Effective immediately, Longmont United Hospital will no longer be participating in Kaiser Permanente’s Colorado provider network for Preferred Provider Organization(PPO) and Point of Service (POS) benefit plans in the Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS) health insurance network. [Longmont United Hospital still works with the PHCS network – just not through Kaiser] Kaiser is very disappointed by… Read more about Kaiser Permanente Hospital Change for PPO and POS Members
Insurance Companies
Health Wonk Review at Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review
Bob Laszewski of “Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review” has the first Health Wonk Review of 2008. There are a lot of articles worth reading, but the one I found to be the most enjoyable was from Bob Vineyard of InsureBlog, titled “9/11, The Mick and Nataline.”
Grand Rounds at Path Talk
Trent, over at PathTalk.org, hosted the first Grand Rounds of ’08. There are a lot of good medical related articles. In my opinion, here are some of the best: Med Journal Watch with “It ain’t necessarily helpful” Everyday Nurses with “What, No Propofol?” – It’s not just the government run health care systems that try… Read more about Grand Rounds at Path Talk
More Thorough Underwriting A Good Idea
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
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
History Of Obstetrics Is Not Reassuring
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
Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk
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
C-Sections, Maternal Death, and Health Insurance
According to new government data, maternal death from childbirth is on the rise in the US, up to 13 deaths per 100,000 live births – 30 years ago the rate was 10 per 100,000 live births. The increase is attributed to several factors, including changes in how deaths are reported in some states, increasing maternal… Read more about C-Sections, Maternal Death, and Health Insurance
Humana Says the Price is a Secret
Note: This is the fourth entry in my price transparency experiment. See the first entry here, the second entry here, the third entry here, and the fifth entry here. Jay has written several times over the last month about his lipoma surgery and the billing headache that it has become. When we got the bill… Read more about Humana Says the Price is a Secret
Diabetes – An Ounce of Prevention
“We are spending as much on diabetes as we are on the entire Department of Education.” That statement, from Dana Haza, a senior director for the National Changing Diabetes Program (NCDP) is an eye-opener. The numbers are staggering. 12% of the government health-care budget in 2005 was spent on treating diabetes. And a recent study found… Read more about Diabetes – An Ounce of Prevention
Anthem Blue Cross Leads The Way
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
Gov. Ritter Fixes a Big Bill Owens Mistake
In May of 2006, a bill supported by 85 out of 100 Colorado legislators came across then-Gov. Bill Owens’ desk. S.B. 198 would have put an end to the practice of large health insurance companies taking advantage of family physicians by having their expert attorneys write contracts that (among other things) are purposely obfuscated and… Read more about Gov. Ritter Fixes a Big Bill Owens Mistake
Improving Colorado’s Health Insurance Market
The health insurance system works best when as many people as possible (preferrably all people) are covered. In a free market system, legislating the insurers is a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, we need to keep them from trying to only insure healthy people and excluding those with health conditions. But on the… Read more about Improving Colorado’s Health Insurance Market
Doctors Fight Back Against United Healthcare
United Healthcare has shown that it can be thuggish with its providers in the past by threatening to fine them $50 if patients decide to get testing done at facilities other than Laboratory Corp. of America or other United Healthcare selected labs. Readers have commented that the “AMA could of course advise physicians not to… Read more about Doctors Fight Back Against United Healthcare
Why Am I Still Faxing?
A couple weeks ago, our fax machine stopped working. Common sense just tells me that actually buying a new one would be like buying a new Sony Walkman cassette player… stupid. And we’re kinda wannabe hippies, so we’re trying to have a completely paperless office. And the whole paperless thing is going very well, except… Read more about Why Am I Still Faxing?
United Healthcare Pushes Around Doctors
Doctors say UnitedHealth Group Inc. is threatening to fine them over something they can’t control: patients’ behavior.Beginning March 1, UnitedHealth said it could fine a doctor $50 if a patient has tests done in facilities besides Laboratory Corp. of America or other labs that the company has selected. Doctors with patients who go out of… Read more about United Healthcare Pushes Around Doctors
New Kaiser Permanente Contracts for Longmont and Boulder Valley
The provider network for Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), has signed a new contract with Longmont United Hospital (LUH), effective January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007. In addition, 192 physicians of the Boulder Valley Individual Practice Associates (BVIPA) have agreed to return to the PHCS network. These providers have hospital privileges… Read more about New Kaiser Permanente Contracts for Longmont and Boulder Valley
Colorado Health Insurance Companies Walking the Walk
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
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
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
Tonik Rate Increase for Colorado Effective February 1, 2007
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
SEC Probes United Healthcare
I don’t think anybody will be surprised by the news that the SEC is looking into United Healthcare after their ex-CEO William McGuire’s stock option mess. McGuire was appointed president and CEO of what was then United Healthcare Corp. in 1989, then named chairman and CEO in 1991. Acquisitions he engineered helped United Healthcare rise… Read more about SEC Probes United Healthcare
Anthem Blue Cross of Colorado Small Group Health Insurance News
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
A Healthy Employee Is a Good Employee
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
The Healthcare Battleground
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