New State Scorecard On Children’s Health Care Finds Wide Geographic Disparities
Posted on February 5th, 2011
Two years after the reauthorization and expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a new Commonwealth Fund state-by-state scorecard evaluating how the health care system is working for children finds that federal and state action on behalf of children has helped preserve, and even expand, health coverage for this group, despite the severe recession. Yet wide differences persist among states when it comes to health insurance coverage, affordability of health care for families, children’s receipt of preventive care and treatment, and the opportunity for children to lead healthy lives. Full Post…
Tags: Care, Health Care, State Scorecard
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Health Savings Accounts Save Businesses Money
Posted on February 1st, 2011
Can health savings accounts save you money as a business owner? Whether you are the only employee or you are providing health insurance for your employees, you can typically get lower rates with group plans than with individual plans. Group plans typically offer better coverage, too, and health savings accounts that work with group plans “sweeten the pot.” In addition to lower rates and better coverage through group plans, health savings accounts offer a couple more advantages. The set-up and management work for health savings accounts falls to the employees. That reduces paperwork for your business.
In exchange for doing Health Savings Account that work, employees can take tax deductions for their contributions into their health savings account.
Tags: Health Savings, Health Savings Accounts, Money, Savings Accounts
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Chicago Needs Low Cost Dental Care
Posted on February 1st, 2011
Thousands of Cook County residents on Medicaid or uninsured face the tough challenge of paying for expensive dental care in the Chicago area. According to the article “Need for Low-Cost Dental Care in Cook County Far Exceeds Services” by Monifa Thomas on SunTimes.com, The Bridge to Healthy Smiles campaign has pushed for access to quality dental care in Illinois but there still is only one dental clinic in Cook County for every 15,700 children who are using public aid. This is a huge challenge for those who struggle to afford health insurance.
An audit was recently completed to access the reality of the health care for dental services and it proves to be a huge problem. The
Tags: Care, Cost Dental, Cost Dental Care, Dental Care
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New York Times Editorials, Letter To The Editor Critique Recently Proposed Legislation Restricting Abortion Access
Posted on February 1st, 2011
Two New York Times editorials examine the current “wars” over abortion in the states and in the federal government. Also, Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup addresses potential court challenges to state abortion legislation.
~ The Two Abortion Wars: A Highly Intrusive Federal Bill: The House Republican-backedbill (HR 3) “is so broad that it could block insurance coverage for abortions for countless American women,” the editorial states. According to the editorial, the bill “would bar outright the use of federal subsidies to buy any insurance that covers abortion, well beyond” the ban on federal funding for abortion coverage in the new insurance exchanges.
Tags: Abortion, Times Editorials, York Times, York Times Editorials
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Health Insurance Quotes and Gender Pricing
Posted on January 28th, 2011
For many years health insurance companies have considered gender when calculating health insurance quotes and this was justified by the statistically different health needs women have verse men. According to the article “State Law Levels Premiums” found on DailyBulletin.com, the state of California has recently passed a new state law which prohibits California health insurance companies from using gender factors when pricing individual policies.
Some experts believe that gender rating affects women negatively and increases their health insurance rates over men. The new health care reform bill will prohibit this nationally but not until 2014, so California is just staying ahead of the game by implementing the rule early. Dave
Tags: Gender, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Quotes, Insurance Quotes
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Obama Defends Healthcare Law Against GOP Attacks And Poor Support In The Polls
Posted on January 27th, 2011
With health reform law generally unpopular in polls, President Obama used his State of the Union address yesterday to urge the Republicans to move on and work with him at improving the law. Full Post…
Tags: Polls
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Why health insurance is necessary
Posted on January 23rd, 2011
You have heard the stories, they all end the same. A young family is embarking on a new future together. Part-time jobs help the young couple afford to go to school and afford rent in their new apartment. They are bogged down with homework and their jobs, but still happy to be with each other. Good news! The young wife is pregnant. Bad news: they did not have health insurance. It could cost a few thousand dollars for an in and out birth, but complications during the birth landed their newborn baby in the newborn intensive care unite (NICU) for a week. Now the charges are up to $30,000; more money than the young family could ever dream of paying back.