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Texas Health Insurance Is Easy

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Texas Health Insurance Is Easy

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas leads the country in the number of people without Texas health insurance. Although nearly one in five Americans, are not insured, it is estimated that one in three Texans are uninsured. In Texas Medical Association report, “additional 5.5 million Texans – including 1.4 million children – lack health insurance”.In a report published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, “The uninsured are a diverse group that includes people who cannot afford private health insurance, working in small businesses that do not ‘ insurance, who simply choose not to buy health insurance, even if they can afford it, who are eligible – not registered – government-sponsored programs such as in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), and recent immigrants. The most notable omission from these reports is that it is often difficult for people to navigate the selection of Texas get health insurance. There are a multitude of choices and decisions. Do I get an individual or family coverage? Should I go with a health organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO) or another type of plan? What kind of deductible should I choose?The task to find Texas health insurance is even more daunting because, as you move from a health insurance company to another, you find that each offers a different set of options.

Accordingly, it is difficult to compare apples with apples proverbial. Most people do not realize that a full-service agency based in Texas health insurance can help every one of individuals and families to small business owners and Medicare beneficiaries understand the options that are their disposal to obtain insurance. Better still, these agencies offer their services and free support. It is because they are compensated by insurance companies, rather than the insured. Therefore, you can collect the benefits of their expertise impartial, free of charge. Best of all, some of these agencies have implemented easy to use online systems that allow you to obtain quotes, compare Texas health insurance plans and even apply online – all from the comfort your home. In fact, you can view the plans of health insurance, life insurance, dental plans, health insurance plans and all in one place. To obtain quotes for health insurance, for example, simply enter your details into an online form, and then provide some basic information about you and other family members you wish to insure. The system will then generate quotations from a variety of companies, which allows you to compare side by side. You can sort the results by a number of factors, including the health insurance company, plan type, deductible, co-payment, and the estimate of the premium. Once you decide which plan you prefer, you can apply online. Every day, health insurance is a growing number of people with affordable health insurance Texas. In return, those who obtain health insurance rest easier know that their families and they are protected.

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deadline on health care bills

Monday, August 30th, 2010

deadline on health care bills

The Legislature has until the end of the month to pass or reject several key health bills, making this week a turning point for some reforms related to the new federal health law.

Among the measures heading for a final floor vote are bills that would regulate health insurance rates and set up an “exchange” through which consumers would buy insurance under the federal law.

The legislative session is set to end Aug. 31, so lawmakers must act on the pending legislation, or the bills will die.

“I’ve not seen a year with such a combination of significant health care legislation that could be potentially passed and signed,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a statewide consumer and labor advocacy coalition.

Several of the bills are generating controversy. A bill that would set up California’s health insurance exchange, the virtual marketplace of health insurance options required in 2014 under the federal law, passed the Assembly on Friday. The bill, authored by Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, is scheduled to go back to the Senate and be voted on with a companion bill.

Insurers are against both bills, as are several Republican lawmakers, without amendments that would limit taxation on insurers and require more legislative oversight. They argue that the bills set up a new bureaucracy with broad powers to tax them and create disadvantages for smaller health plans in the exchange.

“Our concern is that (the bill) sets up very broad authority and powers,” said Charles Bacchi, executive vice president of the California Association of Health Plans. “We believe if they make wrong decisions, it could result in fewer choices for consumers.”

Health insurers are also fiercely opposed to several bills that propose various forms of rate regulation, an issue that gained traction earlier in the year after Anthem Blue Cross proposed a 39 percent rate increase on 800,000 individual California policyholders.
Power over rate increases

The rate-hike proposals include a bill by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, that would require insurers to justify rate increases, and one by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, that would give state regulators the power to approve or deny rate hikes.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a separate plan that would require health care insurers to hire actuaries to review their proposed premium increases.

Bacchi, referring to the Jones bill, said rate regulation diverts attention from the need to curb medical costs. “Health care costs are going up enough,” he said, “without having to create overly burdensome and expensive new government bureaucracies to handle this.”

The California Medical Association and the California Hospital Association join the insurers in their opposition, arguing that if the insurers are squeezed, they’re likely to turn around and squeeze doctors and hospitals through lower reimbursement rates.

“We think the solution to the problem has already been approved as part of federal health care reform: mandating that plans meet a minimum medical loss ratio,” said Andrew LaMar, spokesman for the physicians group, referring to the requirement that insurers spend at least 80 percent of their revenue on patient care.
Coverage of vaccinations

Separately, the medical association is backing a bill that would require insurers to pay the full cost of acquiring and administering vaccinations, a potential mandate the health insurers oppose.

The California Hospital Association, which represents the state’s hospitals, is supporting a bill that would extend deadlines for some hospitals to seismically retrofit their buildings and is opposing a bill that would require hospitals to disclose the cost and quality of procedures.

But the main focus is on bills that would direct the state on how to manage the new health law.

“The 800-pound gorilla staring us all in the face is health care reform legislation, but there’s still so much unknown because regulations haven’t been drafted on the federal level,” said Jan Emerson, spokeswoman for the hospital group. “We’re on the precipice of some major changes to our health care system, but how that plays out on the state level is not yet fully understood.”
Countdown on health care bills

Here are some of the key health care bills that the Legislature must act upon before the session ends Aug. 31:

Assembly Bill 2578: Authored by Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, it would require approval from state regulators for increases in health coverage premiums.

Senate Bill 1163: This bill by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, would require insurers to justify denials and premium increases.

Senate Bill 900 and Assembly Bill 1602: These companion bills authored by Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, and Assembly Speaker John Pérez, D-Los Angeles, would establish the health insurance “exchange” required under federal law.

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Buying Texas Health Insurance

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Buying Texas Health Insurance

Having health insurance in Texas is crucial to keeping your health intact. There are plenty of places that have health insurance in Texas. Most of them are competitive, because they have affordable prices. So basically, you have your pick of the small when searching for a health insurance plot. If you are one of those people that don’t have a clue as to how you should go about looking for an affordable health plot, this article will clarify how to go about it.

Health insurance quotes

With the emergence of the internet, it is much simpler to find what you’re looking for in health insurance coverage. Just use one of the major search engines and plug in where you live along with the words “health insurance quotes”. With some health insurance plans in Texas, they are connected with certain hospitals, depending on where you live. It’s a excellent thought to have health insurance where you can go to a medical facility that is close to your home.

There will probably be many entries for you to choose from. Look through the ones that you reckon best fit you and go over what they have. Look for those that are affordably priced and have the options that you want. There are some of them that don’t cover certain options, such as testing and related items. You need to know what options are available with the plot you’ve selected. You want your health insurance in Texas to cover the things you need.

You can always consult with the health insurance provider to make sure that you have the right options for your health insurance. Then you may not need extras with your health insurance. It all depends on what you need. Some people with health insurance in Texas need more; on the other hand some people need less. It all depends on the needs of the policyholder and their family. The need to have health insurance in Texas is very crucial; without it you and your family could suffer a fantastic disservice.

If you are looking for dental insurance, that will probably be separate from regular health insurance. In addition to that, vision insurance may be on a separate platform. Question the health insurance provider for quotes before you make your final choice on health insurance in Texas. Also, question the health insurance provider about making arrangements for flexible payment plans. It’s vital for you to know your payment schedule before you start giving them money.

Just like with health insurance anywhere else, you have to make sure that you can afford the payments. You don’t want to skip on a payment and then be cancelled. You should customize your health insurance so that you won’t have distress paying on it each month. Having health insurance in Texas is crucial in order for you to stay healthy.

Even though you may be bogged down with looking for health insurance in Texas, it has still become simpler to get, especially with the internet. the internet has made it possible to research further and get the best deal for you and your family.

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Health Insurance Info

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Health Insurance Info

Five Ways to Cut your Health Insurance Costs

Nearly one-third of all health-insurance premiums increased to 30 percent or more. At that rate, the average cost of health insurance per employee will exceed ,000. Seventy-three percent of senior executives believe health-care costs will continue to increase 20 percent or more each year for the next three years. The message here is clear: If you haven’t already gotten serious about cutting your company’s health-insurance costs, now is the time. It can be done. The first thing you should do is learn how the system works–or doesn’t work. Most small employers spend fewer than four hours a year thinking about their company health plans. Learn what your options are. Your insurance agent can help you shop for cheaper plans. But don’t stop there. Compare plan benefits, insurance-company records, and service guarantees.

Consider Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans and HMOs (health-maintenance organizations), even if your agent doesn’t handle them. The Blues in some areas, offer clear advantages to small companies. Experts regard HMOs as the best buys in health care. Find out if your company is eligible for new, low-cost health insurance plans now available in five states. In addition, foundation-funded pilot projects in several parts of the country are demonstrating that it is possible to cut health-coverage costs 30 to 40 percent. In short, health insurance isn’t as simple as it used to be. And the pace of change is accelerating, offering new hope for a truce in the business battle with exploding health-care costs. The next couple of years present as much potential for change as at any time in the past 20 years. You can be part of that change by putting at least some of the following 5 ideas to work for your company.

1) Increase Cost Sharing By Employees

This recommendation is at the top of every consultant’s list. Small companies tend to pay far more of their workers’ total health-care bill than large companies do. Yet research shows that insulating employees from the costs of care encourages unnecessary use of health services. Fifty-two percent of the companies responding to the Nation’s Business health survey said they pay 100 percent of their employees’ health-insurance premiums. But 45 percent said they intended to implement or increase employee contributions to these premiums. An equal number said they plan to increase employee deductibles. Insurance companies first attached 0 deductibles to major-medical plans in the early 1950s. But 40 percent of employers still set deductibles at 0 or less. Raising a 0 deductible to 0 would cut premium costs for single coverage by about 11 percent. A 0 deductible would cut costs by about one-fourth. A ,000 deductible would save about one-third.

2) Allow Employees To Pay For Health Premiums With Tax-Free Dollars

Set up a so-called flexible spending account, which allows your employees to pay their share of health-insurance premiums and un-reimbursed health-care expenses with pretax dollars. A flexible spending account could save employees 20 cents to 35 cents on the dollar, because state and federal income taxes and Social Security taxes are not imposed.

Moreover, the company saves by reducing the employee’s base salary on which it pays Social Security and other taxes. Hire an outside payroll accounting firm to handle the paperwork. You can pay the service fee and still come out with a net savings. The monthly administration fee would run between and per employee.

3) Transfer High-Risk Employees To The State’s High-Risk Pool

Insurance premiums soar whenever someone in a small-group plan becomes very ill–with cancer or heart disease, for example. As an employer, you should explore the possibility of moving employees with serious health problems into a state high-risk pool and then negotiating a lower premium for the healthy members of your group.

4) Switches To An Open-Enrollment Blue Cross And Blue Shield Plan

Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans operate as de facto high-risk pools in a number of states by providing “open enrollment” periods during which any group can buy insurance. Among the 74 Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations nationwide, 21 offer open enrollment. All the Blues once used community rating to set premium levels. But that began to change in the 1960s when commercial insurers started to lure away firms with low risks by offering them cheaper health insurance.

5) Replace Your Traditional Health Plan With An HMO

Unlike traditional health insurance, HMOs cover all medical needs, including routine preventive care, for a flat monthly fee that typically is less expensive than traditional health insurance. Moreover, two types of HMOs, the staff and the group models, have proven to be more effective at controlling costs than any other form of health-care delivery. Staff models employ physicians directly and put them on salary.

For more articles related to this subject and others please visit Health Insurance.info

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Fact Sheets Home Health Care

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Fact Sheets Home Health Care

Home health care helps seniors live independently for as long as possible, given the limits of their medical condition. It covers a wide range of services and can often delay the need for long-term nursing home care.

More specifically, home health care may include occupational and physical therapy, speech therapy, and even skilled nursing. It may involve helping the elderly with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Or it may include assistance with cooking, cleaning, other housekeeping jobs, and monitoring one’s daily regimen of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

At this point, it is important to understand the difference between home health care and home care services. Although they sound the same (and home health care may include some home care services), home health care is more medically oriented. While home care typically includes chore and housecleaning services, home health care usually involves helping seniors recover from an illness or injury. That is why the people who provide home health care are often licensed practical nurses, therapists, or home health aides. Most work for home health agencies, hospitals, or public health departments that are licensed by the state.

How Do I Make Sure That Home Health Care Is Quality Care?
As with any important purchase, it is always a good idea to talk with friends, neighbors, and your local area agency on aging to learn more about the home health care agencies in your community.
In looking for a home health care agency, the following 20 questions can be used to help guide your search:

How long has the agency been serving this community? Does the agency have any printed brochures describing the services it offers and how much they cost? If so, get one. Is the agency an approved Medicare provider? Is the quality of care certified by a national accrediting body such as the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations? Does the agency have a current license to practice (if required in the state where you live)? Does the agency offer seniors a “Patients’ Bill of Rights” that describes the rights and responsibilities of both the agency and the senior being cared for? Does the agency write a plan of care for the patient (with input from the patient, his or her doctor and family), and update the plan as necessary? Does the care plan outline the patient’s course of treatment, describing the specific tasks to be performed by each caregiver? How closely do supervisors oversee care to ensure quality? Will agency caregivers keep family members informed about the kind of care their loved one is getting? Are agency staff members available around the clock, seven days a week, if necessary? Does the agency have a nursing supervisor available to provide on-call assistance 24 hours a day? How does the agency ensure patient confidentiality? How are agency caregivers hired and trained? What is the procedure for resolving problems when they occur, and who can I call with questions or complaints? How does the agency handle billing? Is there a sliding fee schedule based on ability to pay, and is financial assistance available to pay for services? Will the agency provide a list of references for its caregivers? Who does the agency call if the home health care worker cannot come when scheduled? What type of employee screening is done?

When purchasing home health care directly from an individual provider (instead of through an agency), it is even more important to screen the person thoroughly. This should include an interview with the home health caregiver to make sure that he or she is qualified for the job. You should request references. Also, prepare for the interview by making a list if any special needs the senior might have. For example, you would want to note whether the elderly patient needs help getting into or out of a wheelchair. Clearly, if this is the case, the home health caregiver must be able to provide that assistance. The screening process will go easier if you have a better idea of what you are looking for first.

Another thing to remember is that it always helps to look ahead, anticipate changing needs, and have a backup plan for special situations. Since every employee occasionally needs time off (or a vacation), it is unrealistic to assume that one home health care worker will always be around to provide care. Seniors or family members who hire home health workers directly may want to consider interviewing a second part-time or on-call person who can be available when the primary caregiver cannot be. Calling an agency for temporary respite care also may help to solve this problem (see the Respite Care fact sheet for more information about these services).

In any event, whether you arrange for home health care through an agency or hire an independent home health care aide on an individual basis, it helps to spend some time preparing for the person who will be doing the work. Ideally, you could spend a day with him or her, before the job formally begins, to discuss what will be involved in the daily routine. If nothing else, tell the home health care provider (both verbally and in writing) the following things that he or she should know about the senior:

Illnesses/injuries, and signs of an emergency medical situation Likes and dislikes Medications, and how and when they should be taken Need for dentures, eyeglasses, canes, walkers, etc. Possible behavior problems and how best to deal with them Problems getting around (in or out of a wheelchair, for example, or trouble walking) Special diets or nutritional needs Therapeutic exercises.

In addition, you should give the home health care provider more information about:

Clothing the senior may need (if/when it gets too hot or too cold) How you can be contacted (and who else should be contacted in an emergency) How to find and use medical supplies and medications When to lock up the apartment/house and where to find the keys Where to find food, cooking utensils, and serving items Where to find cleaning supplies Where to find light bulbs and flash lights, and where the fuse box is located (in case of a power failure) Where to find the washer, dryer, and other household appliances (as well as instructions for how to use them).

A WORD OF CAUTION . . .
Although most states require that home health care agencies perform criminal background checks on their workers and carefully screen job applicants for these positions, the actual regulations will vary depending on where you live. Therefore, before contacting a home health care agency, you may want to call your local area agency on aging or department of public health to learn what laws apply in your state.

HOW CAN I PAY FOR HOME HEALTH CARE?
The cost of home health care varies across states and within states. In addition, costs will fluctuate depending on the type of health care professional required. Home care services can be paid for directly by the patient and his or her family members, or through a variety of public and private sources. Sources for home health care funding include Medicare, Medicaid, the Older Americans Act, the Veterans’ Administration, and private insurance.

Medicare is the largest single payer of home care services. The Medicare program will pay for home health care if all of the following conditions are met:

The patient must be homebound and under a doctor’s care; The patient must need skilled nursing care, or occupational, physical, or speech therapy, on at least an intermittent basis (that is, regularly but not continuously) The services provided must be under a doctor’s supervision and performed as part of a home health care plan written specifically for that patient The patient must be eligible for the Medicare program and the services ordered must be “medically reasonable and necessary” The home health care agency providing the services must be certified by the Medicare program.

To get help with your Medicare questions, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY/TDD: 1-877-486-2048 for the speech and hearing impaired) or look on the Internet at http://www.medicare.gov.

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT HOME HEALTH CARE?
There are several national organizations that can provide additional consumer information about home health care services. These include the following:

The National Association for Home Care, which can be reached at 202-547-7424 or by visiting its website at www.nahc.org. The postal address is: 228 7th St., SE; Washington, DC 20003. The Visiting Nurse Associations of America, which can be reached at 617-737-3200 or by visiting its website at http://www.vnaa.org. The postal addresses are: 99 Summer St., Suite 1700; Boston, MA 02110.

To find out more about home health care programs where you live, you will want to contact your local aging information and assistance provider or area agency on aging (AAA). The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging (at 1-800-677-1116 or http://www.eldercare.gov  can help connect you to these agencies.

Case Study

WHEN IS HOME HEALTH CARE APPROPRIATE?
Because it is not always clear to the average person when an ailing senior needs home health care and when he or she needs nursing home care, it is usually best to consult a medical professional for advice. The following case study describes one situation in which home health care proved to be the right choice.
Francis is 84 years old and recently had a stroke. She was hospitalized briefly and then discharged to continue recovering at home. To enable her to return home, her doctor called a home health care agency, and the agency gave Francis a complete home health care plan for six weeks. Since the doctor ordered the home care for Francis, Medicare paid for it.

For the first week after Francis went home, a nurse visited her every day. The nurse met with Francis’s family to discuss her special dietary needs and to arrange for exercise therapy to help Francis regain her strength. Once that was done, the nurse visited Francis twice a week to check on how well she was recovering. The home health care agency also sent a homemaker, a personal care attendant, and a physical therapist to visit Francis several times during the week. The homemaker would do the shopping and cook light meals. The personal care attendant would help Francis bathe, get dressed, and walk. The physical therapist would keep Francis moving and see to it that she got some exercise to aid in her recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paloma Home Health Agency Inc. provides quality service to the elderly, sick, and disabled
Let us meet your everyday needsWe can be reached at 972-346-2013 or http://www.palomahomehealth.com

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Health Insurance Quotes Reform Obamacare & Buying Individual Health Insurance

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Health Insurance Quotes Reform Obamacare & Buying Individual Health Insurance

JANUARY 29, 2010

This Week in Health Care Reform

Following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Massachusetts State Senate last week and the resulting loss of Senate Democrats’ supermajority, lawmakers continue to pave the way for health care reform – with limited progress. In addition, polls indicate that the public would rather lawmakers focus more on the economy than on health care.

State of the Union Address

President Obama Gives State of the Union Address: On Wednesday evening, President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Having hoped to have a health care reform bill on his desk prior to his address, the President instead used his speech to encourage Congress to push forward on health care reform. Yet, he did not give specific guidance as to how to proceed with the legislation. Instead, he made it clear that his primary focus would be on jobs and the economy.

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Health Care Reform Negotiations

Democrats Still Seek Way Forward: While vowing not to give up, Democratic Senate leaders indicated Tuesday that they no longer felt pressure to move quickly on health care reform; and, in the wake of the Massachusetts election and in reaction to public opinion, they shifted focus to jobs and the economy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) commented that there is “no rush” on health care and said that he and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) were working to map out a way to complete health care reform in the coming months. On Wednesday, Sen. Pelosi floated a two-pronged strategy to pass incremental changes now and pursue comprehensive reform later.

Some lawmakers have considered breaking up the legislation into smaller pieces that have bipartisan support. However, this option will prove challenging given the complexities and interdependencies of the measures. For example, lawmakers would like to include a measure that requires all insurance companies to insure those with pre-existing conditions; however, premiums will most likely increase unless there is an individual mandate.

Earlier this week, Democrats appeared to be coalescing around a different strategy through which Senate lawmakers would make changes to their bill to appease members of the House. The Senate would then pass the revised bill via reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes. Following that, the House would approve the revised bill, giving it to President Obama for his review. However, movement on this strategy stalled Tuesday when two centrist Senators, Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), indicated that they would oppose using reconciliation to bypass Republican support. Others, including Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), have suggested a “time out” on health care reform until there is a clear path forward.

In the GOP response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell said that Republicans share the Democrats’ desire for health care reform, but do not agree with their proposed solutions. Republicans suggest that Democrats scrap the current proposals and start over with more Republican input on issues such as medical malpractice reform and selling insurance policies across state lines.

Republicans Call for Transparency: On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up a resolution presented by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) which requested that the administration divulge documentation regarding the health care reform deals made with trade associations and a labor union. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said that while details remained to be worked out, he would support a narrowed version of the Republican request for White House records.

President Obama to Speak with House Republicans: President Obama will meet with House Republicans on Friday in response to an invitation to speak at their annual retreat in Baltimore that begins Thursday and ends Saturday. The meeting comes just after the President’s State of the Union address, and members of the news media speculate that the meeting may spur more bipartisanship or potentially lead to even more tension between the two parties.

Interest Groups Call for Reform: With health care reform’s fate in jeopardy, interest groups have voiced their support, encouraging Democrats to push forward with legislation. The AARP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Consumers Union, Families USA and Service employees International Union sent a joint letter last Thursday urging Congress not to abandon comprehensive health care reform. Further, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also sent a letter to Congress urging a push for reform.

Public Opinion

Polls Show Concern with Health Care Reform; More Focus on Jobs and Economy: Several polls were released this week that highlight the public’s disenchantment with health care reform and anxiety around the struggling economy.

A new CNN/Opinion Research poll released Tuesday shows that only three in ten Americans say they want Congress to pass legislation similar to the bills currently being discussed in Congress. Forty-eight percent of Americans would like lawmakers to start again on a new bill, and 21 percent believe Congress should not work on bills that would change the current health care system. Further, a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of Americans believe President Obama has paid “too little attention” to the economy and that 44 percent feel he has paid “too much attention” to his proposed health care overall.

In addition, a new USA Today/Gallup poll released late last week finds that most Americans call for a more bipartisan effort in health reform. A 55 percent majority of Americans say that President Obama and Congressional Democrats should suspend movement on health care reform and consider alternatives that would increase Republican support.

A poll released last weekend by the Washington Post , Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University’s School of Public Health indicated that dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, including the Democrats’ health care reform proposals, drove the outcome of the Massachusetts election. The post-election survey of Massachusetts state voters showed that overall 43 percent say they support the health care reform proposals advanced by President Obama and Congressional Democrats, while 48 percent oppose them.

A new poll released Monday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that fears regarding the health care reform package increased significantly in December as members of the Senate finalized their bill. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they believed their access to care would worsen if the legislation passed, up from 25 percent in November. Forty-two percent said the country’s finances would suffer under reform, compared with 34.6 percent in November.

Looking Ahead

Next week, the President will present his Budget to Congress (which includes health programs), after which Congressional hearings will commence. We expect health reform to be discussed in these sessions. While there remains no clear path forward for health care reform, Congressional leaders will continue to work to find a solution.

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Health Insurance Reform Easytoinsureme February 5 2010

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Health Insurance Reform Easytoinsureme February 5 2010

FEBRUARY 5, 2010

This Week in Health Care Reform EasyToInsureME FEBRUARY 5 2010   

Despite proclaiming to focus on other issues, such as the economy and jobs, President Barack Obama injected new energy into the health care reform debate this week.

On Monday, President Obama held a Q&A session via YouTube in which he responded to questions submitted during his State of the Union address. He commented that “it is my greatest hope” to have health care reform legislation “not just a year from now, but soon.” He also responded to criticisms regarding the lack of transparency around the reform negotiations.

On Tuesday, at a town-hall-style meeting in New Hampshire, President Obama rejected the notion that health care reform was dead, saying “we’ve got to punch it through.” Further, on Wednesday, he met with Senate Democrats reiterating his commitment to reform and encouraging lawmakers to press forward. He also suggested that Republicans play at least some role in negotiating a final bill.

Health Care Reform Negotiations

Democrats Look for Path Forward: Recent statements made by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) are the first concrete signs that Democrats have started working to revive comprehensive health care reform legislation. Rep. Rangel indicated to the media that lawmakers have begun writing a compromise bill based on the legislation passed by the Senate last December. The bill will incorporate changes agreed upon last month by White House negotiators and members of the House and Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) did not commit to a timeline for reform, but hopes that Democrats can agree to a path forward by next week. So far, he has been unable to identify compromise language that will win the needed 51 Senate votes.

At the same time, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) indicated that the House would vote on a small piece of the overall health care reform package next week. The proposed bill would overturn the insurance industry’s exemption from federal antitrust laws. The Senate version of health care reform did not include this measure because Sen. Reid could not secure the 60 votes needed to include it; however, Sen. Reid indicated the Senate would reconsider the measure.

Additional Activities

President Obama’s Budget Assumes Health Care Reform: On Monday, White House officials released a proposed .8 trillion 2011 budget including several measures aimed at improving health care:

·        Hiring more fraud detectives to root out waste in Medicare and Medicaid

·        Providing .5 billion to help state Medicaid programs swelling with enrollment due to unemployment

·        Eliminating Congressional earmarks for building hospitals and other facilities, including million for Alaska and million for Mississippi

·        Initiating or increasing funds for the following research projects:

o       quality improvements for seniors with chronic conditions

o       effective medical treatments for the costliest conditions

o       expeditious ways to adopt electronic medical records

o       medical fields such as genetic medicine that may provide breakthrough treatments.

Further, the budget assumes that some form of health care reform legislation will pass Congress. It includes a “reserve fund for health care reform” totaling 4 billion as a “down payment” for the legislation and also assumes that the reform effort will generate 0 billion in savings over 10 years.

States Begin Initiatives to Expand Coverage: With the fate of national health care reform in question, state legislators are pushing their own bills to expand coverage. Last Thursday, California’s State Senate passed a measure to create a government-run health care system, ignoring a veto threat from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The measure is now with the State Assembly. Missouri legislators have introduced a similar bill to create a government-run plan whereas lawmakers in other states, including Virginia and New Jersey, are working to tweak existing state programs to expand coverage. Tight budgets in all of those states may hinder these efforts.

Virginia Senate Says No to Individual Mandates: On Monday, Virginia’s Democratic-controlled State Senate passed measures that would make it illegal to enforce an individual health care mandate. This decision comes in direct conflict with the House and the Senate health care reform bills, both of which require all individuals to purchase health insurance.

Public Opinion

Majority of Americans Doubt Passage of Health Care Reform, but Growing Optimism: A survey released by the Pew Research Center on Wednesday shows growing optimism around the passage of health care reform. While the poll indicates that the majority of Americans (60 percent) do not believe health care reform legislation will pass this year, the figure is down from the 67 percent who said – just after a special Senate election was held last month in Massachusetts – that such legislation would not pass.

Poll Indicates Damage Done On Health Care Reform: A poll released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling shows that Republicans currently have the advantage over Democrats in the ballot races for Congress, regardless of the final outcome of health care reform. In general, the poll shows that 43 percent of voters surveyed would vote for a Republican, whereas 40 percent would vote for a Democrat. When asked about the implications of the health care overhaul.

* If health care reform passes, 45 percent would likely vote Republican and 40 percent would likely vote Democrat.
* If health care reform does not pass, 43 percent would likely vote Republican and 38 percent would likely vote Democrat.

The poll also shows that 36 percent of respondents support the President’s health care reform effort, while 51 percent oppose it.

Looking Ahead

Currently there is no timeline for the development of a comprehensive health care reform package. However, Speaker Pelosi is moving forward with smaller pieces of the bill, starting next week with the repeal of the antitrust exemption for insurance companies.

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Health Insurance Reforms Easy To Insure Me Health Insurance Quotes

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Health Insurance Reforms Easy To Insure Me Health Insurance Quotes

President Obama’s Health Insurance Bill

President Obama Releases New Health Care Proposal in Time for Health Summit: On Monday February 22, 2010, White House officials unveiled a new health insurance reform overhaul that builds on the Senate version passed last Christmas Eve, with some changes aimed at pleasing House Democrats who had concerns with the Senate bill. The President’s proposal does not include the public option, despite the hopes of Senate Democrats, due to White House concerns that the provision will hinder passage in the Senate. President Obama ignored requests by Republicans to scratch the Democratic plan and start over. As such, Republican leaders questioned Democratic motives and labeled the bill as a massive government takeover of America’s health care system.

Republicans Insist House Democrats Don’t Have the Votes to Pass Legislation: Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) announced on Wednesday that Democrats don’t have the necessary votes to pass the President’s proposal in the House because of three new House vacancies and lagging support among some moderate Democrats. At issue for some Democrats are weaker abortion provisions in the President’s proposal as well as the ongoing controversy over passing a bill by a simple majority, a process known as reconciliation.

Health Care Summit Preview

On Thursday, the President’s Health Care Summit began at 10:00 a.m. with opening comments from the President, followed by remarks from both Republicans and Democrats. The discussion centered on four themes: controlling health care costs, overhauling the insurance market, reducing the deficit and expanding insurance coverage. Prior to Thursday, several top Republicans and some Democrats stated that expectations were extremely low for the Summit’s success.

House Republicans arrived armed with their own version of a health care bill that encourages small businesses to join together to buy insurance, gives federal money to states to run high-risk pools for those unable to obtain private insurance and limits damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. The Republican plan would cost billion and cover three million people over ten years. In contrast, President Obama contends his plan would cost 0 billion and cover 30 million people over the same time period. However, officials at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) indicated they would not be able to officially score the President’s proposal with just a summary – that legislative language is needed.

Note: A full summary of the results from the Health Care Summit will be included in next week’s newsletter

Additional Activities

WellPoint Executives Defend Premium Increases: On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to examine the proposed health insurance premium increases by Anthem Blue Cross in California. Anthem, a WellPoint subsidiary, recently informed subscribers in California that premiums for individual insurance policies would be raised an average of 25 percent, with some rates going up as much as 39 percent. Angela Braly, president of WellPoint , said the premium increases were justified by soaring medical costs, and that pending legislation could make the problem worse, driving up costs further for young, healthy people.

“Raising our premiums was not something we wanted to do,” Ms. Braly said . “But we believe this was the most prudent choice, given the rising cost of care and the problems caused by many younger and healthier policyholders dropping or reducing their coverage during tough economic times. By law, premiums must be reasonable in relationship to benefits provided, which means they need to reflect the known and anticipated costs they will cover.”

In Sacramento , Leslie Margolin, president of Anthem Blue Cross in California, also testified before lawmakers, joined by vice president and general manager James Oatman. The focus of that hearing was also the proposed premium increase for California members in the individual market, with company executives pointing to the current economic climate and rising health care costs as reasons for the rate hikes.

U.S. House of Representatives Repeals Antitrust Exemption from Health Insurance Companies: On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 406-19 in favor of repealing a 65-year-old antitrust exemption from health insurance companies. Democrats said the repeal would lead to increased scrutiny of the industry. Yet, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said last year that repealing the exemption would not significantly reduce premiums because states already investigate health insurance companies.

In addition, industry executives pointed out that legislation could further hinder competition and the ability to share information to improve health care quality. “Health insurance is one of the most regulated industries in America at both the federal and the state levels,” said Karen Ignani, president and chief executive of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). “The real focus should be on addressing the rising cost of medical care, which is putting an unsustainable burden on families, employers and the federal budget,” she said.

Public Opinion

Polling Suggest Health Care Reform is Still Key to Economic Recovery: Recent polling on health care reform shows mixed reaction among the public over the proposed legislation. According to a recent CNN poll, 48 percent of those questioned said lawmakers should work on an entirely new bill and 25 percent felt that Congress should stop work on health care reform altogether.

According to the monthly poll from the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 75 percent of Americans still think it’s important that Obama include health care reform in addressing the nation’s economic crisis, while many still harbor doubts about the legislation.

When asked how health care legislation relates to their economic situation:

* Nearly 31 percent said they thought the Democratic bills would make their personal financial situation worse, compared with 10 percent who said it would improve their family budgets.
* Forty-two percent said the nation’s fiscal condition would suffer because of the legislation, compared with 26 percent who said it would get better.
* Americans were divided on whether the Democrats’ approach would improve overall access to health care around the country, with 35 percent saying it would and nearly that many disagreeing.

Health Insurance Coverage Varies Widely Based on Age: Coming just before the President’s Summit on Health Care Reform, a newly released Gallup Poll reinforces the wide degree of variability in health insurance coverage across U.S. population segments, especially when it comes to age. Eighty-four percent of 18-year-olds have health insurance, most likely because they are still covered under their parents’ policies. By age 22, health insurance coverage reaches its lowest point, with just 66 percent maintaining coverage. From age 22 on, the percentage of Americans with health insurance begins to climb, albeit slowly, reaching the 95 percent level at age 65 when Medicare becomes an option.

Looking Ahead

Legislators need to determine next steps for health care legislation coming out of the President’s Health Care Reform Summit. On Wednesday, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius invited executives from the top five insurance companies to meet at HHS to discuss their companies’ insurance premiums.

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Health Savings Accounts

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Health Savings Accounts

As the owner of an independent health insurance agency and the founder of a website for comparing health insurance providers I often get asked, “What type of health insurance do YOU have?” Of course, no one health insurance company or health insurance plan is right for everyone because everyone has different needs, lives in a different area, etc… but I can certainly feel comfortable telling people that I personally have a Health Savings Account (HSA) and I absolutely love it!
Here are 7 reasons why I love my HSA:
#1 All Contributions to my HSA are Tax Deductible

Every single dollar that I contribute into my HSA http://www.easytoinsureme.com/united-health-one.html every year is deductible on the front of my personal 1040 tax return (up to certain annual limits imposed by the IRS – for 2010 the maximum deductible HSA contribution is ,050 for singles and ,150 for families with those age 55 or over getting an extra ,000 allotted maximum contribution amount).  This HSA contribution deduction is great because it is an “above the line” deduction meaning that it is deducted before arriving at your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) number.  To make this deduction even better there are absolutely no income phaseouts for the HSA contribution deduction so you could be Bill Gates or Warren Buffet and still take the full HSA contribution deduction.  The more money you make the more attractive this deduction is to you.
#2 The Money in my HSA Grows Tax Free

All of the money in my Health Savings Account grows tax free as long as I use the money in the account for qualified medical expenses or wait until I am age 65 or older and use it for my retirement.  Yes, you heard me right “Tax Free” not just “Tax Deferred” as you may be accustomed to hearing about with a 401K or other similar tax deferred account.
#3 I Can Choose any Health Insurance Company I Want

Another reason I love my HSA is that the HSA itself is simply a savings account with some special paperwork so that it receives special treatment from the IRS.  The HSA itself is NOT health insurance but is simply the second component of what is commonly thought of as a HSA health insurance plan with the first component being a high deductible health insurance plan (according to the IRS a high deductible health insurance plan is any health plan with a deductible of at least ,200 for singles and ,400 for families – so still pretty low minimums).  What this means is that many different banks offer Health Savings Accounts and you can choose the bank that you prefer to set up your HSA and then buy your high deductible health insurance plan from any insurance company that you like.  You can even purchase a plan from United Healthcare one year and then shop around in year two and switch to a potentially cheaper plan with Humana and then in year three switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield, etc.  This ability to constantly comparison shop and not be tied to one particular insurance provider is a great benefit to an HSA (as your actual savings account component of the plan still stays with your original bank).
#4 I Pay Very Low Monthly Premiums

The higher the deductible is on your health insurance plan then the lower your monthly premium payments will be.  Since a high deductible health insurance plan is a requirement for opening a Health Savings Account then one of the nice things about the plans is that the monthly premiums are comparatively very low!  I would much rather save a large sum of money every month by paying less in premiums each month than paying extra for a very low deductible and co-pays.
#5 I Am Firmly In Control of My Health Care Dollars

The beautiful thing about an Health Savings Account as compared to a Flexible Spending Account is that while Flex Spending Accounts require you to use up the money in the account every year all of the money that you contribute to an HSA rolls over from year to year.  In fact, as mentioned above, even if you don’t end up using the money in your HSA for medical expenses (a good thing!) then when you reach age 65 you can withdraw the money tax free for your retirement.  Most HSA custodians will give you an option to place your HSA money into a savings account, investment account, etc. as the decision is up to you as to where you place your HSA account money.
#6 I Can Rest Easy

Admittedly some people simply sleep better at night knowing that they have a very low deductible and low co-pays for things like doctor’s visits and prescriptions and I understand that but I like to think of it like this -  After your first year of contributing the maximum to your HSA then unless you use up all of the money with a large unforeseen medical bill then you will have enough money in your HSA for years two and on that even if you have to meet your deductible then as long as your HSA health insurance plan covers all expenses 100% once the deductible is met then you effectively have zero out of pocket costs because you already have the money in your HSA account!  Sure, if you start an HSA tomorrow and you have only contributed a couple hundred dollars into the account so far and you get hit with a big medical bill then you will have to come out of pocket for your deductible amount but once you have maxed out your HSA contribution for a year or two then you are essentially home free with potentially no additional out of pocket costs even for large medical bills!
#7 HSA Setup is Very Easy

If you can open a savings account then you can open a Health Savings Account just as easily.  If you can apply for a regular health insurance plan then you can apply for a high deductible health insurance plan just as easily.  Almost every bank has HSA’s available and almost every health insurance company has high deductible health insurance plans available.  Setting up an HSA is so easy that I probably took twice as long to write this article as it would take you to apply for both a Health Savings Account at your bank and a high deductible health insurance plan at your health insurance company.

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The Week In Health Reform

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

The Week In Health Reform

The Week in Health Reform—Federal Legislative Overview

The White House
On March 3, President Obama continued his push for Members of Congress to complete health insurance reform legislation within the upcoming weeks.  He delivered a statement to a group of medical professionals in the East Room of the White House, in which he said that he has asked Senate and House leaders to finish work on health reform and schedule final votes in the next few weeks.  The President went on to say that the issues have been debated thoroughly and that now is the time to make a decision.  Although he did not specifically mention the budget reconciliation process, the President said that the American people deserve an “up or down” vote on health reform in the same way that welfare reform and tax cuts were approved by Congress in the past under reconciliation rules.

The President said that health insurance reform would change three things:

* End the “worst practices” of health insurance companies
* Give individuals and small businesses the same kind of choices members of Congress have
* Bring down health care costs for families, businesses and the government

The President made numerous references to the health insurance industry and stated that there is a fundamental disagreement between Republicans and Democrats about whether there should be more or less regulation of health insurance companies.  The President concluded by emphasizing that he will do everything in his power to make the case for health reform in the coming weeks, and he also urged the American people to make their voices heard.

In addition, the President said he is open to exploring policy priorities identified by Republicans at the bipartisan summit such as:

* Conducting undercover investigations of health care providers that receive reimbursement from federal programs.
* Appropriating funds for state-based demonstration programs to test alternative approaches, including health courts, to resolving medical malpractice suits.
* Linking Medicaid eligibility expansions to higher Medicaid reimbursement for physicians.

* Clarifying that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) may be offered through the proposed health insurance exchanges.

On March 4, Health Care Service Corporation President and CEO Pat Hemingway Hall attended a meeting at the White House, along with CEOs from other leading health insurance companies and officials from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.  The group met with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and President Obama to discuss premium issues in the individual market.

House and Senate
Congressional leaders are now focused intensely on developing legislative language that could be supported by a majority of members in both chambers.  The President’s comments last week send a strong signal that such legislation, once finalized, would move through Congress under budget reconciliation procedures.

Under reconciliation rules, the House first would have to pass the Senate version of the health care reform bill, H.R. 3590, which passed on Christmas Eve last year.  After that, the House would then be required to pass a separate “corrections” bill incorporating specific changes to that bill that will likely be negotiated among White House officials and House and Senate leaders.  After the House passes the “corrections” bill, under budget reconciliation procedures, the Senate would need at least 50 senators to vote for the “corrections” bill.  Under reconciliation rules, only a simple-majority vote of 51 votes are needed for passage (Vice President Joe Biden would be the 51st vote if only 50 senators vote for the bill) and filibusters are banned.

In order to meet the goal of sending a final health reform bill to the President’s desk before the Easter recess (which is scheduled to begin on March 29), congressional leaders would need to send legislative language to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for cost analysis in the very near future. On March 4, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that President Obama hopes the House of Representatives will pass the health reform bill by March 18, so the rest of the process can move swiftly.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is now tasked with trying to corral votes in the House, while trying to assure those who are wary that the Senate will be willing to support the same measures. Some House members are worried about being left “holding the bag,” if the Senate decides it will not support some of the same legislative language.

In order to ensure the Democrats have enough votes, President Obama invited two groups of the Democratic Caucus to the White House on March 4 to continue to push for health reform passage.  Members from the Congressional Progressive Caucus were:
Caucus Chairs Raúl Grijalva (AZ) and Lynn Woolsey (CA), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chairman Mike Honda (CA), Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Barbara Lee (CA), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez (NY), Reps. Dennis Kucinich (OH), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA) and Jan Schakowsky (IL), as well as delegates Madeleine Bordallo (Guam) and Donna Christensen (Virgin Islands).

Afterward, Obama met with key members of the New Democrat Coalition.   The New Democrats, like the Blue Dogs, are a group of fiscally conservative Democrats.  Attendees of this meeting included:  Reps. Jason Altmire (PA), Melissa Bean (IL), Lois Capps (CA), Joe Crowley (NY), Ron Kind (WI), Allyson Schwartz (PA) and Adam Smith (WA).

Overview: Extension of Physician Payment “Fix” and COBRA Provisions
On March 2, the Senate passed H.R. 4691, the “Temporary Extensions Act of 2010″ and President Obama signed it into law.  This legislation includes a one-month extension of the Medicare physician payment “fix,” premium assistance for unemployed workers with COBRA and state continuation coverage, unemployment insurance and several other legislative provisions that expired on February 28.  Before voting on passage of the bill, the Senate first voted on an amendment by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) that would have offset the billion cost of the “extenders” package.  This amendment was defeated and therefore no further legislative action was needed.  The bill was later signed by the President.

Overview:  The “Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act” – H.R. 4626
In a letter dated March 3, 22 Democratic Senators wrote to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urging him to bring H.R. 4626, the “Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, to the Senate floor at its earliest opportunity.  In the letter they state that “[this legislation] is an important step toward bringing competition to the health insurance market, and would ensure that anticompetitive abuses such as price fixing and monopolization are policed in the health insurance industry.”  America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) CEO Karen Ignagni maintains the position on the legislation saying, “The rhetoric surrounding repeal [anti-trust exemptions] does not match the reality of the situation.  Health insurance is one of the most regulated industries in America at both the federal and the state levels. The Act is extremely limited in scope and has nothing to do with competition within the health insurance industry.  In fact, a wide range of insurer activities, including mergers and many types of business practices, are and always have been subject to federal antitrust laws and to enforcement by the Department of Justice.”

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