Almost one half of all the uninsured in America work for small businesses or are self employed. The fact that many cannot get health insurance is a factor both of cost and access. The refusal of private carriers to insure ‘all comers’ is at the root of the problem. Anyone should be able to get health insurance as long as they pay the premium. That is why Real Health Reform believes (see the plan) that individuals should be mandated to have health coverage. It is simply responsible citizenship. Asking small businesses to subsidize this is unnecessary and counter to productivity. Federal legislation is needed to force private insurers to drop all exclusionary tactics, clauses, rules and language so that most of the uninsured can access health insurance . . . jomaxx
As the number of people without health insurance continues to rise, many states and Congress have begun to focus on one of the biggest causes: the growing number of small business owners and their workers who are unable to afford coverage.
The states are taking a variety of approaches. To help ease the burden of insurance premiums that have roughly doubled since 2000, some, like Arizona, are extending tax credits to small employers that provide medical coverage.
Others, including New Mexico and Montana, are exploring ways to let small businesses band together to amass the purchasing power of big employers. Massachusetts plans to let small businesses benefit from its state-supervised insurance program. And some states, like Colorado, have passed tougher laws governing what insurers can charge small companies . . . see link below for full article
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/business/smallbusiness/10bizhealth.html?ref=smallbusiness
It is not surprising, but the cost of insurance for Medicare supplements varied widely by region of the country. The article below outlines that fact . . . jomaxx
Health Costs
Choosing Where to Live
June 15, 2008
Health-care costs aren’t at the top of the list when baby boomers consider where to live in retirement. But maybe that should change.
Charges for medical insurance and for health care differ tremendously in different locales, says Steve Zaleznick, president of Longevity Alliance, a Washington, D.C., company that provides quotes for retirement-related financial services.
For example, the average annual premium for one type of Medicare supplement policy last year ranged from $3,700 in New York to as little as $1,200 in Phoenix, according to an Alliance survey.
The disparity reflects labor and other cost-of-living differences, as well as state regulations. Some states don’t allow insurers to set premiums based on age and health, which tends to make prices higher on average in those states but also makes it easier for many individuals to qualify, experts say.
Also, regulations governing Medicare-supplement eligibility can vary from state to state, which can affect prices.
Meanwhile, a home-health aide costs a national average of $19 an hour, but can average as much as $30 an hour in Rochester, Minn., or as little as $15 in Birmingham, Ala., according to the 2007 Met Life Mature Market Institute Survey.
Research Before Moving
Says Mr. Zaleznick: “If it is not within their experience, I don’t think people realize how much difference there is in the health-care costs. We are trying to raise the level of thinking so they do the research before they look at places to live.”
Comparing health-care costs isn’t exactly easy, but more data is becoming available.
First, consult Medicare’s medicare.gov to familiarize yourself with the government-provided medical benefits and types of supplemental insurance. You can also use this site to actually compare available Medicare supplement packages, prescription-drug plans and privately run Medicare Advantage plans by state or Zip Code.
MedicareInteractive.org, a resource of the Medicare Rights Center, a nonprofit consumer group, is another resource. Also, ask your current health insurer about the availability of coverage and pricing and its provider network in any other states you’re considering.
For the Under-65 Set
If you have coverage through an employer and are retiring before 65, talk with your human resources department early about the retiree benefits and also about COBRA, or continuation of benefits. If you are not covered by an employer plan or if COBRA coverage is too expensive for your budget, talk with a health-insurance agent or broker in the other state about available individual health-care options and prices there. One place to find names is the Web site of the National Association of Health Underwriters (nahu.org).
Compare costs and daily benefits of long-term-care insurance plans with your broker and brokers on the Internet, such as LongTermCareQuote.com.
Remember no quote is firm until an insurer has reviewed your application.
Finally, search for information about fees for doctors, hospitals and drugs by looking at insurance-company Web sites and also emerging consumer sites such as ConsumerReports.org/health and vimo.com for health insurance plans and providers.
The Longevity Alliance provides a downloadable booklet about health-care costs in moving at LongevityAlliance.com.