It would seem that the health insurance carriers have decided against fighting the part of the Health Care Reform legislation that keeps them from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.

As a health insurance broker, I can attest to just how frustrating it can be to a family seeking health insurance to be offered coverage to the entire family but one child.

Regardless of what side of the fence you are on regarding Heath Insurance Reform.  One is hard pressed to disagree on the importance of this change.

Have you ever had a child denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition?  If so, feel free to comment and share your story.

Originally posted 2010-03-30 05:35:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2010-04-12 09:37:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

With the Holiday season in full swing, the unhealthy foods also tend to show up in full force.  There are several ways to trim some of the “fat” and still have great tasting food.

Healthy Substitutions

• In baking cookies, bars, or cakes,  replace half of the fat or oil with applesauce.  This imparts not only texture, but flavor as well.  You will not know that anything is missing!
• In your cooking, load your soups and stews with vegetables and beans.  Cut down on the amount of meat that you use.  Again, you will be filled quickly with all of the vegetables and fiber.
• In most baked goods, you can reduce the amount of sugar by on half without affecting the taste.
• You can also reduce the amount of salt that you use in most cookies and bars by on half.  Do not do this when baking items using yeast.
• To bring out the sweetness in baked goods, use more cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
• Learn to use fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary.  Doing so imparts so much flavor that the need for added sodium is not necessary.

Make this Holiday season not only delicious, but healthy too.

Originally posted 2010-12-16 10:14:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

In a perfect world those who need something the most would be first to receive it. This was the goal over 40 years ago when kidney transplant waiting lists first came into existence. Unfortunately, that is not often the case.

A kidney transplant can end the need for dialysis and lead to an overall better quality of life. There are ideal candidates for kidney transplants and those that pose certain risks. These factors are taken into consideration when making the transplant list.

According to the Journal of the American Society Nephrology, not all ethnic or racial groups receive equal access to a much-needed kidney transplant. In a study published in JASN, those who are at the stage of kidney failure, or who have final stage renal disease, are the most likely candidates for a kidney transplant. So far this makes perfect sense.

However, when transplant statistics are broken down further, there are surprising differences in who does and does not receive a kidney transplant before it is too late. The study involved over 500,000 patents of different ethnic and racial groups over a ten year period from the period of the initial start of dialysis treatment up through those who needed a transplant.

Native Americans, those native to Alaska and African Americans tended to receive transplants at a slower rate over Hispanics, non-Hispanics whites and Asians. Some of the factors for the delay in wait period among these groups include differences in socioeconomic factors such as income level and health insurance availability. Somewhat surprising factors included linguistic and cultural isolation.

In other words, those who live in locations that are not close to treatment facilities or who are isolated because of the way they live tend to be among those who do not get transplants in a timely manner and in some cases do not receive a transplant in time to save their lives.

The shortage and difficulty in obtaining a kidney has sparked a black market industry. Stories of black market kidneys are not entirely the stuff of urban legends. Sure, the waking up in a tub of ice with a kidney missing may be an exaggeration, but a New York man was recently arrested for selling kidneys for $160,000 a piece. Ultimately any commodity in demand will yield illicit ways to obtain it. Prohibition is a prime example.

There are some steps being taken to change this though. Georgetown University Hospital is among some hospitals that have initiated new procedures for putting together a transplant waiting list. This includes new criteria that make attempts to place those who are truly in the most need and are the best candidates for a successful transplant at the top of the list.

Similar changes are underway at the University of Maryland Transplant Center, Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Cedars-Sinai and Mayo Clinic, which performs 450 transplants a year on average. All of these facilities are among the most respected in the world for transplant operations and have all made plans to change transplant procedures in an effort to change the inequality that exists.

Originally posted 2011-04-11 16:50:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

If you are one of the 42,ooo insured through American Community in Michigan, good news!  Golden Rule, a unit of UnitedHealth Group Inc, has agreed to provide health coverage to those who had individual medical insurance plans.

What about pre-existing conditions?

The option of transferring your coverage to Golden Rule Insurance will be on a guaranteed basis.

Who will my doctors be?

Once enrolled in Golden Rule plans you will have access to the provider network managed by UnitedHealthcare, another unit of Golden Rules’s parent, UnitedHealth.

When would my plan start?

If you take advantage of the guaranteed issue offer, your new coverage with Golden Rule will take effect on August 15, 2010

What will my rates be?

You will have the option to purchase a guaranteed-issue plan with no waiting periods or preexisting condition exclusions or limitations at standard new business rates.

Questions?

Contact Golden Rule/United Healthcare at goldenrule.com

Originally posted 2010-06-15 11:42:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The bill that will hopefully make sure that no child in this country goes hungry and that will attempt to overhaul school lunch programs has been signed by President Barack Obama today, December 13, 2010.

Here’s the low-down on the bill and its expectations:

• Improves nutrition and focuses on reducing childhood obesity by setting national nutritional standards and subsidizing school lunch meals.
• Increases access to school meal programs for more than 115,000 children, many of whom reside in areas with high poverty rates.
• Calls for program monitoring to ensure that schools adhere to nutritional standards.

The bill is said to already be paid for due to the cut backs in food-stamps, and is said to cost about six cents more per meal that it provides.

The exact time that it will be implemented is unknown, but is said to move fairly quickly.

“At a very basic level, this act is about doing what’s right for our children,” Obama said this morning.

Originally posted 2010-12-14 06:38:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

During a recent evaluation, a client informed me he didn’t want to have a HSA or Health Savings Account.  I asked why.

His response: After speaking with a few friends and an auto insurance agent, I was told that in a bad health year it makes sense, but in a good health year, I would lose my money at the end of the year.

Not true. I informed him.

This conversation happens all to often in health insurance, due to a plethora of misinformation.  Most people have employer sponsored group health insurance, their primary exposure to pre-tax plans are Flexible Spending Accounts or FSA’s.

While similar, there are some important differences between the two:

1.  No insurance is needed with a Flexible Spending Account ( FSA ) – since it is just a “spending account” it doesn’t need to be tied to a health insurance plan like an Health Savings Account.  You can have an FSA without any health insurance if you wanted to.

2.  Use it or lose it – Does not apply to a Health Savings Account ( HSA ). Your unused dollars roll over year to year.  It’s your money and you get to keep it.  With an FSA or Flexible Spending Account, it you don’t USE it by the end of the year, any remaining funds are lost.  Where does the money go?  To the company offering the FSA.

3. Type of Expenses Covered – An FSA can be used for both medical expenses and child care expenses, whereas the HSA is only for qualified medical expenses.

Both Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts have their place, and both are valuable tools to assist you with you medical needs.  What’s great is you can mix and match the two as your needs change.

Originally posted 2010-03-24 05:56:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Did you know that you can contribute up to the maximum allowed for the 2009 tax year at any time up until the tax-filing deadline of April 15th 2010?

You still have time to contribute up to the $3,000 for individuals or $5,950 for family contribution maximums for 2009.

If you are 55 or older, you can make “catch-up” contributions, meaning you can deposit an additional $1,000 each year.  If your spouse is also 55 or older, he or she may establish a separate HSA and make a catch-up contribution.

Originally posted 2010-03-25 06:06:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Social Security number, Driver’s license number, cell phone number?  Add these very important numbers to your mental Rolodex, and they could save your life.

• Blood pressure:  In a nutshell, it measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries.  Too high pressure makes the heart work harder and weakens it.  Aim for 120/80 mm or less.
• Cholesterol:  Total cholesterol below 200 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dl, and HDG cholesterol above 50 mg/dl.
• Triglycerides: Blood fat that fuels muscle but, in excess, is stored in the fat cells and liver.  Keep these number below 150 mg/dl.
• Blood Sugar: Keep diabetes at bay by aiming for a fasting glucose level of up to 100 mg/dl.

Know these numbers and encourage your friends and family to know theirs as well.  Do you know your numbers?

Originally posted 2011-02-07 11:00:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Well, the numbers don’t lie;  the majority of small business owners do not support the new Health Care Reform Law, and the also say that it will negatively affect their business.

• 55% of small business owners favor the repeal of the the law, 36% percent oppose it, and 9% are unsure.
• 38% say that the reform will have a major impact on their business.
• 69% report difficulty in finding affordable health care coverage for their employees.
• 46% say that it will significantly affect their spending, and will more than likely force layoffs.

Based on those few statistics, it seems obvious that the bill will hurt more than help those businesses that are already struggling to survive.

Small businesses are the vein of America.  They are the American dream realized, and they are being compromised by forced Health Care reform.

Originally posted 2011-01-25 10:13:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter