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Category Archives: Health insurance
Open Enrollment for One
Take time to reconsider your coverage
Fall signals open enrollment season for those covered by employer-sponsored health insurance. Employees can find out about new plans available to them and elect to continue with their current coverage or change to something that better suits them. This annual event may not apply to self-insured individuals, but it can be helpful for them to follow suit and use this time of year to revisit coverage options.
A great 2010 tax credit for small business
When filing your 2010 taxes next month, small business owners can be thankful for the Affordable Care Act that was signed into law this time last year. Small business owners have been offered a one-time credit that can save upwards of 35 percent on health care premiums for their workers. According to estimates, small businesses that are eligible for a tax credit employ and offer small group health insurance to approximately16.6 million workers nationwide.¹
The IRS states that a business that employs 10 people with an average wage of $25,000 per employee, and a total cost of $70,000 per year in health insurance premiums could get a tax credit of 35 percent of their premium cost, which equals up to $24,500.
Posted in Health care reform, Health insurance
Tagged Health insurance, small businesses
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Be a wise health care consumer
Know your plan.
The first step to being a wise health consumer is knowing what you get for when you pay out for health care. There’s nothing worse than getting an unexpected bill, or realizing a procedure or visit isn’t covered by health insurance after you’ve already had it done.
It’s important to understand what benefits you receive from your insurance plan. You should know in advance of appointments what network you can receive care at, for a predetermined negotiated rate. Know what type of prescription medications you can buy at a discounted price, if coverage is offered through your plan, and what pharmacy you can buy them at. Educate yourself what a copay is, and if you have one as part of your insurance plan.
Top doctor blogs
Do you find yourself constantly going to WebMD for the latest in health care news? Maybe you’re looking for a blog by a doctor who like you, goes to the grocery store and lives in a community. We’ve reviewed three blogs, each written by American doctors – they’re easy to read and worth a look!
CNN’s The Chart offers a continuously updated blog (our favorite kind), with a medical twist on current events and the latest in medical and health news. The five sections of the blog are unique to most health sites with features on: children’s health, the brain and its behavior, sex and you, sleep and one featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s newscasts and personal articles.
Posted in Health information, Health insurance, Healthy lifestyle
Tagged doctor blogs, health information, medical
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Eat less and exercise more
Every five years a pamphlet known as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is published by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The effort is to promote nutrition literacy for Americans to achieve an ideal diet and maintain their health.
On Monday Jan. 31, 2011 the seventh edition, and what has been called the bluntest of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, was released. The report asks Americans to do three things: sustain a healthy calorie balance at each stage of life in an effort to maintain a healthy weight, eat nutrient-rich foods and get more exercise.
A breakdown of short term medical insurance
What is short term medical insurance and why do I need it?
In a nutshell, short term medical insurance is a great option for individuals living on limited income. It’s also an affordable option for people who have lost their health benefits, are getting divorced or just going through a temporary lifestyle change that leaves them without health insurance. In other words, short term medical can be an affordable health insurance option compared to many health insurance plans.
So what kind of short term health insurance is available?
Unemployed doesn’t mean uninsured
Lack of health insurance coverage is a problem that has afflicted many low-income Americans for decades, and has spread to an overwhelming majority of Americans given the recent turbulence in our economy. In 2009 it was estimated that 50.7 million Americans had no health insurance, which is approximately 16.7 percent of the population.
Three steps to short term medical coverage
Keeping insured is important for your health and your pocketbook, according to a study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; more than 60 percent of bankruptcies in the United States were the result of medical bills.
Many Americans are finding themselves looking for temporary health insurance options, whether transitioning between jobs, recently graduating college or unemployed. While services like COBRA provide comprehensive coverage extensions for the recently unemployed, COBRA can be expensive and may not be available for some individuals and families.
Top three tips: Shopping for health insurance
Shopping for health insurance can be a daunting task, and many people leave at the end of their to-do list. However, getting coverage for you and your family now will alleviate stress and kick 2011 off to a healthy start. Here are three tips we have when shopping for any type of health insurance plan:
How important is it for your and your family to stay with your current clinic or physician?
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