Affordable Health Insurance for Young Adults

Posted by: Dan Hughes
Article by: Megan Johnson

Health insurance, if you're young, cash strapped, and healthy, may seem expensive and pointless. It's not. An ankle-twisting fall on a hiking trail, a broken arm in a friendly soccer game, bronchitis that turns into pneumonia—you're potentially talking thousands of dollars in medical expenses. See which of the following eight categories describes you, and check out the experts' recommendations. Our health insurance glossary will help with unfamiliar terms.

You're moving from high school into the workforce.

If your parents are covered through an employer, try to stay on their plan, says Kathleen Stoll, director of health policy at Families USA, a healthcare consumer advocacy group. It'll cost less than getting individual health insurance on your own because most employers pay a large part of the premium of a group plan. More than half the states require insurers to extend parental coverage to adult children below a certain age, typically 25 but as high as 30 in New Jersey. Your state insurance department or the National Conference of State Legislatures can fill you in.

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Health Insurance in Economy Crisis

post by Mei Ling Lin

In the economic recession, people may lose some things, such as their jobs, income, or health insurance. McKinley Health Center doctors said that, the amount of students without health insurance is increasing. The reasons why increase in students without health insurance are students want to reduce the expense and choose to option out of University’s student insurance plan, or student who were covered by their parent’s plan, but their parents’ job situation changed and lost the coverage. What can we do if we lose the health insurance in a short-term?

First, you can be proactive to minimize the effects of the economic crisis. Second, short-term health insurance is available in most states to span from 1 to 36 months, and its cost is about half of the amount of longer term policies. Third, you should develop a realistic budget, because the cost of health insurance is increase faster than your income. Fourth, you should consider the worst case, even you don’t like to think or never think it would happen, it is smart to consider the effects of the worst case in your health care planning. If you need to cut your health insurance costs, think about use shorter duration policy, increase out-of-pocket costs, or reduce maximum benefits.

source #1 #2 #3

The End of Private Health Insurance

Posted By: Dan Hughes

Article By: (Unknown)

Above every other health-care goal, Democrats this year want to institute a "public option" -- an insurance program financed by taxpayers, managed by government and open to everyone, much like Medicare. This new middle-class entitlement is the most important debate in Congress this year, because it really is the last stand for anything resembling private health insurance.

This public option will supposedly "compete" with private alternatives. As President Obama likes to put it, those who are happy with the insurance they have now can keep it -- and if they happen to prefer the government offering, well, gee whiz, that's the free market at work. The reality is far different. Not only will the new program become the default coverage for the uninsured, but Democrats intend to game the system to precipitate -- or if need be, coerce -- an exodus to government from private insurance. Soon enough, that will be the only "option" left.

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Purchasing Health Insurance

By: Dan Hughes

For most people today, researching and buying health insurance is a very difficult and head spitting problem. It’s easy for the people who don’t need to go out searching for their own health insurance because their companies offer them coverage. However, especially in today’s economy, people have to go out looking for their own health insurance, and they have to do it without any help. For the most part, many people don’t really know what to look for and don’t know what questions to ask when they finally see somebody. According to some experts, there are five crucial questions that one should ask when purchasing health insurance.

1. How much are my premiums and will they change?

It is important to get the price of the premiums in writing and to find out how long you will be charged this particular rate. These quoted rates sometimes don’t last that long.

2. What are my deductibles and co-pays?

Always know what you’re paying for. Even if you meet your deductible, you most likely will still be responsible for a co-pay whenever you see the doctor.

3. Is the insurance company licensed in my state?

4. Am I buying a short-term or a long-term plan?

Be wary of short-term plans. When you go to reapply after a short-term policy, some companies will treat you as a brand new customer. This could be a problem for people who have conditions that overlap different policies.

5. Should I consider going with COBRA?

COBRA is a program that allows you to keep your employer’s insurance if you happen to be laid off or are working much less hours. However, you have to pay the whole premium, which may deter some people.

Always remember, though - if a policy sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

What Obama's Health Care Plan Means for You

Posted By Michael Collins

Successful health care reform eluded both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. It could be argued that one tried a bit harder at it than the other, but there's little question that the issue will command a significant amount of Barack Obama's attention after he's sworn into office--in large part because the people who elected him care so much about it.

Though 62% of voters ranked the economy as their chief concern, according to exit polls conducted Tuesday by the Associated Press and major television networks, 9% of voters listed health care as a primary concern. That trailed the number of voters worried about Iraq by only 1% and tied the percentage of those troubled by terrorism.

In Depth: Obama's Health Care Plan

Though some experts don't expect to see major changes until 2010, Obama's proposal has set the tone for a debate about how to cut rising costs while providing insurance to 45 million Americans. While certain elements of Obama's proposal could be modified, at its core are principles that would change health care delivery and coverage in the U.S.

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Myths About Health Insurances

Posted by Connie Yee

When it comes to purchasing health insurance, individuals do not investigate the various options that are available on the market. In fact, young adults tend to ignore this process, and have emerged as one of the largest group to be uninsured. To discourage any fears, here are the three myths about health insurances.

Myth #1: Health insurance is expensive if you purchase it by yourself- If you know the type of coverage you need, you can choose an affordable plans that cover those medical needs.

Myth #2: It is better to purchase your employer-sponsored health insurance- As the cost of employer-sponsored health insurance continues to increase, employees are paying more for the coverage. This type of insurance is great for individual with chronic medical conditions, but it is not economically friendly for those who are healthy and rarely goes to the doctor.

Myth #3: I have a job so I can pay for my medical debt over time- This mindset by young adult is simply false. When you get sick, you would be unable to work for a period of time, thus reducing your income. Even when you are able to get back to work, the amount of debt will hinder your finances for a long time.

Links:
3 Biggest Health Insurance Myths
Top Four Health Insurance Myths

Five Insurance Myths

Health Insurance Policy Terms

posted by SooYeon(Pia),Shin

Medical Marijuana, Hospital Laborists and Americans Without Insurance

Written by RONI CARYN RABIN

Expectant Mothers Find a New Face in the Delivery Room
Laborists -- hospital-based specialists -- are filling in the gaps as a growing number of obstetricians stop delivering babies because of malpractice insurance costs and long hours, the Boston Globe reports. Pregnant women don't even meet a laborist until they arrive at the hospital to deliver, but some experts say the change will improve safety. Laborists start caring for women on arrival and have defined shifts, so they're not overworked and fatigued.

Leeches Used to Help Reattach Severed Arm
Surgeons in Australia used leeches to reattach the severed arm of a surfer who was mauled by a great white shark. Agence France-Presse reports that doctors used the leeches to restore blood flow to the injured hand after 33-year-old Glenn Orgias almost lost it; surgeons said they are hopeful Mr. Orgias will regain some of the use of his hand. He was attacked by an eight-foot great white shark on Sydney's Bondi Beach on Feb. 12.

New Jersey Contemplates Medical Marijuana Law

New Jersey may soon allow patients with cancer, AIDS or other chronic illness to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, becoming the 14th state with a medical marijuana law, NewJersey.com reports. A bill passed by the state senate would allow patients to keep six marijuana plants and one ounce for personal use if diagnosed by physicians as having a debilitating medical condition. Patients would also need to register with the state.

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Posted by: Stephanie King

Will Your Insurer Pay Up?

Posted By: Michael W. Collins

There have been enough headlines, lawsuits and regulatory concern in recent years to give us pause. Here's just a sample:

• Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina inflicted a record-setting $66 billion in insured losses -- more than the toll of Hurricane Andrew, the Sept. 11 attacks and the Northridge, Calif., earthquake combined -- thousands of policyholders who thought they had full coverage are still bickering with their insurers over whether wind or water destroyed their homes.
• Blue Cross and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan were both recently assessed regulatory fines for "wrongful recession" -- illegally withdrawing individual insurance coverage from people after they got sick. Critics say the companies scoured the consumers' applications for minor errors or omissions to use as an excuse for ending their coverage.

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How do People Who Get Laid-off get Health Insruance?

Posted By: Madeleine Brooks



Every day I read about how companies are laying off more and more employees because of the downturn in the U.S. economy. These former employees may also have had a health insurance plan through the company that they used to work for. What happens once these employees are laid off? Does there health insurance end as soon as their job does?

Health insurance policies cover medical expenses for varieties of diseases and treatments. If you recently got laid off there are a few steps in which you should take to find out if you can still receive the health insurance you had. Here are the steps to find out:

1. Ask about COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). COBRA was an act passed in 1985 to provide laid-off workers with their continuing health insurance if they lost their job.

2. Make sure that the company you once worked for qualifies for COBRA. The qualifications for COBRA is that the company offers health insurance, has twenty or more employees and that they company is still currently in business.

3. Contact the company you were just laid off for to inform them you would like to enroll in COBRA as well as keeping the insurance policy you originally had. Most likely you will have to fill out some paper work and also have to pay the insurance monthly in order to be insured.

4. Do some research to learn more about COBRA and to see if there are benefits that you are able to receive during your time of unemployment.

5. Learn about the coverage you have under COBRA. There is a possibility you can still have your health insurance up to 18 months from the date you got laid off from the previous company. You can also accept a job at a different company while still being on the insurance policy of your old company.

6. If your company doesn't qualify for COBRA, contact your local insurance agent to see how you can receive an insurance policy.

Having COBRA definitely helps a bit of the way. However, there is always a downfall to something beneficial. It is said that 75-85% of employers pick up the tab for their employees' health insurance. If an employee gets laid off, the entire bill that once was being paid by your employer is now placed in the palm of your hand. Health insurance sky rockets and you as the former employee will be paying out of pocket for your health coverage.

How can you find Health Insurance once you get laid off? People try to hold out until they are age 65 when they can start collecting Medicare. However, some people won't be able to wait until 65 to see the money, so what should you do? You can:

1. See if you qualify for COBRA

2. If you are married, try to get under your spouse's health insurance plan until you find another job that will provide you with coverage.

3. Do your best to find a job and do extensive research to find out their health insurance policies.

4. Insure yourself for health insurance. However it is very time consuming, difficult and hard to insure yourself when you do not have a job. A lot of health insurance policies don't cover certain ailments and illnesses that one might have. The more sicknesses one has, the higher the insurance rates will be for that person.

5. You can take a gamble and see what would happen if you went to a doctor and receive a bill. You can talk out your options with the doctor to see how you can pay them for the visit and treatment.

6. Try to sustain a healthy lifestyle as best as possible.

Health insurance is so expensive and when you get laid off from a job, does not make the situation any better. By reviewing these steps, it will be helpful for you to understand the necessary actions you should take.

References:

http://www.ehow.com/how_1000565_health-insurance-laidoff.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/23/cobra.health.insurance/
http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/retirement/2009/01/05/7-ways-laid-off-baby-boomers-can-find-health-insurance.html?PageNr=2

Is Your Health Insurance Covered By The Stimulus Bill?

Posted by Connie Yee
Written by Noam N. Levey

WASHINGTON — John Peeler, an unemployed computer technician in South Carolina, may soon get health insurance for his wife and three children. Four months after being laid off, he is one of the lucky jobless Americans who could receive thousands of dollars in government subsidies from the new stimulus plan.

Susan McKowen, a 62-year-old breast cancer survivor from Illinois, is not so fortunate. Though she, too, lost her job in the current economic crisis, she won't be getting help with health insurance under the new law.

When President Barack Obama and his allies pulled together the $787 billion bill that passed Congress on Friday, they talked of helping workers like Peeler, McKowen and others rapidly swelling the ranks of America's 46 million uninsured.

But in the scramble to pass a bill, lawmakers made changes that left out millions of middle-class Americans who have lost their jobs and are struggling to fill a prescription or pay for a visit to the doctor.

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Disruptive Innovation, Applied to Health Care

Posted by Lauren Cappelli

By JANET RAE-DUPREE
Published: January 31, 2009

THE health care system in America is on life support. It costs too much and saps economic vitality, achieves far too little return on investment and isn’t distributed equitably. As the Obama administration tries to diagnose and treat what ails the system, however, reformers shouldn’t be worried only about how to pay for it.

Instead, the country needs to innovate its way toward a new health care business model — one that reduces costs yet improves both quality and accessibility.

Two main causes of the system’s ills are century-old business models, for the general hospital and the physician’s practice, both of which are based on treating illness, not promoting wellness. Hospitals and doctors are paid by insurers and the government for the health care equivalent of piecework: hospitals profit from full beds and doctors profit from repeat visits. There is no financial incentive to keep patients healthy.

“The business models were all created decades ago, and acute disease drove those costs at the time,” says Steve Wunker, a senior partner at the consulting firm Innosight. “Most businesses in this industry are looking at their business model as entirely immutable. They’re looking for innovative offerings that fit this frozen model.”

Advances in technology and medical research are making it possible to envision an entirely new health care system that provides more individualized care without necessarily increasing costs, some health care experts say.

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Expanded Children's Health Insurance Program Saves Money

Posted by Kaitlin Lanier

Before the dust had settled over reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, some Republicans in Congress were grousing about messiness in its passage. But surely providing healthcare coverage to millions more uninsured children constitutes progress worth making.

The measure that President Barack Obama signed into law Wednesday had more in it than a version that President Bush had vetoed twice despite the bipartisan compromise that produced it. But the additions certainly weren’t enough to turn good legislation into bad law.

In fact, the law includes some key provisions that Republicans had insisted on.

More important, it’s a good-government investment that will improve kids’ health and save taxpayers money in the long run by encouraging timely and preventive medical care and less reliance on expensive emergency services.

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Health insurance may get easier after layoffs

Posted By: Jen Lynch

Associated Press

By Calvin Woodward

It will get vastly cheaper for most people to keep health insurance after losing a job if the government's stimulus plan becomes law. Some nickel and dime cuts in health coverage for the poor will be reversed, too. Geek jobs in medicine will grow.

The billions to be poured into health care from the economic stimulus package will do little if anything about the chronic conditions behind the nation's stubbornly large ranks of uninsured.

Under a dramatic, temporary expansion of COBRA, the law that lets the unemployed keep health insurance from their old job for up to 18 months if they pay for it in full, costs would drop by about two-thirds for a year.

Moreover, people who lose a job they've had for 10 years could stay on COBRA at their expense all the way to age 65, when Medicare takes over, if they don't get another job with insurance first. People 55 and over could do the same without meeting the 10-year requirement.

Full Article here