Insurance companies have put forward a proposal to charge a higher premium for covering smokers as a new form of motivator for individuals to quit their cigarette habit. WalMart is among the organizations spearheading this effort to make it more expensive for smokers to obtain health insurance coverage. However, whether or not it is right for medical insurance to make this choice is just as important as whether or not people will actually take control over their own health risks and stop their smoking habit. According to Psychologist Dr. Carol…
Read MoreTag: high risk health insurance
California enrollment period for Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan coming to a premature end
In California, enrollment in the federal Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan may be coming to a premature end. The plan is an offshoot of the Affordable Care Act and aims to bring affordable insurance coverage to those with chronic illnesses and other pre-existing conditions that kept private insurers away for years. Lawmakers had originally set the enrollment limit in California to 23,000 people. The costs of running the program, however, seem to be much more than first estimated, and California legislators have lowered the enrollment limit to a scant 6,800. With…
Read MoreProblems with Ohio’s high-risk insurance pool bode ill for residents with chronic ailments
Last year, Ohio legislators approved a plan to establish a high-risk insurance pool in the state in order to appease new federal health care laws. The program was meant to attract residents who have had trouble obtaining insurance coverage in the past due to high-risk illnesses or chronic conditions. With more than 1,800 people currently enrolled in the plan, legislators are now seeing higher-than-expected costs in keeping the program afloat. In an attempt to mitigate the rising costs of the program, legislators have now limited enrollment. The program was meant…
Read MoreMissouri residents in the highest risk group will have lower health insurance rates
Missouri officials have announced that they will be decreasing the rates for the high risk healthcare pool by 23 percent for both current and new participants in the program. In 2010, Missouri created a new health insurance pool for the highest risk group, but though it was anticipated that there would be about 3,000 people who joined the program, less than 600 have done so, as many claim that the premiums are simply too expensive. The reduction in the rates are being made possible by both federal funds and policyholder…
Read MoreAnalysts: Enrollment in states’ pre-existing conditions insurance plans incredibly low
The health care reform law of 2010 is well known for a number of provisions that have succumb to a seemingly endless tide of controversy. These provisions generally garner the majority of public attention, but it is one provision that has been in effect for over a year now that may point to some fundamental flaws in the federal law. The provision in question is one that originally drew in public acclaim, but has since faded into obscurity. According to the law, each state must have a Pre-Existing Condition Insurance…
Read MoreFederal measure that makes affordable health care available to those with high-risk conditions
A new measure from the federal government that seeks to bolster the availability of health insurance for those with existing medical insurance will go into effect today. The measure will reduce insurance premiums by as much as 40% for what lawmakers are referring to as “special, high-risk” plans. This will prove to be a particular benefit to those with pre-existing conditions who were originally unable to afford the insurance coverage they desperately need. The measure is part of the overarching health care reform, the Affordable Care Act. Originally, this particular…
Read MoreMichigan health insurer rolls out new plan geared for youth
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has unveiled a new insurance plan tailored for young adults, which will cost them less than $100 monthly. Called the Young Adult Blue Max plan, the goal is to provide coverage for those between the ages of 19 and 30. The plan offers medical, dental and vision coverage. Preventative care and services are included in the plan. The insurer is claiming that their new coverage plan will prove especially beneficial for young adults striking out on their own. Whether they are starting a career…
Read More