Health Insurance
Underinsured Number has Increased, but Reform is coming
The Christian Science Monitor reports that the number of underinsured Americans increased by over a third between 2003 and 2007, from 15 million to 25 million, and despite the passage of the health care reform bill earlier this year, there may be even more people who have some health insurance, but not enough to cover […]
Read moreLouisiana Officials Concerned About Health of BP Clean-Up Workers
Environmental and health officials in Louisiana are requesting that federal safety officials take steps to protect the health of those who are helping with the clean-up of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Alan Levine, Health and Hospitals Secretary, and Peggy Hatch, Environmental Quality Secretary, say that daily reports of illness and […]
Read moreTexas Uninsured Rate Highest in Nation; Employers Feeling the Financial Pain.
Health Leaders InterStudy, a Nashville, Tenn.-based provider of managed care market intelligence, is reporting that Dallas, Texas area employers are having to pay higher premiums in order to provide health insurance coverage for their employees, because the region has such a high number of uninsured people. The high uninsured rate in the Dallas region, according […]
Read moreMeet the MIB – that’s Medical Insurance Board, not Men in Black
With all the talk of health insurance reform, including much reference to pre-existing conditions, and rules on when coverage may be canceled by an insurer, it’s natural to wonder exactly who is “in charge” of all that information. The answer? The MIB, that stands for Medical Insurance Board, and they’re a membership organization owned by […]
Read moreHospital Cost Shifting Not a New Trend
Recent confirmed reports of an alarming change within the hospital industry, one that has been going on since long before the passage of the healthcare reform bill last month: Because they get lower reimbursements from public health insurance services like Medicaid and Medicare, many hospitals are trying to find new ways of making money, and […]
Read moreDrinkers Exercise More than Non-Drinkers, Study Says
It’s no secret that healthy habits help you save money on health insurance, but did you know that that alcohol consumption is linked to those habits in ways most of us never considered? There have been several clinical studies of the way alcohol consumption affects health, and one of them found that people who regularly […]
Read moreMissouri Court Issues Ruling in Medical Malpractice Case
Two days ago, the Missouri Supreme Court made a ruling that narrowed the scope of a 2005 state law that limits the amount of money that may be awarded in medical malpractice cases has slightly narrowed the scope of a 2005 state law limiting how much money can be awarded to people in medical malpractice […]
Read moreCompany Wellness Programs: They’re Not Just for the Big Guys Anymore
It’s no secret that large corporations have been cutting costs by encouraging employees to use on-site, in-house wellness programs, some replete with healthy dining facilities and gymnasiums. However, wellness programs aren’t just for big companies any more. In fact, two Illinois-based medium-sized businesses, Mechanical Devices, Co. (Bloomington) and the Town of Normal have implemented wellness […]
Read moreSenate Approves COBRA Extension Bill
It was reported on Wednesday that the United States Senate voted 62-36 to approve a $138 billion bill that temporarily halts cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, and also extends COBRA premium subsidies and Medicaid assistance. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D – NV) said in a statement to the press, “This week’s bill helps […]
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