Interesting post by Frank Jacobs at Big Think titled "The Underwritten States of America." Mr Jacobs blogs about, of all things, maps. This one (and its companion at the link), identifies medical insurance underwriting "zones" in use in 19th century America. I must admit that, after almost thirty years in "the biz," I'd never...
One of the primary benefits touted by proponents of MassCare was that forcing people to buy health insurance would drive down the cost of health care. On its face, this was clearly illogical, but enough folks bought into the idea that it became "common knowledge." Still, it was certainly the right of Bay Staters to test the hypothesis, which they have been doing now for some years.The good news is...
Jacob Irwin hosts this week's outstanding collection of risk-related posts, with interesting factoids about risk and starting one's own business thrown in for (very) good measure.Happy New Ye...
While we've spent a lot of time talking about the so-called "Doc Fix," it appears that perhaps we need to "Fix Doc," as well:"California-based Prime Healthcare Services buys financially troubled hospitals and turns them around ... She says Reddy told doctors how to diagnose patients he had never seen."Ooops.Now, one may argue that this is simply a game between how Medicare reimburses depending on...
Michelle Malkin has an interesting post on LA's school lunch program, and the dangers of mandates. Briefly, the First Lady's campaign for healthier foods in schools has led the Los Angeles school district (the nation's 2nd largest with over over 690,000 students) to do away with such traditional favorites as chicken nuggets and corn dogs in favor of "beef jambalaya, vegetable curry, pad Thai, lentil...
Jacob Irwin hosts next week's CavRisk, and wants your risk-related post. Entries are due by Monday (the 26th).Submit your post via the The BC WorkAround.Once there, you'll be asked to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the post ("Remarks")At the bottom of the form, you'll see a drop-down menu; simply select "Cavalcade of Risk"...
Sally Pipes is, of course, well-known in her role as President of the Pacific Research Institute. Her main focus is health care studies, and she brings that expertise to bear on the canard that socialized health care is "a good thing."In her recent article at Forbes, she points out that socializing medicine hasn't exactly helped the Brits: "The National Health Service (NHS) ... is being forced to...
Although we've been skeptical of Swedish health care (and correctly so), this doesn't seem to be attributable to negligence:"A routine bowel procedure in Sweden was interrupted by a "powerful blast" likely caused by a buildup of methane gas in the patient's intestines ... doctors began an electrocautery, a procedure where the edges of the intestine where the polyp was located were burned to seal them...
While we've been following the Richard West Medicaid whistle-blower case, it's easy to forget that a lot more folks (and providers) may be at risk of fraud.Christine Seivers sent me the link to her post on an even dozen Medicare scams, and how you can avoid them.Here's a sample:"One of the more common ways criminals scam those with Medicare is by posing as Medicare employees, health care practitioners,...
Over 6 years ago, we noted Prudential plc's horrific sales promotion encouraging its agents to celebrate terrorism. Apparently, the folks at Munich Re aren't longtime IB readers, else they would have known that this was a very bad idea:"One of the biggest insurance companies in the world held a party for salesmen where they were rewarded with the services of prostitutes."Oy.Reinsurers are essentially...
Speaking of annuities, Kentucky has recently added a new suitability requirement to its Continuing Education regulations. Ohio's had that a little while, as well.Annuities aren't for everyone, but they do have a place in many folks' financial plans. Growth in an annuity, unlike a CD, is tax-deferred, which can allow for higher growth. And one can "annuitize" an annuity, which can provide for a lifetime...
So, have you heard about the new, exciting, cutting-edge "Longevity Insurance" plan?Here's how it works:You take a lump sum of money (say, from an under-performing CD) and put it in one of these newfangled "longevity annuities." After a while (say, 30 years), it begins to pay out a lifetime stream of income. Now, if you die before you get to that magic time 3 decades hence, well, you're outta luck...
This is a follow up to Bob’s Tapped Out post of December 13.HHS has now reported that, thru December 2, the Early Retiree Reimbursement Program (ERRP) has paid out just over $4.5 billion or almost 91% of the authorized funds. This total amount was distributed among approximately 2,700 group sponsors of pre-Medicare retiree plans.The HHS report shows that the UAW retiree trust has received over $387...
Nick Genes (founder of Grand Rounds) has a very interesting piece on a potentially dangerous consequence of Electronic Medical Records (EMR):"Metadata standards for health information exchange are being debated in DC; eventually even discrete bits of health data such as medication lists will have metadata tags associated with them, distinguishing between, for instance, admission medication lists and...
HHS and the Obama administration are taking credit for saving or creating health insurance coverage for 2.5 million adult children . . . a paradoxical term at best, but I digress.Administration analysts found that nearly 36 percent of Americans age 19-25 were uninsured in the third calendar quarter of 2010, before the law's provision took effect. That's over 10.5 million people.By the second calendar...
Recently received emails from both Anthem and Medical Mutual, announcing changes in how cholesterol-lowering meds will be handled going forward. Effective this month, the generic form of Lipitor is being made available to insureds of both carriers.From Medical Mutual:"Medical Mutual® and its Family of Companies support the use of generic drugs as an effective way to keep costs down for our members...
If you owned three (three!) new and/or late-model Beemers, would you leave the keys in them while they sat unattended?Well, that's apparently what a Dobbs Ferry, NY resident did:"[P]olice Lt. James Guernieri says each of the luxury cars had a push-button ignition system. The starter doesn't work unless its accompanying fob is in or near the car.He says the homeowner had moved all the cars on Saturday...
Russell Hutchinson hosts a delightful and eclectic edition of the Cavalcade of Risk. Take a moment to (virtually) smell the flowers while you're the...
In an effort to gain support for Obamneycrap, Congress included funding for early retiree employee heath insurance. Many employers took them up on their offer.Perhaps too many . . .The Obama administration announced plans Friday to wind down a $5 billion fund to pay for health insurance for early retirees, including the institution of a Dec. 31 deadline for employers to tap into the remaining funds.It...
Are Georgia doctor's leaving Medicare? Quite a few will not accept ANY Medicare Advantage patients while others will only participate in one or maybe two plans. If you have original Medicare + Medigap your odds of having a doctor treat you improve dramatically.As in years past, Congress is slow of foot to do anything about...
When one thinks of a health care "team," one envisions doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. But how about adding one more: the Preacher (or Priest, or Rabbi)?"Chaplains are seeking bigger roles in hospitals and in some cases joining the medical-care team, as new research shows positive spiritual guidance and discussion can help improve a patient's medical outcome."This is, perhaps, a bit trickier than...
Even more proof that MLR (Medical Loss Ratio) as mandated by Obamneycrap is stupid. The New York Dept of Insurance has decided that health insurance companies overcharged policyholders in 2010 and has ordered them to refund $114 million.Empire’s refund payment to consumers was tallied at a little over $61 million. The other...
Did you buy a Medicare Advantage during open enrollment and now regret it? The Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period begins in January and ends on February, 14.Your doctor does not accept that MA plan and you feel you are stuck.Not necessarily.If you signed up for an Advantage plan and now regret it, you will want to return...
A while back, Bob noted that "7 percent of U.S. adults married so one or the other could get on a partner's health insurance plan."He found that statistic "astounding," as did I.But maybe it's not so far-fetched:"There are some big-time benefits to the old ball and chain: Married men tend to live longer ... They're also less likely to die from cancer compared to guys who never marry."This conclusion...
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) "is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS) ... Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision."Treatment is expensive, and generally used to impede the disease's progress and ease some symptoms. There's no known cure.Or is there?"An Italian doctor has been getting dramatic results...
As we've noted before, Bob and I contribute to a consumer advocate's bulletin board, where we try to help folks resolve insurance-related problems. Over and over again, it becomes apparent early on that most folks don't really understand what they've bought, how it works, or what's actually covered (or excluded), all because they bought the plan and then filed it away without actually reading through...
As we've pointed out (repeatedly), no rational employer is going to continue offering group health benefits to employees once the Exchanges come on-line. FoIB Holly R sent me an article this morning that asks an intriguing question regarding that assumption: not about whether it's valid (it is), but what it will cost the employee...
Russell Hutchinson hosts next week's CavRisk, and wants your risk-related post. Entries are due by Monday (the 12th).Submit your post via the The BC WorkAround.Once there, you'll be asked to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the post ("Remarks")At the bottom of the form, you'll see a drop-down menu; simply select "Cavalcade...
Apparently, those Medicare Advantage plans are still more popular than ever. So much so, in fact, that HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious has recognized that not everyone who wanted "in" was actually able to sign up (cf: blind squirrels).Just got this in email from Anthem:"CMS officials are providing flexibilities to current Enrollment Guidance to ensure all enrollment requests submitted during AEP are...
Sometimes I weep for humananity:"Firefighters in Tennessee let a home burn to the ground because the owners did not pay a $75 fire subscription fee"Wait a minute, didn't we already read this last year:"Each year, Obion County residents must pay $75 if they want fire protection from the city of South Fulton. But the Cranicks did not pay ... Because of that, not much is left of Cranick’s house."Turns...
As we reported in September, a tenacious Medicaid beneficiary blew the whistle on fraudulent behavior by his nursing care provider:"After checking his own medical records [he] discovered the company providing him with nursing care appeared to have overbilled Medicaid for hundreds of hours for people who were never there"Well, Richard West is in DC today, recounting his tale for the House Oversight...
In many areas of the country Blue Cross dominates the health insurance market. Some would say they have an unfair advantage because of their not for profit status.However that argument doesn't fly with most Blue plans because most have long converted to either stock or mutual companies, and some are publicly traded.Along comes...
My friend Jeremy Fink (of Assurity Employee Benefits) recently sent along the latest report from the Council for Disability Awareness on its 2011 survey regarding long-term disability (LTD) benefits.The survey, of about 75% of the players in the LTD market, includes surprising information:■ $8.3 billion was paid out in long-term disability claims (that's about a point higher than 2009)■ About 587,000...
About 10% of the population is left-handed, which is itself interesting because, just on the basis of common sense, one would think that the percentage would be closer to fifty. Apparently, it's a recessive trait, so lefties are left in the minority.Which is nice, but what does this have to do with insurance?Well, according to the Wall Street Journal, "[l]eft-handedness appears to be associated with...
The federal government, that would be "our" government, has awarded a contract to a firm to set up Obamneycrap health insurance exchanges. The $93.7 million dollar contract will create hundreds of new jobs . . . in Canada.The health insurance exchanges are part of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the March 2010...
As we've seen so often, the media just loves its memes, to the exclusion, unfortunately, of clarity and intellectual honesty.The latest case in point:Health claim denials top Ohio insurance complaints"A newspaper's analysis shows the most common complaints received by the Ohio Department of Insurance come from people who had health claims denied."And this is news, why?Well, because if we're looking...
Obamneycrap has decided to treat the health insurance industry as a regulated monopoly. There are inherent problems in that approach.The federal government has no direct authority to regulate insurance. That duty was deferred to the state under the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945.Perhaps the same folks that never bothered to...
