Advance Scans Limited By Health Insurance Companies
March 28, 2008
Advanced medical scans like CT scans are going to be limited because of spiraling costs as well as safety concerns. Emerging evidence suggests that these scans are often over prescribed. There are more concerns about safety, rising costs and quality in this area.
More preauthorizations are being required by health insurance firms before patients get these scans. There are other restrictions including a credentials check on the imaging equipment as well as the staff operating it. Due to repeated CT and PET scans, patients may be exposed to dangerous levels of radiation, many times more than that of a regular chest X-ray.
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Lack Of Insurance: The New Killer
March 21, 2008
Apart from the regular killers like cancer, aids, diabetes etc. we now have a new killer – lack of insurance. Many people are putting off a visit to the doctor and the reason is that they don’t have health insurance. In Missouri almost ten working age adults die every week due to lack of insurance. This data is from a Families USA report.
It shows the impact of lack of health insurance on whether people live or die. According to this study in 2000, 18,000 adults died due to lack of insurance. In 1006 this figure rose to 22,000. In 2006 there were about 47 million uninsured Americans. People who are uninsured forego much of the medical care they need including buying medicines.
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Self Employed Health Insurance
March 15, 2008
There are 10.6 million self employed US workers who know how difficult it is to get quality health insurance. With the US economy slowing down, this number is likely to rise. For married people, their spouse who is working can get them coverage through employers.
In November, most companies start open enrollment. It is then that your spouse can add you and family to her plan. The COBRA act can be useful in the meanwhile. You can use this option even if your spouse does not have group insurance.
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Value of Pet Health Insurance
March 14, 2008
Many pet owners do not go for pet health insurance even when they can afford it. Then, when your animal needs orthopaedic surgery you feel like kicking yourself in the butt. Veterinary costs shot up 40 percent between 2002 and 2007. In 2007 Americans spent 10.1 bn on insurance.
The increase was likely due to more services being available to pet owners as well as more people wanting to take advantage of these services. Just 10 years back, hip replacement and cataract surgery for pets was unknown.
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Which To Choose – Individual Or Family Health Insurance?
March 9, 2008
Often when looking for insurance you are faced with the choice between individual and family health insurance. Generally individual health insurance is cheaper than insurance meant for the entire family. If the individual suffers from many complications then it could be more expensive.
If you buy an individual plan you may have to decide between a basic or major insurance plan. If you pick the doctors you want to visit the plan will be more expensive. If you have four dependents then a family plan turns out cheaper than four individual plans.
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Choosing Affordable Health Insurance
March 6, 2008
Health insurance is extremely expensive for low income families. With a looming recession, it is all the more essential to buy good health insurance at the right cost.
To buy the right health insurance, first find out what is covered and if it matches your requirements. Deductibles and copayments must be well looked into. A good idea is to compare the various insurance plans online. This results in a saving in cost as well as time.
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Gift Cards For Good Health
March 2, 2008
Humana is offering it’s members gifts if they maintain good health. They launched a program called healthy returns. Medicare beneficiaries are to be given gift cards to Borders, Lowe’s, CVS and Macy’s if they live healthier. There are three pilot projects within this program.
Within the first program this years enrollees can a earn a gift card worth $15 upon completion of a health risk assessment. Based on this assessment it can be determined what kind of changes are needed in the assessee to lead a healthier lifestyle. Should they exercise more or change their eating habits or take some other steps that will enable them to be healthy.
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Should Health Insurance Be Compulsory For Everyone
March 1, 2008
This election season health insurance is more important as a topic than ever for the presidential candidates. During Ohio’s presidential debate 16 minutes were devoted to this topic where Clinton and Obama vigorously debated over who could better insure the health of America.
Both candidates want to strengthen employer based health insurance as well as provide more options for people who cannot get insurance through their jobs. Both want health insurance plans to be open to everybody. Reduction in wasteful spending as well as higher taxes to the wealthy are to be means to achieve the aim of universal health care.
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