AUTHOR:
Kathryn Nix
Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland points out that “the more we reduce opportunities in the market … the more challenging it is for [families] to secure the coverage that they want and [are] able to afford.” Obamacare’s countless new rules and regulations will certainly limit choices for families—that is becoming clearer by the day.
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Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Some insurers stop writing new coverage for kids
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR (AP) – 2 days ago
WASHINGTON — Some major health insurance companies have stopped issuing certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in his state UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children individually. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said a couple of local insurers in her state have done likewise.
Starting later this year, the health care overhaul law requires insurers to accept children regardless of medical problems. Insurers are worried that parents will wait until kids get sick to sign them up, saddling the companies with unpredictable costs.
The major types of coverage for children — employer plans and government programs — are not be affected by the disruption. But a subset of policies — those that cover children as individuals — may run into problems. Even so, insurers are not canceling children's coverage already issued, but refusing to write new policies.
Industry officials estimate that children's policies account for 8 percent of single coverage plans sold directly to consumers.
"Our plans are very concerned about this," said Alissa Fox, a top Washington lobbyist for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. "If the law says that insurers have to take you any time, any place, some people will see that as an opportunity to wait until their children get sick to buy coverage."
There is nothing in the law that would stop a hospital from buying a policy for a uninsured child who came into the emergency room, she added.
Insurance companies and state insurance commissioners are pressing the federal government to require an open enrollment period for the guaranteed children's coverage, which is one of the main early benefits of the health law. Parents could only get the guaranteed coverage during a designated month each year.
"That seems to be a fairly reasonable approach," said Holland, the Oklahoma commissioner, a Democrat. "It would create a mechanism to get children into coverage but limit the ability to misuse the system."
State officials have also brought the problem to the attention of the Obama administration. "We are attempting to convince (federal officials) that this is a serious enough concern to work with (insurers) to give them some relief," Holland said.
There was no immediate response from the administration. Final regulations for the new children's coverage are due before Sept. 23. The requirement to cover kids regardless of their medical problems will apply to new plans starting after that date.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON — Some major health insurance companies have stopped issuing certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in his state UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children individually. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said a couple of local insurers in her state have done likewise.
Starting later this year, the health care overhaul law requires insurers to accept children regardless of medical problems. Insurers are worried that parents will wait until kids get sick to sign them up, saddling the companies with unpredictable costs.
The major types of coverage for children — employer plans and government programs — are not be affected by the disruption. But a subset of policies — those that cover children as individuals — may run into problems. Even so, insurers are not canceling children's coverage already issued, but refusing to write new policies.
Industry officials estimate that children's policies account for 8 percent of single coverage plans sold directly to consumers.
"Our plans are very concerned about this," said Alissa Fox, a top Washington lobbyist for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. "If the law says that insurers have to take you any time, any place, some people will see that as an opportunity to wait until their children get sick to buy coverage."
There is nothing in the law that would stop a hospital from buying a policy for a uninsured child who came into the emergency room, she added.
Insurance companies and state insurance commissioners are pressing the federal government to require an open enrollment period for the guaranteed children's coverage, which is one of the main early benefits of the health law. Parents could only get the guaranteed coverage during a designated month each year.
"That seems to be a fairly reasonable approach," said Holland, the Oklahoma commissioner, a Democrat. "It would create a mechanism to get children into coverage but limit the ability to misuse the system."
State officials have also brought the problem to the attention of the Obama administration. "We are attempting to convince (federal officials) that this is a serious enough concern to work with (insurers) to give them some relief," Holland said.
There was no immediate response from the administration. Final regulations for the new children's coverage are due before Sept. 23. The requirement to cover kids regardless of their medical problems will apply to new plans starting after that date.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Blue Cross Now Open in Central Florida
Central Florida News 13
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 7:46 AM
WINTER PARK --
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has opened its first Central Florida location in Winter Park Village.
The state’s fourth Florida Blue center focuses on helping consumers understand their health care coverage and needs.
The first location opened in Jacksonville in 2007. Since then, the concept has evolved from just selling health insurance to helping customers with all their health care questions.
“I think they’re the same concerns across the board: ‘I don’t understand the process. I really don’t understand Medicare. I’ve heard things about it, but I don’t know where to begin,’” said Florida Blue’s Wayne Easterling.
More than 30,000 Floridians have visited the other Florida Blue locations in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami.
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 7:46 AM
WINTER PARK --
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida has opened its first Central Florida location in Winter Park Village.
The state’s fourth Florida Blue center focuses on helping consumers understand their health care coverage and needs.
The first location opened in Jacksonville in 2007. Since then, the concept has evolved from just selling health insurance to helping customers with all their health care questions.
“I think they’re the same concerns across the board: ‘I don’t understand the process. I really don’t understand Medicare. I’ve heard things about it, but I don’t know where to begin,’” said Florida Blue’s Wayne Easterling.
More than 30,000 Floridians have visited the other Florida Blue locations in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Health Care: Sacrificing Choice for Cost
Aaron Lowe on 07.18.10 at 5:00 AM
The New York Times reports that major health insurance corporations are now experimenting with plans that offer cheaper coverage for sharply limited networks of doctors and hospitals.
A cheaper plan sounds great even with a limited, HMO type plan, but is this good health care or another insurance industry smokescreen?
By offering limited plans, major health insurance providers, such as Aetna, Cigna, the UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint, may reduce the costs of premiums by as much as 15%. But, the quality of care is not necessarily improved. I'll cede the point that lower cost programs allow more people to buy health insurance coverage and go a long way in increasing access to health care, but health care reform, specifically the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was designed to "guarantee more health care choices" and "enhance the quality of health care." Cutting back on choices is not increasing choices. What's going on is a paradox.
Health care reform iss supposed to set up "a new competitive health insurance market" that will allow Americans to have the "same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have." We're going to get the same choices that members of Congress "will have". That "will have" is key to me. Increased access, lower costs, but much less choice. Does this mean that Congress and the President pulled a fast one on us? Probably more like a slow one considering how long it took a bill to pass, but nevertheless if the choices of Congress get cut back then that automatically limits our choices.
I don't want to unfairly attack the concepts of managed care of health maintenance organizations, but the criticism of both concepts is fair. For example, in an HMO, practitioners may want to avoid referring patients when possible, unless it is a referral to within their own practice or direct organization, for example, a doctor sending a patient to a specialist in their clinical or hospital network. However, when a practitioner avoids referring patients to other HMO providers the result is many serious illnesses and medical conditions going untreated.
Not matter what one's opinion is on managed care, the HMO system, or free for all health insurance, I think we can and should agree now that on health care reform, we got fleeced.
The New York Times reports that major health insurance corporations are now experimenting with plans that offer cheaper coverage for sharply limited networks of doctors and hospitals.
A cheaper plan sounds great even with a limited, HMO type plan, but is this good health care or another insurance industry smokescreen?
By offering limited plans, major health insurance providers, such as Aetna, Cigna, the UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint, may reduce the costs of premiums by as much as 15%. But, the quality of care is not necessarily improved. I'll cede the point that lower cost programs allow more people to buy health insurance coverage and go a long way in increasing access to health care, but health care reform, specifically the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was designed to "guarantee more health care choices" and "enhance the quality of health care." Cutting back on choices is not increasing choices. What's going on is a paradox.
Health care reform iss supposed to set up "a new competitive health insurance market" that will allow Americans to have the "same choices of insurance that members of Congress will have." We're going to get the same choices that members of Congress "will have". That "will have" is key to me. Increased access, lower costs, but much less choice. Does this mean that Congress and the President pulled a fast one on us? Probably more like a slow one considering how long it took a bill to pass, but nevertheless if the choices of Congress get cut back then that automatically limits our choices.
I don't want to unfairly attack the concepts of managed care of health maintenance organizations, but the criticism of both concepts is fair. For example, in an HMO, practitioners may want to avoid referring patients when possible, unless it is a referral to within their own practice or direct organization, for example, a doctor sending a patient to a specialist in their clinical or hospital network. However, when a practitioner avoids referring patients to other HMO providers the result is many serious illnesses and medical conditions going untreated.
Not matter what one's opinion is on managed care, the HMO system, or free for all health insurance, I think we can and should agree now that on health care reform, we got fleeced.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Launches Mobile Website
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. (BCBSF) puts health care in the palm of Floridians' hands with the launch of its new mobile website. The company's latest innovation is designed to help consumers save time and money, and can be accessed from any Smartphone including the latest Blackberry, iPhone, Droid and even the iPad. By simply typing www.bcbsfl.com into their mobile browser, members and non-members can easily get important health information and tools, as well as details about their plan and coverage benefits.
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