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For next year, President-elect Barack Obama is already planning on a massive set of economic recovery.

According to Washington Post , the package could exceed $ 500 billion.

larger investments in health care and health insurance reform will be a part of the recovery plan, with some great financial aid programs health care to achieve a significant financial boost

the programs in question :.

SCHIP
Children's Health Insurance Program of the successful state will probably play a big role in the upcoming health care reform plan. SCHIP was widely regarded as a successful but costly program to get children the health insurance they need. Already Congress has supported the expansion of SCHIP to include more children, and it looks like it will happen under Obama.

COBRA
US Representative Pete Stark of California is calling for an expansion of COBRA, which allows the unemployed to continue group health insurance coverage from their previous employer . But because COBRA coverage is expensive, the Stark MP offers grants to help the unemployed pay for the plan.

Medicaid
The Medicaid program for low-income Americans receive up to $ 40 billion over the next two years as part of the stimulus package.

In addition to these programs, the stimulus package will likely include some $ 10 billion as a down payment to help doctors, hospitals and other health care facilities to implement electronic medical records and streamline offices with computers, wrote the article post.

What is actually included in the package is still much for the debate.

In some insurance bad new disease, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recently announced that they will significantly reduce the cost of expenses, reduce as far as 1,000 jobs, and ask the state to increase premiums for their health insurance plans individual.

According to a Detroit Free Press article, BCBS of Michigan will Axing 400 jobs over the next three months. The parent company BCBS of Michigan and is a subsidiary HMO, Blue Care Network.

The rate increases will be in non-group health insurance plans, plans of Medicare Supplement, and group conversion plans that extend group coverage for employees after they leave their jobs.

the largest insurer of Michigan will also cut funding for community programs, advertising / marketing costs, and the costs of social event.

Together, BCBS of Michigan plans to save between $ 300 and $ 400 million, wrote the Free Press.

there was a cold winter here in the Midwest, and it does look colder ...

today, the Congressional Budget health insurance Office (CBO) presented testimony to the US Senate on the best ways to go about reducing health care costs and expand coverage of health insurance.

testimony was 32 pages (you can read the full version in PDF format online here), and some of their estimates were a bit shocking

Here's a little tidbit report CBO: .

the total health care spending will reach 18 percent of US gross domestic product in 09. This is a huge $ 2.6 trillion for a year, equivalent to about $ 8,300 per person if you do the math.

What is a little disturbing (at least on a health insurance blog), the witness estimated at least 45 million Americans are uninsured this year as well.

The CBO also warned that if policies regarding health care and health insurance are the same, then in 2017, spending on health care will reach 20 percent of GDP by 2017 and as much as 54 million have no health insurance in 2019.

So how can we avoid this dark future?

according to the CBO, an option to cut expenses includes changing the fee-for services reimbursement system for physicians to a performance pay system. Doctors and hospitals would receive bonuses for efficient and effective care, and conversely, care providers do not do a good job would see their payments cut.

To extend the coverage of health insurance, an idea of ​​the CBO would begin taxing health insurance group by the employer. A tax, the CBO argues, give consumers incentives to seek health insurance plans cost.

Although the evidence explored some health reform options, it also acknowledged that extending coverage and reducing costs of healthcare is walking in the park. Under the terms of the reform, said the report, cost reduction may not be apparent for 10 years.

Congress is going to have quite the summer in 09.

Not only do they have to help deal with the struggling economy, the bankruptcy of the company, and a sustainable credit crisis, they two major issues to be addressed. health reform legislation and the confirmation hearings of judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

fishing is President Obama wants these two giants of Congress to pack in late August. Although the great task.

on health care reform and health insurance before, there, AOS a bright light. many reports say real reform is more likely to occur, but there AOS still a lot to work out.

right now, the two largest players doing just that in the Senate are US Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Max Baucus.

The only problem is that They, Aore the construction of two very different pieces of legislation.

An important provision of Senator Kennedy, AOS bill, which could unveil a reform bill this week, will be a public-private health insurance option that will be injected into the market to compete with other plans . The plan would be more like Medicare.

ÄúAmericans want the choice of enrolling in a health insurance program supported by the government for the public good, not private profit. So this option is available, Âu said Senator Kennedy.

President Obama echoed the sentiment, saying that a public-private plan would, Äúkeep honest private sector, Âu wrote The New York Times .

on the other hand, the version Senator Baucus Health Reform Ao would not have a public-private insurance option. Instead, the private insurance industry would have to make radical reforms (not yet specified) to provide affordable health insurance for all.

But Senator Baucus said he might be in favor of a backup plan if private reforms, for some reason, did not work. The plan is that in several years if no breakthroughs were made in insurance of Americans and to reform the system, then a public-private plan could be created.

The bottom line is that the full bill for health care reform is almost finished, but the deadline is fast approaching.

We, Äôll let Judge Sotomayor for political blogs.

The 5-day meeting of the American Medical Association concluded yesterday. Unsurprisingly, they reaffirmed their opposition to a single-payer system. However, the decision unit 543 members voted to support the new "alternative reform of the health system", reported Chicago Tribune .

The ice had begun to melt Monday WADA President Obama drew a standing ovation. The president said that the assurance of public health it was considering would be an exchange in which patients would still choose their doctors. He said that, although still defined, this option works the same as private plans covering federal employees.

This went a long way to reassure WADA a system run by the government was not in the works. Their opposition to the reform of health care has been largely out of fear that it would reduce the role of private insurance companies and lead to price controls. In recent years, they have worked diligently to prevent attempts to reduce Medicare payments to doctors. Their new openness to alternative insurance are new gentle on public plan sponsors.

The White House wasted no time seizing the favorable change. They issued a statement yesterday saying: "The AMA agrees with the President that the adoption reform that lowers costs and increases the choice and coverage is an urgent priority, we look forward to working with them. as the process forward "

Although WADA has not approved entirely a public option. - the details have yet to be determined. - Supporters of a public health plan have reason to walk a little lighter this week

As we said last week, the reform of health care now enter the real wheelin'-and-dealin 'step.

and the healthcare industry trunk around. According to Wall Street Journal , it has hired more than 350 former government staff and members of Congress to lobby on their behalf. Not to mention political advertisements and similar local campaigns were on full tilt

From what we can tell, one of the first victims perhaps the idea of ​​health insurance cooperatives -. Which until now had seemed a plausible compromise.

Why? Apparently they painfully take a long time to form. How long? Decades . Obama, 47, would probably be in his 70s before cooperatives could take root and competing with the private sector.

In an interview with Bloomberg , Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center Health Solutions called the cooperative health insurance a "concept clean enough" ... if we had 25 years "were not looking down the barrel of a shotgun on health costs. "Ouch.

is not the only one who thinks so. Michael Kreidler, the Commissioner of Insurance of Washington, agreed. He also noted that the Health Group based in Seattle, the oldest of care co-op health in the country, did not offer a significant discount on their premiums 0,000 members.

Senator Kent Conrad introduced the ability of cooperatives as an alternative to a public option, that was a point with Republicans and even some Democrats collage. He envisioned nonprofit statewide or regional collectively owned by its members, who can negotiate with doctors and local hospitals. a national council would to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for local affiliates.

in many ways, the tug of war will be constant until the deadline in August will not only between one side or the other it will be between realism and idealism.

The health insurance industry stepped into the ring this week with seven -Figure advertising campaign, reports The Washington post . Although it is a much more subtle approach that Harry and Louise ads they scuttled the Clinton health care plan there are 15, he still has his beard.

America Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) ads promoting the idea that everyone should have health insurance. They argue that health care reform would not only help millions of Americans receive care, but it would also significantly expand the market, stating, "If everyone is covered, we can make health care as affordable as possible. "

Of course, this goes back to our previous post on the approval of a Wal-Mart mandate of the employer. Since it became clear that some form of reform health care materialize, the main actors were to board to secure certain provisions. in the case of Wal-Mart, it was to ensure a trigger mechanism to contain costs.

for AHIP, it is a kind of escape hatch in a proposed system of consumer protection. they clearly they would like the public option disappearing from the bill altogether.

data to support this assertion, the ads included from a survey by the New York Times and CBS that "77 percent of Americans are satisfied with their coverage of existing health insurance."

critics have been quick to point the same survey included statistics that supported the opposite. For example, from 72 to 20 percent, Americans favor the creation of a public plan. Respondents also felt that the government would do a better job than private insurers to limit the costs of health care and provide coverage.

In addition, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, compiled at the request of the Washington Post last year, suggests that people who love them the most health plans are the people who use them the least.

ad 30 seconds AHIP will run for a week. The ensuing debate will undoubtedly go much longer.

The long-awaited bill of US Senator Max Baucus, who is the president of the almighty today the Senate Finance Committee released its health insurance and bill on the reform of health care.

Since the bill became available, there has been tons of comments about it. Not surprisingly, the reactions are all over the map -. And especially drawn on party lines

Republicans are not happier - in fact, not even Senator Olympia Snowe launched to support the Baucus bill. Most watch Senator Snowe as the only chance for a Republican-jump ship to vote for health care reform.

Bright light for Democrats, however, is that the blue dogs have indicated they would support the Baucus plan.

White House also weighed in, with press secretary Robert Gibbs called the Montana senator of the plan "an important element. "

There is really still is a building block that Gibbs described because we will definitely see this bill began around scrutinized and changed several times.

This will surely be the the purpose of health insurance / health care reform discussion in the days and weeks to come.

once we take this bill a little, we'll be back to provide further analysis .

We are also tweeting about these things as we can, so feel free to also follow the health insurance Go on Twitter.

If you want to read the bill, the New York Times has done a good job of splicing up into an interactive tool. Click here to see the bill. in addition, the Congressional Budget Office estimated the cost of the bill. See what the CBO had to say here.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the last Republican to support the development legislation on health insurance.

In a statement, he said that his goals as governor aligned with those of the Obama administration - improving the quality of care, reducing costs, improving the lives of people and ensure economic recovery.

He stressed "the vital importance of this issue, and should be treated through bipartisan cooperation."

Already last Monday, former Wisconsin Gov. and Health the Bush administration and human services Secretary Tommy Thompson came out in favor of legislation on health care waiting, calling, "another important step towards achieving the goal of health care reform health this year, "adding that" the failure to reach an agreement on health reform this year is not an acceptable option. "

and in his statement yesterday, the mayor Bloomberg also praised the bill: "the health reform proposal that Congress will soon consider looks to deserve broad bipartisan support, incorporating ideas and Republican gains deserved the support of Republican leaders such as former head of Senate majority Bill Frist. "

Oh yeah. - Bill Frist told Time magazine that if he were still in Congress, Bill get his vote

Wow, that's a lot of Republican love the key. Maybe part of the "we'll get it done this year" feeling is contagious ...

We you did not really say that cancer and health insurance are not really along too well.

These days, Americans with pre-existing serious health conditions, such as breast cancer, certainly have trouble finding coverage.

in light of awareness of Breast Cancer Month this October, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Department of Health and Human Rights released a report highlighting the benefits that health care reform will women with breast cancer.

report touts the different aspects of the current bill of health reform, including limits off-pocket costs, access to health insurance exchanges for comparison shopping and eventual elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions.

In addition to the side of the health insurance of things, HHS says health reform will also help improve the quality of care for patients with breast cancer.

We thought it was a very good (and timely) way to promote the passage of the proposed health reform bill by Congress.

Although it is not really a scientific report, you can see the full text of it here: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/breastcancer/index.html.

In a recent study of Archives of Surgery, they found patients in trauma centers were twice likely to die if they do not have health insurance.

An extremely interesting study given emergency rooms are required by law to treat all patients regardless of ability to pay for services.

So this could be the explanation of the difference in survival rates in trauma centers?

According to Los Angeles Times , researchers believe that the disparity could be due to the fact that the uninsured are more likely to receive less specialized services such as MRI and are less likely to receive rehabilitation care.

The researchers also guessed that patients without health insurance plans may have more additional conditions that play a role in their recovery. They even suggested that doctors and nurses are less likely to interact with the uninsured.

pretty hard conclusions. This study tells us that uninsured patients are simply treated worse then those who have coverage?

The study authors made the difference could be a coincidence. But still, this is not the sunniest of study.

more reason not to go without health insurance.

Earlier today, we published a report the consumer who looks at the data from the online shopping process.

what is interesting in the study is that the average consumer online shopping for health insurance is subject to what we call the "Exchange effect insurance. "

Following this" Effect ", premiums and deductibles for health insurance schemes sought by occasional buyers are different plans that are actually purchased and are in force. How they differ ? Rewards and franchises are lower for purchased plans.

in other words, there are three major steps to reach the purchase of an insurance scheme health and bonuses average deductible plans chosen at each stage becomes lower and lower

According to the study, the following three steps, which are further defined in the study.

• Step 1: Search
• Step 2: shopping
• Step 3: Purchase

data were obtained from consumers who used the GoHealthInsurance.com service between July 09 and September 09. thus, in total, the survey data from nearly 35,000 buyers.

This is a new thing, this "insurance exchange effect," but there is a clear tendency

See the full study at:. Http://www.gohealthinsurance.com /media/gohealth-the-insurance-exchange.pdf.

This week Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, the infamous 60th reform of the health vote of approval in the Senate, takes a little fire of states that feel the senator by special treatment. They call it the "treatment".

to win the vote of Senator Nelson yay, Senate majority Leader Harry Reid promised that Nebraska does not have to pay for any of the proposed Medicaid expansion.

in the current bill Senate, all States would be required to extend Medicaid to higher-income Americans. It is an essential provision, say the advocates of reform, because it significantly reduced the number of uninsured

disadvantage is that states must take part of the cost of this expansion - .. except Nebraska

Naturally, States cried foul.

"delegation of the California Congress should be voting against this bill is a disaster for California or get in there and fight for the same friend deal Senator Nelson of Nebraska for Cornhusker State. He got the corn; we had the ball, "said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

According to The New York Times , Senator Nelson said he will fight for all states get the same treatment.

But talk is cheap, especially with regard to health insurance and reform health care.

Why? first of all, Senator Nelson Sweetheart offer was just that. Without it, the whole bill would have been sunk. Second, Nelson does not have to worry about other states. Nebraska voters keep him in office, not in California. Just watch if you ever run for president, Senator. Third, if the federal government took all the tab for the Medicaid expansion, it would tack on $ 30 billion in total project cost law.

Thus, the chances of all States to get the same treatment? Slim to none.

In the wake of elected Senator Scott Brown and always stand on the debate over health care in Washington, California Democrats have decided to take matters into their own hands.

Democrats have again proposed to implement a single-payer health care system and get rid of health insurance industry in California, the California Senate will vote for a system single payer next week. The cost of creating this universal health care system would cost about $ 210 billion a year, which would double the state budget according to California The New York Times .

California Republicans are shocked that the Democrats are still propose the bill after what they see as a referendum on health care in Massachusetts and California debt surmountable.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a proposed single-payer legislation twice and tried unsuccessfully to pass its own bill on health care. So it's not like the political environment in California is ripe for major change in health care.

Democrats certainly many obstacles in advance if they want to pass the draft law unrealistic. On one hand, they can not answer the question of how single-payer health care would be funded. California Democrats fragile developed to date is to tax individuals and employees.

With the ruthless Governor of the opposition to this bill without the votes to overturn a veto, the bill has absolutely no chance.

Recent projections by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services estimate that the government will pay for half of all health care services by the end of next year.

in 08, public funds accounted for 47 percent of the $ 2.34 trillion spent on national health services. in 2012, it is estimated that the government will pay for at least 50.4 percent of the nations total health care expenditures

This there is little to slow the growing need for government assistance in the purchase of health care -. especially since almost all of the baby boomers will be eligible for Medicare in 2011. And up that the economy starts to do better, many low-income Americans will continue to receive financial assistance for health care programs run by the government as Medicaid.

the federal government can continue to offer short-term solutions to maintain these public health insurance programs afloat, but will consider a better option for the future.

Regarding fraud, Medicare and Medicaid take the cake . Legislators and policy experts have long complained about how easy it is for the dishonest to charge the federal government for fraudulent charges. But Human Services Department now New Mexico (HSD) is charged with obstructing an investigation of fraud.

The allegations, according to The independent New Mexico are the Ministry of Health detained or sent "filtered" information on fraud and elder abuse cases to the investigators, this limiting Medicaid fraud Division ability to take cases of fraud to the court.

In addition to these allegations, the HSD also failed to detect Medicaid providers for criminal records. And they failed to check whether patients who receive funding programs actually receive care.

The HSD said they will work with the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) during the investigation. Still, it is regrettable that the state government is involved in this ongoing fight against fraud.

The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) should announce preliminary cuts payment to insurers that offer Medicare Advantage services in 2011. rate payments should decline by about 4 percent and track cuts 4.5 percent of CMS made for 2010.

rate cuts to health insurance companies come after Medicare Congress payment advisory Commission found that the government paid the insurance companies 14 percent more for Medicare Advantage it spent on its Medicare program. Since then, President Obama expressed his belief that the $ 132 billion in program is unnecessary and has worked to reduce costs.

Insurance companies have been waiting for the government to reduce reimbursement rates closer to government health insurance rates by Businessweek.

Insurance companies force cuts to increase premiums, cut benefits and reduce administrative costs. And even with these changes, the insurance companies that offer Advantage were still able to win consumers who have seen an average increase of 14.2 percent for 2010.

Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefits the health insurance program run by the government. The plans also offer lower out-pocket costs with the vision and dental care that makes politics more attractive than the government plan.

These rate cuts come at a time a strong political opposition to raised premiums may finally discourage the decision of the CMS.

If you are a supporter of health insurance universal, Massachusetts is the pioneer and model for health reform. Almost all state residents has coverage and health plans are easily accessible.

The only problem is that the state has the highest average insurance premiums in the United States. Spending on health care is 27 percent higher in Massachusetts than the national average and the costs continue to grow.

The theory of universal health insurance system, of course, is to bend the cost curve of health insurance. Yet in practice, the new Massachusetts system has resulted in an annual increase of 30 percent in the individual market health insurance.

The most surprising fact may be that the report of the medical loss in Massachusetts for individual policies is 112 percent - meaning the insurance companies pay $ 1.12 in benefits for every $ 1 in premiums, wrote an opinion piece the Wall Street Journal . This means that insurance companies are faced with the undesirable passage choices the cost to consumers or going out of business.

On the flip side, the insurance coverage in Massachusetts is generally much better than it is around the nation. For example, insurance deductibles are on average 28 percent lower in Massachusetts than in the rest of the United States.

To help fight against spending seemingly out of control, Governor Deval Patrick wants to give state regulators the ability to cap rates hospitals, physician groups and specialist suppliers.

But it is very likely may be a useless effort. in the 1970s and 1980s, 30 states have tried to do the same with all states except Maryland rejecting the idea outright because he did not control the costs of health care.

Thus is a Massachusetts health care model and health insurance reform success or massive failure? Of course, depends on how you look at it all.

As President Obama campaigns across the country reform of health insurance, state officials speak out against one of the newest additions to the bill: the Authority health insurance rates. President Obama wants to create this agency to empower the federal government to review and adjust health insurance premiums.

Specifically, the Authority health insurance rates would allow the federal government to block tariffs "excessive" increases.

But many state officials believe that a new agency is not the answer to the problem. In addition, many state officials are wondering how this new authority will affect the regulatory practices of the current insurance from the state. According to The New York Times , 27 states already have regulations "pre-approval" and 12 other states require insurance companies to produce rate increases with regulators.

Sandy Praeger, Kansas insurance Commissioner, was one of the insurance commissioners who met with President Obama last week she told the president. "you do not necessarily help the consumer if you keep rates artificially low what's worse for the consumer.? have a premium increase or having to pay the full amount of medical expenses because the company is out of business "

Insurance Commissioners also believe it is almost impossible to maintain low premiums before control the costs of health care. Many commissioners simply did not believe the Congress reform projects will drive down costs and only affect insurers would go out of business.

Walgreens pharmacies across the state of Washington will stop accepting new Medicaid requirements of patients from April 16, 2010. All 121 stores in the state continue to serve existing Medicaid beneficiaries, but will not take new consumers because of heavy discounts repayment Medicaid recently adopted in the state of Washington.

This move comes on the heels of two other pharmacies that have stopped taking Medicaid patients prescriptions. Bartell Drugs decided to stop taking new patients last month and Ritzville drug stopped in November.

Doug Porter, state director of Washington Medicaid is not worried about these pharmacies, reported The Seattle Times . Porter said that there are many more suppliers than they need in the network.

Washington State reimburses pharmacies less developed for at least 95 percent of brand prescriptions for Medicaid patients profitability. Washington currently has one million Medicaid beneficiaries, and this number will not diminish anytime soon.

Pharmacies and trade association went to take legal action against the State and the trial is ongoing. Vendors argue that the state does not comply with the federal law on the setting of reimbursement rates because rates are too low.

This is one of those health care situations where profits are involved, so someone is going to get the short end of the stick. And unfortunately, it is often the consumer.

The result of passing the reform health insurance can take weeks to resolve.

Some of the largest companies in the United States report an increase in health care costs due to the adopted legislation. Last week, AK Steel Corporation, Caterpillar Inc., Deere & Co., Verizon and Valero Energy announced that their spending on health care will increase by millions. Now AT & T will take a non-cash accounting charge of $ 1 billion to pay for the review.

A spokesman for AT & T indicates that the load is the result of how the Medicare subsidy will now be taxed according to the Associated Press and USA Today , the companies that provide drug benefits for retirees receive grants covering 28 percent of costs. Before the law, those subsidies were tax deductible, but now companies will only be able to deduct 72 percent of drug costs.

In response, AT & T may stop providing drug coverage for retirees and change health insurance plans for active employees. It will be some years before AT & T can implement changes, because AT & T is the largest private employer of union members. The contracts of the Union of Workers end in 2012 and AT & T will then be able to renegotiate packet health care benefits.

The legislators are not very happy to hear of these higher costs of reported health care. Representatives of the United States Henry Waxman and Bart Stupak require undertakings to participate in a meeting on April 21 to discuss these changes in health care costs and give an explanation for rising costs by April 9.

members of Congress Waxman and Stupak wrote to the executives of the company, "the new law is designed to expand coverage and bring down costs, so your assertions are a concern. They also appear to conflict with independent analyzes. "

Hopefully the meeting will clear the air between legislators and leaders and how this revision will affect businesses.

In 06, Massachusetts adopted new health insurance policies are very similar to the legislation of the Senate health care adopted in the last few weeks.

Now, Massachusetts has some of the lowest rates of uninsured in the country, but also faces some of the highest costs of health care. Health insurance companies in the state believe that consumers sign up for coverage for a few months, then the drop is increased costs for the rest of the state.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts had 936 consumers sign up for coverage in 09 and decline in three months or less. All these consumers filed claims over $ 1,000 per month on the plan, which is four times more than the average consumer as The Boston Globe . These monthly premiums Short-term members of the average $ 400 with average claims $ 2,0 per month.

Many insurance companies have witnessed similar results and have been sending reports to the government of Massachusetts.

Governor Deval Patrick filed legislation he believes will solve the problem. In the new law, residents will be allowed to enroll in the twice a year, except those who are facing divorce or unemployment. Also pre-existing conditions would be excluded for six months, but the draft insurance law disease passed by the Senate does allow a three-month waiting period for people with pre-existing conditions.

In addition to these changes, health insurance companies believe that people who have employer coverage should not be eligible for individual coverage. Consumers buy insurance for procedures that are not covered by employers, then abandoned the plan after treatments. Experts believe young adults are also likely to drop coverage because it is cheaper to pay the monthly fee then pay a monthly premium.

WellPoint Inc. ., a national insurance company center, decided to make a gesture of accounting via its hotlines nurses and welfare programs in administrative costs for medical expenses. The reason for the switch stems from the new law on health insurance that requires health insurance companies to spend a specific amount of each premium dollar on medical costs.

Insurance companies will have to spend 80 cents of every premium dollar on medical care for individuals and 85 cents for group health insurance plans. If an insurance company fails to comply with these regulations, they will have to pay consumers rebates.

That the medical service and welfare programs are medical or administrative costs have yet to be defined. According to the Wall Street Journal, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has the task of determining what will be defined as medical costs in the report of the medical loss (MLR). The MLR calculates the percentage of premium dollars used for patient care.

The NAIC establish definitions for medical expenses before June 1, then the Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius certify the guidelines that come into effect at the end of the year. Typically the health insurance companies have nonprofit MLR of which are in the high 80s while insurers are profit have MLR is in the 80 lower.

It is unclear whether WellPoint Inc. jumped the gun or the hotlines and welfare programs ultimately be considered a medical cost.

The President of the Health Insurance NAIC and Managed Care Committee, Sandy Praeger said, "You could say that nurses hotlines with disease management for diabetes, according to how it is used, which could potentially be treated as the cost of medical care. "

hotlines nurses and welfare programs have become popular among many health insurance companies. Insurers have been able to provide additional benefits to consumers that may have a direct effect on consumer health and medical services, we hope new rules will not change that.

Within a month President Barack Obama and the Democrats to celebrate the passing of health care reform, Democrats propose another bill to cap tariff proposals of insurance companies.

Because experts have speculated the premiums will rise in the coming years as a result of the reform of health care, Senator Dianne Feinstein recently introduced a bill to address the potential problem.

The bill introduced by Senator Feinstein will give the Ministry of Health and power Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to block rate hikes that are "unreasonable. "The bill would also allow the federal government the power to regulate insurance rates in states that do not have the authority to do so under The New York Times .

a similar proposal has been included in the legislation on health care last for a while, but was admitted because of complications in the procedure.

a chairman of the Senate health Committee, Tom Harkin said: "Currently, about 22 states in the individual market and 27 states in the small group market do not require a premium review before their entry into force and perhaps even more This is a gaping hole in our. regulatory system, and it is unacceptable. "

An opponent of the legislation, Karen Ignagni, president of America's health insurance plans, said that Congress ignored the reasons for the rise premiums. It also believes that the new requirements on insurers, including taxes and fees, could increase medical costs and put a ceiling on premiums will not change the rising costs.

Capping of health insurance premiums will protect consumers across the country, but it can not be the only solution for slowing trends in medical costs.

Today in Politico , Fortune magazine reported that AT & T, Verizon, Caterpillar and John Deere are considering the abandonment of health insurance benefits for their employees and bearing the weight of a federal fine to do so.

Article Politico said the Fortune report was not clear if companies were simply an evaluation to drop coverage or really intend to bring about. AT & T, Caterpillar and John Deere declined to comment on the case.

After the Fortune report, Verizon has since said they will not cancel their group health insurance plans for employees.

Health Reform Critics have warned that Americans with employer-sponsored coverage could face loss of coverage, even though President Obama promised that citizens liked their current coverage could keep it.

If these companies were to file a blanket, they pay a penalty of $ 2,000 for each employee; although some receive federal subsidies to purchase their own health insurance.

legislature has had enough time trying to master the costs of health care in Massachusetts. First the Massachusetts legislature has increase rate caps on health insurance companies. Now they are trying to convey a proposal that would require hospitals to make a unique contribution of $ 100 million to small businesses to help them pay their health insurance plans.

This proposal comes at a good time. health insurance companies post their losses in the first quarter totaling over $ 150 million and blame tariff increase proposal to be unfair and unjustified by The Boston Globe . health insurers have had to draw on their reserves to cover their losses as they are afraid they will lose more this year.

Lora Pellegrini, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said "health plans do not collect enough premiums to cover their costs. These results confirm what we have said that the plans would lose millions of dollars from this scheme and it would not control the costs of the underlying health care. "

Massachusetts legislature is not only worried that health insurers have cash reserves, but that hospitals have cash reserves. It becomes an argument for legislators that hospitals can afford to pay $ 100 million because they have large cash reserves. Hospitals of course disagree and show losses up to $ 72 million in 09 and $ 114 million at the end of the year.

Always the underlying problem remains - how all this cost control healthcare Or is it just politics

Today, on the corner of cover, we'll individual and group health insurance for talk affordable: Answers angle of coverage health insurance and what to do if the monthly premiums are costly for individual and group health insurance contracts.

Individual Health Insurance

Find an affordable premium is extremely important for consumers looking for health insurance coverage. If consumers can not pay premiums and make payments late or do not make their monthly payments, health insurance company can drop the consumer. Once a consumer has fallen, they no longer have benefits insurance from this company and will apply for coverage with another insurance company.

To avoid this, it is better for consumers on a low budget to select a health insurance plan that has a high deductible before they are moved from their current policies. This way, they can pay their monthly premiums and keep their coverage of health insurance. But consumers should be aware that they should never choose a franchise that is unaffordable. Balancing premiums and deductibles can be a delicate dance, and many times, it is best to speak with a licensed professional for advice.

Health Insurance Group

Sometimes consumers who have health insurance can find more affordable coverage through an insurance plan individual health rather than their employer. Typically small businesses do not have large pools to spread the sick or elderly employees, which make it more expensive for other employees to maintain coverage by the employer.

For some people, it may be more affordable to purchase health insurance in the individual market. But those who have pre-existing conditions may struggle to find the same level of benefits that the employer's plan. So if you decide to explore your options in the individual market, make sure not to drop your current plan until you are enrolled in a new one that suits your needs.

Health insurance costs can be expensive, which is why it is important to understand the need to compare health insurance quotes and plans.

The American Medical Association published a code of conduct health insurer that highlights ten principles that WADA suggests health insurance companies should follow. The association believes that codes of conduct will bring transparency and accountability to the insurance companies.

Many of the principles in the Code of Health of conduct insurers were actually included in the Affordable Care Act Protecting Patients and legislation newly passed health care and certain codes were laws. However, consumers may feel more comfortable with a health insurance company following the codes that would make compliance with codes beneficial for health insurers.

official of the health insurer code American Medical Association conduce principles cover:

1. How the health insurance companies should manage terminations and cancellations;
2. The expenditure on medical services and health insurance premiums;
3. How can consumers have access to medical care;
4. Ways that health insurance companies should manage their relationships with consumers and health care providers;
5. Only physicians can decide whether health care services are medically necessary;
6. How health insurance companies handle the management benefits for consumers;
7. The health insurance companies should streamline the way they manage business;
8. ways to manage physician profiling for Medicare network companies;
9. The levels of business integrity that health insurance companies should achieve; and
10. How the health insurance companies should work on the processing of claims.

The AMA has sent the principles the eight largest health insurance companies so it will be interesting to see what health insurance companies already comply with provisions of the Code of conduct and that companies will change their practices immediately.