Insurance: Because life is full of surprises

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Aetna Savings Plus info bleg

Looking for info on Aetna's new Savings Plus plan, currently marketed exclusively in the Cleveland (OH) area. Specifically interested in cost differential with their "regular" plans. Please drop me an email if you have relevant info.Than...

States Beat Fed's

In a race to see who can enroll the most sick people in taxpayer subsidized health insurance plans the states win handily. the Government Accountability Office found, the 27 states that operate their own pools had enrolled 15,781 people with pre-existing conditions. The federally-operated pool for the 23 other states and the...

Paying More, Enjoying Less

From the land of "Duh!" comes this report from the folks at Kaiser Health News.A survey of ages 18 - 64 with employer paid health insurance found that 60% were unwilling to pay more for brand name drugs61% were not willing to opt for a higher deductible, even if it meant saving premium dollars65% would not accept a more restrictive...

More from the "D'unh!" Dept

There's actually quite a bit of schadenfreude in this article, but this damning indictment of ObamaCare© is actually far, far more damaging than anything we've ever written:"The uninsured ranks among adults over 27 years old swelled from January through April of this year, according to Gallup, with 27- to 35-year-olds seeing the highest uptick. Nearly 27 percent of them are now uninsured."What's so...

ObamaCare© Underwater

While the Northeast continues to drown from the effects of Irene, ObamaCare© continues taking on water, as well:"Americans' opinion of Obamacare has reached an all-time post-passage low according to the Kaiser Health Tracking poll. Only 39% of those surveyed have a favorable view of the law"That's a further 2 point drop since the spring of '10. What's particularly bothersome for its proponents is...

Grand Rounds is up!

Fisher at the Health 3.0 blog has a very cool edition of Grand Rounds today, selecting quotes from each post and "tagging" them based on different them...

Look out below!

We last noted the fact that ObamaCare©=Doom for group health plans about two months ago. As we've noted all along, any sane employer is going to take a look at the Exchanges, then at the employer mandate and its concomitant fines, do some quick math, and come to the entirely rational conclusion that dropping group health coverage is a "no-brainer."A few days (months) late and a few dollars short,...

MVNHS©: Let's play "Leapfrog!"

As we noted almost 3 years ago, the MVNHS© has (at least) one dirty secret: private health insurance to help pay the bills that their "free insurance" doesn't cover.And while we're seeking to emulate the British healthcare scheme, they're looking to dump it:"Private patients will increasingly be able to "leapfrog" those on the NHS due to changes proposed in the Government's health reforms ... Even...

Google Fine

The US DOJ fined Google $500 million for allowing advertising by Canadian pharmacies. According to the New York Times:Google was aware that some Canadian pharmacies that advertised on its site failed to require a prescription for substances like the painkiller Oxycontin and the stimulant Ritalin. Google continued to accept their money and assisted the pharmacies in placing ads and improving their...

Report from Department of the Blindingly Obvious

"As Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast, Mario Vitale, president of Aspen U.S. Insurance, said it will likely to add fodder to industry discussions on rates."Ya thi...

Helping Jerry's Kids

Well, that's how I still think of them, anyway.This year, I've agreed to participate in the "MDA Lockup" program, and hope to raise $1,600 by hook or by, well, phone, email, and the Web:Please help out - all it takes is a click or two and a few dollars to help finally beat this terrible disease.CLARIFICATION: I've had a number...

Is this a blip?

From the "Not Sure What to Make of This" Dept:"Larry Klayman ... just won a round in court against the Obama administration's health care reform effort ... Freedom Watch, filed suit in 2009 against President Barack Obama and what Klayman called the "Obama Health Reform De Facto Advisory Committee."Takeaway is that Big Pharma, Big Business, AARP and the AMA allegedly conspired to get ObamaCare© passed...

Brave New Medical World

My wife and I enjoy relatively good health in spite of the fact we are part of the leading edge of baby boomers.Rachel is a health and exercise nut. Working out at the gym 4 days a week. Popping vitamins and supplements like they were M&M's. Eating a Euell Gibbons diet of rocks and twigs washed down with Kefir.On the other hand, I eat what I want and get my exercise by jumping to conclusions.My...

Cancer Drugs in Short Supply

If you rely on Taxol to treat your cancer, you may be in trouble. Several Georgia cancer facilities are reporting difficulty in obtaining some cancer drugs.According to the FDA: "We are continuing to see these increased numbers for shortages, especially for older sterile injectable drugs," said Valerie Jensen, director of the FDA Drug Shortages Program. "These drugs are mainly used in hospitals and...

Good News/Bad News: Cardio edition

Unlike our unfortunate Neighbors to the North© or Cousins Across the Pond©, our hospitals are setting records for how quickly patients are seen:"[H]ospitals are treating almost all major heart attack patients within the recommended 90 minutes of arrival, a new study finds. Just five years ago, less than half of them got their clogged arteries opened that fast."In fact, whereas it took (on average)...

Why I Dropped My Series 6: Reason #4,392

In addition to their "regular" insurance license requirements, agents who sell variable (ie securities-based) products must also have special licenses regulated by the Feds. These kinds of products would be mutual funds, and variable life insurance policies and annuities.They do not (currently) include equity-indexed products (but don't be surprised...)In the event, I used to hold such a license,...

Cavalcade of Risk #138: Global to Personal

Nina Kallen, Esq hosts this week's collection of risky posts, neatly categorized from the macro to the micro.HOSTING BLEG: We're currently scheduling for Fall Cavs. Just drop us a line to claim yours....

How safe are your medical records? Are you sure?

It's a bit startling to consider, but we began blogging about the relative safety of medical records over 5 years ago:"In a time zone 17 hours ahead, a radiologist in Australia, working for a company called NightHawk Radiology Services, had been sitting before the same images."More recently, we noted that the MVNHS© had put the kibosh on their latest and greatest:"A plan to create the world's largest...

Grand Rounds - Pretty as a Picture

The estimable Dr Bates hosts this week's collection of interesting (and often provocative) medblog pos...

Life sales up?

The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is often the frontlines when it comes to life insurance underwriting. Typically, participating carriers turn to the clearinghouse to check up on new applicants. So this little tidbit may be more significant than might be apparent:"U.S. life insurers researched more requests for individual coverage in July than they did in July 2010."As we noted a few weeks ago,...

On Packages and Details

Years ago, we discussed a (then-new) effort by Blue Cross of Minnesota to standardize how the costs of various medical procedures would be explained to insureds. We lauded this effort because, for most people, EOB's (Explanation of Benefits) provided little in the way of detailed information about those costs and how insurers made them understandable to "normal" folks.We also appreciated that this...

Cavalcade of Risk #138: Call for submissions

Nina Kallen hosts next week's CavRisk. Entries are due by Monday (the 22nd).NB: We're now using this submission tool: The BC WorkAroundOnce 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" then press "Submit"...

Alzheimer’s? I'll drink to that!

About a month ago, we mentioned a few preventive measures that seem to stave off this dreaded disease (of course, since we don't really know what causes Alzheimer's, it's all pretty much circumstantial evidence). Be that as it may, new research shows another potential "vaccine" of sorts:Loyola University's Stritch School of Medicine "reviewed studies dating to 1977 that included more than 365,000...

Up, Up and Awaaaaay!

No, not my beautiful balloon, but ObamaCare© cos...

Stupid "Beneficiary" Tricks

They say that the difference between comedy and tragedy is time. I would add "and common sense," as well:"The suspect in the case of a Maryland woman who disappeared in Aruba took out an insurance policy before heading out on the trip"Now, it's possible that the missing woman also took out a policy on Mr Giordano, but of course our press is too wrapped up in the story of the moment to check out this...

Stupid Government Tricks

From the "What Were They Thinking?" Department:"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission today sued a Raleigh insurance office for not hiring a recovering drug addict who tested positive for methadone in his system."Yes, druggies and their pals could probably use additional insurance coverage (although Underwriting may have some reservations), and of course existing clients would probably be thrilled...

End to Dialysis?

The federal government is looking for ways to save tax dollars and one way is to encourage those with ESRD to enter hospice rather than go on dialysis. Congress established this "entitlement" program In 1972 when treatment options for End Stage Renal Disease were limited. According to the New York Times, dialysis and transplants...

MassCare© meets ObamaCare©: Travesty Ensues

It's generally accepted, "conventional" wisdom that RomneyCare© begat ObamaCare© (hence Bob's newest buzzword, ObamneyCare). Along with the (Evil) Individual Mandate, RomneyCare introduced other problems, many of which have (until now) flown under the radar.Remember back during the original ObamaCare© "debate," when we first learned about the "Cornhustler" deal? Nebraska was vying for the very first...

Coming up short?

Maybe, maybe not:We've written pretty extensively about Long Term care insurance (LTCi), but there's a new kid in town, goes by the name of Short Term Care insurance (STCi).Issued by Banker's Life (#7 on the LTCi charts, and rising), it offers some interesting twists on the LTCi concept. For one thing, the maximum benefit amount available is $100, and there's no real "choice" in product design: there's...

Customer Service Carnivale - The Good Mix edition

We usually participate in only a few "carnivals" (CavRisk, of course, and Grand Rounds and Health Wonk Review). But I was so impressed with my recent experience with the Sirius radio folks that I submitted that post to the Customer Service Carnivale.Little did I know that that submission would get top billing...

Just Like a Bad Penny

Health insurance scams seem to keep coming back. We have addressed the AIM Health plan on numerous occasions including this post where the plan was exposed.You might think that was the end of it, but apparently not. We were recently contacted by an agent that sold the AIM Health plans who is looking for some advice on how to...

Grand Rounds, Rants and Whines edition

Dr Pullen hosts this week's interesting (despite the title) collection of medblog pos...

You Lied!

Remember “Under [our] plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year,” ? That was then, this is now. As Joe Wilson said, "you lied".Cost of Health Care to Triple Under ObamacareAccording Medicare actuary Richard Foster, implementing Obamacare will triple the cost of health care:In 2014, the actuaries find that growth in...

Movin' on up....

It is with deep-felt pride and pleasure that we are able now to announce that our own Kelley Beloff has accepted the position of Medical Office Manager for a much larger practice, in...wait for it...Tampa, Florida!The good news for us is that she'll continue as a contributing member of the InsureBlog team; her new position, both professional and geographically, will give her even more opportunities...

Why you need disability insurance...

Because you never kn...

(Evil) Mandate Unconstitutional?

Maybe:"A divided U.S. appeals court in Atlanta ruled Friday that a key provision of last year's federal health-care overhaul is unconstitutional, siding with a group of 26 states that challenged the law."We last wrote about this particular case in June.Of course, this is but one battle....

Free Health Care

Obamacare says "Bring us your tired, your poor, your illegal immigrants and we will give you care". Seriously. Washington is using OUR tax dollars to provide free health care to anyone regardless of citizenship or legal status.Taxpayer Funded Health Care Centers Won't Check Immigration StatusAccording to CNS News: “Health centers...

Keeping Abreast of Cancer: Double-Standard edition

When we hear that someone has been diagnosed with breast cancer, our immediate reaction is most likely to be "oh, poor Sally, hope they caught it early."But what if it wasn't "Sally," what if it was "Steve?"Our first reaction in that case would probably be "hunh?!"Sad to say, every year about 2,000 men are diagnosed with the dread disease, accounting for about 1% of all cases. But it is breast cancer,...

Here's a Puzzler

You wake up one day with a growth in your nostril, big enough to interfere with your breathing and hinder your sense of smell. Most folks might not be too upset at the latter, but what if your job requires you to discern between varieties of wine?So, you schedule an appointment with the local surgeon to have it removed. It's medically necessary (since it impedes breathing), so it's most likely covered...

Cavalcade of Risk #137: Headline Grabbers edition

Jason Shafrin presents this week's terrific collection of risk-related blogetry. Do stop by.HOSTING BLEG: We're currently scheduling for Fall Cavs. Just drop us a line to claim you...

CLASS Warfare

FoIB Avik Roy has some profound thoughts on the mis-named CLASS Act, and especially on a recent article in Foreign Affairs magazine by former Obamastration official Peter Orzag. In the FA piece, Mr Orzag acknowledges what we said some time ago, namely that:"There is a serious risk that healthy people may be reluctant to join the program, whereas those who most need long-term care will be eager to...

Stupid Insurance Company Death Claim Tricks

Perhaps the most important part of my job is delivering death claims. This is never a "fun" experience, but it's very rewarding to hand a grieving widow or widower, or son or daughter, or business partner a check that will help ensure that the kids get to college, or the house is paid off, or the business will go on.Although...

Grand Rounds: Music Lovers edition

Dr Deb takes the term 'Rounds" pretty seriously - and it shows in the great job she does with this week's collection of great medblog posts....

Obamacare Sinks Ships

Five more health insurance companies become casualties in the Obamacare war on consumers. Aetna, Cigna, Guardian, American Community and Pekin will all leave the individual major medical market in the next few months. Together, these 5 insurance companies cover about 10% of those with individual health insurance in the state...

MVNHS©: That does not compute!

Last time we looked at Electronic Medical Records (EMR), we noted that early-adopter Google had finally thrown in the towel. Now, that still left more than a few players in that market, but it (again) raised the question as to the viability, let alone the effectiveness, of this phenomenon.Well, we need wait no longer:"A plan to create the world's largest single civilian computer system linking all...

More Swedish Meatball Medicine

Again and again we've documented the utter failure of the alternative medical schemes on which ObamaCare© has been modeled. Less than two months ago, we reported on how Swedish "medical authorities" dealt with a critically injured young girl:"After sustaining an open chest wound of 10cm long while trimming her horse’s mane, Sweden’s emergency response services refused to send an ambulance, suggesting...

We'll have a gay old time (Revisited)...

So this week's National Underwriter/Life & Health edition hits my desk, and the cover catches my attention:"Born This Way: Could same-sex couples be the next big market opportunity?"Okay, I'll bite (metaphorically speaking, of course).Truth is, I've never really cared one way or the other about my clients' sexual orientation. On the few occasions that it's been brought up, it's always been the...