It almost seems an oxymoron to say "best priced" with where premiums for health insurance plans have risen in the last 5 years. Having said that, if small businesses are looking for the lowest premium on the market, Health Net and Emblem Health have the best community rated products right now. Empire BCBS has introduced some new EPO plans as well that are also quite competitive. If employers are looking for high-deductible health plans to couple with HSA or HRAs, Emblem Health has plans are that below 200/person.
Oxford Health Plans and Aetna are priced similarly to each other, as such, their products and prices are the next tier up. Cigna now has also introduced an EPO plan that is also quite competitive.
For folks over the river in to New Jersey, Horizon BCBS has the best price/product mix right now, followed by Health Net and others including Oxford and Aetna as well.
For free quotes, visit www.healthinsurancegeeks.com, for New York companies there is a real time quote engine, for NJ, folks must submit a census document to get a quote right back as the carriers rate based on census.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
The New Landscape of Health Insurance: Reform?
It has been a few weeks, and we have seen lots and lots of new ideas, perhaps rhetoric about the new system that will be employed in the U.S. for health insurance. The Obama Administration continues to be front and center with its ideas, and they circle around many of their original plans. The government wants desperately to offer a public option to both the uninsured population, which hovers over 40 million Americans, and anyone else in the market, whether with or without coverge. Obama continues to tell employers and employees covered by group plans that they can keep their plan if they so chose, but would like to increase competition through the public option. Many defenders of private insurance point to the ineffective Medicaid and Medicare plans currently in force in the U.S. These plans just like private insurance have not kept costs in line, and get steady push-back especially from private physicians and hospitals.
Regardless of political opinion, many things about reform are front and center - controlling treatable illnesses and conditions such as obesity, smoking, a Asthma, with wellness and prevention. These conditions alone account for plenty of the spending in the current system, and are coupled with the fact that electronic medical records are not the norm in 2009. As such many tests are duplicated along with multiple visits and procedures that could be eliminated if records were more coordinated. Approximately 30% of the spending in the U.S. is attributed to this waste alone.
The private insurers are going to need to budge if the wish to remain in business and many point to the medical underwriting around pre-existing conditions. Private insurers urge a mandate for every American to be required to have coverage similar to car insurance, in order to bring more healthy Americans in to the system to offset the claims that would be incurred by sick members. In general that is the problem, private insurers can have more "lax" underwriting and in fact offer more affordable coverage if these massive insurance pools have a better mix of healthy and sick members. Perhaps that is where we will find ourselves after all, with a private system augmented with Congress enacting stronger legislation around mandates for coverage, some for of government subsidy for coverage (for certain income levels etc...) and perhaps a revamped Medicare system to pick up some of the costs for the very low income population currently uninsured. Regardless one thing must be done, all Americans should be required to have health insurance, though our reformed system must offer a suite of affordable products, and places through which one can secure it.
One thing is for sure as mentioned recently on Good Morning America by Michelle Obama, and that is the debate is strong, and reform will be no easy task. Years of out-of-date legislation that governs the current private system, and Medicare/Medicaid as well, needs to be brought up to speed with 2009. After all, we have not had any major reform for years and years.
Regardless of political opinion, many things about reform are front and center - controlling treatable illnesses and conditions such as obesity, smoking, a Asthma, with wellness and prevention. These conditions alone account for plenty of the spending in the current system, and are coupled with the fact that electronic medical records are not the norm in 2009. As such many tests are duplicated along with multiple visits and procedures that could be eliminated if records were more coordinated. Approximately 30% of the spending in the U.S. is attributed to this waste alone.
The private insurers are going to need to budge if the wish to remain in business and many point to the medical underwriting around pre-existing conditions. Private insurers urge a mandate for every American to be required to have coverage similar to car insurance, in order to bring more healthy Americans in to the system to offset the claims that would be incurred by sick members. In general that is the problem, private insurers can have more "lax" underwriting and in fact offer more affordable coverage if these massive insurance pools have a better mix of healthy and sick members. Perhaps that is where we will find ourselves after all, with a private system augmented with Congress enacting stronger legislation around mandates for coverage, some for of government subsidy for coverage (for certain income levels etc...) and perhaps a revamped Medicare system to pick up some of the costs for the very low income population currently uninsured. Regardless one thing must be done, all Americans should be required to have health insurance, though our reformed system must offer a suite of affordable products, and places through which one can secure it.
One thing is for sure as mentioned recently on Good Morning America by Michelle Obama, and that is the debate is strong, and reform will be no easy task. Years of out-of-date legislation that governs the current private system, and Medicare/Medicaid as well, needs to be brought up to speed with 2009. After all, we have not had any major reform for years and years.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Healthcare Reform
New Law will help inform consumers about health insurance
Many consumers have health insurance plans and don’t even understand what half of the policy even means. Health insurance consumers are often challenged when trying to understand their coverage options. Trying to obtain information in order to make an informed decision is hard when a consumer doesn’t understand any of the terms of the policy.
A survey released early this year reports that coverage is beyond comprehension for most consumers. Approximately 75% of consumers don’t understand their coverage or how it works. Because of this, Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut have introduced the informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act of 2009. This act requires the development of information resources and consistent standards for insurance definitions. Many insurance policies have the same key terms but may mean something different to each carrier or plan. The development of information resources will coverage facts labels that will provide data to consumers and providers on everything needed to know and understand a policy.
This law will help to create an office within the Department of Health and Human Services called the Office of Health Insurance Oversight. This office will collect key data about health insurance as well as improve the transparency of private health insurance carriers.
Due to the amount of money consumers spend each year on health insurance coverage, the least they should receive in return is the resources needed to make an informed decision about the future of their health.
For more resources to make an informed decision about your healthcare, go to http://affordablehealth-insurance.org.
Many consumers have health insurance plans and don’t even understand what half of the policy even means. Health insurance consumers are often challenged when trying to understand their coverage options. Trying to obtain information in order to make an informed decision is hard when a consumer doesn’t understand any of the terms of the policy.
A survey released early this year reports that coverage is beyond comprehension for most consumers. Approximately 75% of consumers don’t understand their coverage or how it works. Because of this, Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut have introduced the informed Consumer Choices in Health Care Act of 2009. This act requires the development of information resources and consistent standards for insurance definitions. Many insurance policies have the same key terms but may mean something different to each carrier or plan. The development of information resources will coverage facts labels that will provide data to consumers and providers on everything needed to know and understand a policy.
This law will help to create an office within the Department of Health and Human Services called the Office of Health Insurance Oversight. This office will collect key data about health insurance as well as improve the transparency of private health insurance carriers.
Due to the amount of money consumers spend each year on health insurance coverage, the least they should receive in return is the resources needed to make an informed decision about the future of their health.
For more resources to make an informed decision about your healthcare, go to http://affordablehealth-insurance.org.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Healthcare Reform
Now that the "swine" flu outbreak is behind us, all attention is pointed towards Healthcare Reform. Most notable experts in the field of Democrat-Republican negotiations say the "single-payer" or "public plan option" is just a negotiating tool the Democrats are using to get the Republicans and as a result the BIG Insurance Companies to lax their underwriting regs to in essence open up their plans to all folks regardless of medical history.
From our standpoint that is what needs to happen. In the U.S. we have no free lunches, but we do need folks with medical conditions to be able to get the same types of plans that the profit machines (the healthy folks) are handed from insurance companies. If giant pools are created with both the sick and the healthy, accuaries are destined to figure out a model where insurance companies can continue to run healthy companies while offering everyone affordable options.
The private system in the U.S. is what makes us both unique and the best in the world, but we need to move towards affordability. If I have Diabetes, Asthma, and am overweight, I need affordable coverage too.
From our standpoint that is what needs to happen. In the U.S. we have no free lunches, but we do need folks with medical conditions to be able to get the same types of plans that the profit machines (the healthy folks) are handed from insurance companies. If giant pools are created with both the sick and the healthy, accuaries are destined to figure out a model where insurance companies can continue to run healthy companies while offering everyone affordable options.
The private system in the U.S. is what makes us both unique and the best in the world, but we need to move towards affordability. If I have Diabetes, Asthma, and am overweight, I need affordable coverage too.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Outbreak of Swine Flu?
Interesting to see all of the media outlets going bananas about the possible pandemic of "Swine Flu." Seems approximately 40,000 folks in the U.S. every year die from regular influenza, so perhaps all of the panic over the Swine Flu is overkill, or perhaps not?
Well, it is our job to always be helpful about things relating to health plans etc....so folks, check your current health plan website and see if they offer vouchers for Zicam and/or Purell, as these are both things that every newspaper in the Northeast anyway, refer to as good Flu busters. Also wash your hands LOTS and more than once at each visit to a sink (you would be suprised how many germs remain after 1 good washing). Avoid sick people, and if you feel sick, you should not pass along your germs to folks at your workplace, so maybe you should stay home.
These are some helpful things that have been passed along to us, hopefully they are helpful to all of our customers at www.healthinsurancegeeks.com
One last thing, this will devastate the Mexican vacation spots as most folks on TV say to NOT travel to Mexico unless it is absolutely necessary. Maybe wearing a surgical mask in the airport will become commonplace.
Well, it is our job to always be helpful about things relating to health plans etc....so folks, check your current health plan website and see if they offer vouchers for Zicam and/or Purell, as these are both things that every newspaper in the Northeast anyway, refer to as good Flu busters. Also wash your hands LOTS and more than once at each visit to a sink (you would be suprised how many germs remain after 1 good washing). Avoid sick people, and if you feel sick, you should not pass along your germs to folks at your workplace, so maybe you should stay home.
These are some helpful things that have been passed along to us, hopefully they are helpful to all of our customers at www.healthinsurancegeeks.com
One last thing, this will devastate the Mexican vacation spots as most folks on TV say to NOT travel to Mexico unless it is absolutely necessary. Maybe wearing a surgical mask in the airport will become commonplace.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The end of Private Health Insurance?
Take a look at this recent Wall Street Journal Article and learn more about the facts faced in Congress regarding the debate on the future of government run and financed (through our tax dollars) health care. It is a very compelling article that those of us who appreciate having choice, should really read.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123958544583612437-lMyQjAxMDI5MzI5MDUyODA1Wj.html
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123958544583612437-lMyQjAxMDI5MzI5MDUyODA1Wj.html
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What will happen with the new Administration's "Healthcare Reform" plans? Will we get Obamacare? Will the government take over healthcare just like banking? Regardless of which side of the isle you are on politically (I will take a middle stance here) a single-payer, or Government run plan would be a disaster for America, Obama, and generations to come unfortunately.
In listening to arguements from both Democrats and Republicans it seems with folks a bit more on the middle of the spectrum rather than "strong" one side, agree that we need a private system in some way, shape or form.
We do not want a system in the US where waiting lists for hip replacement surgery are 8-9 months....it is that way in many socialized systems. Also the level of care we have been spoiled with in the US, is because the best and brightest physicians and research scientists flee other areas to practice in the US.
Do we want sub-par, but affordable care? That may be the only resolve with a Government program.
In listening to arguements from both Democrats and Republicans it seems with folks a bit more on the middle of the spectrum rather than "strong" one side, agree that we need a private system in some way, shape or form.
We do not want a system in the US where waiting lists for hip replacement surgery are 8-9 months....it is that way in many socialized systems. Also the level of care we have been spoiled with in the US, is because the best and brightest physicians and research scientists flee other areas to practice in the US.
Do we want sub-par, but affordable care? That may be the only resolve with a Government program.
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