Health Insurance Providers Taken To Task By Consumer Groups
January 12, 2008
In a report two consumer groups have revealed that the state’s leading insurance providers are covering less people while making record profits. In addition a smaller portion of their revenues are being spent on care. These two groups are The Washington Community Action Network and The Northwest Federation of Community Organizations.
Their report was based on an analysis of Premera Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Regence and Group Health Cooperative. In 2002 these companies were making a profit of less that $1 per member per month. In 2006 that figure stood at $18.23.
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Blue Shield May Have to Cough Up $12.6 Million Penalty
December 15, 2007
Blue Shield is in line for paying a $12.6 million penalty if the states insurance commissioner has his way. This is due to improper claim processing and unfair cancellation of member’s medical coverage.
Blue Shield has committed 1,200 alleged law violations which has had the effect of 200+ people losing insurance coverage after submitting medical treatment claims. According to commissioner Steve Poisner, this has led to decreased trust in health care delivery.
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Stop Selling Insurance, OIR orders Companies
December 8, 2007
Four unlicenced companies in Florida have been ordered to stop selling health insurance. The order was issued by The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
According to the order,National Alliance Healthcare and Affinity Health Plans have to stop insurance contract transaction. The reason is that they have not been granted an authority certificate from the OIR. They also have to refund all collected money and pay all outstanding claims within 10 days.
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Health Insurance Scams on the Increase
November 28, 2007
Many individuals search for affordable health insurance nowadays. Of these many are falling victims to scams of late. According to reports, more than 200,000 US residents and small businesses have purchased health care plans which are fraudulent. This has resulted in many medical claims being rejected amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Fake Medicare prescription drug plans and fake Medicare Advantage policies are being sold to people, specially seniors. Also information garnered from such sales calls is being used for identity theft. One way these scams are being spread around is through unsolicited faxes.
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Health Insurance Companies: What to Look for When Choosing a Health Insurance Provider
May 20, 2007
Most Americans are covered by group insurance, which is a health insurance policy through their employer or through a family member’s employer. Group insurance is the least expensive type of health insurance, and the employer pays all or most of the premium. If you are not covered by your employer, or if you are self-employed, you can purchase your own policy. There are many options available for individual health insurance. Weigh your options and shop carefully as coverage and costs vary from one provider to another. You may not be eligible for as many benefits under individual coverage as you would in a group plan.
Make sure you understand what the plan covers and what it doesn’t before you purchase a health insurance policy. Call insurance companies, HMOs, PPOs, or talk to your home or car insurance agent to learn about various health insurance plans. Your agent can show you policies from different companies so you can compare them. The three main types of health insurance are Fee-for-Service (or Traditional Health Insurance), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). Your agent can tell you about these types of insurance and help you decide which is best for you.
There are a few things you should look for when choosing a health insurance provider. The policy should protect you from large medical costs. Decide on what type of coverage you need before you begin shopping, and make sure that the plan you choose provides you with the right coverage.
Make sure the policy states the effective date, as some have a waiting period before you can receive coverage. The policy should have a “free look” clause, in that you have a certain amount of time (usually 10 days or more) to review your policy after you receive it. You can cancel your policy during this time and your premium will be refunded.
When choosing health insurance, you want the one that meets your health needs and your budget. Carefully review the benefits of a plan and consider the cost. Now that you know what to look for, choosing a health insurance provider can be simple.
