Tag: health coverage

Individual mandate repeal causes health insurance gap in many states

Nordstrom
Health Insurance Gap - Mind the Gap platform

Several states are now scrambling to come up with a way to make coverage more affordable. After the individual mandate penalties were removed for failing to purchase coverage, a health insurance gap has formed in many states across the country. This has left some states struggling to make their health care affordable. As people drop their coverage health care in the states will become increasingly expensive. The only state in the country that required coverage after last year’s dismantling of the Affordable Care Act was Massachusetts. Increasingly unfavorable markets caused…

Read More

Doctors seek alternatives to having to accept health insurance

Logan B.
Accept health insurance - Doctor

A growing trend is sending doctors to use monthly membership fees instead of payments from insurers. A growing number of doctors are refusing to accept health insurance in favor of other systems such as monthly membership fees. This has been a response to challenges that they have faced with insurers as well as struggles they’ve seen among their patients. Doctors feel held back by a system encouraging them to consistently see high patient numbers. Struggles with claims processes and rising costs have also frustrated their patients. Doctors feel as though…

Read More

Mayo Clinic downsizing leads to heath insurance unit sale

G. Turner
Health Insurance Unit - Medicine - Doctor - Heart rate - health

Corporate downsizing has led the highly reputed organization to take a new direction with its coverage. The Mayo Clinic has sold its health insurance unit in western Wisconsin. Patients covered by those policies will be offered a new option for their coverage. The policyholders were not without warning as the Mayo Clinic has been discussing it for years. The Mayo Clinic sold its health insurance unit to WEA Trust, a public employee insurer. The academic medical center decided within the last couple of years that it would put its health…

Read More

Toothbrush startup acquires dental insurance company for total tooth care

Marc
Dental Insurance Company - Toothbrush and Dental Tools

Quip has announced its intentions to purchase Afora, taking the next step in its unique business model. Electric toothbrush startup, Quip, is acquiring Afora, a dental insurance company. Quip first started selling its toothbrushes online back in 2015. It has, since that time, built a substantial consumer network. The toothbrush company offers subscriptions for direct-to-consumer personal care products. As popular as its toothbrushes have become, Quip is lining up to become more than a toothbrush brand. Instead, it is expanding to be able to become a dental insurance company, too.…

Read More

Idaho kids health insurance system may have been overpaid

Nordstrom
Kids Health Insurance - Doctor, child, stethoscope

The federal government claims it paid $3.1 million too much, thought the state disagrees. A federal agency claims it overpaid the Idaho kids health insurance program by $3.1 million from 2010 through 2013. This, according to an Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services audit. Idaho completely disagrees and says that all the payments it received were fully justified. The kids health insurance audit suggested that there was an overpayment and that it was Idaho’s fault. The report indicated the state should be…

Read More