We're from the Government, and we're...

Well, you know. We're about three months out now from the Exchange roll-outs (maybe), and of course Top Men are making sure that things are proceeding apace.Or not:"Guess who has no idea who is going to be running the exchanges in those states?  Or how much a basic policy is going to cost?  Or who is going to be paying the difference between the amount a “low-income” person will have to...

Hunger Games and the MVNHS©

Sometimes, the headline really is the story:Nearly 1,200 people have starved to death in NHS hospitals because 'nurses are too busy to feed patients'On the one hand, this apparently took place over four years, so that (presumably) "only" about 300 Brits per year were killed off this way. Still, death by starvation is no treat:"Pain...

Obamacare Stress Relief

The Obamacare exchange opens October 1, 2013 but will it be ready to roll?Probably not . . .That process is complex enough by itself. How much coverage do you want? What deductible? Are family members on the plan? Do you need an asthma program? Do you want to keep your current doctor? What about dental?Kaiser Health NewsThat's...

Friday Morning Updates

Updates on a couple of yesterday's items:■ Unlike Aetna and UHC, Anthem will not be sending out rebate checks to Buckeye State insureds. Via email:"On June 1, 2013, Anthem filed the required MLR report with Health and Human Services for the 2012 calendar year and met the required loss ratio for all lines of business for 2012. This means no notices will be sent and no rebates will be issued."Good for...

Stuck in Folsom Prison

RIP Johnny Cash. Yes, he did spend time in prison but fortunately for him he had a trade to fall back on once he got out.Perhaps the same is true for today's felons.Republican senators slammed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s navigator program Thursday arguing that the rule is so lenient that a convicted...

Obamacare Whether You Like it or Not

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They're baaaack: ObamaWaiver Mania

In fairness, this first item isn't so much an ObamaWaiver as a court-ordered time-out:"A Largo high-tech engineering firm doesn't have to offer emergency contraception under its medical plan while its case challenging part of the federal health care law is pending in court"The company's owner is a "devout Southern Baptist"...

MLR: More Loony Results

And the hits just keep on comin'. Last week, LifeHealthPro's Allison Bell reported that "insurers did a better job of meeting the new federal minimum medical loss ratio (MLR) targets in 2012 than in 2011, and they will end up paying fewer rebates to a smaller number of people."Maybe so, maybe not:■ FoIB Jeff M tips us that...

Punchline: RomneyCare vs The ObamaTax

From Josh Archambault at Forbes:"A very interesting ACA development is taking place in Massachusetts today as the state that “inspired” Obamacare tries to reconcile its current law with the new federal law ... The amendment that was filed would force President Obama’s good friend Governor Deval Patrick (D), and his Administration, to seek a waiver from certain elements of Obamacare." [emphasis added]Too....

Cavalcade of Rick #186 now on line....

Van Mayhall hosts this week's grand collection of risk-related posts, covering everything from the new Insurer Provider Fee to the FHA's stance on mortgage insurance cancellations.And a friendly reminder to newbies and regulars alike that, while it's not mandatory to give a link back, it’s the way that carnivals work best. If your submitted post has been included in the Cav, please remember ...

Because it's Better Than Drinking Alone

The folks who are responsible for policing Obamacare are already celebrating on our dime.Poor oversight by the Internal Revenue Service allowed workers to use agency credit cards to buy wine for an expensive luncheon, dorky swag for managers' meetings and, for one employee, romance novels and diet pills, an agency watchdog said Tuesday.Two IRS credit cards were used to buy online pornography, though...

The Obamacare Reality Show

Just when you thought it was safe, it seems the folks who gave us Obamacare have moved beyond jokes on late night TV and is now moving towards reality entertainment.The Obamacare question regarding subsidy eligibility seems innocuous enough.The ACA requires Medicaid, CHIP and tax-subsidized exchange coverage to use Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) to determine eligibility for most individuals.StatereforumUntil...

Flopping and Obamacare

HHS is reaching out to the major sports leagues in hopes of partnering to promote the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. So far they have engaged with the NFL and the NBA.For the NBA this partnership could have mixed outcomes. While it hits a significant part of their fan base, it is also a controversial law that could...

Oh Good Lord!

Is this really the face they want to put on The ObamaTax?"General Electric (GE) has enlisted Agent Smith, the villain from "The Matrix" trilogy, to tout its health care technology in a new ad campaign."Actually, that might make more sense than you'd think, given this:"[Soon to be former] Sen. Max Baucus ... asked HHS to provide...

Give me your tired, your....uninsured

A few weeks ago, Bob pointed out that, under the pending Senate immigration bill, newly "legalized" immigrants will "have to wait at least 13 years to be able to obtain full citizenship, and it isn’t until then that they could qualify for [the ObamaTax benefits]."Recent news would seem to confirm not only that, but its implications:"Those...

99 Bottles of Aspirin on the Wall

It’s hard to understate the enormity of the task at hand for the Obama administration. It will be orchestrating the largest expansion of private health insurance in the country’s history. That means there’s a huge amount of work to be done over the next few months. There are at least 99 things that need to happen between now...

Child Labor

It's 10 o'clock. Do you know where your children are?  The Los Angeles Unified School District will use a state grant to train teens to promote ObamaCare to family members. Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, announced grants of $37 million on May 14 to promote the nationally unpopular law.LAUSD...

Obamacare Babel

Obamacare kicks off in 99 days. DC is still selling the health insurance plan that almost nobody wants.  The Department of Health and Human Services reportedly asked professional sports leagues to help them promote the law’s benefits. The leagues reach a wide audience, especially the young and healthy crowd the administration...

Exchange News

Now that we're at less than 100 days until the Exchanges (allegedly) open for business, here's the latest from a select few of the 58 states:■ First up, New Hampshire  has "achieved a dubious distinction," one that has some folks pretty concerned:"It is the only state so far with just one health insurer that plans to sell...

This just in...

Via email:"Effective immediately, Aetna is temporarily suspending new business sales for Aetna Advantage Plans for Individuals, Families and the Self-Employed in Ohio."These are the carrier's individual major medical plans (PPO, HSA, etc). The email does not say why they're suspending sales, but one can't help but wonder if...

Another MVNHS© Scandal

Regular readers will be familiar with the on-going shanda at the Much Vaunted National Health System© facility in Mid Staffordshire:"Almost 3,000 people may have died unnecessarily in just one year at the 14 NHS trusts whose excessive mortality rates were reviewed in the wake of the Mid Staffordshire scandal"This particular facility has been in the news (and not for its outstanding reputation for...

Why a Sales Pitch?

Why? More than 3 years after the legislation that no one read was signed into law, why is the government still trying to sell the public on the greatness of Obamacare?  Why? Almost a year after the Supreme Court ruled that Obamacare was a tax and the mandate was legal, why does DC still have to use non-sequestered taxpayer...

Obamacare 100 Days and Counting

In 100 days the Obamacare health insurance exchanges will open for business . . . in a manner of speaking. In addition to shoppers hoping to stock up on sale prices for health insurance no doubt many will have questions.  Who will answer them?A company called Vangent.The Department of Health and Human Services estimates...

Making Bernie Madoff Proud

By golly this minimum loss ratio thingy sure is working well, said every liberal journalist and health insurance company. CMS released figures yesterday touting that the minimum loss ratio (MLR) requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act saved consumers $500 million that must be paid back in the form of rebates. 8.5 million consumers will each receive...

Cavalcade of Risk #186: Call for submissions

Van Mayhall hosts next week's Cav. Entries are due by Monday (the 24th).To submit your risk-related post, just click here to email it.You'll need to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the postPLEASE remember: ONLY posts that relate to risk (not personal finance tips and the like). And please only submit if you are willing...

Burial Insurance

Life insurance, burial insurance, final expense policy. All terms for the same thing.We come into this world with nothing and leave the same way. But most of us do leave behind unpaid bills.Credit cards, mortgage loans, car loans, bequests . . . the list goes on.But what happens if there is not enough money to take care of...

New Sponsor Alert

We're pleased to announce that we've teamed up with eHealth to provide free, no obligation quotes for your Medicare Supplement insurance needs. Check out the shiny new widget in the sidebar to see how it wor...

Stupid is as stupid does...

Yeah, this will end well:"Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a measure Wednesday that would change the definition of a full-time worker under the [ObamaTax]. The proposal is aimed at preventing workers from having their hours scaled back as businesses try to cope with the additional cost of providing...

The O - H - I.O.U.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act a new type of insurance issuer called a CO-OP must be created in every state. These CO-OPs are high-risk ventures: the Office of Budget and Management has projected a default rate for them as high as 43%. Through 2012 over $2 Billion had been distributed by HHS to these start up insurers. Last week Mike wrote an excellent post...

Health Wonk Review: "Is this question rhetorical?" Edition

Sarah Sonies and Jennifer Salopek present an outstanding Health Wonk Review, covering everything from care for undocumented illegal immigrants to neuroscience.What makes this week's edition so terrific is that it's obvious that Sarah and Jennifer have read all the entries, offering thoughtful context and commentary on each one.Kud...

Dribbling the ObamaTax

Back in the day, Ms Shecantbeserious had Matlock to Hawk the train-wreck. Fast forward a bit, and she's Cavalierly bringing the Heat in her efforts to work her Wizardly Magic on that Nugget:"The Obama administration has reportedly tried to enlist the NBA in helping it sell Obamacare"Whatever works to sell this Maverick idea...

The ObamaTax vs City Hall

Regular readers know that one major effect of the train wreck has been reduced hours for part-time employees:"[E]ven those fortunate enough to keep their current jobs (let alone obtain new employment) may be subject to reduced hours (and thus pay)"Restaurants and movie theaters, theme parks and community colleges are all slashing...

On being careful what we wish for...

By now, most folks know that Sarah Murnaghan got her new lungs, and for that we say "Baruch HaShem" (Praised be G-d). As life is the most precious of gifts, one can't help but be moved by her new-found hope and lease on life.In Judaism, we are encouraged to consider all facets of a given subject or issue. That is, our job is...

Life Insurance, Long Term Care, Medicaid and You

Not so sure that this is such a great idea:"State lawmakers are encouraging elderly residents to use life insurance as a way to pay for long-term care—and lower the Medicaid tab in the process."The concept seems pretty straightforward: you take an older life insurance policy and sell it ("viaticate" is the technical term), and then use the proceeds to pay for long term care. When the policy's value...

Exposing Your Private Parts

The federal government under Obamacare will be exposing your private parts. Most of the consumer protection that was put in place under the Clinton administration now goes away under Obama.  A new rule issued late Friday requires state, federal and local agencies as well as health insurers to swap the protected personal...