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

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) received a letter from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), which provides health benefits to 1.6 million workers, retirees, and their families, outlining the ways the Affordable Care Act is helping improve coverage and lower costs for Californians.

“The efforts by CalPERS to act on the important programs and provisions of the Affordable Care Act shows that this new law is bringing real benefits to consumers,” said Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “More Californians now have the security of health insurance – and lower health care costs for better benefits.”

In the letter, CalPERS outlined three areas where the Affordable Care Act is already bringing benefits to Californians. Read more…

If your company plans on giving a bid on any type of commercial construction or cleaning service like building restoration then keep in mind that when it comes to having business general liability insurance get the policy that fits your companies needs and requirements. The last thing you need is to be awarded a job and come to find out that you are under covered. Or in other words do not have enough insurance to do the job. Most insurance companies will be happy to cover the company depending on the history of the companies work. For example if a company has made more than one claim in a period this will definitely raise the rate of the premium. Read more…

Join Healthcare-NOW! members and supporters for a special evening of discussion with the founders of the leading national single-payer advocacy group, Physicians for a National Health Program, Drs. Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein.

As 2010 comes to a close, what have we learned in our advocacy for single-payer healthcare? Join us for an analysis of the new health law, and why so many choose to continue to advocate for single-payer national healthcare.

When: Monday, December 13th, 8pm (EST)

Featuring: Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH, FACP – internal medicine, New York/Boston and David U. H Read more…

Health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs have gotten even more expensive for Americans with employer-sponsored coverage, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund, New York. The report found family coverage has increased an average of 41 percent across states from 2003 to 2009, which is more than three times faster than increases in median incomes.

Coverage Costs More and Buys Less

With health insurance costs increasing at such an alarming rate, many would think that more services are being covered for the price, but the report revealed that despite increasing costs, deductibles per person rose 77 percent on average in the same time frame.

This means premiums are buying considerably fewer services than in the past, leaving the financial responsibility to policyholders in the form of out-of-pocket expenses.

Will Premiums Keep Increasing?

The study found that if premium costs continue to rise at the pace seen from 2003 to 2009, premiums will increase by 79 percent to an average of $23,342 per family by 2020.

If health care reform slows historic premium increases by 1 percent per year, premiums would be $2,323 lower and if they are slowed by 1.5 percent, the premiums would be $3,403 lower.

So in theory, even under health care reform, premiums will increase–but at least they won’t increase as much.

Lowering Your Own Coverage

While it’s good to be hopeful that health care reform will provide the health insurance premium relief we need, you should always do your best to lower your own health costs:

• Shop around for coverage: Most employers offer at least two health plans to give you financial options, so examine those options carefully to see which offer the financial benefits you’re looking for.
• Look for co-payments: Typically, paying a co-payment for a doctor’s visit or for your prescriptions results in you paying less than if coinsurance is a part of your plan.
• Get healthy: While being healthy won’t control your premiums, it works well in making sure you limit your out-of-pocket costs. Exercise an

Read more…

PBS NewsHour: “The price businesses pay for their workers’ health insurance has ballooned more than 41 percent over the past six years, according to a new study by the Commonwealth Fund. At the same time, many workers are getting less for the money — per-person deductibles have risen 71 percent over those same years, according to the report. … The squeeze is particularly acute in the south and southwest, according to the report, where premiums are slightly below the national average — but average wages are even further below.

Read more…

According to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), more than 60 percent of American employers are expected to offer a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) in 2011 in an effort to curb costs. With a CDHP plan, an enrollee is responsible for more of the decision making process in obtaining healthcare, making knowledge of the costs involved a critical component.

Prescription Drugs Offer the Greatest Opportunity for Cost Savings

A consumer-directed health plan combines a high-deductible health plan with a tax-advantaged account – a health reimbursement arrangement or HRA – that enrollees can use to pay for healthcare expenses. T Read more…

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 1

   Get budgeting software. Before you start creating a budget, consider your long-term budgeting plans. You don’t want to have to re-enter the data. Get a software program that will work for you in terms of usability and features. Popular software programs include Quicken and Microsoft Money. Many programs are also available as iPhone and Android apps.

2. 2

   Identify all current expenditures. You can’t create a future budget without knowing what you really spend now. Use all your checking account and credit card statements.

Read more…