Highmark has announced the availability of a new form of individual health insurance plan called the Simply Blue PPO, which is designed to provide policyholders with simple coverage at a low premium, with a predictable structure for copayments and with low deductibles. According to Highmark’s senior vice president of health services strategy, product and marketing, Steven Nelson, “We listened to our members’ feedback, and we’ve heard them say that they would like a more affordable plan without a large upfront deductible.” The new plan is medically underwritten and offers policyholders…
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Report highlights the sluggish growth of health care spending due to U.S. recession
The worldwide recession has had a major impact on the health care system of the U.S. The effects are quite obvious in terms of insurance. As thousands of people throughout the country lost their jobs, they also lost their health insurance coverage. The recession, which lasted from late December 2007 to the middle of 2009, suppressed health care spending in the U.S. significantly, according to the federal government. The Obama administration released a report this week from the Department of Health and Human Services showing the impact of the recession…
Read MoreTips to save your money when purchasing health insurance coverage
With the start of the new year, many people have made resolutions to save more money, and in that effort, it is not uncommon to look over health insurance coverage to make sure that what has already been purchased or what will be purchased in the near future will include the best possible savings but with the coverage that makes the most sense to each individual. Use the following tips to help achieve this goal: • Do your homework and compare all of the different health plans available to you…
Read MoreTexas Consumer Health Assistance Program to come to an end after a short year of operations
The Texas Consumer Health Assistance Program, a state-run program meant to help consumers find affordable health insurance, is scheduled to be shut down this April after only a year of operation. The program was established in January last year with the help of a $2.8 million federal grant. More than 6,000 consumers had used the service to find insurance coverage and the program was responsible for over 160 events geared toward raising awareness of insurance options. Despite the benefits the program had brought consumers, however, it will be shutting down…
Read MoreAmerican employers are using more insurance plans with high deductibles
A new survey has shown that employers in the United States who are struggling to manage the increasing costs of healthcare insurance are broadening the use of plans with high deductibles to help to keep the monthly premiums at a more affordable level, since more of the burden of medical expenses is falling on the employees. A Mercer benefits consulting firm survey, which involved the participation of 2,844 public and private employers, showed that this year, 32 percent of businesses that employ more than 500 people now have high-deductible health…
Read MoreNebraska health insurance exchange needs 100k enrollees to be sustainable
The Nebraska Insurance Department has issued a new report to state lawmakers concerning the state’s health insurance exchange. Nebraska has been exploring its options on how best to execute the exchange program, hoping to find a way for the program to benefit both consumers and insurance companies. The state has yet to make any definitive action on the program apart from investigating how much it will cost and how it can be made self-sustaining. The new report may cast some doubt on the future of the program. According to the…
Read MoreCostly Ohio insurance exchange may have to team with the federal government
Independent IT consultants in Ohio were tasked with calculating the cost of an insurance exchange in the state earlier this year. The state is required by federal law to establish an exchange by 2014 in an effort to streamline health insurance. The undertaking is in no way small, as a great deal of digital infrastructure must first be made, the price of which may be daunting. According to the state’s consultants, the technology alone will cost $63 million. The sum is quite high when compounded by the additional expensive associated…
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