Several times each week, we talk to clients in Colorado who have been declined by a health insurance carrier in the past. Quite often they express concern about the “black mark” on their record, and wonder if they will ever be able to qualify for a medically underwritten policy. So I thought I’d clear up some of the most common misconceptions about individual health insurance underwriting and previous declines. […]
Individual/Family Health
Public Health Insurance Plan Deserves A Chance
[…] I like the idea of a public health insurance system operating side by side with our private system. I think that there are people who would immediately opt for one or other system just on principal. But I think that there are lots of people who would wait and see what happens. Either way, the idea of a public/private health insurance system deserves a chance.
Medicare Buy In Option A Good Idea
[…] I wonder what would happen if they did decide to open Medicare up to anyone who wanted it and was able to pay for it? If the premiums were lower than what you pay now, would you switch? I’m guessing that a lot of the 744,000 uninsured people here in Colorado would be willing to take a chance on government-run health care if they could afford the premiums. […]
A Cost Saving Idea For Health Insurance Companies
In the nearly seven years we’ve been selling health insurance in Colorado, we’ve seen a lot of technology advancements. These days, applications are online and there are broker websites where we log in to see the status of applications, current premiums for each client, renewal premiums, etc. But health insurance companies still send too much paper mail to agents.
eCare Management Has the Health Wonk Review
At the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, we’ve written about how PCPs are an effective weapon in the battle against overuse of technology and increasing costs in health care. We’ve also written about how a salary (based on quality and outcomes) for PCPs would make more sense than the piecemeal income they currently earn.
United HealthCare Lets You Buy Future Insurability
[…] Golden Rule has launched Continuity in 25 states, and is working to roll out the program in the other states where they market policies. Colorado isn’t one of the first 25 states, although Golden Rule is a big part of the individual health insurance market here, so I expect that we’ll see the Continuity option here before long. […]
How Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance Could Work
[…] I do believe that such a system could work under roughly the same framework that we have today in the private health insurance market. It remains to be seen what health insurance reform will actually come about over the next few years. I think that the combination of guaranteed issue and mandatory coverage has a lot of merit and deserves a second look.
Health Care Sticker Shock
Individual deductibles on employer-sponsored health insurance polices rose to $1000 this year, from $500 in 2007. If you buy your own health insurance, this probably seems like a bargain. Our Colorado clients have hundreds of options for coverage, but $500 is the lowest deductible offered by most carriers; some don’t offer deductibles below $1000 […]
Health Insurance Reform Alone Is Not The Solution
[…] At the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, we’re part of the health insurance industry, but we also try to look at health care reform from an unbiased position. We see the shortcomings in the health insurance industry; we also see failures throughout the health care industry in controlling costs and providing affordable access to health care for everyone. […]
Mandatory And Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance
[…] I think scrapping medical underwriting would drive health insurance premiums out of reach for the average American. That would mean even more people without health insurance. Here in Colorado, making health insurance mandatory gained a lot of ground last year with the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care, but we haven’t seen any changes yet.
United Healthcare Eliminates FACT Fee
United Healthcare/Golden Rule has always required that members joined an association called “FACT” in order to purchase the health insurance. It was only $3/month, but it was still annoying. For applicants submitting new applications from today on, there is no more FACT fee!
The Failings Of The Free Market In Health Care
At the Colorado Health Insurance Insider, we’ve often written about the “free market” in health care. In our corner of the industry, there’s really only a free market for the healthiest of applicants. Those with pre-existing conditions can’t get some polices no matter how much they’re […]
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.
Colorado Earns D On Prematurity Report Card
The March of Dimes has released a report card on the nation’s premature birth rates. Colorado got a D. Not good, but we’ve got a lot of company: the whole country got a D overall. Only nine states earned grades higher than a D, and not one state got an A. It turns out that a lack of health insurance is a big part of the problem. […]
The Future Of Our Health Care System
[…] Here in Colorado, Cigna has just started offering individual health insurance policies, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield has rolled out their new Smart Sense plan for individuals. I doubt that reputable carriers like Cigna and Anthem would be putting time and money into new plans if they sensed single payer health care just around the corner.
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.
Colorado Businesses To Pay More For Health Insurance
[…] Because nearly two thirds of small businesses in Colorado currently receive a discount on their health insurance based on health and claims history, and because any such discounts will be disappearing in January because of HB1355, I think this could be playing a significant role in the premium increases that Colorado employers will be facing next year.
Health Insurance Premiums For Men And Women
The issue of women paying more than men for health insurance has been in the news quite a bit in recent days. In Colorado – as in most states – women pay more than men for health insurance until age 50-55. I believe it would be more logical to average the costs of health insurance for men and women, and charge the same rates to both groups. […]
Who Americans Blame For Rising Health Care Costs
[…] I think this survey is interesting in that it shows the perceptions people hold with regards to the health care industry. But I think it’s also indicative of the lack of transparency in health care pricing, and a lack of exposure to the actual costs of health care that occurs when most medical bills are funneled through the health insurance system.
Debate Ideas For Health Insurance Reform
[…]the “whole premise of insurance” is a little different when it comes to health insurance. We can’t put price tags on lives the way we can on cars. And we can’t easily ascertain fault when it comes to medical history the way we can with driving history […]
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.
Autism And Health Insurance
[…] In Colorado, health insurance carriers are not required to pay for behavior therapy to treat autism. But what if the government stepped in with a program like Medicare for autism? The government could negotiate lower reimbursement rates, but because all children with autism would be receiving care there would be an increased volume for providers.
Anthem Blue Cross Introducing SmartSense In Colorado
[…] I’m a big fan of no-frills health insurance policies. I like high deductible policies with solid coverage after the deductible is met. We’re excited to see more details about SmartSense, but at first glance it’s looking like it will be a good option for clients in Colorado who are looking for a policy from a reputable insurer at an affordable price.
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.