One Decade Down, Next to Go
It is humbling to consider that today marks our 10th Blogiversary. Well over 7,000 posts and millions of views, numerous awards and links from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox and others.And, of course, the very best co-bloggers on the 'net.But most important: our terrific, engaging and interested readers.Thank you all for 10 great years - and now on to 20!Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 31, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
And speaking of Medicaid...
As Bob recently noted, Indiana has become the 28th state to climb on board the Medicaid expansion train (wreck). He also pointed out that there's already a shortage of providers willing to take on Medicaid patients.Wonder why?Well, our friend Dr Val has a pretty graphic answer:Click on over to read the whole story (and definitely check out the comments).Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 30, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Another Installment of: That's NOT how it works
It seems like only a week ago that we referenced our 2nd ever post - wait, it was a week ago that we did that! And here we are again, talking about insurance fraud. And this one's a doozy:"Irina Vorotinov has been charged by ... with defrauding Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company of more than $2 million in life insurance proceeds by falsely claiming that her former husband had died."Turns out - Spoiler Alert! - the ex- was, in fact, very much alive, and caught on film years after his alleged death.Ooops.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 30, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Super(bowl) Health Wonk Review is up
Our favorite health care economist, Jason Shafrin, hosts this week's festive round-up of health care policy and polity. It's cold outside, so come in and warm up with some great reads.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 29, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Popcorn State Expansion
On February 1, 2015 Indiana will become the 28th state to expand Medicaid. Good news (I suppose) for those under 138% of the FPL. No more insurance premiums.But you may have trouble finding a doctor. This is nothing new nor indigenous to Indiana. Medicaid participants in all states have trouble finding doctors willing to take them as new (or even old) patients.About 765,600 Hoosiers lacked insurance in 2013, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The state has estimated more than 300,000 Hoosiers — or 56 percent of those newly eligible for Medicaid — could enroll in the first year and more than 400,000 would sign u...
Source: InsureBlog - January 28, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Some thoughts on subsidies
So, been having a bit of a Twitter-tussle with a well-regarded friend and colleague. At issue is the future of ObamaTax subsidies as we look forward to the resolution of Burwell/King/Halbig.Which got me to thinking: Why we're having this discussion at all? After all, President Obama explicitly promised us that, under the ObamaTax, premiums would decrease 3000%, and that we would have comprehensive, affordable coverage.If this were truly the case, then why would we need bribes subsidies in the first place? After all, who wouldn't want cheap, useful insurance coverage? Why would we need to be cajoled, nay, forced into buying...
Source: InsureBlog - January 28, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Tuesday Spindle-clearing
In no particular order:■ Coming as a surprise to no one who's been paying attention:"A quarter of firms that that had offered insurance to their employees last year were canceling their health plans this year, and another 25% said they planned to do so next year."This in Michigan, and focused on smaller companies not (yet) subject to the Employer Mandate. Talk about blizzards...■ Could treating Alzheimer's really be this simple?"Researchers say they’ve developed a nasal spray that could potentially improve memory and other mental capabilities for the more than 5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease....
Source: InsureBlog - January 27, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
DC's Best Kept Secret
What with all the reports of how well Open Enrollment v2.0 has been going, it's no wonder the folks in charge want to keep this under wraps:"It will cost the federal government – taxpayers, that is – $50,000 for every person who gets health insurance under the Obamacare law"But that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg:"It will take $1.993 trillion, a number that looks like $1,993,000,000,000, to provide insurance subsidies ... and to pay for a massive expansion of Medicaid and CHIP"But hey, worth it to provide universal health insurance coverage.Wait, what?"The best-case scenario described by the CBO would result ...
Source: InsureBlog - January 27, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Solution for Austerity Cuts in Health Care
If your government is running out of money and cutting services to balance the budget, what do you do?Elect a liberal.Greece has been teetering on bankruptcy for years thanks to too much government and too many social give away programs. All that is about to change as a result of this weekends electionIn Greece’s biggest hospital, the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens, conditions were worse than those I have seen in developing countries.The moment the hospital doors open on ‘emergency’ days, people flood in. The collapse in official primary and community health care services means everyone who needs healthcare comes to...
Source: InsureBlog - January 27, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
CoOpportunity assumes room temp
Last month, we reported on the travails of Iowa's CoOpportunity Health, a start-up recently taken over by Hawkeye State regulators. FoIB Josh Archambault tips us that they've now been shuttered:"Iowa’s insurance regulator plans to shut down insurer CoOportunity Health, marking the first failure of one of the nonprofit cooperatives created under the Affordable Care Act."T'won't be the last.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 26, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
P&C Files: That's *NOT* How It Works!
[click pic to embiggen][Hat Tip: DoIB Sarah S]Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - January 24, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Flashback Friday
Our 2nd ever post here was a recap of the "Top Insurance Swindlers" of Ought-four. It was a rogues gallery that included a "greedy granny" and an arsonist pastor, among others (no mention of the apocryphal cigar owner). In fact, you'll notice an edit dated earlier this month: a business owner had emailed me requesting that I modify an entry because - ten years on - it was adversely affecting her business.Fast forward a decade, and we have the truly inspirational story of an entire family of (alleged) insurance fraudsters:"Authorities said the ensuing probe uncovered a decades-long pattern of questionable insurance claims ....
Source: InsureBlog - January 23, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Obamacare with Thin Crust or Thick?
Next time you order a pizza think about Obamacare. The same folks that brought us lower health insurance premiums and better coverage are helping us make better choices when it comes to pizza.The FDA finalized an Obamacare-mandated rule in November that requires restaurants to display calorie information on their menus. However, there appears to be some confusion over what the FDA calls a “menu.”I J ReviewA menu is what the server hands you in a restaurant.But it can also be a web page, advertising flyer, clip and save coupon .........To make matters more complicated,Considering that Domino’s customers can customize ...
Source: InsureBlog - January 22, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Medicaid and Long Term Care
Many folks continue to believe - erroneously - that Medicare will cover most (if not all) of their long term care needs. It won't. But Medicaid probably will, if you lack the assets to self-pay.Unfortunately, this requires that one "spend down" one's assets, accumulated over a lifetime of toil. To qualify for assistance from Medicaid to cover long term care expenses, one is allowed to keep only a small amount of cash, a home and a car, maybe a few baubles.The good news is that buying a Partnership-qualified long term care insurance plan, one may offset some of that spend down, and keep more assets.And, as local ElderCare L...
Source: InsureBlog - January 22, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Is Healthcare.gov really just a massive voter data collection tool for DNC? [UPDATED]
[Scroll down for update] Seeing how Obama has abused the IRS and voter registration this isn't such a stretch: "Daoudi's company — Catchpoint Systems— came across some 50 third-party connections embedded on HealthCare.gov. They attracted attention because such connections can slow down websites. They work in the background, unseen to most consumers.The AP was able to replicate the results. In one 10-minute visit to HealthCare.gov recently, dozens of websites were accessed behind the scenes. They included Google's data-analytics service, Twitter, Facebook and a host of online advertising providers."A list of 9 million p...
Source: InsureBlog - January 21, 2015 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
