http://healthinsurance.about.com/ Get the latest headlines from the About.com Health Insurance GuideSite. http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hh http://www.about.com/ 118 20 en-us 2010-12-12T12:09:42Z Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:09:42 +0000 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2011/01/06/blue-shield-shocks-with-rate-hikes.htm <p>California-based insurance behemoth Blue Shield raised eyebrows today with the announcement that it would be raising its fees--in some cases as high as 59% for individuals, the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.latimes.com/health/healthcare/la-fi-insure-rates-20110106,0,6975599.story">LA Times reports.</a> The increases will take effect on March 1st, and will likely affect tens of thousands of people. While Blue Shield rates have gone up an average of 30 or 35%, it appears that one in four Blue Shield customers will experience an increase of 50% or more.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2011/01/06/blue-shield-shocks-with-rate-hikes.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2011/01/06/blue-shield-shocks-with-rate-hikes.htm Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:49:51 +0000 2011-01-06T17:49:51Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/12/dont-lose-your-fsa-dollars-at-the-end-of-the-year-2.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/t/-/-/-/saving_money_4.jpg" alt="null" width="300" height="199" /></p> <p>You may be running low on time to spend the rest of your flexible spending account (FSA) before the end of the year.</p> <p>Depending on your insurance and your health care needs, here are some possible ways to drain your FSA:</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/12/dont-lose-your-fsa-dollars-at-the-end-of-the-year-2.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/12/dont-lose-your-fsa-dollars-at-the-end-of-the-year-2.htm Sun, 12 Dec 2010 12:09:42 +0000 2010-12-12T12:09:42Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/10/pre-existing-condition-insurance-plan-it-works.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/Y/1/-/-/healthcare_logo.gif" alt="null" width="260" height="46" /></a></p> <p>One of the contributors to my forum recently posted the following comment. I thought it was worth sharing as an example of how the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/reform/a/Affordable-Care-Act-What-You-Should-Know-About-The-Affordable-Care-Act.htm">Affordable Care Act</a> can make a difference to someone with a pre-existing health condition.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/10/pre-existing-condition-insurance-plan-it-works.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/10/pre-existing-condition-insurance-plan-it-works.htm Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:31:09 +0000 2010-12-10T14:31:09Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/08/want-to-save-money-stay-healthy.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/N/2/-/-/flu_blog.jpg" alt="null" width="252" height="173" /></p> <p><strong>Dr. Mike's Monthly Health Tips for December 2010.</strong></p> <p>With health insurance premiums climbing along with annual deductibles, you can save money by staying healthy and helping to keep your family healthy.</p> <p>This month's health topic: Don't let the flu spoil your holidays!</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/08/want-to-save-money-stay-healthy.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/08/want-to-save-money-stay-healthy.htm Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:46:03 +0000 2010-12-08T09:46:03Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/06/reinhardt-go-ahead-repeal-health-care-reform.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/L/2/-/-/uwe_reinhardt.jpg" alt="null" width="263" height="197" /></p> <p>In a fascinating interview published in Kaiser Health News last week, Uwe E. Reinhardt, a well-respected Princeton economist and health policy expert, suggested that President Obama should tell Republicans in Congress to go ahead and repeal health reform. "That way the GOP would have to come up with its own solutions to the health care cost crisis, many of which, he wagers, would look much like parts of the current law."</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/06/reinhardt-go-ahead-repeal-health-care-reform.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/06/reinhardt-go-ahead-repeal-health-care-reform.htm Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:37:49 +0000 2010-12-06T10:37:49Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/02/the-future-of-nursing-a-new-initiative.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/H/2/-/-/nurses_1.jpg" alt="null" width="252" height="167" /></p> <p>Given the serious <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/reform/a/PCP_shortage.htm">shortage of primary care physicians</a> in the U.S. (which most likely will get worse as the Accountable Care Act is fully implemented), I read with great interest the executive summary of <em><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://thefutureofnursing.org/IOM-Report">The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health</a></em>, an examination of the nursing workforce.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/02/the-future-of-nursing-a-new-initiative.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/12/02/the-future-of-nursing-a-new-initiative.htm Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:09:31 +0000 2010-12-02T10:09:31Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/29/dont-let-congress-drive-doctors-out-of-medicare.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/G/2/-/-/medicare_pcp.jpg" alt="null" width="252" height="167" /></p> <p>That scary message sent by AARP arrived in my mailbox causing me to almost choke on my leftover turkey sandwich!  The hard-to-miss postcard went on to say: <em>You've earned your Medicare and the doctors you count on. Unfortunately, unless Congress acts by January 1, 2011, doctors who treat Medicare patients will see their pay cut by 25 percent.</em></p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/29/dont-let-congress-drive-doctors-out-of-medicare.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/29/dont-let-congress-drive-doctors-out-of-medicare.htm Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:18:00 +0000 2010-11-29T11:18:00Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/27/thanksgiving-leftovers-done-focus-on-your-medicare-choices-for-2011.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/Z/-/-/-/Thanksgiving2_blog.jpg" alt="null" width="170" height="121" /></p> <p>Now that the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone and you've recovered from the "Black Friday" shopping frenzy, it's time to refocus on your Medicare choices for 2011.</p> <p>If you are enrolled in Medicare, you have until the end of December to switch from regular Medicare to a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/medicare/a/medicare_advantage_overview.htm">Medicare Advantage</a> plan, change your Medicare Advantage plan, or choose a new <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/medicare/a/part_d_enrollment.htm">Medicare Part D</a> prescription plan.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/27/thanksgiving-leftovers-done-focus-on-your-medicare-choices-for-2011.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/27/thanksgiving-leftovers-done-focus-on-your-medicare-choices-for-2011.htm Sat, 27 Nov 2010 10:14:12 +0000 2010-11-27T10:14:12Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/24/happy-thanksgiving-from-your-health-insurance-guide.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/X/-/-/-/thanksgiving_blog.jpg" alt="null" width="170" height="112" /></p> <p>To all my friends and website users, have a peaceful and healthy Thanksgiving.</p> <p>Although the economy is slowly improving, there are still many people who are out of work and in need of food, clothing, shelter, and basic health care services. The food bank in my small New England town (population 31,000) is giving out the fixings for 900+ turkey dinners and we are expecting to serve an additional 1,000+ free holiday meals on Thanksgiving Day.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/24/happy-thanksgiving-from-your-health-insurance-guide.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/24/happy-thanksgiving-from-your-health-insurance-guide.htm Wed, 24 Nov 2010 10:46:31 +0000 2010-11-24T10:46:31Z http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/22/gop-leaders-exaggerate-impact-of-health-reform-on-premium-increases.htm <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://z.about.com/d/healthinsurance/1/H/w/0/-/-/factcheck.jpg" alt="null" width="300" height="66" /></p> <p>FactCheck, one of my "go-to" websites for checking on political myths and misleading information, recently published an article about the increase in health care premiums.</p>...<p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/22/gop-leaders-exaggerate-impact-of-health-reform-on-premium-increases.htm">Read Full Post</a></p> http://healthinsurance.about.com/b/2010/11/22/gop-leaders-exaggerate-impact-of-health-reform-on-premium-increases.htm Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:15:49 +0000 2010-11-22T10:15:49Z