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JANUARY 29, 2010

This Week in Health Care Reform

Following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Massachusetts State Senate last week and the resulting loss of Senate Democrats’ supermajority, lawmakers continue to pave the way for health care reform – with limited progress. In addition, polls indicate that the public would rather lawmakers focus more on the economy than on health care.

State of the Union Address

President Obama Gives State of the Union Address: On Wednesday evening, President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Having hoped to have a health care reform bill on his desk prior to his address, the President instead used his speech to encourage Congress to push forward on health care reform. Yet, he did not give specific guidance as to how to proceed with the legislation. Instead, he made it clear that his primary focus would be on jobs and the economy.

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Health Care Reform Negotiations

Democrats Still Seek Way Forward: While vowing not to give up, Democratic Senate leaders indicated Tuesday that they no longer felt pressure to move quickly on health care reform; and, in the wake of the Massachusetts election and in reaction to public opinion, they shifted focus to jobs and the economy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) commented that there is “no rush” on health care and said that he and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) were working to map out a way to complete health care reform in the coming months. On Wednesday, Sen. Pelosi floated a two-pronged strategy to pass incremental changes now and pursue comprehensive reform later.

Some lawmakers have considered breaking up the legislation into smaller pieces that have bipartisan support. However, this option will prove challenging given the complexities and interdependencies of the measures. For example, lawmakers would like to include a measure that requires all insurance companies to insure those with pre-existing conditions; however, premiums will most likely increase unless there is an individual mandate.

Earlier this week, Democrats appeared to be coalescing around a different strategy through which Senate lawmakers would make changes to their bill to appease members of the House. The Senate would then pass the revised bill via reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes. Following that, the House would approve the revised bill, giving it to President Obama for his review. However, movement on this strategy stalled Tuesday when two centrist Senators, Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), indicated that they would oppose using reconciliation to bypass Republican support. Others, including Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), have suggested a “time out” on health care reform until there is a clear path forward.

In the GOP response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell said that Republicans share the Democrats’ desire for health care reform, but do not agree with their proposed solutions. Republicans suggest that Democrats scrap the current proposals and start over with more Republican input on issues such as medical malpractice reform and selling insurance policies across state lines.

Republicans Call for Transparency: On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up a resolution presented by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) which requested that the administration divulge documentation regarding the health care reform deals made with trade associations and a labor union. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) said that while details remained to be worked out, he would support a narrowed version of the Republican request for White House records.

President Obama to Speak with House Republicans: President Obama will meet with House Republicans on Friday in response to an invitation to speak at their annual retreat in Baltimore that begins Thursday and ends Saturday. The meeting comes just after the President’s State of the Union address, and members of the news media speculate that the meeting may spur more bipartisanship or potentially lead to even more tension between the two parties.

Interest Groups Call for Reform: With health care reform’s fate in jeopardy, interest groups have voiced their support, encouraging Democrats to push forward with legislation. The AARP, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Consumers Union, Families USA and Service employees International Union sent a joint letter last Thursday urging Congress not to abandon comprehensive health care reform. Further, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also sent a letter to Congress urging a push for reform.

Public Opinion

Polls Show Concern with Health Care Reform; More Focus on Jobs and Economy: Several polls were released this week that highlight the public’s disenchantment with health care reform and anxiety around the struggling economy.

A new CNN/Opinion Research poll released Tuesday shows that only three in ten Americans say they want Congress to pass legislation similar to the bills currently being discussed in Congress. Forty-eight percent of Americans would like lawmakers to start again on a new bill, and 21 percent believe Congress should not work on bills that would change the current health care system. Further, a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of Americans believe President Obama has paid “too little attention” to the economy and that 44 percent feel he has paid “too much attention” to his proposed health care overall.

In addition, a new USA Today/Gallup poll released late last week finds that most Americans call for a more bipartisan effort in health reform. A 55 percent majority of Americans say that President Obama and Congressional Democrats should suspend movement on health care reform and consider alternatives that would increase Republican support.

A poll released last weekend by the Washington Post , Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University’s School of Public Health indicated that dissatisfaction with the direction of the country, including the Democrats’ health care reform proposals, drove the outcome of the Massachusetts election. The post-election survey of Massachusetts state voters showed that overall 43 percent say they support the health care reform proposals advanced by President Obama and Congressional Democrats, while 48 percent oppose them.

A new poll released Monday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that fears regarding the health care reform package increased significantly in December as members of the Senate finalized their bill. Thirty-three percent of respondents said they believed their access to care would worsen if the legislation passed, up from 25 percent in November. Forty-two percent said the country’s finances would suffer under reform, compared with 34.6 percent in November.

Looking Ahead

Next week, the President will present his Budget to Congress (which includes health programs), after which Congressional hearings will commence. We expect health reform to be discussed in these sessions. While there remains no clear path forward for health care reform, Congressional leaders will continue to work to find a solution.

Custom Health Care Papers

Students taking courses in health care are often assigned health care papers writing assignments. Knowledge of a given health care topic or subject is the prerequisite to writing quality health care papers. The other requirement is possession of exceptional writing, researching and analyzing skills. Researching skills enable students to gather enough and relevant information to be used for writing health care papers. Analyzing skills on the other hand enable a student to synthesis and identify the most valuable and relevant information to include in health care papers. The first step that a student is supposed to do when tackling a health care paper writing assignment is to choose the most appropriate topic, which has to be related to the course content or material studies in class.

Research is the step that follows topic identification. Through research, students are able to gather enough information to include in their health care papers such as health care essays, term papers, research papers an even health care lab reports. There are several referencing and writing styles that can be used for writing health care papers though the ones that are commonly used include APA, MLA, Chicago and the Harvard writing style which should be known as well as they guidelines noted down. Health care papers are written by students of various academic levels including university, college, postgraduate, masters and doctorate level students. Such students write health care papers that account for their final grade at the end of an academic term or semester. It is therefore important to take adequate time in order to come up with premium quality papers that can be appreciated by instructors, and that can guarantee academic excellence at all times. Creativity and originality are the main factors that help students to come up with quality writing assignments.

There are many students who face hurdles when it comes to writing health care papers. This is due to the fact that such students have poor writing skills and poor analyzing skills and hence come up with low quality papers that have many errors. The best advice for students who face challenges in writing health care papers should seek assistance from custom writing companies online. Such companies or websites help customers in completing custom papers on different fields of study including health care. It is important for students to select the most reliable and trustworthy websites or companies so that they can get quality help. There are some qualities and characteristics that students should look for in a reliable website or company and some of them will be examined in this article.

Our custom writing company has all the desirable qualities that enable it to provide the best services to customers. We have skilled and qualified writers who have the ability to write quality papers on different academic fields including health care. These writers are committed and dedicated to assisting customers in every way possible. We provide premium quality custom health care papers that guarantee excellence. Moreover, our custom health care papers are affordable and authentic and for this reason, customers can save their valuable time and money. It is advisable for any student who requires custom health care papers are the best and enable our customers to attain exemplary grades at the end of an academic term, semester or academic year.

Health Care Reform Weekly June 6 2011

Week of June 6, 2011

While the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) medical loss ratio (MLR) and rate review provisions have been getting most of the media attention, a new coalition of business organizations has come together to draw attention to another important requirement of the ACA. Calling themselves Stop the HIT on Small Business, more than 25 national business organizations have joined forces to work toward repeal of new taxes the ACA would impose on private health insurance starting in 2014. Business leaders behind the effort say that small business owners, their employees and the self-employed will ultimately bear the brunt of billion in additional health care costs in the first 10 years as a result of the new taxes. The group is planning Capitol Hill outreaches and grassroots efforts.

Federal

Support is growing in Congress (over 80 co-sponsors) for Mike Rogers’ (R-MI) and John Barrows’ (D-GA) legislation that would exclude agent commissions from the MLR calculation.  Currently, commissions count as administrative expenses in calculating insurers’ MLRs.  This support was highlighted in a House hearing last week before the Health Subcommittee of the Energy & Commerce Committee, where the larger issue of the MLR burden was front and center.  Witnesses representing agents and brokers, insurers and academia all testified against the unintended, negative consequences of the MLR requirement, with agents and brokers in particular noting the direct financial impact to small business and individual agents and their families. The Rogers/Barrows bill would simply not factor commissions into the MLR calculation. The day before the hearing, Congressman Tom Price ((R-GA) introduced an even more aggressive bill, as his proposal would repeal outright the MLR provision of ACA.  While it is unlikely that either bill will get traction in the Senate on its own, bipartisan support for the agents and genuine concern about unintended consequences puts this issue in play as part of any potential mega-deal on the budget/deficit/debt ceiling issue over the next few months. The Senate was not in Session last week; and the House is out this week.

States

COLORADO: Governor John Hickenlooper last week signed into law a bill establishing the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange. The legislation created a fair amount of controversy during the session, particularly among “Tea Party” Republicans. However, the final product represents the culmination of a bipartisan effort that remained inclusive of the business, advocacy and insurance industry constituencies.

CONNECTICUT: Although adjournment is set for June 8, a number of significant bills are still in process. The legislature passed a bill over the weekend that would create a health insurance exchange. The bill is expected to be signed by Governor Dannel Malloy, as the legislation, as passed, is an amended version of a bill proposed by the Malloy administration. It would create an 11-member exchange board and set rules and responsibilities for the exchange, but many policy decisions would be left for resolution at a later time. The exchange must be financially self-supporting by 2015, and the bill would allow the exchange to charge assessments or user fees to health insurance carriers to fund operations. Some lawmakers questioned the cost of the exchange. However, the nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis says the planning process is not expected to require additional state money. The bill calls for exchange board members to have expertise in specific subjects, including small employer health insurance coverage, health care delivery systems, access issues that self-employed people face, barriers to individual health care coverage, health care finance and benefits plan administration.

Additional bills yet to be passed by both Houses include the SustiNet bill, now amended to create a health care reform advisory board and allow municipalities and not-for-profits to join the state employees plan. Also, a prohibition on “most favored nation” clauses in provider contracts and a broad rate review bill that would require public hearings for all rate increases over 10 percent have yet to be acted on.

ILLINOIS: A spring session of the General Assembly dominated by redistricting, workers’ compensation, budget, pensions and gambling adjourned on May 31, 2011.  Minimal health care legislation passed by both chambers is awaiting signature by the governor. One important legislative development is that Aetna helped turn back attempts to amend the “non-participating” physician law that was passed last year and went into effect on June 1, 2011. The law protects consumers from being overbilled by certain out-of-network, hospital-based physicians (i.e., anesthesiologists, radiologists) who provide direct services in hospitals and ambulatory surgery treatment centers. Under the law, the patient is taken out of the middle as it ensures patients will pay no more than they would have paid to one of their carrier’s participating providers. In addition, the law allows either the physician or the insurer to use binding arbitration to resolve disputes over the reasonableness of charges or reimbursements.

Other health care bills defeated including taxes/insurance assessments; reporting of extensive premium loss data; and health insurance rate review.  Bills currently awaiting the governor’s signature include changes to the mental-health parity and clinical trials mandates, as well as insurer recoupment requirements that the industry ultimately agreed to.  Also, a health insurance exchange bill passed both chambers that would establish an exchange and appoint a study commission of legislators to report back to the Assembly by Sept. 30, 2011 regarding parameters for an exchange.  Follow-up legislation could potentially be considered in the fall veto session, beginning at the end of October 2011.

MAINE: Gov. Paul LePage and the legislature’s Republican leaders found a way to avoid an override of the Governor’s recent veto of the most-favored nation prohibition bill. The bill would bar insurers from requiring a health care provider to charge an insurance company the lowest rate the provider negotiates with any other insurance carrier. In his veto message on the bill, LePage said he strongly believes that businesses have a right to contract with each other as they deem appropriate. After some Republicans complained, LePage met last week with GOP leaders and co-chairs of the legislature’s Insurance and Financial Services Committee, which unanimously endorsed the bill last month.  Republican lawmakers agreed to vote to sustain the governor’s veto when the House acts on it, and the Governor agreed to submit compromise legislation. The new bill would ban most-favored nation clauses but also allow Maine’s superintendent of insurance to issue a waiver. It is unclear what conditions an insurer would have to meet to earn a waiver. The bill’s language is not yet available to the public. With session scheduled to adjourn June 15, the legislature is likely to wait until next year to take up the bill.

Governor LePage announced that Eric Cioppa, Deputy Superintendent of the Bureau of Insurance, Department of Professional and Financial will serve as Acting Superintendent effective immediately. Cioppa replaces former Superintendent Mila Kofman who resigned recently. In his former role as deputy superintendent, Cioppa was responsible for the Examination, Market Conduct, Financial Analysis, Alternative Risk Markets, Producer Licensing, Administrative Support Unit, and Research and Statistics Units of the Bureau.

MICHIGAN:  In the next couple of weeks, the state Senate is expected to vote on a 0 million paid-claims tax that would be levied on insurers and third-party administrators as proposed by Governor Snyder.  Specifically, the bill would establish an entirely new tax on health insurance claims as a way to match federal Medicaid funding. The 1 percent on tax on all medical claims paid under health, dental, automobile and workers’ compensation coverage would impact fully and self-insured business. Ultimately, the cost of the tax will be borne by the sponsor of that coverage – the employer or the individual who already pays for the coverage. As introduced, the tax would begin on October 1, 2011.  While working with lawmakers to help them understand the impact the tax would have on constituents, Aetna has mobilized its grassroots employee network to contact their state legislators regarding the issue. The bill has a strong chance of passing, and Aetna is urging all its constituents in the state to contact the Governor’s office and legislators to express any concerns they may have about the tax.

NEW YORK:  Session is scheduled to adjourn June 20, and no official exchange legislation has been advanced. The Senate Republican majority is said to have a bill draft ready that supports a market-based exchange, but it has not been introduced yet. The Administration plans to introduce a more expansive model that reportedly will include giving the governor the majority of the board appointments, the exchange de facto rate-setting authority, and the exchange authority to selectively contract and require plans to participate. The bills are expected by the second week in June. However, with many other significant issues still on the table, compromise on an exchange bill may be swept up into a larger negotiation.

A very broad autism mandate is still in play. A set of amendments was introduced to ensure that an autism coverage mandate not be broader than for any other disease coverage mandate, For example, a pharmacy rider would be required to get pharmacy coverage, and there would be a limitation on visits but no dollar or age limits. The bill is still more expansive than last year’s version, which was vetoed by then-Governor Paterson due to its million fiscal note.  Governor Cuomo has not announced his position on the proposal.

NEVADA: The 2011 legislative session is winding down toward adjournment on June 6. Governor Brian Sandoval has on his desk a rate review bill that would implement a prior approval scheme, require greater transparency and public access to rate filings, and allow a Consumer Advocate to request a public hearing. The measure is sponsored by the Democratic Speaker and has the support of the commissioner who says that some aspects of the bill are needed for the state to comply with HHS rate review requirements. The Senate-sponsored bill creating the Silver State Health Exchange continues to move toward passage in the Assembly.

PENNSYLVANIA: State government had another better-than-expected revenue collection month in May and headed into the final month of the fiscal year with a nearly 0 million surplus. The news came last week as the debate in the Capitol intensified over the depth of spending cuts sought by Governor Tom Corbett. Legislative budget analysts said the state’s updated revenue collection figure through the end of May was 2 percent, or about million, over the official estimate. That means the state has collected almost .3 billion through 11 months, or 2.3 percent above the official estimate. However, the state continues to face a projected multi-billion-dollar budget deficit in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The disappearing federal stimulus money that temporarily helped buttress the state’s recession-wracked tax collections is one of the largest contributing factors.

TEXAS: A special session of the legislature, called by Gov. Rick Perry to address education and health care issues left pending when the 140-day regular session ended May 30, got off to a slow start last week. But by the end of the week, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously voted in support of a massive health care measure that combines three weighty regular-session bills. Now headed for a full Senate vote, the package seeks .5 billion in Medicaid savings by expanding managed care to South Texas and restructuring insurance payment systems. It also would charge Medicaid patients for unnecessary emergency room visits and penalize doctors and hospitals for preventable complications.

Late Tuesday, Perry added another issue to the 30-day session: redrawing boundaries for Texas’ 36 congressional districts. School finance remains the main event of the overtime session. Another bill would resurrect the interstate health care compact, favored by Republicans because it would allow member states to opt out of the federal health care reform law. Democrats oppose the effort, saying Texas would save money by cutting more low-income people from Medicaid coverage. A bigger hurdle would be Congress, which must approve the compact. The special session will last a maximum of 30 days but could conclude earlier if the legislature finishes business and adjourns.

Health Care Proposals

Health insurance causes mixed feelings in the majority of Americans. While it can literally save a life during serious injury or illness, it can also be a source of extreme stress and frustration when certain treatments aren’t covered or co-payments are unaffordable. The problem has reached epic proportions over the past few decades as spending on health care has spiraled out of control. Many Americans pay hefty premiums each month while many others can’t afford the premiums at all and simply choose not to purchase health care. These uninsured and underinsured citizens place a burden on the system as they use hospital emergency rooms for routine care. As various plans for reform surface in the House and Senate, many Americans have expressed concerns about how their current health care will be affected and whether their benefits will be reduced. One group of people that is watching the health care debate closely is senior citizens who rely on Medicare. President Obama has proposed extensive reforms to the current Medicare system with the goal of reducing wasteful spending. His plan would eliminate subsidies for insurance companies who participate in the Medicare Advantage program, which could result in increased premiums for those participating as well as elimination of certain benefits offered by the Advantage program that are not offered through traditional Medicare. Other ideas that have been proposed include a tax increase for wealthy Americans and higher premiums for seniors making more than 0,000 each year who participate in Medicare. Many seniors have expressed concern that the attempts to reduce Medicare spending could result in decreased benefits, changes in doctors, or certain treatments being denied. While the White House hopes to reach its goal of eliminating wasteful spending without resorting to such measures, critics question how millions of baby boomers coming into the program over the next few years can be covered at the current level of benefits while reducing spending at the same time. Another closely watched aspect of the new plan is the proposed public health care option. While lawmakers tout the public option as a way to encourage insurance companies to offer lower and more competitive prices while making sure consumers can obtain affordable health care, critics argue that a government funded system would put many private insurers out of business altogether. An alternative idea suggests state specific health care co-ops which would receive initial government funding, but would thereafter need to be self-supporting. As Americans watch to see where the chips will fall in the health care debate, they should also begin taking action now to find more affordable health care coverage. Employer based systems often provide good coverage at a reasonable cost for individuals, but those without coverage through their place of work should look at various options such as individual coverage, family coverage, and health savings accounts to determine which plan will best meet their needs. Once a plan has been chosen, shopping around is the best way to get the most affordable coverage with the most benefits. Congress hopes to lessen the burden of health care costs for everyone across the board, but individuals can’t wait for the government to solve their health care problems if they hope to see improvement in the near future. As debate proceeds in Washington, Americans should take ownership of their insurance needs by frequently shopping around for the best coverage in order to make sure their families are adequately provided for in the event of illness or injury.

Health Care Is A Serious Concern For Grads

As the members of the class of 2010 prepare to flip their tassels to the left in May, there’s more than just studying to cross off of their to-do lists. While stressing over where to live and finding a job, many young adults do not address the issue of health insurance.

Reality will set in for some graduates when their parents’ plan or student insurance coverage expires, if it hasn’t already. Whether these current students are busy studying sociology or calculus, they need to make time to read up on their health insurance options before they suddenly find themselves uninsured.

“Thirty percent of people ages 19 through 29 are uninsured,” said Steve Trattner, president of Cinergy Health, in his article “Congratulations on Your College Graduation – Now Get Health Insurance.”

“Instead of being smart about the frailty of life, this age group tends to believe they’re invincible or simply do not recognize the necessity of health insurance, especially as we confront seemingly ever-rising health care costs,” Trattner continues in the article.

CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen agrees with Trattner’s viewpoint in her article, “What’s a Recent College Graduate to do about Health Insurance?” Cohen acknowledges that some students are trying to find health insurance, but “others, dubbed the ‘young invincibles’ think they don’t need it since they’re young and healthy.” Cohen makes the point that all it takes is “a car accident, a cancer diagnosis” to put a 20-something college grad in “real trouble.”

To save themselves the pain and hassle of acquiring medical debt on top of already-looming college loan debt, students should check out their options now.
Insurance laws vary by state. As of Jan. 1, 2009, Connecticut law states that “Every individual health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in [certain] subdivisions… shall provide that coverage of a child shall terminate no earlier than the policy anniversary date on or after whichever of the following occurs first, the date on which the child: Marries; ceases to be a resident of the state; becomes covered under a group health plan through the dependent’s own employment; or attains the age of twenty-six.” This law does not apply to all insurance plans.

In “What’s a Recent College Graduate to do about Health Insurance?” Cohen suggests looking into the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). According to the U.S. Department of Labor Web site, COBRA “gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits provided by their group health plan for limited periods of time under certain circumstances.”

COBRA is not a free option. The Web site explains that “Qualified individuals may be required to pay the entire premium for coverage up to 102 percent of the cost of the plan.”

Why Canadian Health Care Is So Good

Canada has many similarities to many other former members of the British Empire, and in particular the mother country. Its capital Ottawa even feels like an English town. Canadian health care is no exception to this. The Canadian health care system is based on the social system of providing health care to all with options on more individual health care for those who wish to spend additional funds. In Canada this is done through socialized health insurance plans that are designed to provide coverage for all Canadian citizens. These insurance plans are publicly funded and administered by each province or territory.


The guidelines for overall coverage are set by the Canadian government. As in the United Kingdom, Canadian medical care provides preventative care and medical treatments from primary care physicians, as well as, access to hospitals, dental surgery and additional medical services as the services are needed. There are very few exceptions to this rule and most Canadians get the medical care they need. The reason that Canadian medical care is so good is that the standards of this subsidized practice are so high that doctors from around the world recognize the quality of the care.


One of the facts that are used to boast of the quality of Canadian medical care is the life expectancy of the average Canadian. Canada has one of the highest life expectancies of any western nation of about 80 years, and also one of the lowest infant morality rates. These facts speak very highly about the quality of Canadian health care.


The Health Care Debate


The continuation of the socialized Canadian medical system seems to be a subject that constantly develops political controversy and debate. However, the quality of the health services itself leads one to question whether the issue should even be debated at all. There are some Canadians who even question the efficiencies of the current system as it attempts to deliver quality Canadian health in a timely fashion.


Many Canadians think that an almost completely private system similar to the United States should be adopted in Canada. However, as the American system proves there are vast inequalities in the U.S. system that has everyone concerned as the costs of health care continue to spiral. The Canadian system is not cheap and over 40% of collected taxes go to fund Canadian health care.


The Canadian Doctor


Like all doctors across the world, the Canadian doctor is absolutely focused on the provision of care and the rendering of no harm to the patient. Canadian medical care has some of the best doctors in the world, and the majority of these doctors are available to anyone regardless of means.

Health Care Costs And Bankruptcy Amongst The Elderly

The rise in bankruptcy filings among the elderly isn’t a recent phenomenon or a reflection of the current recession. Limited incomes and high out of pocket costs have contributed to the increase in bankruptcy rates. Medicare coverage is fairly comprehensive but does not cover everything and does not have an out-of-pocket cap. If you have a serious illness or need nursing care the medical bills can add up fast.

A University of Michigan Law School study found that the fastest growing segment of the population filing for bankruptcy is age 65 or older. According to AARP, the percentage of those aged 65 to 74, filing for bankruptcy, rose 178 percent between 1991 and 2007 but the biggest rate increase was for those between ages 75 and 84. The bankruptcy rates for this age group increased by 433 percent. Professor John Pottow author of the University of Michigan study says, “The findings are both striking and ominous.”

Lifetime uninsured health costs can be a staggering amount according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. A married couple at age 65 will have spent 7,000 on insurance premiums, out-of-pocket and home healthcare costs and that figure excludes long term care. If nursing care is included the lifetime amount rises to 0,000.

Fidelity Investments research found that the average monthly cost for healthcare is 5 and is second only to the cost of food. Retiree expenses for 2010 are 4.2 percent higher than 2009 but have increased by 56 percent since 2002. Contrasting that rate is the fact that consumer prices are only up 1.1 percent for 2010.

According to Melissa Jacoby, a law professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Chronic conditions, drug costs and nursing home costs are a big area of concern.” High out of pocket expenses and the cost of financing those expenses leads to increased bankruptcy filings. Research by Melissa Jacoby has shown that one-third of people filing bankruptcy for medical reasons have used a credit card for those expenses. Jacoby adds, “And when people put those expenses on a high-interest rate credit card, the financial burden of those costs escalate.”

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims at providing some relief to the health care costs afflicting the elderly. The gap in Medicare Part D prescription coverage for those with high expenses will be closed by 2020. The drug subsidy, Extra Help, which pays 100 percent of premiums for low income seniors will be improved by the ACA. Also, the ACA will add free preventive care to Medicare beginning in 2011. This early intervention will aid in preventing catastrophic health care costs.

There are some ways to plan for the health care expenses that will occur during retirement.

Purchase a Medigap policy. Medicare Part A covers the cost of hospitalization for up to 150 days with you being responsible for co-pays. A catastrophic illness or skilled care over the 150 days leaves you responsible for the additional costs. If you purchase a Medigap policy during open enrollment then insurance companies cannot refuse to provide insurance or charge higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions. This type of additional health coverage caps out-of-pocket expenses and protects you from any catastrophic expense.
Consider purchasing long-term care insurance (LTC). This insurance will protect you from nursing home expenses. On average, one-third of individuals turning 65 in 2010 will require three months of nursing home care and 24 percent will require nursing care for more than a year. In order to get reasonable LTC coverage rates and avoid being rejected for health issues, apply for coverage when you are in your late 50′s or early 60′s.
Research insurance plans and focus on out-of-pocket expense and understanding all of the benefits. Fidelity senior vice president Sunit Patel says, “The key question is, ‘What is my maximum out-of-pocket expense in any given year?”
When saving for retirement include the cost of healthcare in your savings. Patel says. “Just as you would save to finance college education or a general retirement goal, is there a percentage or a specific account earmarked for healthcare?”
Don’t plan on always being healthy. People who end up paying higher Medigap or LTC premiums are those who believed they would never need it. Plan for the worst but expect the best.

Health care costs are a major expense especially for the elderly whose options are limited when faced with a financial crisis. Planning for future health care costs by following the above suggestions will help ease the financial burden of retirement.

Health Care-AARP Has It Wrong-Part 1

AARP has it wrong and NARP-National Association of Retired People have it right. Why does AARP think a government take over of health care could possibly be good for seniors? 

I am one senior citizen that thinks AARP sold us out. I thought AARP was supposed to be for seniors, now I think they are for the politicians. AARP came out in favor the government takeover of health care (they don‘t call it that, I call it that). I read AARP’s list of reasons for support of new legislation and it sounds very lofty and idealistic. “We all have a role to play individuals, providers, purchasers, insurers, and the government.” What role do we “senior individuals” have to play? Go home and die because the government eliminates health care services we now receive. The one thing AARP should have said is that the government should not run or control the health care system. To begin with, they say our healthcare system is broken but it is not. We have the best health care systems in the world. Americans do not leave this country to get better health care in another country. It is the other way around, world leaders come here for medical treatment. AARP should have stood up for their 40 million members and said no to the government takeover of our health care system.

AARP sells hundreds of millions of dollars of medical insurance to seniors. They were afraid of losing that revenue and made a wink and nod agreement with the politicians. Presently there about 1,300 health care insurance companies in the US. It is estimated that number will be reduced to about 50 in the first few years of the new plan. Does AARP really think they can trust any of the politicians in Washington? Did you see how 200 years of law was thrown out the window when it came to the government takeover of General Motors and Chrysler? Ask the 100,000 individual secured bondholders that were screwed out of 70% of their secured money if they trust the politicians. By the way, most of them were seniors. AARP and the insurance companies will be shocked in a few years when the government tells them there will only be one health insurance plan run by the government and their services will not be needed. I do not think the Republicans or the Democrats in Washington can be trusted. Politics has become only about “what’s in it for me right now” and control, not about what is best for the American people. The politicians love their power. Do you really feel AARP is looking out for you? 

The government really does not care about providing good health care in America for everyone; they care about the government-running health care in America. It is about government control of another major section of the economy and your life. If all they really wanted to do, was guarantee health care for everyone it would only cost between to billion extra over today’s costs; and the rest of us could continue with the good health care we have now without the government control. It could all be paid for out of stopping even part of the 0 billion in medical fraud each year. If they did that one thing, there would be no need to raise taxes or have the government take over our health care system. Tell that to your politicians. If the government takes over health care, they will control about sixty percent of the US economy. They already control the Banks, Insurance (AIG), Auto Industry (GM & Chrysler), Mortgage business (Fannie Mae & Freddy Mack), and now they want to take over health care. If you are a senior citizen and the government takes over health   care, they are going to tell us at what age we live or die. Maybe you are like me and had heart bypass surgery at age 58 and I will probably need it again at age 75 (because it usually only last 15 or 20 years). In England with their government run health care, you cannot get a stint or heart bypass surgery if you are over 59. If that happens here a guess they will tell me, I am too old because it is not cost effective for someone my age, and not covered by Medicare, I will just have to go home and die.

After they get us all on the government plan they can make us do anything they want not necessarily, what is the best for you to live longer. I am 69 years old (the same age as Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House). I think you seniors and I are entitled to the same health care opportunities as she and Ted Kennedy. These politicians will not have the same health care insurance rules we on Medicare are being asked to accept. Under the new plan if you are Ted Kennedy’s age, you could not get the brain surgery he received. What is wrong with what the government is trying to do is, limiting how your Doctor can treat you. Moreover, what is worse, if they say it is not covered by Medicare it will be illegal for you to go out and pay for better treatment out of your own pocket that is just not right?

If these politicians take over health care, your life, and my life just got shorter. This applies to you young people as well. The President’s chief health care policy advisors Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel (brother of Rohm Emanuel the president‘s chief of staff) has written extensively that the elderly should get less health care. He thinks that incurable illnesses such as dementia should not get continued health care. He says because they no longer contribute to society. Does this apply to Down syndrome babies, badly injured soldiers and to paraplegics as well? He also is a leading proponent of state assisted suicide. He is a very brilliant man but these are not the views most of us here in the United States of America. That sounds more like Nazi Germany back in the late thirties. How does AARP think this kind of thinking is good for seniors?

I do not want anyone coming between my doctor and me. I want my personal doctor telling me what is best for my loved ones and my health, not some Washington Bureaucrat.

I do not want some young person in Washington telling me my 82-year mother cannot receive treatment because it is not covered. Like I just said, even if you have the money to pay for it out of your own pocket it will be against the law. To me that is just not right, it is outrageous, this is not Cuba, China, or Russia this is the United States of America. If you like, the way the government runs the Post Office, the IRS, Social Security, or the way they handled New Orleans during Katrina then get ready for the Government Takeover of Health Care.

One of the staff from a Senator’s office out of Nebraska said… If they cannot get what they want right now, they will take anything they can and change it to what they want in a couple of years. They actually want a single payer plan with rationed health care. We seniors cannot let this happen.   

I have called every Congressman, Senator and the White House letting them know that I do not want the government to take over health care and I and my fellow Americans will vote against anyone that votes for it. You may ask why I called all of them. The other day I saw a Senator on TV that said he was getting calls from all over the country and he appreciated hearing the pulse of the nation. He thought it was a good idea to contact each of them and let them know what people all across the country are thinking. 

I will make a prediction… If our politicians vote in the government take over of health care there will be a voters revolt, a nationwide outcry of “Throw the bums out of Washington.”

The administration is very smooth about how they promote the government take over of health care. When the Clinton’s tried, the governments take over of healthcare, they called it healthcare reform, and it died. These politicians started that way but have changed what they call it. Now they call it health insurance reform. It is the same thing. They are just trying to blame the insurance companies for high prices and divert your attention away from their real agenda to take over. The government wants to take over health care and have control over your life and your death.

The myth is they are trying to sell us the idea the system is broken and they can fix it. We all know the truth is we have the best health care in the world, they want to take control, and they will ruin it. People from the United States are not leaving this country to go anywhere else for medical treatment. If our system is so bad, why do Kings and leaders of other countries come here to get medical care? This is all about control and power it is not about giving health care to everyone. Anyone that needs emergency health care can get it right now if you have the money or not. They can call it anything they want but it is about control of your life.

If they once get any kind of government health insurance, life in America will never be the same. They will gradually nudge you into their plan and ultimately make everyone on the government plan (except the politicians and some unions). All of the politicians have private health insurance plans and every December they can choose to change if they want. In the new proposal if you ever for any reason want to switch health insurance you can only go into the government plan, which is just wrong.

All of you young people beware. If you feel like you cannot afford health insurance with your present lifestyle, the government will make you buy it anyway. Health insurance may cost you as much as ,000 a year and if you do not buy it they may fine you a fine of ,800 a year. That is just not right. You should be able chose what you think is best for yourself. This universal health care is flawed from the start. There are many ways to reduce health care costs without government control. If the politicians and unions do not switch to the government health insurance plan then you know the politicians have lied to us but by then it will be too late. This is not about either side of politics this is about the lives and well-being of all Americans. God, help us all if this health care passes in any form.      

Introduction to the Health System in Australia (and the role of private health insurance)

Health care in Australia is comprised of both the public and private health care systems.

Public health care in Australia

The public health system is called Medicare, and is funded partly through an income tax levy of 1.5%, with the rest of the costs coming from the general budget

Under Medicare, Australians can receive free treatment as public patients in public hospitals; free or subsidised treatment by doctors and specialists; free x-rays and pathology tests, and eye examinations performed by optometrists.

Private health care in Australia

Private health care goes a step further than Medicare, as it includes private hospitals and  ancillary (outside of hospital) services like dental, physiotherapy, chiropractic, etc.

In total, the private sector funds about a third of all health care in Australia.

The role of health insurance

 

Health funds provide average Australians with access to the private health system through the means of health insurance. Private health insurance pays benefits toward a wide range of health services including:

-  hospital treatment as a private patient

-  cover in private hospitals

-  doctors’ and specialists’ fees for in-patient costs

-  dental and optical care

-  therapies like physiotherapy, chiropractic and psychology

-  natural therapies including acupuncture, naturopathy, remedial massage

-  equipment like glucose monitors and hearing aids

 

In addition to these services, private health insurance also allows people to choose the hospital they wish to go to and the doctor they want to treat them. It also ensures shorter waiting times and greater flexibility in scheduling surgery.

Health insurance and the Australian Government

Private health cover is supported by the Australian Government through various means.

1. The health insurance rebate

The Australian Government currently offers a 30% rebate on the cost of private health insurance to all Australians. This applies to both hospital and ancillary cover.

The elderly are offered higher rebates, with 65-69 year olds eligible for 35%, and over 70s eligible for 40% rebate.

2. The Medicare Levy Surcharge

Higher income earners who do not have hospital cover must pay an extra 1% tax in the form of the Medicare Levy Surcharge. This is on top of the normal 1.5% Medicare Levy that all taxpayers contribute towards.

To avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge, Australians are encouraged to take out private health insurance.

3. Lifetime Health Cover

Lifetime Health Cover is a Government initiative that encourages people to take out health insurance earlier in life. By joining before they turn 30, young people can lock in the lowest base rate premium. After this age, a loading of 2% is charged for every year without health cover after the age of 30.

The type of private health insurance you require depends on your circumstances. Health insurance comparison sites can help you compare different policies from a range of top Australian health funds, providing you with the most suitable cover for your needs at no charge.

 

Anti Aging Medicine

Many professionals with medical training are now involved in researching possible approaches to anti aging medicine. Through the wonders of modern innovation and medical technology, anti aging medicine may be able to increase the body’s immune system and encourage cell growth and regeneration. Anti aging medicine can be found in different substances and formulas and are beneficial to a degree. It’s a safe bet there will be many more to choose from in the near future, as anti aging medicine gets more and more advanced.

Anti Aging

Aging is defined as the collection of degenerative diseases that is large influenced by lifestyle. In order to give full meaning to the right to “life” we need a “war on aging”. We are therefore at an unprecedented turning point in the study of aging, in which the curiosity-driven, exploratory research that has justifiably monopolized the field until now can at last be legitimately accompanied by goal-directed, biotechnological efforts, rationally designed on the basis of solid scientific knowledge. Anti-aging medicine has emerged in recent times promising increased longevity with improved quality of life. Anti-aging physicians believe that most illnesses associated with aging can be prevented, or at least slowed, through optimal cellular health.

Medicine for Anti Aging

Anti-Aging Medicine is the new medical discipline which aspires to halt the degeneration and disability normally associated with aging. That style of anti-aging medicine can, indeed, work miracles. Alternative medicine and holistic approaches have often been an incubator for approaches initially shunned by traditional medicine. Though the effort has seemed futile in the past, findings from the cutting edge of medicine indicate we can, at the dawn of the 21st century, do much to optimize how we age. You might not know that there are natural medicines that can treat your thyroid disease just as effectively as pharmaceutical drugs without the side effects.

Health and Vitality

If mankind doesn’t destroy itself first, it is just a matter of time until we extend healthy human lifespan to lengths that are almost unimaginable today. Once healthy life-extension is demonstrated in mice, the attitude that “aging is inevitable” will no longer be possible and will give way to an all-out “war on aging”. Living a healthy lifestyle is the best insurance you can have, not only to avoid nursing home care, but also illness and frailty, however long you live. Restoring hormones in the body to more youthful levels can elicit improved health and vitality. Learn about natural ways to stay young and healthy and combat premature aging.

We’re discovering that some foods have potent healthful properties that we never imagined were there. A healthy human individual is automatically on an anti-aging program, which is why they live longer. Perhaps in another 100 years, compounds will be identified, studied and proven to be extremely helpful to human health, but in the meantime, they remain mystery compounds that are outside the understanding of modern medical researchers. The real question here concerns “health enhancement,” because enhancing your health will reduce your apparent age and make you look, feel and act younger. Anti-aging medicine can do very little for someone unless the whole patient is making a shift towards a healthier, non-toxic lifestyle.