A new report from the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation working to improve the performance of the nation’s health system, has found that 50 million Americans are without health insurance of any kind. The lack of coverage is linked to the economic recession of 2008, in which many businesses had to make cuts to staffing in order to stay afloat. As unemployment rose, so too did the rate of those without insurance as many no longer had access to employer health benefits. According to the report, most of these people…
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Perry may repeal healthcare reforms without alternative in state with highest rate of uninsured
Texas has been named the state with the largest number of residents who do not have health insurance, so they should also be one of the states that could receive the most benefit from the health care reforms made by the Obama administration. However, Governor Rick Perry has halted attempts to lay the foundation for the coverage expansion. That said, one of the solutions that Perry is supporting as an alternative to the overhaul is an untested regional effort that may make individual states responsible for Medicare; a method that…
Read MoreThe criteria that states must meet for health insurance exchange marketplace
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding 13 states as well as Washington D.C. a total of $185 million to help to fund the planning and creation of the state-based insurance exchanges that are required by the federal healthcare overhaul. Each will receive a different amount as their portion of the total. For example, California will receive $38 million in order to create its exchange. The governors of the recipient states received a letter from secretary Kathleen Sebelius of HHS, which described the various options and resources…
Read MoreInsurance tips for the start of the new school year
As the time grows nearer to the start of the new school year, it is important to look over your insurance needs and consider whether or not they are being met by your current coverage, as there are many issues that can alter your protection requirements at this time. A child’s grade level change, a newly licensed teen, or having a family member who is a college freshmen can each impact the type of insurance you need for auto, health, and homeownership. First, have a look at your auto insurance.…
Read MoreWashington insurer facing fines after denying coverage for contraceptives for women
As the nation’s insurers begin to make the shift in covering birth control for women, some companies are falling behind. Washington’s Regence BlueShield, one of the state’s largest health insurance companies, is being fined by state insurance regulators for denying coverage to nearly 1,000 women. The company is now facing fines coming from the state’s Insurance Department. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was first made aware of the issue early this week when a consumer contacted his office to file a complaint. Regence BlueShield now faces a $100,000 fine for what…
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