National Health InsuranceIndividual Plans at Group Rates! Great Coverage/Options!

Medicare is arguably one of the nation’s most successful and cherished public insurance programs. The program covers 47 million elderly and disabled Americans, and helps pay for hospital, physician visits and prescription drugs. It is truly hard to argue with success.

The traditional Medicare program, coupled with a supplemental private insurance policy, covers most of our seniors’ medical bills, with far less co-pays and out-of- pocket costs than private insurance.

Therefore, proposals to privatize Medicare — like Rep. Paul Ryan’s — have been met with such fierce opposition, because it was revealed in the national media that privatization meant much higher out-of-pocket costs for seniors. National

Read more…

A new report issued by The Commonwealth Fund this month highlights some of the challenges and possible solutions that will arise as we move forward with implementation of the PPACA.  The report, titled Realizing Health Reforms Potential Maintaining Coverage, Affordability, and Shared Responsibility When Income And Employment Change, discusses the issues that can stem from the fact that many of the health insurance coverage solutions that will be part of health care reform (and indeed, that are part of how our pre-reform health insurance system works too) are based on each individuals employment situation and income level, both of which can change suddenly.

One of the provisions of the PPACA is to subsidize health insurance premiums for families earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level.

Read more…

People sometimes argue that being uninsured does not prevent access to health care, since uninsured people can choose to pay out-of-pocket for their care, or seek care in an emergency room.  The myth that emergency room overcrowding was caused by uninsured people seeking free care has been debunked, as we know that most emergency room patients have health insurance.  As for the other option paying for care with their own money it appears that is unlikely too.  A new report from HHS paints a pretty bleak picture of the ability of uninsured Americans to pay for their own medical care.  L

Read more…

If people continue paying their premiums but use medical services less, health insurers make more money because they have to pay out less. It is an irony that as people struggle and postpone medical care, the insurance companies thrive. It is one of the paradoxes of a recessionary environment

Both UnitedHealth Group and Cigna have noticed a drop in hospital stays and medical use.

So far, the irony is understandable. It is like a year with no natural disasters, insurance companies make more money. Read more…

On the surface, it appears to be a no-brainer. Healthcare costs in the U. S. are twice as high as any other industrialized country. Most large corporations still pay a big chunk of their employees’ health care insurance premiums. Some are obligated by union contracts to pay an even larger percentage and to provide coverage for retirees. Many operate profitably in countries with national health care systems where they pay far less towards healthcare costs than they do in the U.S..

So, from a straight bottom line business perspective, corporations should be leading the fight to replace our dysfunctional, overpriced, for-profit private insurance system with a single-payer, Medicare-for-All model. Y

Read more…

Part of the PPACA requires all states to either have their own health insurance exchange set up by 2014, or participate in a federally-run exchange instead.  Legislators in Colorado have opted to take action in creating a state-specific health insurance exchange, and begun the process well ahead of schedule.  SB 200 has had a bit a of rocky road this spring, but advanced to the Senate as a whole last month and appears to be back on track (although its still a very controversial bill).

One of the provisions of the PPACA is for the federal government to assist the states in funding the creation of health insurance exchanges.  In a largely symbolic vote, the US House of Representatives voted last week to block that funding.  

Read more…

Constitutionality of Health Reform in Question

According to USA Today, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will be looking at the provision in the health care reform law that requires people to purchase health insurance or pay a tax penalty.

Many states have already filed suit against the law in lower courts to dispute the provision, stating that Congress has no power under the commerce clause to require people to purchase insurance. In Florida, a federal judge ruled that the provision was unconstitutional, prompting a separate appeal that will be heard in Atlanta.

Two Cases to Be Heard in Virginia

In total, 31 suits have been filed challenging the reform law. In the

Read more…