Category Archives: Health Insurance Costs

High Deductible Health Insurance Plans Deter Patients from Getting Medical Help

Published: November 24, 2010 in Health Insurance Costs

It makes sense, really, when you think about it. If something is going to cost more, you might take steps to avoid paying for it if it's not incredibly vital at the moment. According to a story in Mediapage Today entitled, "High-Deductible Health Insurance Results in Less Care," that's exactly what's happening with many low-income families enrolled in high deductible plans. Regardless of income, one half of families enrolled in high deductible plans have avoided receiving a medical service due to its cost.

Affordable Care Act Can’t be Blamed for Rises in Health Insurance Premiums

Published: October 29, 2010 also in Health Reform

A lot of health insurance companies have been in the news due to their hikes in health insurance premiums. More and more often, many companies are pointing the blame elsewhere, including losing customers and even the recently passed Affordable Care Act. Well, according to an article from NPR entitled, "Health Law Hardly At Fault For Rising Premiums," health insurance companies can't really blame the recent law as a reason to raise premiums.

Health Care Plans to Rise 14% for Employees Next Year

Published: October 22, 2010 also in Health Reform

As the cost of health care goes up, the cost of the insurance to cover that health care rises with it, and fewer places is this more evident in the workplace. Sadly, companies have to keep asking more and more out of employee's paychecks -- something they're not wont to do -- to cover the higher premiums demanded by health insurance companies. According to a story in CNN entitled, "Cost of your health plan to rise 14%", they talk about how health insurance premiums will rise even further this coming year, and what can be done about it.

Repealing Health Care Reform Disastrous in Terms of Administrative Costs

Published: August 6, 2010 also in Health In Politics, Health Reform

Opponents to the recent health care reform are getting more and more vocal, especially given the recent vote in Missouri in which their voters rejected the reforms. However, in an article from the Center for American Progress entitled, "Repealing Health Reform Would Mean Billions More in Administrative Costs", they try to remind opponents as to one of the other big facets of the health care reform bill...efficiency.

California Insurer Rate Hikes to be Scrutinized by Analysts

Published: June 18, 2010 also in Health In Politics

It's been big news here for a while now that several companies such as Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Anthem Blue Cross and Aetna have been proposing massive rate hikes for a long time, which has come under scrutiny of customers, legislators and heck, even the President. Well, in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled, "Health insurance rates will get outside look," state health regulators will hire third-party analysts to review the rate increases.

Upcoming Health Insurance Rate Hikes and Their Effects on Small Businesses

Published: May 28, 2010 in Health Insurance Costs

With our economy the way it is these days, sometimes people forget that the backbone of our economy are small businesses. Small businesses not only grow into large businesses, they also do quite a bit of the hiring as well, something that is desperately needed in today's economy. Sadly, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times entitled, "Health insurance rate hikes hitting California small businesses could hurt state's economic recovery," small businesses are facing yet another hurtle that, as the title of the article says, could hurt the economic recovery of not just business in California, but elsewhere as well.

The Private Sector Fills the Gaps in Health Insurance Coverage?

Published: May 21, 2010 also in Health Reform

Even though the recent health care reform legislation was signed into law, most of its big provisions don't actually take effect for several years, giving insurance companies and the public time to prepare for what will assuredly be a huge shift in buying and owning health insurance coverage. Well, according to an article in the LA Times entitled, "National Restaurant Assn. and UnitedHealth join on coverage effort for restaurant workers," we might have an unlikely ally in the private sector when it comes to giving people affordable health insurance coverage. According to the article, UnitedHealth -- a pretty huge private health insurance company, and The National Restaurant Association -- a huge restaurant group that represents nearly 400,000 employers and millions of their employees nationwide -- are planning to team up to give restaurant workers access to low-cost, affordable health insurance coverage.

What Happens When COBRA Coverage Runs Out?

Published: May 7, 2010 also in Health In Politics

We don't usually cover COBRA related topics here, because honestly it doesn't pop up in the news that often, but that's likely to change in the coming months, especially with how the recently-signed health care reform law changes things for COBRA recipients. The story we're looking at today, "Health Insurance Dilemma: COBRA Subsidies Will Soon Run Out for Many" from DailyFinance, talks about how COBRA is about to run out for many people, and what people can do once they do lose coverage.

Wellpoint Retracts Exorbitant Rate Hikes in California

Published: April 30, 2010 also in Health In Politics

Taking a break from all the health care reform news this week -- which there still is a lot of -- a major news story broke out here in California. Some time back, you might recall I reported that Wellpoint and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California were preparing to raise the rates of their customers up to 39%, which flew in the face of legislators, customers and even other insurance companies. Well, thankfully news has hit that they're withdrawing their request to hike rates, according to sources. The one I'm referencing today is from CNN, and is entitled, "California insurer backs away from 39% hike".

Several States Worried Over Health Insurance Scams

Published: April 16, 2010 also in Health Reform

With the recent passage of the landmark health care and health insurance reform legislation, it's not surprising that certain people will use a normal fear of change and the unknown to capitalize on gullible people, which is apparently what's happening in several states. According to an article in USA Today entitled, "States fret over health insurance scams", several states are suing various fake health insurance companies for scamming customers out of their hard earned money.