Health Insurance: Voters Demand Answers
October 12, 2008
Nowadays people have to work even during retirement just to take care of health insurance and health care costs. People have to buy private coverage till Medicare accepts them. Seniors often have insurance bills of about $1000 per month. This includes dental insurance and long term care insurance. Without working two part time jobs, perhaps you would not be able to afford insurance.
According to many Americans, health care will be a top priority when casting their ballot. Although socialized medicine is not what they want a system that allows all Americans health care is desired.
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US Health Insurance Data
October 12, 2008
According to a recent report released by the US Census Bureau only one person in every six people in the US who was below the age of 65 lived without health insurance in 2005. Data was collated across all states and took into account all ages, incomes and was for both men and women. The report data was collated by SAHIE (Small Area Health Insurance Estimates). This organization is the only source for such data.
With the help of this data, analysts as well as policy makers can frame health insurance policy in a manner that will impart health insurance to the maximum number of people. About one fourth of New Mexicans and people from Florida and Texas did not subscribe to health insurance for various reasons.
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Kennedy’s Win In Mental Health Parity Law
October 5, 2008
A part of the Wall Street bailout bill is a great relief for the 113 mn Americans who are affected with mental illness. There is a provision here which makes it mandatory for health insurance companies not to discriminate against patients who suffer from psychological and behavioural disorders.
This has been hailed as a great victory for civil rights by a leading mental health advocacy group. Senator Edward M Kennedy (Massachusetts) and Patrick Kennedy (Rhode Island) have struggled for 10 years to pass this bill and ensure equal treatment for mental illness in the weighing scale of the American health care system.
Obama, McCain and Health Care
September 28, 2008
Some people get health insurance from their jobs. Some people don’t. It is not uncommon for one spouse to have health insurance from their jobs and another spouse not to get health insurance. Sometimes there is just a lack of affordability for health insurance.
Buying health insurance for oneself may not give you all the benefits you want and you will be penalized for poor health. The crisis in the financial industry has taken center stage on media. However the health care problem is more deep rooted and many families are having to deal with it.
Of Alabamians, one in five working age adults lack health insurance. One in five is also eligible for Medicaid. This coverage is likely to consume 31 percent of the general fund budget. Alabama has the highest stroke risk, second highest obesity rate and third highest infant mortality rate.
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Should Health Insurance Be Deregulated?
September 21, 2008
According to McCain, health insurance should be deregulated just like Wall Street. He compares the benefits the banking sector received by deregulation with the benefits that might come to the health insurance sector if it were deregulated too. According to him opening up this market to vigorous competition nationwide will give more innovative products to the consumer. Also, state based regulation would not burden this sector.
His enthusiasm about the deregulated banking sector seems to reflect in his desire to make health care as good as the financial system. This comes at a time when the Lehman Brothers have gone bankrupt. So the timing of his statement is not the best there could be. Meanwhile one of his advisors had earlier said that there were no uninsured Americans. They are certainly out of touch with reality. Read more
Issue With Health Insurance
September 20, 2008
Florida is seeing people who are influential in the health insurance domain who are there to find a solution to a critical problem facing Americans today - health care which is ailing itself in the country. This election season, health insurance is of primary importance to both voters and the voted. America’s Health Care At Risk : Finding A Cure is a bipartisan and lively discussion on the issue.
In Florida, nearly 25 percent of the population is not insured. Here this two day event is being held at the Orlando International Airport Hyatt Regency. James R Bean, MD is speaking here. He is a practicing neuro surgeon. The health care debate is often just about health insurance and it’s astronomical cost. Also the talk on this subject is about insuring everyone. Although this is important, there are many things that matter here.
The Young May Be Hardest Hit
September 13, 2008
The campaign to provide guaranteed health coverage that is affordable seems unreal. Barack Obama’s campaign does not take into account illness or condition. According to Obama’s proposal a National Health Insurance Exchange would exist. This would be like a shopping mall run by the government – for health insurance. Prices would be negotiated with private insurers by this NHIE. A government run Medicare like plan would also be offered.
Participating companies could not turn someone away due to their medical conditions. These conditions would also not result in a higher premium. This concept is not a new one. However where it has been tried, it has run into trouble. After insurers left Kentucky and South Dakota have had to drop their guarantee. Where this coverage continues, young healthy people have to pay a high premium.
Health Care Realities
September 7, 2008
Almost one in seven Americans lack health insurance. Most Americans regard this as moral stain. Some senators regard health care as a right. There needs to be universal insurance in this opinion. It doesn’t matter who wins the elections, health care needs to be up there on the priority list.
The main issue is not improving coverage, but controlling costs. In 1960 one in every twenty dollars spent in the US economy was on health care. Now that figure is one in every six dollars spent. By 2025 that could be one in every four dollars. Imagine a quarter of the US economy devoted to health care.
Lack of Insurance Leaves Statues Naked
September 6, 2008
Blue Shield of California is illustrating the vulnerability of lack of insurance in a unique manner. People feel like they are missing something important when they don’t have insurance and Blue Shield of California is depicting this by putting up naked statues. The bronze statues will soon be unveiled in an effort to bring to light the plight of almost 7 million Californians who do not have health insurance.
The statues numbering about 100 will be seen striking pensive poses in South California in shopping centers. A fig leaf will cover up some parts of the statues, most likely. Although the statues will make some people uncomfortable, that is perhaps the objective according to CEO Bruce Bodaken who reminds us of the 800,000 children in California without health insurance.
Massachusetts shows the way
August 31, 2008
The Massachusetts health program seems to be showing its success. The ranks of the uninsured have dropped and now Massachusetts has the lowest rate of uninsured people in the nation. People going to emergency rooms for care has fallen in the state as well. Due to the popularity of the program, the state has had to look out for newer revenue sources. The way the program has shown success over the first 21 months makes it seem like this plan could become a universal health care model.
No Health Insurance For 47.5 million in U.S.
August 29, 2008
According to the US Census Bureau, 45.7 mn Americans had no health insurance in 2007. The good news is that this figure is lower than the similar figure for 2006. In 2006 there were 1.3 mn more uninsured American.
According to the announcement 8.1 mn US kids did not have any kind of health insurance in 2007. However this was 600,000 less than the number of uninsured children in the previous year. So that is a bit of good news here.
People Left Without Insurance Due To Errors In Boston
August 24, 2008
The Boston state’s universal healthcare system has ended healthcare for tens of thousands of people since the start of the year. This is according to state enrollment figures. Sometimes patients were terminated because of their own mistakes. In other cases the errors were due to the state.
These figures do not reveal how many people reenrolled later. The number of wrongfully terminated people has not been tracked either. According to community advocates and lawyers, a steady stream of enrollees’ insurance was cancelled unilaterally with no fault from them.
Health Insurance: Rising Costs and The People
August 23, 2008
Rising health care and insurance costs are a concern for all Americans. Universal coverage is an option being explored by many states. The presidential candidates are adding their own ideas to the pool. In Oregon a bill passed in the 2007 session pointed towards a universal health care system. A number of principles for a new health care system were set out.
Among the principles was one that said that financing of health care must be equitable broadly based and affordable. A finance committee was set up with people with financial expertise. Recommendations were made to the board in June. Funding by payroll tax was suggested.
The State Of Childrens Health Insurance
August 16, 2008
According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, uninsured kids are much more likely to have gone to a doctor than uninsured kids. Of the insured kids about 60 percent are insured by private programs and the rest under public programs like Medicaid and SCHIP. According to the report 41 percent of kids without health insurance missed care and only 10 percent of those children insured under public health programs missed health care.
Health Care Being Put Aside To Save Money
August 15, 2008
Americans seem to be cutting down on health care costs to save money. Another symptom of a weakening economy. Whether the weakening economy helps or harms health is a matter of debate. When money is tight people give up cigarettes and slow down on drinks. This keeps them healthier.
