issue high risk pool health insurance plan, but it’s expensive and has high out-of-pocket costs.
Colorado Businesses Don’t Want Mandatory Health Insurance
The Blue Ribbon Commission for health care reform in Colorado has recommended a mandate for health insurance coverage, but not necessarily coverage that is tied to employment. And it should come as no surprise that business owners on the western slope – just like business owners all over Colorado – are not excited about the idea of being required to provide employees […]
Elective Cesareans Not A Complication Of Pregnancy
We got a notice in the mail yesterday from Humana, one of the health insurance carriers we represent in Colorado. They have revised their definition of complication of pregnancy to include cesareans, but not elective cesareans. I was very pleased to see this, and I’m glad that Humana is differentiating between the two. Obviously someone who schedules a c-section […]
HR 6210 Won’t Solve The Problem For Small Groups
We frequently get calls from employers here in Colorado who have three or four employees and would like to offer health insurance. But when they find out that the premiums are going to be a few thousand dollars a month, they realize that there is no way they can fit health insurance into their budget. Pooling together with other small businesses will help, but not […]
Number Of Underinsureds Rising Rapidly
While an employee at a big company might consider $500 to be a high deductible, the majority of our individual health insurance clients in Colorado choose deductibles between $2000 and $5000, in order to keep the premiums down. That same employee at the big company may only be paying a few dollars a week for health insurance (with the employer paying […]
Individual Health Insurance Won’t Work For Everyone
We work primarily in the individual health insurance market. Colorado is one of the healthiest states in the US, and yet we still have about one applicant in ten unable to obtain coverage. Luckily we have a high risk pool – Cover Colorado – that we can present as a last resort, but the high premiums and out-of-pocket expenses can be a bit off-putting. Although 9 out of 10 applicants […]
Employers And Health Insurance Don’t Need To Mix
What if every Colorado resident could be covered by a range of health insurance plans similar to what is available today in the group and individual market, but without any employer affiliations required? People would be covered continuously, regardless of their employment situation, and would not be trapped in a job just for the health insurance benefits […]
I Do – As Long As You Have Health Insurance
A new poll shows that 7% of Americans have married in the last year in order to obtain coverage through a spouse’s health insurance policy. And nearly a quarter of Americans have kept or changed jobs in the last year because of health insurance. These are major life decisions – marriage and careers […]
Pre-Existing Conditions a Serious Issue For Health Insurance
…in Colorado, Cover Colorado provides a reasonable coverage option, although many people find that the only deductible they can afford is much higher than they would like. But what about people who live in the 40% of states that don’t have a high risk pool? Or the ones who live in states where the high risk pool was financially swamped ages ago and hasn’t […]