Denied Applications for Qualified Candidates for Health Care Coverage

Article by: Srividya Srinivasan

It is more and more common to hear of American’s struggling to pay health care insurance and the ridiculous fees associated with it. Insurance companies are getting more and more particular about what qualifies as a acceptable health care candidate.

In a news story by Mark Rubi in“Extreme Weight Loss Examiner”, an infant American boy was denied health care insurance just for being “obese”. At 2-months, this baby is in the 95th percentile for weight. However, the weight is in proportion to his 95th percentile height as well. Health insurers are not used to parents applying directly for coverage for their kids instead of parent's employers automatically paying for health insurance. Therefore, health insurance agencies are new to the situation of having separate health insurance plans for kids and their parents. Finding a loophole forced CareFirst to change their coverage plan to include child applicants, despite their weight.

Regardless of political support, many American’s do support Obama for the health care reform. According to John Hewko’s article in the Washington Post, he has experienced first-hand the “dysfunctional system” concerning America’s health care. An application that submitted by a completely healthy, 51-year old was not approved. "Apparently, being healthy and physically fit is not good enough for CareFirst”. The individual has a mild case of hypertension and stiff shoulders, which are easily cured by a small dosage of medicine and Advil. Though most people of that age group have these symptoms, this does not stop the insurance company from taking full advantage of this. These conditions were not means for higher premiums, but a complete denial.

For those employed Americans who are not affected by the health insurances because of employee benefits, they should remember that a job loss and a few mild symptoms leave them susceptible to the current health coverage problems that currently exist.

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Obama: 'Closer than ever' to health care reform, but 'not there yet'

Article By: David Jackson
Posted By: Srividya Srinivasan

President Obama hailed today's Senate committee health care vote as a "critical milestone," but added that "the bill is not perfect and we have a lot of difficult work ahead of us."

"Now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back," Obama said, urging supporters to "dig in and work even harder to get this done."

That said, Obama praised the efforts of the Senate Finance Committee, particularly chairman Max Baucus, D-Montana. The president also saluted Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the lone Republican to back the bill, for "both the political courage and the seriousness of purpose that she's demonstrated throughout this process."

"We are now closer than ever before to passing health reform," Obama said. "But we're not there yet."

He added: "There's still significant details and disagreements to be worked out over the next several weeks as the five separate bills from the Senate and the House are merged into one proposal," Obama said.

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Insurance for Natural Disaster

By Minjune Kim

If your home is located in a designated flood-risk area, then you should ensure you take out a good home insurance policy which will leave you fully covered should you be unlucky enough to find a river running through your living room.

With earthquakes rocking countries on the other side of the globe, Americans need to keep in mind that the natural disaster can affect them as well.According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), 39 states have experienced earthquakes since 1900, and all 50 states have witnessed damage from the natural disaster. The last major earthquake the lower 48 experienced was a 6.7 magnitude shakeup that occurred in 1994 in Northridge, California.

Homeowners need to realize that their standard home insurance policies do not cover damages from earthquakes. The California Department of Insurance notes that many people in the state may opt to get earthquake home insurance in order to reduce the cost of repairs associated with the natural disaster.

People who live on flood plains in the country are charged on average £345 more for their home insurance policy than residents in similar property elsewhere in the UK.A spokesman for the General Consumer Council, which compiled the report, said: "People can't afford to take out household insurance even though they know they are more vulnerable going forward to flooding."

Make sure you read your home insurer’s policy documents carefully and watch out for any exclusions. Read the terms and conditions for any additional benefits, such as an emergency payout to cover temporary accommodation and emergency supplies if your home has to be evacuated. Also, don’t forget to check the small print for any exclusions which could invalidate any claim and cost you more money.

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Low-income auto insurance bill vetoed

Written by Marc Lifsher
Posted by Minjune Kim

Efforts to extend a state-backed auto insurance program for low-income Californians failed after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have kept it going until 2016.
State law requires all drivers to carry minumum levels of liability insurance, and the low-income policy provides affordable coverage to motorists over the age of 19 with good driving records. The current program is scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2011.
Schwarzenegger said he vetoed a bill by Assemblyman Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) because "the effectiveness of the program is questionable given the number of policies in effect and low participation rate amongst the insured."
The governor suggested for Jones and the bill's sponsor, California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, to send him a refined proposal next year.
Consumer advocates argued that the low-cost insurance program has been effective and criticized the governor for his veto.
"This veto is out of touch with the real economy that many Californians are facing," said Douglas Heller, executive director of the Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog. "Why should a program that has allowed nearly 50,000 Californians to buy auto insurance instead of driving uninsured and doesn't cost the taxpayers a dime be on the governor's chopping block?"

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AIG sells Taiwan insurance unit for $2.15 billion

Posted by: Andrew Pia

Written by: Faith Hung

TAIPEI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - American International Group (AIG.N) has agreed to sell it's Taiwan life insurance unit for $2.15 billion, a key step in its effort to raise cash after a U.S. government bailout last year saved the company from collapse.

Primus Financial, a new firm founded by Citigroup's (C.N) former investment banking head in Asia and a Chinese partner, has agreed to purchase Nan Shan Life, AIG said on Tuesday, ending a roughly five-month auction that saw several corporate and private equity bidders pursue the division.

With the Nan Shan agreement sealed, AIG is now focused on raising cash from two other major assets in Asia. Hong Kong-based life insurer AIA is seeking a more-than $2 billion initial public offering while American Life Insurance Co, which generates half its revenue in Japan, is seeking a reported $5 billion in an IPO.

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Insurance Fraud

Posted By: Lisa Matthys

Written By: South Florida Business Journal

A Miami insurance agent has been arrested for the second time in two months for submitting thousands of fraudulent premium finance contracts for fictitious policyholders.

Jose V. Peris, 52, is owner and president of Insurance Force Corp. dba FED USA Insurance Agency.

According to the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud, Peris submitted more than 3,800fake policies and stole more than $14 million.

More than $7 million has not yet been recovered.

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The Flaws in Insurance Coverage

Written By: Lisa Matthys

Are insurance coverage requirements too specific? One family’s story may have insurance companies reevaluate their cutoffs for insurance coverage.

Alex Lange, son of Bernie and Kelli Lange, was denied insurance coverage by an insurance underwriter for Rocky Mountain Health Plus because their baby had a pre-existing health condition, obesity. When Bernie and Kelli went shopping for better premiums, they learned that their baby’s size matters.

At four months old, baby Alex weighs 17 pounds at 25 inches tall. Based on his height and weight, he is in the 99th percentile subject to obesity most likely due to breast-feeding and his great appetite.

No matter how healthy the infant, most insurers won’t cover a baby over the 95th percentile including Rocky Mountain Health Plus. But no parent is going to deny their child food just so they can remain within the 95th percentile. Dr. Doug Speedie, medical director at Rocky Mountain Health Plus, believes that it is possible for a baby to be above the 95th percentile and still be healthy, and admits that the system is flawed.

To many supporters, this story gives reason for health reform. In a highly profitable industry, insurance companies regularly deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions that make them a financial risk. Aware of the flaws in the system, many health-care reformers are taking aim at the practice of underwriting. With current debates and lobbyists, the health-care system will most certainly experience changes over the next few years.

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Zimbabwe Health Care System Declines

Posted By Pete Hill

An article in the British medical journal Lancet paints a devastating portrait of the collapse of Zimbabwe’s health care system, once one of Africa’s best. Although the article never mentions President Robert Mugabe by name, it suggests that his authoritarian rule, stretching back nearly three decades, is largely to blame.
Life expectancy in the country is now just 43 years, because so many young adults die of AIDS. But the article, whose lead author is Dr. Charles Todd, a former chairman of the University of Zimbabwe’s medical school, points to many failures that government could have prevented.
Maternal mortality more than quadrupled from 1990 to 2007, to 725 mothers’ deaths per 100,000 live births. In 1994, 80 percent of children received all their basic vaccines; by 2007, only 53 percent did.

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Posted by Lindsey Connell

The US health insurance industry has launched a last-minute attack on Democratic healthcare reform efforts, releasing a report late yesterday predicting that insurance premiums will rise sharply if a chief proposal becomes law.

The report by accountancy PriceWaterHouseCoopers was paid for by America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group that until now has reluctantly cooperated with president Barack Obama and the Democrats' effort to overhaul the US Healthcare system.

The trade group had been working behind the scenes to help shape legislation, and Democrats blasted the timing and authorship of the report. The report was released just two days before the Senate finance committee is set to vote on a 10-year, $829bn bill that is seen as the most likely to win congressional approval. The trade group that funded it was instrumental in sinking president Bill Clinton's healthcare reform effort in the 1990s.

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Ploua

Pe-aici cand ploua, ploua indesat,
Nu tine ca la noi un ceas ori doua.
Ca ziua ploua, ploua pe-nserat,
Si cand se crapa iar de ziua, - ploua.

Vremea mohorata de azi m-a dus, de cateva ori, cu gandul la versurile lui Toparceanu. Si daca trupul imi este prizonier la birou, in fata unui monitor cenusiu, langa o fereastra intre deschisa prin care se aud picaturile de ploaie cazand cu tristete, mi-am ingaduit sa cutreier cu gandul, pentru cateva momente, prin locuri minunate. Pe care le stiu atat de insorite, atat de vesele…

M-am oprit pentru o clipa in Atena, pe strada Adrianou, la o taverna tipica si m-am asezat la masa care-mi ingaduie sa privesc tacut spre Acropole. Ospatarul mi-a adus, neintarziat, o carafa cu vin rosu din care am sorbit usor in asteptarea salatei grecesti, a frigaruilor din piept de pui si a sosului tzatziki. In dreapta mea, un localnic imi recomanda si un pahar cu uzo. Efxari'sto po'li…

Apoi, m-am regasit pe strazile din Barcelona, plecand grabit din Piata Catalonia pe Rambla si dorindu-mi doar sa ajung la un restaurant din Port Vell, unde se serveste o paella extraordinara cu fructe de mare. Caut o masa mai retrasa, de unde pot contempla marea si-mi torn un prim pahar cu sangria rece. Este atat de cald…

In loc de desert, savurez o plimbare pe stradutele inguste din cartierul Montmartre. Le zambesc pictorilor care impanzesc drumurile in panta si ma odihnesc la o mica braserie din spatele bazilicii Sacre Coeur: cu peretii acoperiti de tablouri si fotografii vechi, cu muzica jazz pe fundal, cu meniul scris de proprietar pe o tablita. Ma incumet la niste tarte de somon si un pahar de vin recomandat special de un fermecator garcon…

Si, intr-un tarziu, revin in Bucuresti. Aproape s-a innoptat. Acum nu mai ploua.

Mississippi Court Rules Home Insurance Policy Covers Hurricane Wind Damage

Posted By Rico K. Setyo
By Insurance Journal

In a 9-0 decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled that so-called "all-risk" home insurance policies may cover wind damage from hurricanes, even in situations where the loss is later exacerbated by water from storm surge.
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The state high court decision found that language in a policy may exclude storm damage when it is caused by a combination of wind and water acting together. But if wind and water damage can be distinguished, this exclusion does not apply. The court said a jury must decide whether the damage to the home of Margaret and Magruder Corban was caused by wind or water.

The ruling is a blow to some insurers that had argued that such damage is excluded by anti-concurrent cause (ACC) and other language in their policies. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had sided with insurers in previous cases.

The state's high court has now decided that the ACC clause is not applicable because the wind and water losses were separate or in sequence, and not "indivisible." Justice Michael K. Randolph wrote for the unanimous court:

"We conclude that the ACC clause has no application for losses caused by wind peril. An insurer may not abrogate its duty to indemnify for such loss by the occurrence of a subsequent, excluded cause or event."

Once the wind loss occurred, the homeowners were entitled to coverage under the policy, the Mississippi court said.

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A Few Words can make a Big Difference

By Rico Setyo

The phrase “anything you say can be used against you” is not only relevant in the situation where a police officer catches you near the scene of a crime but it is also relevant when you file insurance claims.

An insurance claim is the actual application for benefits provided by an insurance company. For those who have insurance must first file an insurance claim before any money can be disbursed. Based on the insurance company’s assessment of the circumstances they may or may not approve the claim (Pollick).

One instance where words become an issue to insurance companies is when you get into a car accident. If either party of the accident apologizes, the claim becomes invalid for a couple of reasons. First reason is an apology can be and will be seen to insurances companies as taking the blame for an accident. Second reason is because you are claiming fault in the situation, the insurance companies do not have any reason provide monetary assistance or repairs to your car. Many people have the tendency to apologize even though it might not even be their fault but because of this natural instinct to apologize, many insurance companies are taking a “few words” to their advantage (Ong). The best thing to do is just to stick to facts without expressing any opinion (LawCore).

JD Howard, who is a founder of an insurance company in Springfield, Mo. States that over the years the philosophy of insurance companies have changed and gone more corporate. From “having a mandate” to pay our clients, to finding every possible reason to not pay our clients, the change is drastic. Many people spend thousands of dollars of insurance and a few simple words can determine whether you get insured or not.


http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-insurance-claim.htm

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091007-709024.html

http://www.lawcore.com/car-accident/insurance-claims.html

CDHPs and HSAs? The ABCs of health insurance

Posted by Ka Lee Angel Lee

By TOM MURPHY (AP)

More workers are likely to be offered a health insurance option that offers a lower premium, but could mean higher out of pocket costs, when open enrollment begins at many companies in coming weeks. Here are some tips for evaluating these new plans, called consumer directed health plans, and the alphabet soup of options this open enrollment season.
What's a consumer-directed health plan?
This is insurance that typically carries a premium lower than traditional coverage, but the trade-off is accepting a deductible that tops $1,200 and can stretch as high as $10,000 for some family plans. Typically, that deductible must be paid before insurance coverage starts.
That can mean paying for bills for blood tests, X-rays or a doctor's office visit in full instead of the usual $20 co-pay many have become accustomed to. Consumer-directed plans are paired with a special account to help manage these expenses. The most common are health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs).

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What Last Movie Would You Want To Watch In Your Life?

If you could only see just one more movie in your life, what would it be? Please explain your answer.

(Many thanks to Shiela- [Bluebirdy] of Life 4-Hours At A Time for the question)

Tags: Casablanca, For Whom The Bells Toll, Ten Commandments, Ben Hur, Quo Vadis, Star Wars, Gone With The Wind, Sound of Music, Independence Day, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of The Rings, Jaws, The Exorcist, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, X Men, Breakfast at Tiffany, West Side Story, Titanic, Pretty Woman

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Viewpoint/Opinion

Democrats Force Changes In Baucus Health Bill

Written by Julie Rovner
Posted by Stefanie Marty

The health overhaul bill expected to emerge this week from the Senate Finance Committee was supposed to be the one to win at least some Republican backing. But committee Chairman Max Baucus ultimately found himself scrambling to win the backing of enough Democrats to get the bill through.

As the committee wrapped up its formal debate around 2 a.m. last Friday, its top Republican, Iowa's Chuck Grassley, pronounced the verdict Baucus least wanted to hear.

"You know, there's a product here that most of the people on my side, maybe all of the people on my side, may not vote for next week," he said.

Fight Over Children's Health Insurance

The bill Baucus originally brought to his committee three weeks ago was mostly the product of months-long negotiations between three Democrats on the committee and three Republicans. In order to try to win some of those Republican votes, Baucus made many concessions, some of which made Democrats furious.

One big one: The bill would have eliminated the government's popular Children's Health Insurance Program for many children, instead making them eligible for subsidized private insurance through new insurance exchanges. That didn't sit very well with people such as West Virginia Democrat Jay Rockefeller, who helped create the CHIP program.

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Children’s Health Insurance

Written by Stefanie Marty

A recent study showed that children with health insurance coverage in families where parents are uninsured are at greater risk of missing necessary health-care services than children in families where both children and parents are insured. The study incorporated children between the age of 2 and 17 and included more than 43,000 children over five years. The necessary services which these children are more likely to miss include seeing a doctor, getting dental care and accessing prescription medications. Further they also receive less counseling on healthy eating, routine exercise, use of a safety or booster seat, and use of seatbelts or bike helmets.

These findings show the necessity of not only extending health insurance to children, but parents as well. Dr. Jennifer E. DeVoe, the lead author of the study, said, that the children’s health insurance program is going in the right direction and more and more kids are getting insurance coverage, but the importance is not to stop now. It is crucial that families, kids as well as parents, are covered.

This necessity is also shown by the Commonwealth Fund Commission, which released its second state scorecard report. The report revealed that since 2007 health insurance coverage across states for adults has declined while the coverage for children increased.

One way health insurance for uninsured children is offered is by states that have in place federally approved programs. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides health insurance coverage to uninsured children up to age 19. SCHIP is a state administered program and the guidelines on eligibility and services are set by the participating states. It is possible that families who do not qualify for Medicaid, because they earn too much, qualify for SCHIP. The insurance provided by the SCHIP pays for doctor visits, immunizations, hospitalization and emergency room visits.

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New Trend: Seniors are cashing out their life insurances

by Michael Rivezzo


Senior citizens are raising cash by selling their life-insurance policies to investors that will profit from them when they die. Policies worth $10 billion face value were sold last year alone with a $8 billion increase from 2002.Federal lawmakers are starting to get worried about this ever increasing trend because it is unregulated with no one watching out for individuals who sell their policies or the investor buying them. Seniors who need cash are starting to sell their policies to third-party investors for a substantial lump sum, then soon transferring ownership of their policy to the investor. This investor will continue to pay the insurance premium and becomes the beneficiary.

Some advisors are telling clients to also be cautious because there is not a real indicator to determine how much a policy should actually be worth and also the market for life settlements isn't very efficient. Advisors suggest that the only people that should be selling their polices are people in dire need of money who don't have no where to go and also people whose policy has outlived their use. Many seniors that have sold their policies already have children that are independent and they have no need for the money so they are cashing them out early.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/30/business/moneywatch/main5353961.shtml

http://www.newschief.com/article/20091002/NEWS/910025031/1053?Title=Some-seniors-cashing-out-life-insurance-policies

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574447350852232082.html

Children's health insurance: How much aid is enough?

By Richard Wolf

Posted by Michael Rivezzo

The view of Midtown Manhattan rising majestically above the Hudson River doesn't get much better than from here. And the cost of living doesn't get much higher.
It's little wonder, then, that Anna Velazquez says she and her husband, José, can't afford private health insurance for their two children on a $57,000 family income.

Lucky for them, they live in New Jersey. The state has the nation's highest income eligibility level for the Children's Health Insurance Program, a federal-state partnership created in 1997 to help families who earn too much to get Medicaid. Under CHIP, which will expire Oct. 1 unless President Bush and Congress agree to renew it, families of four can get coverage with incomes up to $72,275 — 350% of the federal poverty level. The Velazquezes pay $18.50 a month per child; taxpayers cover the rest.

"What would I do without health insurance?" says Velazquez, 39, who works at a health center. "I wouldn't be able to sleep at night, worrying about my kids."


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Mars funebru

Considerat initial un poet simbolist, George Bacovia [al carui pseudonim provine din limba latina Bachus via, unde insemna Calea lui Bachus], si-a depasit epoca, poezia sa fiind afiliata curentelor de gandire noi, pusa în paralel cu teatrul absurdului, cu anumite curente ale modernismului poetic, cu suprarealismul, dicteul automat, imagismul sau chiar expresionismul dar si cu scoli filozofice cum ar fi existenţialismul etc. Astfel, Bacovia poate fi considerat unul dintre cei mai importanti poeti romani, fiind totodata si autorul care a reusit sa execute un urias salt canonic de la statutul de poet minor la cel de autor clasic al literaturii romane.

Ce m-a determinat sa scriu randurile de mai sus? Ecoul versurilor acestui poet ascuns in spatele unui om incomplet, fara baza corporala, ros pana in strafunduri de contradictii. Versuri pe care le-am recitit de curand:

Ningea bogat, si trist ningea, era tarziu,
Cand m-a oprit, in drum, la geam, clavirul;
Si-am plans la geam, si m-a cuprins delirul

Amar, prin noapte vantul fluiera pustiu.

Car Insurance could provide a roadmap for health insurance reform

By: Christina Dove

As the debate over healthcare reform continues, there have been a few proposals to make our health insurance similar to the policies of our car insurance. It is required for everyone to have car insurance in order to be able to drive. The equivalent for health insurance is that everyone would need to have health insurance in order to live. This causes a lot of controversy because people do not feel that the government has that kind of control over them and it violates our free liberty established in the constitution.

Although, there are still many facets of the health care reform that need to be finalized, we can adapt many of the same principles to health care that we already use for car insurance. For instance, the portability of car insurance is definitely an advantage in that it can be carried across states with different jobs, etc. In addition, the price that people pay for car insurance is directly related to their driving habits (accidents, tickets, etc) as well as their grades for their children. The equivalent could be for those who maintain a healthy lifestyle and remain in good health. This would provide an incentive for people to make better lifestyle choices, since the price they are paying for health insurance would be affected.

It will still be a significant amount of time before this issue is resolved, there are so many proposed solutions and ideas to improve our current system and to make it as affordable as possible for everyone. The Democrats and Republicans are going to have to work together and come up with a compromise on the best solution for America at this time and perhaps use car insurance as a base model.

http://www.thegrio.com/2009/10/one-argument-that-has-been.php

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298004574457352744634762.html

http://blogs.ajc.com/kyle-wingfield/2009/10/06/health-care-which-is-the-real-party-of-no/?cxntfid=blogs_kyle_wingfield

Health Insurance Reform Must Include Public Option

Posted by: Andrew Pia Written by: Sen. Sherrod Brown

A majority of Americans support a public option. An overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress support a public option. Doctors support a public option. Why then is the public option seen by some as the third rail of health insurance reform?

We know the disturbing facts by heart: Millions of Americans are one illness -- or one pink slip -- away from bankruptcy because of high health care costs and lack of access to affordable insurance. 30 million Americans are without health insurance. Nearly 400 Ohioans lose their insurance every day.

Middle class families pay $1,000 annually in hidden taxes to recoup the cost of care for our nation's uninsured.

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Why Buy Insurance

By: Scott Graulich

The Insurance industry is all based on one factor- managing risk. Insurance companies use statistical analyses to determine the chances of accidents, hurricanes, floods, fires, etc. By studying these statistics they can determine how much to charge customers in order to make a profit. When there are a lot of natural disasters in any particular year, insurance company profits go down and may even show a loss.

Basically Insurance Companies hope that life is boring for it's customers-- which means that no one has any natural disasters or accidents to worry about. Generally this type of situation makes the customer and company very happy. However, human nature being what it is, this happy customer starts to wonder why they are paying all that money for nothing. Actually, what we pay for Insurance is a good nights sleep.

References:
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Reference 3

Let Congress Go Without Insurance

Posted by: Scott Graulich

Let me offer a modest proposal: If Congress fails to pass comprehensive health reform this year, its members should surrender health insurance in proportion with the American population that is uninsured.

It may be that the lulling effect of having very fine health insurance leaves members of Congress insensitive to the dysfunction of our existing insurance system. So what better way to attune our leaders to the needs of their constituents than to put them in the same position?

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SuperBlog 2009

Competitia SuperBlog revine si este la a doua editie… cu mai multe premii pentru bloggeri si, în premiera, si pentru cititorii acestora. Gazduit de http://www.pcnews.ro/ în perioada 15 octombrie – 14 decembrie, SuperBlog 2009 are ca sponsori companii cu renume, pregatite sa recompenseze creativitatea bloggerilor cu premii în valoare totala de peste 12.000 USD. Pentru ca anul trecut n-am participat, m-am gandit sa incerc anul acesta. Din dorinta egoista de a sufla unul dintre premii. Nu pentru experienta: dintr-asta mai am!

Editia din 2008 a concursului a starnit patimi si controverse în blogosfera, datorate in principal marelui premiu de 10.000 USD. Anul acesta, organizatorii si sponsorii competitiei isi propun sa creasca sansele prin echilibrarea castigurilor. Astfel, cei mai inspirati si prolifici participanti la SuperBlog 2009 vor putea castiga, in urma jurizarii realizate de sponsori:
- 1.500 USD pentru locul I;
- 1.000 USD pentru locul II;
- 500 USD pentru locul III.

In plus, se vor acorda premii zilnice de 100 USD pentru bloggerul zilei si de 50 USD pentru cititorii acestuia.

Congress Debates Health Insurance

Posted By Pete Hill

A big challenge facing the White House and Congress is the debate on reforming health insurance. New bills are being addressed in Congress to try to resolve these problems and cover more Americans. The complication is that keeping costs low and improving coverage is just one of many challenges facing Congress in the effort to pass health care legislation.

Under the committee’s bill, there would be four levels of benefits, bronze, silver, gold and platinum, and all insurers would be required to offer, at a minimum, silver and gold. “We have more than 46 million people who are uninsured,” Mr. Bingaman said. “We also have a substantial number who are underinsured. Although they have coverage, it is so bad or so inadequate that if they really get sick, they find they cannot afford the health care they need.”

But policy experts say few lawmakers have yet paid enough attention to what that new marketplace should look like and whether it would actually work as promised. It is an ongoing compromise that the Democrats and Republicans are currently trying to agree on.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/health/policy/06health.html?_r=1&ref=health
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/06exchange.html?ref=health
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/health/policy/06cong.html?ref=health

How to give the FDIC some clout

By: Robert Cyran

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation needs to add prevention to its stock of cures.

Its bank deposit insurance fund is running low, so it has asked its charges to prepay three years of premiums. Yet 90% of banks paid no assessments from 1996 to 2006 when their profits were healthy. Such pro-cyclival policies punished the prudent and rewarded risky lenders.

The laws governing the fund require the FDIC to keep its kitty at no less that 1.15% of insured deposits, which it does by assessing banks based on their deposits and their regulators' rating of riskiness.

Click here to read more...

Posted by: Christina Dove

Pet Insurance On The Rise

Written By: Lisa Matthys

While news continues about health insurance reform for humans, health insurance for pets has seen an increase in America due to rising costs of veterinary bills and increased consumer spending on pets. Although the market is small, investors see it as a profitable niche that is expected to grow. Revenues from gross written premiums of pet insurance increased 21% from 2006 to 2007 and are expected to grow 25% to 35% over the next five years, placing sales at $1.1 billion in 2012.

On October 1st, the Central States Indemnity of Omaha, a Berkshire Hathaway company, partnered with Nestle to market pet-centric insurance options. Previously in June 2008, Purina, a unit of Nestle, launched a pet insurance division to consumers. Purina’s premiums range from $35 to $50 per month depending on the coverage, the breed, whether a dog or cat, age, as well as location of the pet owners home.

While pet insurance in the United States has seen a slight increase over the past year, approximately half of all pet owners in Sweden insure their pets and about 20% in the United Kingdom. The market for pet insurance is expected to increase based on statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association, which predicts that the amount of pet-related expenditures in 2009 will increase from $25 billion to $45 billion.

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New Insurance Website for Ohio Insurance Companies

Posted By: Lisa Matthys

Written By: Sarah Jane Tribble

For any patient who has ever spent hours on the phone with a hospital or doctor's office arguing about insurance coverage, help is on the way.

Eight of Ohio's major health insurance companies, which provide coverage to 91 percent of the state's residents, announced Monday that they have created a Web site that gives doctors one place to find patients' benefit information. The program, they say, will reduce paperwork between physicians' offices and health plans and, eventually, cut down on billing errors.

"This is analogous to the ATM technology that banks took on," said Karen Ignagni, president and chief executive officer of America's Health Insurance Plans, stressing the new technology's ease of use. "It's a step that will ultimately transform our health system."

While doctors will benefit from reduced billing hassles, thus saving time, patients will benefit by seeing an increase in the amount of time their physician can spend with them, and a decrease in their own billing headaches, according to Ignagni. The Web site will enable doctor's offices to type in a patient's health plan and member identification number.

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The Health Insurance Trap

Posted by Ka Lee Angel Lee

At the center of the health care debate is a belief among many Americans that our private health insurance system isn't working. If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said that the government shouldn't intervene in health insurance. Fast forward to today, after a cancer diagnosis and four months of chemotherapy, and I have a very different opinion on private health care. This is my story.
I was diagnosed with Seminoma in August of 2008 at the age of 29. Seminoma is a type of testicular cancer that affects one percent of all men, and it is the most common type of cancer among men aged 20 to 35. It is often cured by surgery alone, but advanced disease requires either radiation therapy or chemotherapy in addition. I was unfortunate. By the time I was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, so I had to undergo chemotherapy.

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What Vice/s Do You Still Want To Eradicate In Your Life?

What vice/s do you still want to eradicate in your life? Please explain your reason/s for your choice.

Tags: Vices, Gambling, Drinking, Womanizing, Promiscuity, Flirting, Gluttony, Sloth, Smoking, Compulsive Eating, Compulsive Shopping, Gossiping, Idleness, Apostasy, Self Pride, Self Centeredness, Cruelty, Self Righteousness, Judgmental, Critical, Idolatry, Greed, Apathy, Bigotry

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Viewpoint/Opinion

Senator Baucus Weighing Changes to Make Insurance More Affordable

Posted by Rico K. Setyo

By David M. Herszenhorn

In a push to lock down votes, Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is pulling together a last-minute package of changes to his health care legislation aimed at addressing the chief concern among his fellow Democrats: that health insurance be made as affordable as possible for moderate-income Americans.

“There’s an effort to solve people’s problems,” said Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, who has been a critic of the bill. “How far that’ll go, we’ll see.”

Among the proposals under consideration is an amendment by Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat of Washington, that would create a “basic health plan” for Americans earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $44,100 for a family of four. The proposal would let states develop or expand various existing insurance programs that now typically cover people who qualify for Medicaid. Small states could develop plans jointly.

The Baucus bill would already expand Medicaid to Americans earning up to 133 percent of poverty, and Ms. Cantwell’s proposal would effectively expand it further. But because her plan is expected to be cheaper than providing subsidies to those low-income people to buy their own insurance, it could save money that could be used to make other provisions of the bill more generous.

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Fall is upon us. Do you have auto-insurance that cover deer-related accidents?

By Michael Rivezzo

Fall is notorious for being deer-season, due to mating and deer migration, drivers should be aware if there auto insurance covers accidents that involve animals. The Insurance Information Institute estimates around 1.6 million deer-vehicle accidents happen every year which amount to $4.6 billion worth of vehicle repairs and medical expenses. A deer can also make drivers swerve out of control to avoid them while causing other accidents.

Most of these accidents peak around October and November with a average of $3000 claimed for each collision. There is a increase in deer traffic around these times because they will start to migrate to different areas to settle for the winter and also food becomes scarce due to the climate change and foraging for food becomes a daily habit . Also a adult deer weighs around 200lbs and can cause severe damage to your car and also cause damage to the passengers and drivers in the vehicle.

Now is the time to call your auto insurance company to check your policy to make sure your covered in case of an emergency. Especially in north-east areas that have a high population of white-tail deer.

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Obama: Health Insurance Reform Would Help Small Business

By Scott Wilson

Posted by Michael Rivezzo

President Obama used his weekly radio address Saturday to appeal to small business owners, arguing that his health-care reform plans would push down the cost of insurance coverage they provide to employees.

As Congressional Republicans warn that Obama's health-care reform goals would raise taxes on the middle class, the president said the state-run insurance exchanges contained in legislation now moving through the Senate would save small businesses money.

Obama said that, because they have less bargaining power, small businesses spend 18 percent more on average than large companies for the same insurance plans.

He said the proposed insurance exchanges would provide small businesses with "a marketplace where they can compare the price, quality and services of a wide variety of plans, many of which will provide better coverage at lower costs than the plans they have now."

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Japan's Post Office Starts Selling Life Insurance

Posted By Adam Lindheim
Written by Rita Raagas De Ramos

The Japan Post Group has started distributing ING Life Japan's life insurance products, the latest service that it has been allowed to do following its privatisation last year.

Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Network are selling ING Life Japan's single premium variable annuity products. Japan Post Insurance sells the firm's corporate-owned life insurance products.

The partnership will allow ING to increase top line growth in the hard-to-penetrate Japanese market, which is one of the world's largest life insurance markets. It will extend ING's existing distribution network of 50 banks and securities houses for SPVA products and nearly 6,000 independent agents for COLI products.

Hans van der Noordaa, chairman of ING Insurance Asia-Pacific, says this partnership is in line with ING's growth strategy of expanding its distribution reach in Asia, as well as its commitment to the Japanese market.

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Lack of Dental Insurance Drives Tourism

by Adam Lindheim

According to the American government close to 100 million Americans currently do not have dental insurance which is about half the U.S. population. Medicare does not cover dental procedures, even though your teeth are just as important as many other organs in your body. Even those who do have dental insurance are not covered very well. The majority of dental policies have a $1,500 dollar annual cap, which can be capped out after a complicated procedure such a root canal or a crown. Many U.S. citizens can not afford these very expensive procedures especially, those families and individuals who have lower fixed incomes. People have been, and more frequently as of late have sought dental coverage over seas.

For years dental tourism has been a thriving field for medical tourism, as many Americans and Europeans try to find affordable dental care. Areas that are popular for dental tourism are Budapest, Prague, Tijuana, and Bangkok. In a 2008 survey conducted by the non profit Healthcare Tourism International Foundation found that dental services were the most common procedures sought out by medical travelers. The price differentiation is staggering. Teeth caps cost $750-$1000 dollars in the U.S. while they cost $150 dollars In Mexico. Last February Fox News radio reporter Lori Lundina blogged about her husbands experience of recieving dental work in El Salvador. He needed "full mouth reconstruction", and was told it would cost him $60,000 dollars in the U.S. He then searched for a second opinion and was found that he could recieve the same procedure for $19,000 dollars in El Salvador. After he recieved the operation Lundin said her and her husband were "more than pleased" with how the operation turned out. Lundin even said that the level of care was superior to the care given in the U.S. The U.S. government with its new healthcare reforms are trying to adress this issue.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus a democrat from Montana recently unveiled his much anticipated plan to change the country's healthcare system. He told reporters that it incorparated mant of the same ideas as President Obama's plan. All avaiable healthcare plans would include dental care, and no limit on the amount of benefits a policy holder can recieve.

Many critics would argue that the dentist overseas would not be as well trained as those avaible in the U.S. According to Dr. Stewart Hirsch New York University Associate Dean of Collefe Dentisry said "there is no reason to assume the quality care is any lower overseas. The only issue with reciving dental care overseas is there is little protection to patients if something is to go wrong. The best advice Dr. Hirsch can give is if you are to find a dentist overseas, then find your dentist like you would in the U.S., find them through referals.

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Time to find better auto insurance

By Minjune Kim

Automotive Insurance is a vital part of our lives and we are required to have it to drive a car in the United States. Knowing how your rates are calculated is an important thing to know about so that you.

AUSTIN – Drivers in the Dallas area have seen their insurance rates jump by double digits from a year ago, while homeowners have seen a more modest increase of around 5 percent, according to new rate figures compiled by the Texas Department of Insurance. The figures, based on mandatory rate filings by the top 25 insurer groups in Texas, showed that the cost of liability coverage for drivers jumped more than 10 percent in most parts of Dallas County and surrounding areas. Liability coverage makes up about half the premium for a typical auto policy.

Finding the cheapest insurance will take a bit of effort on your part though, but will be well worth it in the end. When you are searching for affordable automotive insurance available in your area, you will have to check around and do a comparison of many companies against one another. Before agreeing to any one policy, always utilize the internet to compare even further.Requesting quotes from each agency will give you more details on who is the best for your situation. You will want to decide on the company that will give you the best premium rate and that has the best coverage for that price. Comparing auto insurance quotes side by side can give you the information you need as you can see them right there next to each other in black and white.
Keeping your vehicle in excellent shape and performing all maintenance in a timely manner will help to ensure that you keep your insurance rates more affordable. Keeping your car in tip-top shape will help you to avoid unnecessary accidents. The insurance companies assume that a well taken care of vehicle will result in fewer claims made against the insurance, which can help your premium to be reduced.
Speaking with your insurance agent about available discounts can also help to reduce your premium amount. There could be things you could do easily that would lower your insurance rates. Asking them is the best way of finding out for sure.

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Obama Insists Insurance Will Be Affordable

Posted by Pete Hill

WASHINGTON — President Obama on Sunday pushed back against the argument from liberal Democrats that the leading health care bill in the Senate would place a new financial burden on the middle class, saying in a series of television appearances that insurance would be made affordable through a competitive exchange and subsidies.

As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to take up the legislation this week, the White House is trying to hold together fractious Democrats, particularly those who believe that the plan is not generous enough for people required to buy insurance. Mr. Obama argued that the proposal was not a bad deal for the middle class and that it could not be called a tax hike.
“Right now, everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance,” Mr. Obama said on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on ABC. “Nobody considers that a tax increase.”

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Virgin Money to sell car insurance

Written by Patrick Stafford
Posted by Minjune Kim



Virgin Money's car insurance products are expected to be underwritten by Auto & General Insurance Company, one of the largest South African insurers that is looking to expand Australian operations.
While Virgin Money entered Australia five years ago when it broke a deal with Westpac for a discount credit card, the contract ended 12 months ago with the bank taking on 750,000 customers after paying a $39 million fee.
But now Virgin is set to re-enter the market with the new Citibank deal, with the first credit card due for introduction next July along with online retail savings and deposit accounts due over the coming months.
It is expected that Virgin will provide the majority of the branding and marketing while Citibank will deal with the complex banking infrastructure, a similar structure to Branson's other endeavours.
Matt Baxby, managing director of Virgin Money Australia, said in a statement: "This agreement, with its comprehensive range of banking product, is a first for the market. The partnership with global banking leader Citibank represents a new focus and direction for the Virgin Money brand in Australia, and will provide Australian consumers with increased choice."
Virgin Money's new products come after his opinion piece in a British newspaper that stated the banking sector must see new competition in order to avoid another financial crisis.
"We must ensure that we prevent such a crisis again - but we must also bring back competition if we want the consumer and small businesses to be protected," he said. The announcement comes as Branson told reporters in Brisbane that he might have delayed V Australia's launch if he knew the global financial crisis would occur.
"If we knew the world would have plunged into recession when it did, would we have done it at that time? I don't know - we might have done. We may have delayed it a year."Branson was in Brisbane to celebrate Virgin Blue's ninth birthday, despite the company recording a net loss of $160 million for the 12 months ending 30 June, from a net profit of $90 million in 2008.

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Benefits to Having Whole Life Insurance

Posted by Lindsey Connell

There are many benefits of having and keeping whole life insurance. If a family member passes away and had life insurance, then they wouldn’t have to worry about providing money to their family because they were insured. Also, there is a disability waiver that can pay insurance premiums in case of total disability. Next, some whole life insurance policies give access to death benefit values in the case of living with a chronic or terminal illness. The benefits and values of whole life insurance are also protected in many states from creditors and lawsuits which allows for the owner of the insurance to have peace of mind in knowing that there will be no legal complications. Additionally, the insurance allows other forms of capital and has the potential for tax beneficial income later in life. It may also provide an income tax-free death benefit far in excess of the premiums paid. It appears that whole life insurance really benefits those with disabilities, those who are sick, and an older class of people because it covers them for the worst case situations such as terminal problems or death, but emergencies can happen to anyone at anytime so having whole life insurance at any age is a good idea.

http://www.lifeinsure.com/lifeinsurance/wholelifebenefits.asp

http://www.pacificlife.com/Channel/Educational+Information/Life+Insurance+Concepts/Maximizing+Life+Insurance+Benefits.htm

http://www.life-insurance-premium-finance.com/insurance-finance-benefits.htm

Maximizing Life Insurance Benefits

Posted by Lindsey Connell

Life insurance has long been a staple in basic estate planning. Life insurance may provide an income tax-free death benefit1 far in excess of the premiums paid. However, much of the life insurance proceeds may be wasted if the ownership and beneficiary designations are not properly structured.

Because of federal and/or state estate taxes, a tax may be imposed on all the property that you own at your death. This tax must be paid from your estate. This tax does not attach if, as a general rule, your property is valued at less than your estate tax exemption amount. If you own a life insurance policy, or you or your estate are named as beneficiary, the policy death benefit will increase your estate. If, after including your life insurance death benefit proceeds, your estate is still valued at less than your estate tax exemption amount, no federal estate tax will be assessed. Therefore, your policy's death benefit proceeds can be directed to any of your heirs, and need not be used to pay your estate tax liability.

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Insurance Let's Us Sleep at Night

Posted by: Scott Graulich

Human beings are wired to worry about things. Virtually everything we do has risk involved and naturally can cause worry. Whoever came up with the idea of insurance, whether it be for automobiles, houses, or on your life, invented a pill to reduce human stress. By purchasing insurance, we absolve ourselves with a potentially catastrophic payment. We should all be grateful that this product is available.

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Healthcare Insurance Causing Pain for Doctors and Patients

By: Christina Dove

Recently, America has been struggling with health care insurance coverage and Congress is working hard to reform the way things are right now. One problem with our current method is that doctors and insurance companies have an awkward relationship as to what is covered by doctor visits. The current health insurance system promotes doctors to operate less effciently than they normally would and encourage more follow-up visits to make sure that they get reimbursed for their services. This puts an added pressure on the patient as well, who has to make more copays and does not get treated as quickly as they could for certain conditions.

Many people are getting denied certain options by doctors since they are not covered by their insurance or are being expected to pay outrageous costs for certain services that the insurance companies are not able to cover. In a blog on CNN.com, a patient who underwent hand surgery said, "To be fair, the insurer should pay the bill according to the network charges since the doctor and facility used for the surgery was in the provider's network." He was scammed into having to pay for a large portion of his surgery since he was not told ahead of time that his insurance would not cover certain parts of it.

The current system clearly has some fundamental flaws in it that need to be addressed by the government. Underway right now, many Democrat senators are proposing a bill to make health insurance much more affordable for those who are not as wealthy and have significant healthcare needs. Everyone is entitled to a basic healthcare plan and the insurance companies should be more cooperative with both the patients and doctors to improve our current system.

http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/baucus-weighing-changes-to-make-insurance-more-affordable/

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/news/0909/gallery.consumer_health_insurance_complaints/2.html

http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/24/news/economy/healthcare_insurer_doctor/index.htm?postversion=2009093014

Baucus Weighing Changes to Make Insurance More Affordable

Posted by: Scott Graulich

In a push to lock down votes, Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is pulling together a last-minute package of changes to his health care legislation aimed at addressing the chief concern among his fellow Democrats: that health insurance be made as affordable as possible for moderate-income Americans.

“There’s an effort to solve people’s problems,” said Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, who has been a critic of the bill. “How far that’ll go, we’ll see.”

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New York Life: Insuring Business Success

By: Andrew Pia

While many of the top life insurance companies are struggling, New York Life has not only kept their head above water in these times, but has been more profitable in the last several years than they ever have been. They have built an 'IT Powerhouse' that is helping the business thrive at a point where many institutions are struggling. Every NYL agent has been connected to a CRM data storage system that provides every detail on their clients, and other useful information when in the field.

New York Life has also increased their advertising over the past 6 months, using a method that in tough times, a company should advertise more to continue to bring in clients. Their tag line of a self-less gift has been very successful in connecting with struggling parents who are worried for their children's futures.

Maybe other financial institutions who are struggling should take a look at New York Life and their business plan and structure, which has continued to improve since their founding in 1845.

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