And Best of All, It's FREE!

Obamacrap continues making headlines with reports of how great life is going to be going forward. Folks in the Show Me state are celebrating coverage for autism. While not directly tied to Obamacrap this is certainly a reason to ring in the new year.According to NECN:The law requires insurers to cover $40,000 a year of "applied behavioral analysis" for children through age 18. Many parents credit...

Honest... I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A flood. Locusts. IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD

“If I had seen the memo, I would have suggested it be worded differently,” Blumenauer told The Hill.Aw, gee, not your fault then, huh?Thus this bozo retreats into one of the oldest, most cowardly, and least-ethical managers’ excuses in history. Blame your secretary. Makes one wonder: if this bozo’s staff had only bothered to SHOW him the health care reform act before he voted for it - would he have...

Oh, Nuts!

From time to time, readers ask why we constantly refer to the MVNHS© or CanuckCare as exemplars of socialized medicine. After all, we're told, other countries also employ such schemes, to no ill effect. Perhaps they're right.On a tip from Bob, we have this story from the land of meatballs:"A Swedish man was forced to have his penis amputated after waiting more than a year to learn he had cancer."Ooops.Maybe...

A Risky Snow Job

We've discussed "special event" insurance before, but here's a story that fits the season:"A North Carolina jewelry store owner made a $400,000 bet against a white Christmas — and lost."Alan Perry, the store's owner, promised to refund all his customers' purchases between Thanksgiving and a week or so before Christmas if Asheville experienced a White Christmas.It did.So did he "lose" that bet?No,...

Will Medicare Go Bust For Boomers?

As part of the leading edge of baby boomers, an article on the ills of Medicare funding caught my eye. The health insurance for seniors program never was designed to be on a sound footing. It was more of a political boondoggle to make LBJ and the Great Society look good.While I do not think Medicare (or Social Security either) will go away, these social programs are not financially sustainable in...

Rock, Meet Hard Place

If the stakes weren't so darned high, this would be funny (think pathos):"Retired city of Cincinnati workers argued in court Tuesday that City Hall is obligated to provide them for the rest of their lives with an extremely generous health coverage plan ... City attorneys, however, countered by contending that doing so could devastate other city services and that Cincinnati never promised that retirees'...

Cavalcade of Risk #121: Year End Edition

The inestimable Wenchy presents this year-end collection of great risk-based posts, conveniently categorized as "insurance-related" and "non-insurance related." Either way, she's got you cover...

Employers get mental, see the light

As we've noted many times, mandates increase insurance costs. But when is a mandate not really a mandate? As Mr Miyagi said in the second Karate Kid movie: "Best way to avoid punch, no be there." And so it is with the Mental Health Parity mandate; the law, enacted in 2008, requires that group plans which offer any mental health benefits must treat mental health-related claims the same as any other...

ObamaCare© and the *Other* Constitutional Problem

We've spent a great deal of time explaining why the (Evil) Individual mandate doesn't pass Constitutional muster, but there's an even more (potentially more damaging) issue: the General Welfare Clause. To fully appreciate its relevance to ObamaCare©'s fate, we'll need to rewind all the way back to the beginning of the year, and the shameful "Cornhustler" deal:"Under the terms of a deal Nelson cut...

HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious on OTC: "Shut up, that's why"

As Bob recently noted, HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious has decreed that going forward, OTC (Over The Counter) med's may be eligible for FSA/HRA/HSA reimbursement only if they're accompanied by a prescription. In her original missive, Ms Shecantbeserious further prohibited the use of debit cards to purchase tax-qualified OTC med's (as to why she hates convenience, you'll have to ask her directly).Now,...

Employer-sponsored LTCi: Some words of warning

Once again, we're delighted to welcome our resident Long Term Care insurance (LTCi) guru, Herman Bruns, to IB. Today, Herman sets his sights on plans offered through one's employer:I was in my car the other day listening to a well-known "consumer advocate" on the radio, when a perfectly healthy 42ish year old couple called in asking what benefit amounts they should choose on the group LTCi plan being...

Medicaid - It Pays to be Poor

If you are a child who is part of a poor family (as defined by the government) you are in luck. You are about to participate in the latest Obamabucks bail out.The folks at The Slatest provide this Christmas cheer.Two-thirds of uninsured American children are eligible for government health insurance, but many families don't know about the program. The Obama administration is moving to expand coverage...

It's the E-Mail, Stupid!

Back in the day (20 or so years go), when I first began using email, a Good Samaritan gave me this bit of advice (to which I more or less scrupulously still adhere):"Never write anything in email that you wouldn't want showing up in the next day's New York Times."How incredibly prescient:"While we are very happy with the result, we won’t be shouting it from the rooftops because we aren’t out of the...

Tetris vs PTSD

Over the years, we've documented the strange, but undeniable, effects that certain foods can have on our health. But strange - and helpful - health phenomena can come from even more remarkable sources.Like video games:"Flashbacks are vivid, recurring, intrusive and unwanted mental images of a past traumatic experience. They are a sine qua non of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) ... clinicians...

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Under PPACA, 85% or more of most medical insurance premiums must consist of reimbursed medical care expenses.If insurers reduce their costs by 10%, the savings are 1.5%. (10% x 15%)If medical service providers reduce their costs by 10%, the savings are 8.5% (10% x 85%).Well, then, 8.5% would be more, wouldn't it? So why is Milady Sebelius and HHS paying so much attention to insurance costs? Perhaps...

A Different Kind of Christmas

Christmas means different things to different people. For some it is a time for family, gifts and lot's of food. For others, the secular side of Christmas is all they know, or care about. To some, Christmas is a time of celebration of the birth of Christ and remembering what many consider the true meaning of Christmas.And for some, Christmas is just another day.Regardless of your orientation or beliefs...

A Christmas Treat

There's nothing like a warm, homemade Christmas Dinner.And this is nothing like a warm, homemade Christmas Dinner, but it sure is funny:As for my family, well, we'll be carrying on an ancient Jewish tradition:Merry Christm...

Cavalcade of Risk #121 Call for submissions

Wenchy hosts next week's End-Of-Year edition of the Cavalcade of Risk. Submissions are due by Monday (the 27th). Wenchy asks that you include:■ Your blog's url■ Your post's url■ The post's trackback URL (if available)■ A (brief) summary of the postAnd PLEASE remember: ONLY posts that relate to risk (not personal finance tips and the like).You can submit your post via Blog Carnival or email.Reminder:...

Opening our "Holiday" gift from the Elves at HHS

HHS has unwrapped its latest “Holiday” gift to the public – a spiffy new regulation in which HHS confirms, once again, its intention to ignore the rising cost of medical care in the United States. Instead, HHS will require that health insurance companies “disclose and justify any rate increases of 10 percent or more.” The New York Times further notes, “The proposed rule represents a major expansion...

Shecantbeserious and the Uncertainty Bubble [UPDATED]

UPDATE: Definitely see Mike's more in-depth analysis of this idiocy.Apparently, she just can't help herself: ObamaCare© applies to everyone, except it doesn't. Then the doc fix is in, except it isn't. ObamaCare© will insure millions of children, except it won't.And the list goes on.The newest twist is the (potentially illegal) usurpation by the Fed's of states' rights to regulate health insurance....

Child Only Health Insurance - The Saga Continues

In response to Obamacrap and idiotic rulings from the Dept. of HHS, health insurance companies in all states ceased to offer "child only" health insurance plans in every state, including Georgia. Apparently the Socialist state of California has a better idea.Extortion.a new California law forced the insurers to change course. Beginning Jan. 1, it will prohibit those that abandon child-only coverage...

MVNHS©: Achoo!

It seems that the Much Vaunted National Health System© is woefully unprepared for the massive outbreak of flu currently sweeping The Empire (exacerbated, no doubt, by the feet, er, meters of global warming piling up on its roadways and runways):"The NHS Direct helpline is at ‘breaking point’ as parts of Britain experience the worst flu outbreak in a decade.Patients calling the service are being forced...

Rubbing Medicare the Wrong Way

Medicare spends more than $3.5 billion a year on physical therapy, but you gotta wonder when one doc collects more than $2.6 million over 2 years for back rubs and heat packs.Dr. Christopher Wayne of Miami Beach likes to hang around with Paris Hilton and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith but even more than that he loves billing Medicare for 30 minute sessions of heat packs, massage and electrical stimulation.Seems...

Breast Feeding? Don't Ask . . .

As posted before, Obamacrap requires employers to establish special areas where mothers can privately breast feed their infants. Apparently that is not good enough for the Complainer in Chief. The law as originally worded only applied to private firms with more than 50 employees.Obama asked the federal government to go a step further by establishing new guidelines for all federal employees, no matter...

STOLI Revisited

When last we discussed Stranger Owned Life Insurance (STOLI), it was in the context of certain actors (in the business, not entertainment, sense) duping vulnerable seniors into buying, and then selling, life insurance policies. What was missing from that equation was, of course, the ultimate owner of those policies.Turns out, it's not so much owner as owners:"Life Partners, a fast-growing company...

Fees not the same as Income? Who knew?

How many times do we read of physicians' complaints that the fee allowances insurance companies use to reimburse them have not increased in "x" years? Is there a reasonable response to such complaints?Yes, as Uwe Reinhardt of Princeton University explains today in the New York Times. There are three charts in the linked article. I draw your attention to the third chart, "Medicare Spending on Physician...

Grand Rounds: Resolutions edition

Chronic Babe resolved to host this week's roundup of inspirational medblog posts, and delivers a great editi...

Bone Marrow Models [UPDATED]

Quick, what do you think of when you hear the term "skimpily-clad models?" New car shows, or Victoria Secret catalogs, perhaps?How about bone marrow?NotWithStanding blog tipped us to this story about the Caitlin Raymond International (CRI) bone marrow registry service, which used "flirtatious models in heels, short skirts and lab coats" to convince random mall shoppers and baseball fans to offer up...

Medicare Supplement Insurance - Does Size Matter?

When buying Medicare supplement insurance, does size or financial strength really matter? Not really. The myth that a carrier rated "A" or "A+" is better than a "B" or "B+" Medigap carrier is just that . . . a myth.When considering Med supp coverage all you really need to evaluate is the rate. All plans are standardized, so all Medigap plans "F" are identical, except for the rate. It doesn't matter...

The (Evil) Individual Mandate: It's Expensive, too

Although it's not often mentioned, the individual mandate isn't just unconstitutional, but it's darned expensive, too:"Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Tuesday sent around the Congressional Budget Office's June estimate for repealing the mandate. The bottom line, according to CBO: Doing so would bring in $202 billion from its 2014 start date to 2019"But at what cost?Well, according to the CBO, it "would...

Benefits Package #2: Now up

Evan Falchuk once again hosts this new carnival, a great compendium of health benefits posts from some new (to me) sources).Package #3, the first of 2011, will be right here at InsureBl...

That MVNHS©: Naughty Again

Geez, you'd think at this time of year, the folks behind the Much Vaunted National Health System© would be on their best behavior. After all, the Man in the Red Suit is keeping tabs on all the naughty boys and girls, especially those responsible for this:"Hundreds of thousands of NHS patients are being denied routine procedures as dozens of trusts cut back on surgery, scans and other treatments in...

We're gonna have rationing of medical care - so you better watch out !

Many, perhaps most, health policy planners believe that rationing of medical care is necessary and that the best way to ration medical care is to do it “invisibly”. Invisible rationing would not mainly be enforced by making people follow complicated rules, nor by price, nor by obliging people to queue up for treatment – but instead would flow naturally downward from government budget ceilings imposed...

Say it ain't so, Erin, say it ain't so !

Here's a report that says the widely-publicized weapons of mass carcinoma have not been found after all, in Hinkley California. Maybe the mayor hid them in the sand.Or maybe the State of California is in on the cover-up.Or somethi...

The Truth Will Out

FoIB Bob D passed along a little nugget (via The American Spectator). During a recent news conference, Mr Obama responded to the suggestion that his signature legislative "victory" wasn't getting enough credit from the left. It's a very telling statement"(I)n order to get stuff done, we’re going to compromise. This is why FDR, when he started Social Security, it only affected widows and orphans....

HHS Shecantbeserious vs The Truth

Having lost in a court of law, HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious (and her attorney) has taken the case to the court of public opinion. To wit, an op-ed in today's Washington Post, wherein she repeated the oft-used - and completely erroneous - conflation of auto and health insurance:"Imagine what would happen if everyone waited to buy car insurance until after they got in an accident. Premiums would skyrocket,...

Freedom of (from?) Association

From the mailbag:"Something that I have counted on for 12 years is changing. The [State] Bar Association is dropping its group health plan effective 12/31/10.Oxford insurance, which provides health coverage to the [State] Bar Association, has dropped coverage to the 60 members who are in the group. We have all aged, some members have major health issues, probably all of us have some minor ongoing...