Consumer Coverage Blog
January 8th, 2011

Jacksonville, Florida -  HEALTH INSURANCE NEWS TODAY

As part of the Health Care Reform Law, starting this year many Medicare recipients will pay less for prescription drugs.

“If they have high costs and fall in the gap of medicine, they’re going to be able to cut their costs in half, and they are going to be able to get doctor’s visits and cancer screenings without any out of pocket costs,” said U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.

Because there is going to be a focus on preventative health services, health officials say there may be less people in the waiting room.

“If we intervene earlier in these diseases we can reduce health care costs,” said Mark Valacak, the Director of the Genesee County Health Department.

Also changing this year, restaurants with 20 or more locations will be required to post calorie counts on their menus, with Flint being one of the top ten cities for obesity rates, the Genesee County Health Department hopes this will make a difference.

“Being informed, having the information there, will allow us to make better food choices,” said Valacak.

Tax season is almost here, now small businesses will get a tax cut to help pay for health insurance for their employees.

“We want to turn this around so that families have freedom from worrying about whether or not they will be able to get medical care,” said Senator Stabenow.

And Senator Stabenow says health insurance companies are now held accountable.

“If they spend too much money on administrative or profits they are going to have to refund money to families with insurance,” said Senator Stabenow.

Some positive changes lawmakers say Mid-Michigan families can look forward to for 2011.

Senator Stabenow says the Health Care Reform Law also includes a provision that lets early retirees stay on their former employer’s insurance plan until they qualify for Medicare.

A repeal of the health care law would likely die in the senate.

September 28th, 2009

In an overwhelming response the House voted to stop health insurance premium increases in Medicare part B which insures Doctor visits, from being implemented next year. The bill now is forwarded to the Senate where the finance committee is projected to review and pass it soon although no hearing have been scheduled at this time. According to lawmakers older citizens should not have to pay higher Medicare premiums because they are expected to receive a cost of living raise from Social Security. Most seniors have their Medicare premiums automatically drafted from their Social security payments. What do you think about this bill to increase Medicare insurance premiums?

September 9th, 2009

Advocates supporting children’s health are worried that the health insurance reform could jeopardize coverage for thousands of low income children currently insured by the State Children’s Health Insurance plan which is predicted to expire in 2013. The health insurance reform would slide those children into new insurance exchanges in which they would received coverage under their parent’s policies. Activists and some distressed Democratic legislators say the objective is well meaning but it does not promise that children would not be left worse off by the reform. Do you think that children will benefit or suffer from the new health insurance reform?

August 25th, 2009

As the debate over the health care reform continues, states have been busy implementing their own laws to permit young adults to stay longer on their parent’s health insurance. New York passed a law allowing parents to keep children on their company’s health insurance up to the age of twenty nine, regardless if they are not students. The stipulation is that the dependant must not be eligible for other coverage and they must work or be a permanent resident of the state. There are more than twenty states so far that have adopted similar laws. Do you think children should be allowed to remain on their parent’s health insurance until their late twenties?

August 11th, 2009

President Obama continued his fight against the health insurance companies in New Hampshire today. Obama is making the right moves; both the Democrats and Republicans realize that health insurance companies are the biggest problem with our existing health care system. According to the President insurance companies are money hungry. They have so many limitations. Insurance companies do not cover you if you have a pre-existing condition and they discard people from their health insurance plans as soon as they get sick. President Obama promises that all this will change when the health care reform is passed. According to the President no one in the U.S. should go broke because they got ill. Do you agree with the President? Are insurance companies the biggest problem with our health care system?

August 7th, 2009

Soaring costs are pushing France’s universal health care system into crisis. Their health insurance system covers everyone and also provides high quality care. This is what the United States is debating over now with the reform. Because of the economic crisis that France’s universal health care system is causing, France is now trying to implement some U.S. tactics by imposing co-pays on patients. France has also cut back on prescription costs and forced state hospitals to limit expenses. Does this affect the quality of care that patients are receiving? If our reform is passed will it lead the U.S. into a deeper economic crisis?  

 

August 5th, 2009

On Monday the White House tried to saturate speculation that the government may have to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for the health insurance reform. This was despite what President Obama has been preaching since his election. The president reprimanded his economic team stating that he intends to stand by his word and will not raise taxes on families making less than $250K. The President’s plan is to impose taxes on only the wealthiest Americans. Certain critics say that Obama should not limit the tax increases to only the rich. They state that the increases should extend to a broader section of Americans so that way they would become invested in the new healthcare system like they are in Medicare and Social security. What do you think?

 

August 3rd, 2009

Despite the constant arguing between The House and Senate Democrats and the GOP negotiators they have attained a broad consensus on the health care reform. Lawmakers agree that it should be mandatory that all individuals must be required to carry health insurance. They also agree that Medicaid should be extensively expanded and in order to accomplish this taxes will have to increase. The final decision could bring some very momentous changes to the Medicare program. What are your thoughts?