In June, 2012, the United States Supreme Court announced their decision that the Affordable Healthcare Act, nicknamed “ObamaCare,” was, in fact constitutional. It should come as no surprise that roughly half the people waiting for the decision were overjoyed by that verdict, while the other half were extremely displeased. What everyone had in common, however, was the concern that the implementation of the Act would actually make health insurance more expensive for middle-class Americans.

Here’s the reality: with or without the 2012 healthcare reform legislation, the cost of healthcare is rising, and has been rising for decades. A study released in May, 2012 says that for the first time ever, the average annual cost of insurance will top $20,000. The exact number is $20, 728, and it’s $1,335 more a year than the average cost was last year.

That’s a scary number, but it’s important to remember that most of that money does not come from out-of-pocket expenses. Instead, the average family of four on a “preferred provider organization” insurance plan (that’s when you work with a network of doctors and hospitals, but they’re not technically a coordinated HMO) will pay $5,114 in premiums (via payroll deduction for most people), and $3,470 in co-payments for doctor visits, drug prescriptions, and other out-of-pocket costs (like the patient portions of some lab tests). The rest of that $20, 728 ($12,144) is what is generally picked up by employers as part of company health plans.

What’s causing the higher cost of health care insurance? Most experts pin it on the cost of providing care at all. Is “ObamaCare” the culprit? Not really. The same report, which was issued by a company called Milliman, which consults with corporations about their benefit plans, says that the health care reform act passed in 2010 has had only a “limited effect” on the cost of health care, and also points out that, “The rate of increase is not as high as in the past but total dollar increase was still a record.”

The Milliman report also says that the amount of the increase, “…overshadows any relief consumers might derive from the slowing percentage increase.”

So, what was the increase exactly? Milliman’s numbers say that the cost of family health care grew by 6.9 percent from last year to this year, which is slower than the growth in previous years, but not slow enough to allow families to compensate for the higher cost.

In addition, Milliman says that the two biggest components of a modern family’s health care expenses will be physician services (which is increasing to an annual cost of $6,647) and hospital stays (rising to $6,531).

Finally, Milliman’s report reminds us that these projected numbers are also averages. Cities like New York and Miami are likely to have higher costs – about 20% over the national average – while Atlanta, Phoenix, and Seattle are likely to be the only major cities where the average is below the $20,000 threshold.

The bottom line? President Obama’s health care legislation doesn’t go into full effect until 2014, but so far the effect has been a slower rate of cost increases, though health care costs are still rising.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard testimony for and against the continued existence of the two-year-old health care reform law that was passed by the Obama administration. Currently, the Court is in closed-door deliberations, with a decision expected in June, while pundits from all political persuasions trade speculations about what the verdict will be, and what might happen in either scenario (some say that a ruling that the law is unconstitutional will actually be WORSE for the Republican party).

Meanwhile, insurance industry leaders believe that no matter what the courts say about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, at least some parts of the legislation will remain in force, if for no other reason than the passage of the act in the first place has pushed the insurance industry into a period of change.

According to Ronald Swinford, president and CEO of the Lehigh (PA) Valley Health Network, that’s because there are some benefits of health care reform that even people like him want to keep.

Swinford is not alone in his opinion, either. Stuart H. Fine, CEO of Grand View Hospital believes that even if the biggest point of contention, the mandate that everyone must purchase some kind of coverage, is struck down, there are other sections of the reform law that will either remain in effect or be reinstated by future congressional voting no matter what the ruling.

Both men were interviewed recently by the Lehigh Valley Morning Call, to talk about health care reform, and the legality thereof, and both pointed out that until there is a ruling, the Act remains in force, and industry leaders are behooved to work toward compliance.

Among some of the reform requirements being implemented, which Fine referred to as a “grand, complicated and in many ways undefined experiment,” are payment reforms for Medicare and Medicaid, the creation of insurance exchanges where consumers without access to corporate benefits can purchase coverage, and the tactic of larger companies absorbing private practices in order to provide better coordination of care (they say) as well as the development of secure electronic medical records systems.

Swinford, specifically, told the Morning Call that he believes evolution away from the existing fee-for-service health care model and toward one that puts a premium on quality care and ensures that providers are paid for actual value is likely to continue. Also weighing in was Sally Gammon, president and CEO of the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network said she things the law has forced more cooperation and resulted in more integration of care levels, away from separately-licensed inpatient rehab facilities and long-term acute care providers to a continuing care program, which will result in a streamlines system that ultimately provides better care with fewer errors and gaps.

If this sounds like a sunny picture of the change wrought by health care reform legislation, consider that there are also some aspects of it that health care execs do not like. Swinford observed that very few hospitals are truly on-board with the use of accountable care organizations (a payment/delivery system that the law pushes for), while almost all industry leaders feel that things are far too nebulous and complex. Overall, the people who do the day-to-day administration of health care feel that reforms should simplify processes, rather than make insurance law even murkier, but, Swinford added, the worst outcome would be a law weakened so much it would do nothing.

When you purchase a home, even if the home isn’t brand new, it’s very likely that you’ll be offered a home warranty. In many cases, the seller will offer to pay for the first year of such a warranty, but in some cases if you choose to purchase one, you’ll be paying for it yourself. But, what is a home warranty, and do you really need one?

Put simply, a home warranty is a contract between yourself and a home warranty company that allows you to get discounted repair and replacement services on the major components of your home (plumbing, electrical systems, air conditioning, heating systems) and major appliances like refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and swimming pools. In exchange for this warranty coverage, you’ll pay an annual fee, either as a lump sum, or in installments.

If you have a covered system or appliance break down, your home warranty company will arrange for an affiliated contractor to come and look at the problem, and, if approved, do the work. Usually you’ll pay a flat fee for these service calls, unless extensive work is required. A broken pool pump, for example, would be covered by just the service fee if your pool equipment is part of your warranty coverage, but if a water heater fails, and replacement requires bringing connections and wiring up to code, you’ll pay the difference.

While it’s true that there are some years when nothing will break and you won’t use your home warranty, it’s also true that a major system failure that is repaired under warranty will make you feel that it has “paid for itself.”

However, home warranties are not the perfect solution to every system or appliance breakdown. There are limitations in coverage (garage door openers, for example, are rarely covered, and while pool pumps can be covered, pool vacuums are almost never included) , maximum dollar amounts of repairs per year, and a nearly universal clause that you, the homeowner, are responsible for keeping systems and appliances in good working order.

It’s also important to remember that a home warranty is not a substitute for homeowners insurance. Insurance covers the replacement cost of your entire home and the contents therein. A home warranty provides limited coverage for specific systems and items. Insurance covers you in the event of natural disasters. If your refrigerator is killed by a lightning strike, insurance may cover it, but a home warranty will not.

As well, home warranties require that you use the warranty company’s contractors. In many cases, these contractors are respectable and reliable, but many give the lowest priority to warranty calls, and as a homeowner, you lose the freedom of choosing your own repair service and forging a relationship with it.

Are home warranties worth it? If you are bad at saving money for emergencies, but good at basic upkeep of appliances and systems, they probably are, but if you have a decent amount of saved cash, you may want to skip the warranty and boost the contents coverage of your homeowners insurance, instead.

“Insurance rates are going up,” may be one of the most frequently-uttered phrase around office water coolers this month, coming in slightly after the previous weekend’s football scores, and talk of the most recent X Factor elimination. But are insurance rates really on the rise, and if they are, just how scary will the numbers look in 2012?

Let’s look at each of the three major types of insurance – auto, health, and home – in order.

Auto Insurance

Auto insurance generally has the most variance in rates, because so much of it is dependent on the number of drivers in a geographic area, as well as the average driving conditions. Every car insurer in a given state files their rate change requests separately, and then the state insurance commissioner’s office (or equivalent agency) approves or denies the requests.

For 2012, ICBC and Farmers are among those companies asking for rate increases in many states, including Colorado and Texas, but motorists in Massachusetts may see lower rates, now that the regulation against credit scoring in the auto insurance pricing process there has become an actual law.

During 2011, the trend was either very slow increases, or actual decreases in auto insurance rates, and there is no reason that this trend would not continue.

The best way to reduce the impact of any increased cost to your auto insurance, say the experts, is to ask for discounts if you don’t want to change your coverage, and shop online for a new policy if you do.

Health Insurance

Ever since the Health Care Reform Act was passed, people across the country have been concerned about an increase in health care costs. While it’s true that some corporations are changing their benefits packages to remove vision care (and similar options) from standard benefits, the cost increase to companies is actually the smallest it’s been in years – a mere 5.4% for those companies undertaking cost-cutting methods, and 7.1% for those that are not. Over the past two years, the average increase has been 9%.

However, it’s unlikely that most of those corporations will pass that lower increase to their employees, and workers in middle and lower salary ranges may soon see the increase in their benefits increasing at a greater pace than their wages will.

To help offset higher health insurance rates, industry analysts recommend Health Savings Accounts and wellness care, as well as only purchasing those types of coverage you actually need.

Homeowners Insurance

Hurricane Irene devastated much of the Eastern Seaboard this summer, and the mid-Atlantic states also saw a severe blizzard in October. Oklahoma is suffering from unexpected earthquake damage, and insurers in the southern coastal states, especially Florida and the Carolinas are reducing their exposure by non-renewing policies in beachfront areas, but how does all this impact the cost of homeowners insurance?

According to the Christian Science Monitor, we should expect higher homeowners insurance rates nearly everywhere. Indeed, State Farm has already filed for rate hikes in Texas, while Homewise has divested its interests in Florida.

Special Coverages

While not much is being said about special types of insurance, like flood and earthquake protection, the widespread flooding over the last two or three years and the high rate of earthquakes in places where they’re not expected to occur (Oklahoma, Virginia) may point to increased rates for these types of policies as well.

For every type of insurance, we recommend comparison shopping, buying online, bundling home and auto, and asking for any discounts that are available.

Says the Monitor: “Insurance companies’ profits this year are expected to be modest relative to the money they hold in reserve or investment accounts. They must invest safely, to protect against short-term swings in the financial markets. That limits their investment returns. To boost revenue, they must raise prices.”

Not so very long ago, conventional health insurance wouldn’t cover acupuncture, acupressure, or even normal chiropractic care. Today, all of those procedures, especially chiropractic treatment, are usually covered, but you might have to fight for the coverage. Here are a few things you should know about using your health insurance for chiropractic care.

Before You Go

• If your need for chiropractic care is related to an injury at work or a car accident, you should see if worker’s compensation insurance or your car insurance will cover you, before you file a claim against your health insurance. In the case of an auto accident, if the other driver is at fault, your care may be covered by their auto insurance.
• If your health insurance is with an HMO (health maintenance organization) or PPO (preferred provider organization) you’ll probably have to see an in-network chiropractor in order to get the maximum coverage from your health insurer. Even if you go out of network, you will probably need a referral from your primary care physician before your health insurance will cover your treatment. As well, you’re likely to be limited to a certain number of visits.

Once You’re There

• Be sure you give a complete medical history at the chiropractor’s office, and answer their questionnaire’s honestly. When it comes to this kind of treatment, what the practitioner doesn’t know can hurt you. This is especially important if you have had prior injuries.
• Even if you have excellent health insurance, chiropractic care can be expensive. Always be certain to get a written treatment plan and a detailed estimate, and run it by your primary care physician if you have any concerns.
• Ask questions. If an adjustment seems dangerous or a procedure is unfamiliar, ask the chiropractor to explain it so that you understand exactly what they’re doing.
• Speak Up. If something hurts more than you think it should, tell the chiropractor. They’re not telepathic.

If Your Health Insurance Doesn’t Cover Chiropractors

If your insurance plan doesn’t cover chiropractors, there are still a few options if you really need that kind of care. If your primary physician agrees that you need chiropractic treatment, the two of you can work together to make your insurance company cover your treatment. Generally this will require a lot of paperwork – documenting injuries, writing letters, etc.

If you don’t have that kind of time (or patience) you can pay for chiropractic with either a health care specific credit card, like G.E. Capital’s “Care Credit” which gives you interest-free payments for the first six to twelve months, or with a flexible spending account through your employer. You’re still paying for your treatment, but at least you won’t be breaking the bank to get the care you need.

Chiropractic care is becoming increasingly mainstream. If your current insurer doesn’t cover it, switching plans may be an option as well.