Simply stated health care

Government Summary of Benefits and Coverage Typo Means New Templates

Cathy — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:10 +0000

Ah, typos – the great equalizer. It’s tough to come down on errors when your own template has a pretty big one. As part of healthcare reform’s, Affordable Care Act, a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) is a requirement meant to make health coverage more understandable. A few of the SBC requirements include: A [...]

Health Savings Accounts: Savings at What Cost?

Cathy — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:24:24 +0000

It’s not a new topic. The increasingly popular Health Savings Account (HSA) is making an impact on U.S. health care spending. But at what cost? Billion Dollar Baby A recent study from the RAND Corporation, published in the May 2012 issue of Health Affairs, reviewed consumer-directed health plans, which includes personal health accounts and high-deductible health plans. [...]

Will Health Insurer Rebates Sizzle?

Cathy — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:00:57 +0000

Do you feel a bit like the millions of Americans who play the lottery? Could you be one of the lucky consumers who receives a rebate on your health insurance? According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, insurers will be coughing up $1.3 billion to consumers to comply with the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) requirements of [...]

Dental Study With Another Forget What You Learned Result

Cathy — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:00:42 +0000

It’s enough to make a dentist cry. For many people, a trip to the dentist is not a favorite activity, but they do recognize the value of healthy teeth and gums. Studies link gum disease to heart disease and strokes But, are those studies right? Not if you believe the latest word from the American [...]

Health Plans Hit Bottom in Consumer Experience Survey

Cathy — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:27 +0000

Are you surprised that U.S. health plans rank near the bottom in ratings by consumers? No, I didn’t think so. According to a 2012 report from customer experience research and consulting firm, Temkin Group, health plans rule the not-so-coveted cellar. Only TV/internet service providers, Charter Communications and Earthlink, rate lower Various health plans hold 7 [...]

Rolling the Dice on Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

Cathy — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:00:25 +0000

Even non-math wizards recognize funny numbers when we see them. Since the passing of health reform’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), the estimates of U.S. employees losing employer-sponsored health insurance have been all over the board. A McKinsey Survey reported 30% of employers will definitely or probably stop offering employer-sponsored insurance in the years after 2014 The Congressional Budget [...]

Some States Play Chicken Over Health Insurance Exchange

Cathy — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:00:15 +0000

Some states and the federal government have been on a collision course over health reform’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the ACA, states have until January 1, 2014 to establish health insurance exchanges or the federal government will step in and do it for them. Final Rule Issued On Monday, March 12, 2012, [...]

The Broken State of Dental Insurance

Cathy — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:00:41 +0000

If you’ve ever had a tooth abscess, you understand pain. But, is that the kind of pain that sends you to a hospital’s emergency room (ER)? ER visits for dental-related conditions is a trend on the rise. In 2009 – 830,590 Americans visited the ER for preventable dental conditions – a 16 percent increase from 2006 In [...]

Do You Like Your Physician in Your Circle of Friends?

Cathy — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:00:55 +0000

When it comes to social media, many of us struggle with separating our professional and private lives. Imagine you’re a physician – do you want patients to like, friend or add you to their circles? What’s appropriate? Can it help health care? How many physicians use social media now? Recent studies surveyed the use [...]

Summary of Benefits Reprieve Brings Summer Heat for Employers

Cathy — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:00:07 +0000

It was supposed to make things simple. Health reform’s Affordable Care Act requires a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) that explains – in simple terms – the health benefits to plan participants. It also requires a uniform glossary of terms. Some view the SBC as more pain than gain. Temporary Reprieve Group health [...]