Healthcare Shopper News

For the informed consumer of health care

September 2006 Monthly Archive

Dental treatment can reduce medical costs

Health insurers are learning that they can save medical costs by getting people to have dental care at the right time in their lives. Aetna and the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine released a two-year study of 144,000 insured patients that finds early periodontal treatment reduces overall medical care costs by 9% for diabetes, 16% for coronary artery disease and 11% for strokes. Another study, published in the Journal of Periodontology, finds that early treatment of pregnant women with... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 27, 2006 11:17 AM
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Almost half of all small group employees select HSA qualified plans when offered a choice

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) surveyed member companies offering coverage in the small-group health insurance market including premium and benefit data from more than 650,000 small groups (those with 50 or fewer employees), covering 4.0 million workers and 3.2 million dependents. Of workers offered an HSA plan, approximately one-third also had a choice of a PPO or HMO/POS plan. Almost half (46%) of enrollees in small groups chose HSA/HDHP plans when offered a choice of HSA plans and other types... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 27, 2006 10:45 AM
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Insurers step up marketing of generic drugs to consumers

Aetna, Wellpoint and other insurance companies are offering free generic drugs and are waiving copays for members. Other insurers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, are "stepping up direct-mail marketing of generics to consumers to combat direct-to-consumer ad spending on television and magazine ads by brand-name manufacturers. Aetna is paying to install vending machines in medical offices that allow doctors to dispense up to 30 days of free generic drugs. The machines track what drugs have been dispensed... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 26, 2006 3:58 PM
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Health benefits are more important to US workers than higher wages

More than half of workers in the United States -- 54 percent -- said that health benefits are more important to them than higher wages, according to results from the American Payroll Association's 2006 "Getting Paid In America" online survey. Most of those with employment-based health benefits view them favorably and value them highly. "Getting health coverage through employers is convenient and reassuring," said Jeff Lemieux, Senior Economist, Progressive Policy Institute. "Employers handle the paperwork and payroll deduction of premiums,... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 26, 2006 3:42 PM
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Florida health plans evaluated by state's big employers

The Florida Health Care Coalition - FHCC - a coalition of Florida employers including Macy's, county governments and school boards -- studied the state's six largest insurers. Insurers' services were measured using a tool called eValue8, a quality measuring system developed by the National Business Coalition on Health. Cigna ranked highest among Florida insurers in four categories: overall profile, consumer satisfaction, disease prevention and behavioral health. Aetna ranks first for chronic disease management, Humana is first for information on health... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 25, 2006 12:19 PM
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Consumers should review health insurance coverage annually

We offer our clients an annual review of their health insurance coverage because things change. To make the best decisions about your benefits, go through this checklist: 1. Review the benefits you used last year and evaluate the money you allocated to those various benefits. 2. Take into account any major life event, such as marriage, divorce or childbirth. Those events affect your needs. 3. Make a list of the major preventive and diagnostic procedures you're likely to need, and... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 25, 2006 12:01 PM
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Blue Cross of California fined $200,000

In the first sanction of its kind, California's top HMO regulator fined Blue Cross on Thursday for illegally canceling a woman's medical policy because she did not disclose corrective surgery she had 23 years earlier. In announcing the fine, Cindy Ehnes, director of the Department of Managed Health Care, said that insurers are prohibited from canceling health policies unless a policyholder lied. In the case at hand, her department found that Blue Cross broke the law in two ways. First,... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 22, 2006 11:46 AM
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Latino Companies need help with insurance

Small business tax incentives, along with more Spanish language and Latino-specific health programs, are needed to reduce uninsured rates among the Latino population, according to a report by the Latino Coalition, the Houston Chronicle reports. According to the coalition, many Latinos are employed by small businesses that do not offer health insurance. Most Latino adults lack employer-provided insurance coverage, the report states. In addition, Latinos have the highest uninsured rates among all ethnic groups, and one-fifth of Latino children are... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 20, 2006 1:54 PM
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Blue Cross on the hot seat

Blue Cross of California is being sued by some former policyholders for canceling or rescinding (in insurancespeak) their insurance policies after the policies were issued. Blue Cross claims that their applications for coverage contained errors or omissions that, if divulged, would have caused Blue Cross to deny coverage initially. Some angry consumers claim that Blue Cross looks for any inconsistencies in the applications of customers who make expensive claims shortly after obtaining coverage. The conspiratory flames have been fanned by... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 20, 2006 12:43 PM
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Individual health insurance is for the affluent and healthy

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund finds that an overwhelming majority--89%--of working-age adults who sought coverage in the individual market during the past three years ended up never buying a plan. A majority (58%) found it very difficult or impossible to find affordable coverage. One-fifth (21%) of those who sought to buy coverage were turned down, were charged a higher price because of a pre-existing condition, or had a health problem excluded from coverage. My own internal numbers here... read more

Posted by Phil Daigle on September 18, 2006 2:00 PM
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