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Individual/Family Health

Not A Lot Of Comparison Shopping with HSAs Yet

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With health insurance premiums on an every-increasing trend, employers and individuals have been looking for ways to cut costs. High deductible health insurance plans in combination with health savings accounts have been widely touted by government officials as a way to lower costs. Indeed, the premiums for an HDHP are generally lower than premiums for… Read more about Not A Lot Of Comparison Shopping with HSAs Yet

More Thorough Underwriting A Good Idea

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A district court of appeals in CA has ruled that insurers must review health insurance applications for accuracy before a policy is issued, rather than wait until an insured has a large claim to initiate a review.  This seems like a very valid requirement, and is something I’d like to see implemented here in Colorado… Read more about More Thorough Underwriting A Good Idea

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

The Vaccination Debate – Emotions Trumping Logic

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Jay and I have been researching vaccines lately. We’ve both been vaccinated numerous times (my vaccine record is a mile long, after spending two years in the Peace Corps), but for our baby, we wanted to know more before we just blindly followed the majority and vaccinated according to schedule. I’ve been reading for weeks,… Read more about The Vaccination Debate – Emotions Trumping Logic

Individual Health Insurance Not That Affordable Or Accessible

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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

Continuing Discussion on Vaccines and Choice

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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

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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

History Of Obstetrics Is Not Reassuring

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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

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

Hospital Sale Will Limit Health Care

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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

Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk

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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

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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

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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

Cavalcade of Risk #38 Is Up

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“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

Colorado "Health Report Card"

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While Coloradans tend to be healthier than residents of other states, senior citizens are faring better than the state’s children and infants, according to a study by the Colorado Health Foundation.The nonprofit foundation’s 2007 “Health Report Card,” released Wednesday, found that based on 40 health indexes: Colorado residents overall got a B-minus grade when compared… Read more about Colorado "Health Report Card"

Just Put it on the Credit Card – It’ll All Work Out

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Democrats obviously haven’t thought far enough ahead about their plans to fund SCHIP.  On the other hand, Senator Trent Lott has: “They fund it with a 61 cent a pack tax increase and say by the way, that will discourage people from smoking. That’s good. But the problem is if people do stop smoking you… Read more about Just Put it on the Credit Card – It’ll All Work Out

Humana Acquires CompBenefits

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It’s not as newsworthy as when United Healthcare acquires a company like PacifiCare or AMS, or the “Don’t taze me bro” loser getting tazed. But I figure I should still mention the fact that Humana acquired CompBenefits today. http://www.compbenefits.com/news/100107.html CompBenefits is a dental and vision provider. So this should make Humana even more competitive in… Read more about Humana Acquires CompBenefits

Back to School with HWR

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In a back to school version of the Health Wonk Review, Joe Paduda put together an easily readable collection of the best health care policy discussions in the recent health policy blogosphere. He started out with a collection of posts about “HillaryCare 2.0”, which was very interesting.  And David Williams of the Health Business Blog always… Read more about Back to School with HWR