Illinois Health Insurance News

How Healthy is Living in Illinois

2008-05-10T22:28:00.002-05:00

Illinois fell slightly in an annual ranking of the healthiest states in which to live, published by United Health Foundation.

Its new rank for 2007 is 27th; in 2006 it was 25th.

Back in 2000 it was 37th, but ranked 19th in 1990.

Progress is being made on several fronts:

Since last year, the number of incoming 9th graders who graduate within four years increased from 76 percent to just over 80.

Since 1990, both the rate of infant mortality and violent crime have been decreasing.

Illinois is a state with one of the biggest problems with binge drinking (ranked 47th) and also ranks low, 42nd, for preventable hospitalizations.

The Foundation ranks states in 20 categories.

Ranking: Illinois is 27th this year; it was 25th in 2006.

Strengths:

Strengths include a low occupational fatalities rate at 4.2 deaths per 100,000 workers, ready access to primary care with 127.8 primary care physicians per 100,000 population and few poor mental health days per month at 3.0 days in the previous 30 days.

Challenges:

Challenges include a high prevalence of binge drinking at 19.2 percent of the population, a high rate of preventable hospitalizations with 89.4 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees and a high violent crime rate at 542 offenses per 100,000 population.

Significant Changes:

In the past year, the occupational fatalities rate increased from 3.5 to 4.2 deaths per 100,000 workers.

In the past year, the high school graduation rate increased from 75.9 percent to 80.3 percent of incoming ninth graders who graduate within four years.

Since 1990, the infant mortality rate decreased from 11.9 to 7.3 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Since 1990, the violent crime rate decreased from 795 to 542 offenses per 100,000 population.

Health Disparities:

In Illinois, blacks experience 102 percent more premature death than whites.

In the large metropolitan areas, residents in the central counties experience 42 percent more premature death than residents in the fringe counties.

When to Stay Home If You Don't Feel Well

2008-04-13T17:39:00.000-05:00

Slight fever. An irritating cough. A sore throat. These symptoms make a person feel miserable, but they probably won't keep him from going to work or school.Amanda Demmel, for example, is a freshman at DePaul University with perfect attendance. Making it to class every day means going to school when she is sick."I can't stand missing school, and I'll try to keep outside symptoms to a minimum," said Demmel, 18, of Lincoln Park.

Demmel packs cough drops and takes over-the-counter medication so she doesn't disturb her classmates. And though it's tolerable to sit through a statistics seminar with a sore throat or slight fever, there are times when a person is too sick to go to work or school.

So how sick is too sick? There are some clear indicators on when adults should put on their pajamas and head back to bed.

Consider staying home

• If you have abdominal pain. It may be a precursor to vomiting or diarrhea, said Dr. Russell Robertson, professor and chair of family medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

• If you are experiencing frequent vomiting or diarrhea. Robertson said working with these symptoms may be difficult, to say the least, and both could be a sign of a viral illness.• If you have an incessant cough or yellow-greenish sputum. Both are indicators of an upper-respiratory infection, and Robertson recommended seeing a doctor and staying home from work because the infection could be passed to co-workers.

• If you feel light-headed, have a poor appetite or dark urine. These symptoms suggest dehydration, and mental focus may be affected. For a dehydrated and lethargic person, "simply driving to work can be dangerous," Robertson said.

• If you have been diagnosed with an infection and just started taking antibiotics. Robertson said it's best to stay home for at least 24 hours so the medicine can take effect. This will reduce the risk of sharing the infection.

When to think twice

Some low-grade fevers can be controlled with ibuprofen, which makes it harder to determine whether you should stay or go.

• Stay put if you have a fever for more than 24 hours. "You are likely infectious," Robertson said. "You will take what you've got and spread it to people you come into contact with."

• Also stay put if you have a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and you have co-workers or classmates with chronic illnesses who may not be able to handle an infection as easily. Robertson said people who have diabetes, asthma or heart disease or who are undergoing chemotherapy can be more harshly affected by the same virus.

Keep kids home

Keeping kids home can be just as confusing. Parents don't want to send a sick child to school, but they also don't want to keep a faker home on the day of a test. So how can parents tell whether their child is really ill?

• If the child has a 101-degree temperature (in the same neighborhood as Robertson's 100.4) or more, said pediatrician Lori Walsh with Glenbrook Pediatrics in Glenview.

• If stomach pain moves from the middle of the belly to the lower right quadrant. Walsh said this type of progressive pain probably means the child is ill, not just hoping to skip school or dealing with anxiety.

• If the child has a combination of sore throat, headache and stomachache. "That's a triad for strep throat," Walsh said.

Send them to school

• If the symptoms show up suddenly in the morning. Walsh said sudden symptoms may be more manageable or even a bit imaginary. In contrast, kids who complain of symptoms during the night are more likely dealing with an illness.

• If they can get out of bed and eat their breakfast. "If they say 'I've got this pain' and they are eating their breakfast, I would let them go and have the nurse call me," Walsh said.

• But be aware about whether your child is even welcome at school with an illness. Walsh said some schools have policies that forbid attending with illnesses.Of course, it's easy to tell kids to take the day off. But the decision can be more complicated for adults, especially if an employee is paid hourly or fears retribution for missing work."There is some anxiety on calling in sick," Robertson said. "There is a tendency to drag yourself in."But workers may not be all that useful to employers when they are sick. "You can go to work in that state, you will take longer to get better and you lose more with productivity and time," Robertson said.

If you must go to work or school with a mild illness, be mindful of not spreading your sickness. Bring disposable tissues for coughing and sneezing, and pack disposable wipes to clean communal phones and doorknobs, Robertson said.

Healthy Trust Immediate Care Begins Issuing Medical Discount Card

2008-04-12T23:46:00.000-05:00

Healthy Trust Immediate Care in Wheeling, Illinois will be offering a discount card for medical services provided at the clinic, and pharmacies across the greater Chicago area. The card debuts on May 1st and the first distribution point will be at Chocolate Fest in neighboring Long Grove, Illinois during the first week of May.

The whole idea of the card is to substantially lower health costs, and increase access to health care and prescriptions to residents of the surrounding Chicago North Shore communites.

The Healthy Trust Medical Discount Card is not Health Insurance

Too many families are going without adequate health care because of rising costs, high deductibles, no, or limited co pays, and in a lot of cases, no health insurance. The Healthy Trust Discount Medical card is not health insurance, and it is not intended to be a replacement for health insurance. However it provides significant discounts to those that use it at the medical clinic in wheeling, and at participating pharmacies in the area. The whole idea is to make quality health care more affordable, and give all patients more access to quality health care.

No Charge, No Applications, No Hassles

There is no charge, or application to fill out for the Healthy Trust Medical Discount Card. The Healthy Trust Medical Discount card is provided at no charge. You can either pick one up in person after May 1st at the Healthy Trust Clinic in Wheeling, or you can visit the website after May 1st to actually print your own card.

Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care
342 S. Milwaukee Avenue
Wheeling, IL 60090
847-243-0333

Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Discount Program

2008-04-07T00:28:00.002-05:00

Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care located in Wheeling, Illinois is introducing a revolutionary medical, and pharmacy discount program beginning May 1st 2008 which is designed to make quality health care, and pharmacy prescriptions available to all residents in their service area at a greatly reduced price.

Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care is a believer in consumer driven health care. At Healthy Trust we realize that the cost of health insurance, and medical care has become extremely expensive. We work with families, and local employers in our local service area to help provide them with the finest quality health care at greatly discounted rates.

We feel programs like this help fill the gaps when you have not reached your health insurance deductible, do no qualify for a copay, are having a procedure, exam, or preventive screening not covered by health insurance, or simply do not have health insurance.

The best part of our discount program is that there is no charge to you or your family for the Healthy Trust Medical Discount Card. Unlike other similar programs we are not charging an annual membership fee. We feel that providing affordable, quality, health care is our duty to the community we live in.

The Healthy Trust Medical Discount Card can be very useful for individuals and families looking to save money on health care. That being said this discount card is not the same as health insurance. The Healthy Trust Medical Discount Program does not pay any part of your health care costs; instead, we require you to pay a negotiated discount fee for medical services at the Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Clinic in Wheeling, Illinois. Once again, the Healthy Trust Medical Discount Card is not health insurance.

Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Discount Program

This component of the program allows you and your entire family to enjoy heavily discounted medical services at the Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Clinic in Wheeling, Illinois. Even if you have insurance, Healthy Trust Immediate Care can help you save on many health care expenses that your insurance may not pay for, such as chiropractic care, physical exams, school physicals, sports physicals, health screenings, vaccinations, elective care, or allergy shots. If you don't have health insurance, Healthy Trust Immediate Care can make medical care more affordable, and accessible.

Healthy Trust is the newest and most modern medical clinic in Chicago's North Shore suburbs. Our staff of physicians have been practicing in the greater Chicago area for almost thirty years. We have the experience and knowledge to take care of your family's immediate health care concerns.

The revolutionary concept revolves around the current state of health care in the United States. We feel that every citizen deserves the very best health care available. We believe that every individual or family should be able to get quality health care for an affordable rate. We believe that every person in need should get the best medical services available regardless of their financial situation. Familes with high deductibles, no, or limited copay's, uncoveraged procedures, or in the worst case scenario, no health insurance coverage, all need help, and the best quality health care available. Healthy Trust is proud to be the first medical clinic in Chicago's North Shore suburbs to address these specific needs.

Healthy Trust Prescription Drug Discount Program

Prescription medications are expensive, and at Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care we are dedicated to reducing the cost of prescription medication for our patients. We are proud to introduce the Healthy Trust Pharmacy Discount Program. Even if you have health insurance we can save you money where ever you have your prescription filled.

The prescription benefit part of your program provides you with discounts of up to 80% of the usual and customary costs of prescription drugs at participating pharmacies. The discount varies from drug to drug, and participating pharmacy. You can use your card at local pharmacies such as Walgreen's, CVS, Walmart, Target, and K-Mart plus thousands of other participating independent pharmacies nationally, and in the Chicago area.

If your are a resident of the following Chicago North Shore communities you are eligible for no cost enrollment for the Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care Clinic and Discount Prescription Card. Healthy Trust Immediate Medical Care serves the Chicago North Shore Communites of Wheeling, Prospect Heights, Lincolnshire, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Highland Park, Long Grove, Riverwoods, Des Plaines, Palatine, Libertyville, Glenview, Highwood, Northfield, Libertyville, Winnetka, and Bannockburn.

Open Enrollment for Disabled Under 65 for Medicare Starts June 1st

2008-03-27T19:14:00.001-05:00

With the passage of Public Act 95-0436, persons under 65 with disabilities who become eligible for Medicare will have additional rights. Beginning June 1, 2008, Illinoisans under age 65 who receive Medicare because of disabilities have the same open enrollment rights as seniors. That is to say, a person under 65 who qualifies for Medicare because of disabilities and who applies for a Medigap policy within six months after enrolling in Medicare Part B has a six-month open enrollment period beginning the day they enroll in Medicare Part B.

During open enrollment, a company must allow you to buy any of the Medigap plans it offers. This right is also available for persons who are retroactively enrolled in Medicare Part B due to a retroactive eligibility decision made by the Social Security Administration if they apply within 6 months after receiving notice of retroactive eligibility.Open enrollment will apply to all under 65 Medicare eligible individuals even if they have existing Medicare supplement insurance.

If you fit this description you will be able to choose from any plan offered by companies selling Medicare Supplement insurance in Illinois until December 1, 2008. Loss of Other Coverage. In addition, if you are under 65 and on Medicare, but declined a Medigap policy because you were still covered under an employer group health plan, you will have a 63 day open enrollment period if the employer plan terminates or ceases to provide health benefits that supplement Medicare.

Similarly, if you are either currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or have a Medigap policy and the insurance company goes out of business, withdraws from the market, or misrepresented the product you purchased, you also will be eligible for a 63 day open enrollment period under most circumstances (see Guaranteed Issue Right below).

Cost of Coverage. For persons under 65 that become eligible to purchase a Medigap policy, companies may not be charge a rate higher than the highest rate on the company’s current rate schedule filed with the Illinois Division of Insurance.

UniCare Sound for Illinois Graduates

2007-03-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

If you are graduating from college this Spring you are to be congratulated for your time, and effort! If you are taking some time off, or once you graduate, or leave college you are no longer eligible for your parents, or school sponsored health insurance. That can cause a bit of a dilemma as you take a little time off, or search for the first job of your career. You can be at serious financial risk if you go without health insurance.

There is an easy solution for health insurance, and it called UniCare Sound. UniCare Sound is the perfect plan for young graduates because it covers you from head to toe. Doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency room, hospitilization, surgery, wellness, dental, and vision are all covered under this easy to understand, and apply for health plan by UniCare.

A simple twist of the knee while water skiing this Summer could cost you up to $30,000 in medical bills, but with UniCare Sound all you pay is a small deductible, and everything else is covered!

All Sound plans are the same except for the deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. You choose the deuctible, and UniCare Sound takes care of all the rest.So if you are looking for a way to protect yourself, and stay healthy, UniCare Sound is your very best bet. With prices that start at only $67 per month, health care is now affordable for everyone!If you are interested in hearing more about UniCare Sound give us a call at 800-391-7469. We are the UniCare Sound experts, and enrollment only takes about five inutes, plus you can be covered the very next day!That is what I call hassle free health insurance!

Bush Clueless on Healthcare

2007-02-26T20:44:00.000-06:00

Most Americans understand that our health-care system is not sustainable, and that without significant reform, it is headed for a complete meltdown. Too many people -- 47 million at latest count -- lack health insurance; far too many do not have a regular source of care and use costly emergency rooms for routine care; per-person health-care costs are as much as 250% higher in the U.S. than in any other developed nation; and the quality of care, even for those who are insured, is -- in the words of one recent expert report -- "mediocre at best."

In that context, President Bush is to be commended for making health insurance coverage a top priority for his Administration, and for calling on Congress to address the matter. The President has already demonstrated that he's willing to invest taxpayer dollars in health programs that generate results. Since taking office, he's prodded Congress to expand funding for Community Health Centers, resulting in 5 million more Americans gaining access to affordable primary health-care services.

Dubious Tax Breaks

In his State of the Union address, Bush outlined a roadmap that involves tax deductions for insured individuals and families, designed in part to give the uninsured an incentive to purchase coverage. But it doesn't necessarily chart the right course, and it contains a few too many detours. In other words, you can't get there from here.

Changes in our current system of health care must simultaneously deal with three important elements: cost, quality, and access. Even if we follow through with the President's proposal to change the financing of health care for millions of people, there is little promise for progress on either cost or quality. More worrisome still is that the Administration proposal could unintentionally trigger a serious erosion of current coverage without making health insurance more affordable to those who need it most.

This is because the tax changes proposed could lead both those who presently have adequate coverage and those who may seek coverage to pursue insurance policies that fall within the limits of the proposed tax benefit; the maximum allowable premium is relatively low. Unfortunately, most policies available today in this less expensive category fail to cover crucial preventive and primary health-care services -- the most cost-effective of all health-care services, because they lower the need for specialty care, reduce hospital admissions, and provide a vital, less costly alternative to emergency rooms.

Inadequate Primary Care

More than 6 million of the 16 million patients receiving care at health centers today are completely uninsured. Health centers tell us that they are seeing a new wave of people who are underinsured: those whose health insurance provides little or no coverage for the preventive and primary care the centers offer. Underinsured people often have policies that include very high deductibles -- from more than $1,000 to as high as $5,000 per family member. Such plans leave all of their primary health care uncovered, beyond their meager ability to pay for out-of-pocket expenses.

The waiting room of Lake Superior Community Health Center in northeast Wisconsin offers an on-the-ground perspective on America's ailing health-care system. More than 60% of the health center's patients have incomes at or below the poverty level, and almost three-quarters are uninsured. The demand for affordable primary health-care services is so high that the wait time to see a doctor can stretch to as long as three months.

The tax policies proposed in the President's plan would have, at best, exceedingly limited impact in this rural pocket of America, and would do nothing to shorten the wait to see a doctor. Indeed, the scarcity of affordable primary health-care services is the other half of the health-care debate missing from the halls of leadership. Some 35 million Americans have no access to basic services, even though many of them do have insurance. Coverage without an available provider is as worthless as currency without a marketplace.

Sabotaging the Safety Net

Perhaps the biggest flaw in the President's proposal is that it wagers a risky bid for giving broader flexibility to the states on the backs of safety net providers. The proposal, which likely won't pass muster with Congress, redirects funding that currently flows to safety net providers -- the hospitals that see high volumes of Medicaid and uninsured patients -- to instead fund his new insurance coverage initiatives.

Yet, no matter how successful these initiatives may be, there will continue to be millions of uninsured Americans who will need ongoing care from providers committed to serving them. It does no good to destabilize or decimate the already fragile health-care safety net to address the issue of coverage; the only viable approach lies in attempting to strengthen both.

Medequote
UniCare Sound

State of Illinois House Passes Handwashing Bill

2007-02-23T14:18:00.000-06:00

Rep. Mary Flowers wants to clean up Chicago schools—two germy, dirty hands at a time.

Fed up with what she sees as a health hazard for thousands of children, Flowers has introduced legislation that would require Chicago schools to make students wash their hands with antiseptic soap before eating.

The measure passed the Illinois House 100-14 Thursday without any debate. It now goes to the Senate."This is all about a way of life for our children," Flowers ( D-Chicago) said in a recent interview. "It's a public safety issue that needs to be addressed."But school officials and teachers say the measure seems to reflect misplaced priorities at the state capitol. They say teachers are already doing a good job of keeping kids' hands clean for breakfast and lunch.

And one Chicago parent said promoting cleanliness among students would be a good idea, but questioned whether it deserves the attention of state lawmakers."I think they should be focused on the issues," said Mona Van Kenegan, a dentist for a public health clinic at a Chicago high school who has a 7-year-old in a Chicago school.School absences because of sick kids are common, especially in the cold winter months.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates nearly 22 million school days are lost nationwide just to the common cold, with some viruses and bacteria able to live for two hours or longer on cafeteria tables, doorknobs and desks.Three schools in North Carolina closed for several days last week after an outbreak of flu-like symptoms decimated attendance.

The Illinois Public Health Department doesn't track similar closures here, however, and Flowers offers no specifics about the scope of the problem she's trying to address in Chicago schools.Illinois could be heading into new territory if it approves Flowers' bill. Several federal agencies and advocacy groups say they know of no other state that requires school hand washing by law.

Handwashing For Life, a Libertyville, Ill.-based advocacy group that focuses on restaurant kitchens, says similar proposals have popped up in states such as California and Ohio but nothing was implemented.

Children without health insurance increasing in Illinois

2007-02-21T22:05:00.000-06:00

Overweight and inactive children pose one of the most critical health-care challenges in Illinois, according to a report released Monday by the advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children.

But the publication, "Kids Count 2007: The State of Children's Health,'' found good news in the increasing number of Illinois children covered by health insurance.

While 11.3 percent Illinois children lacked coverage in 2002, that number dropped to 10.4 percent in 2005. The rate is expected to drop further with the creation last summer of the All Kids program, a state effort to ensure every child has access to some health insurance, said Jerry Stermer, president of Voices for Illinois Children.

"When children hurt, they cannot learn. When we ignore their sickness and pain, we all pay the price later,'' Stermer said.

The report, funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, drew on data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

It assigned grades of good, fair, serious or critical to eight health topics: general child health, early childhood health, developmental and mental health, weight and physical activity, sexual health, death and injuries, environmental and community health, and health coverage and access.

The one area deemed critical was weight and physical activity.

Nearly 46 percent of Illinois' school-age children spend two hours or more each school day watching television or playing video games, the report said. Weight problems are more prevalent among children who are poor or belong to racial or ethnic minorities, according to the report.

For example, half of Illinois youths ages 10 to 17 and living in poverty were found to be overweight or at risk of being overweight, compared to 21.6 percent of youth in higher-income families.

The report was released in a community health clinic located in the neighborhood of Little Village, which has one of the largest Mexican communities in the Midwest.

Despite its large concentration of young people, the neighborhood has just one park. A community effort is underway to raise support for a second one, partly to encourage physical activity among young people there.

The report also raised concerns about a rise in sexually transmitted diseases among young people.

While the number of babies born to teenagers decreased nearly 11 percent from 1999 through 2004, cases of young people being diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea increased nearly 31 percent from 2000 through 2005.

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BCBSIL Proposes Legislative Action

2007-02-15T18:42:00.000-06:00

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) today announced a new legislative proposal designed to help hundreds of thousands of the "working uninsured" in the state gain access to health care through affordable health insurance.

The proposal, which requires all private health insurance carriers in the state to participate, would require qualified small businesses with between two and 50 employees - in addition to offering the currently mandated small group insurance coverage - to offer a basic health insurance option tailored to meet their needs.

"This proposal adopts an incremental approach that could have a major impact on a significant segment of our state's uninsured population, and at the same time, reduce uncompensated care," said Paul S. Boulis, BCBSIL president. "And it doesn't disrupt the existing health care system, which serves the 84 percent of Illinoisans who are insured." "One-size-fits-all proposals that totally overhaul the system have not proven to be cost effective," he added.

More than 1.7 million (16 percent) of Illinoisans don't have health insurance Some 16 percent, or more than 1.7 million Illinoisans do not have health insurance - approximately 1.1 million of them are either employed or are family members of the employed. A significant portion of the uninsured works for small businesses.

"Not having health insurance can be detrimental to people's personal and financial health and well-being," said Boulis. "Further, uncompensated care is a burden on individuals, employers, providers and others, because it increases health care costs overall. The proposed legislation would reduce uncompensated care by bringing new resources into the health care system.

"Proposal for "working uninsured" in small businesses While the proposal would require small business owners to offer their employees basic health coverage, it would not require them to contribute to premiums. Those businesses that choose to contribute would be offered state tax credits. Means testing would ensure that people who need this benefit the most, the working uninsured, get it. Employees of businesses that qualify for the program would be guaranteed access to the new benefit option."We're offering a simple proposal that would help the state overall, individuals, small businesses and providers, in addition to the working uninsured," said Boulis. "We call upon members of the Illinois General Assembly to help make this proposal a reality in order to increase access to health care through affordable health coverage."Proposal part of mission"

This proposed legislation is consistent with BCBSIL's mission, which is to provide access to high-quality, cost-effective health care to as many people as possible in the markets it serves. As the largest and one of the oldest providers of health insurance in Illinois, BCBSIL believes its expertise can help inform this dialogue and solve the problem of the state's uninsured population.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IllinoisBlue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company (HCSC) is the largest health insurance company in Illinois. It began in 1936 as Hospital Service Corporation with the Blue Cross symbol officially adopted in 1939. Currently, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois provides health insurance coverage for 6.9 million people.

HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

UniCare Sound Quotes

2007-02-15T18:23:00.000-06:00

UniCare Sound Health Insurance Plans have a new home on the internet at www.soundhealthrates.com .

Sound health rates is the new address for the website replacing www.unicaresoundplans.com

Both addresses can take you where you want to go, but www.soundhealthrates.com is the top resource for understanding, and applying for UniCare Sound Health plans.UniCare's Sound Health Plan is the perfect plan if you are single, between the ages of 18-40, and live in Illinois, or Texas. It is the perfect student health plan, the perfect plan while you are waiting for the next job, the perfect plan for when you are single, and it is real health insurance that limits your losses to the deductible.Sound is Health coverage for your body, eyes, teeth. You know, the important stuff. Three simple health insurance plans, one just your flavor.

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NAIC want to start National Catastrophe Fund

2006-12-14T14:27:00.000-06:00

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is urging Congress to create a Natural Catastrophe Commission that could establish a disaster fund, strengthen and enforce building codes, and provide community support.

A resolution calling for creation of the commission won the support of delegates to the recent winter meeting of NAIC, the Kansas City, Mo.-based trade group for state insurance officials.

Delegates to the gathering, held in San Antonio, Texas, had heard speeches warning that earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater could rock the lower Midwest and the Midsouth in a replay of the three-months-long New Madrid series of quakes of 1811 and 1812.

Descriptions of the possible tremors came in presentations by representatives of ProtectingAmerica.org, a Washington-based group formed to protect homeowners from natural catastrophes.

The ProtectingAmerica.org speakers said four catastrophic earthquakes were felt in an area of more than 1 million square miles in what was then rural America. Scientists characterize the chance of a giant quake as significant in the near future, the speakers said.

According to a June 2006 report by Risk Management Solutions Inc., Newark. Calif., a magnitude 7.7 New Madrid earthquake, similar to the one in December 1811, could inflict more than $60 billion in insured losses.Speakers who delivered that earthquake message were Robert Porter, ProtectingAmerica.org executive director; Timothy Reinhold, vice president of engineering for the Institute for Business & Home Safety; and James Dalessandro, earthquake historian, author and screenwriter."The area exposed to the New Madrid fault--home to millions of people and major population centers including St. Louis and Memphis," Porter told the conference, "is just as at-risk to a major catastrophe as Florida and the Northeast are to hurricanes and the Pacific Coast is to earthquakes."

Porter also suggested that the federal government and states create a financial reserve to back up the private insurance market.Another speaker, Timothy A. Reinhold, vice president of engineering for the Institute for Business & Home Safety, told delegates that the kind of earthquake likely in the New Madrid area could impose tremendous lateral forces on structures."The key to survival is for the structure to be able to absorb the energy from the earthquake without sustaining so much damage that the structure collapses," reinhold said. "The New Madrid area must understand its unique geography and enforce specific building code initiatives based on its individual risks."James Dalessandro, a ProtectingAmerica.org charter member, earthquake historian, author and documentary filmmaker of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, said that public awareness of the potential for another quake needs to increase in the central United States."Scientists are more concerned about a seismic event in the Midwest than they are about one in California," said Dalessandro, "for the simple reason that Californians are infinitely more prepared." ProtectingAmerica.org was formed in 2005 to safeguard families, communities, consumers and the economy. The more than 150 member organizations include emergency management agencies, first responders, disaster relief experts, large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and insurers.

Glitches in Illinois's Medicaid system

2006-11-03T11:06:00.000-06:00

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services said it corrected a computer problem that was inadvertently charging "thousands" of Medicaid patients a $3 co-payment for certain brand-name drugs that have a cheaper generic equivalent that did not require a co-pay.

Normally, when a brand-name drug becomes available in a cheaper copy, an insurance company pushes its health-plan member to the generic and offers a lower co-payment to encourage generic usage. But the department, which runs the state's Medicaid health insurance program for the poor, negotiated a rate for certain brand-name prescriptions that locked in prices that were below the price of several generic copies and kept the brands on the state's preferred drug list.

Although its computer system was not prepared to waive Medicaid patients' co-payments for the cheaper brands initially, the state estimates it was able to save taxpayers more than $11 million annually by negotiating lower brand prices. Before the system was fixed last week, the state's Medicaid director confirmed there were likely "thousands" of patients who were asked to pay the $3 co-pays on popular brands such as the cholesterol drug Zocor and the antidepressant Zoloft. Both became available in generic form this year, so the computer issue dates back to at least June when Zocor became available in generic form, pharmacists say.

"There was a problem when people were charged a co-pay when using a preferred drug and that is now fixed," said Anne Marie Murphy, Illinois Medicaid director. "We recognized this was an issue and we reorganized the computer system to eliminate that consumer issue of increased co-pay."

Murphy said it is unclear how many of the Medicaid patients actually paid the $3 co-payment because some pharmacies say they waived it and ate the cost, but state officials say patients will be able to get their money back if they paid the co-pay."If a Medicaid beneficiary was charged a co-pay for a brand-named drug on our preferred drug list, they can take their medication back to the pharmacy, have it re-billed, and get their money back at the pharmacy," said Amy Rosenband, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

Pharmacists say they worry some patients may have done without their medications and their health may have been put at risk during the period when the computer did not recognize the brands as cheaper than generics.

"We have some [Medicaid patients] who have said, `here is the three dollars' and some who have never come back for their prescription," said Len Scalzitti, owner of Medicine Stop Pharmacy of Chicago, 5525 S. Pulaski Road.The state said the problem was unfortunate but occurred in its zeal to aggressively negotiate lower prices with brand-name drugmakers, particularly because Medicaid's budget for drugs has doubled to $2 billion from just under $1 billion five years ago.

It is common for insurers to negotiate lower rates for brand names that are only recently available in generic form. Often, generics are not much cheaper than brand names until a second generic is on the market, when prices can be about 50 percent cheaper, a Food and Drug Administration analysis shows.

Introducing UniCare Sound

2006-10-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

UniCare's Sound Health Plan is the perfect plan if you are single, between the ages of 18-40, and live in Illinois, or Texas. It is the perfect student health plan, the perfect plan while you are waiting for the next job, the perfect plan for when you are single, and it is real health insurance that limits your losses to the deductible.

Sound is Health coverage for your body, eyes, teeth. You know, the important stuff. Three simple health insurance plans, one just your flavor.Apply online, that's it. No catches, no wasted time.

Brought to you by your tight bud's at UniCare Health Insurance Company of the Midwest.

How Much you Could Save?

Sure, paying for health insurance is a pain. But not having it can hurt a lot more. Accidents and illness can happen even if you think you are invincible. You blow out a knee, or have appendicitis, your faced with a $30,000 hospital bill, but with Unicare Sound you will only pay $1,500 to $5,000 for the year depending on the plan you choose to get rid of that bill.
What's the Deal?
Here it is. Health insurance, straight up. Three plans. Same all-around coverage: preventive, emergency, Rx, eyes, teeth.
Compare Plans

See how much you can save. Pick the plan that fits. Then go play. The differences: What you pay, the deductible. We pay the rest at 100% with no hassles, or paperwork.

Gravity Bender...A.K.A. 5000
You live life on the edge, and happily go over it.
In network: unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vision, Rx, ER, Preventative
$5,000 annual deductible
$67-$91 per month
Apply Online

Curb Jumper...A.K.A. 3000
Play hard. Play safe. You mix it up any which way.
In network: unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vison, Rx, ER, Preventative
$3,000 annual deductible
$67-$91 per month
Apply Online

The Cruiser...A.K.A. 1500
A well-thought-out walk on the wild side is just your style.
In network: Unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vision, Rx, ER, Wellness, Preventative
$1,500 annual deductible
$85-$114 per month
Apply Online

UniCare Sound Tips

2006-08-16T16:30:00.000-05:00

UniCare Sound has proven to be the hottest plan in Illinois this year, here are a few tips to make sure it is the right plan for you.

1. You are an Illinois or Texas resident.
2. You are not currently taking any medications except for birth control.
3. You don't have any pre existing health conditions.
4. You want the selection of a ppo network
5. You want a plan that has integrated dental benefits

Go to www.medequote.com, or www.unicaresoundplans for more information.

Making decisions for your spouses health care

2006-08-01T16:50:00.000-05:00

In their marriage vows, husbands and wives promise to stay together "in sickness and in health."

But that doesn't mean they necessarily want each other to make medical decisions for them if their health fails.

A survey has found that one-third of married people would pick someone other than their spouse to make medical decisions if they were unconscious or too sick to decide for themselves.
"This was an unexpected finding," said Dr. K. Michael Lipkin of the Northwestern University Medical School, who published the survey in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Lipkin surveyed 299 adults. Of the 133 who were married, 27 said they wanted a child to make health care decisions for them, 7 wanted a sibling, 4 wanted a parent and 6 wanted someone else. Of those who wanted a child to be their surrogate, 20 would pick a daughter and 7 a son.
Lipkin suggested several possible reasons why so many married people wouldn't pick their spouses. Some might not want to place such an emotional burden on a spouse, especially an elderly one. Or they might feel that another person had more medical expertise. And in some cultures, spouses continue to defer to their parents, even after marriage.

Federal law requires hospitals and nursing homes to ask patients whether they have an advance directive, such as a living will or health care power of attorney.
However, advance directives require witnessing or notarizing and might not apply to common medical situations. The documents are "infrequently used and seldom effective," according to a 2004 article in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Most willing to name proxy

Rather than relying on advance directives, doctors instead should simply ask patients to identify a proxy to make health care decisions, Lipkin said.
The main purpose of his study was to determine how willing patients were to do this. He found that all but one of the 299 patients were willing to name a proxy. And 91 percent said routinely asking patients to name a proxy was a good idea.

The survey was conducted at a general eye clinic at the University of Chicago, where Lipkin formerly worked.

Although respondents had different ages and states of health, they did not necessarily represent the general medical population, Lipkin wrote.

Chicago braces for Killer Heat Wave

2006-07-29T13:57:00.000-05:00

As Chicagoan's braced for another sweltering weekend, officials urged residents to stay cool after the National Weather Service declared the area's second heat warning of the summer.The weather service said Friday that high temperatures and humidity could push the heat index above 100 degrees through early next week. Excessive heat has been predicted for 19 Illinois counties.The danger of multiple, scorching days, officials warned, is the cumulative effect of heat on the body. "Each day of a heat wave is more deadly than the day before," said Dr. William Paul, deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. But, he said, heat-related deaths are preventable.

To avoid heat-induced illnesses, Paul emphasized that cooling off even for two to three hours on extremely hot days can help the body cope. People living without air-conditioning are encouraged to visit cooling centers, take cool baths or showers and drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Since the summer's first heat wave swept through the region two weeks ago, officials have attributed eight deaths to the heat, with the victims ranging from age 49 to 79.

On Friday, officials in Cicero said the death of a 6-month-old girl may have been heat-related. An autopsy of the child will be performed Saturday, police said.

Officials are responding to the heat wave by opening cooling centers across the city and suburbs and extending hours at some senior centers. In Chicago, four senior centers will have extended hours. Other cooling centers include district police stations, libraries and park facilities.The Chicago Department on Aging will place calls to high-risk seniors and will team up with the Department of Human Services to conduct well-being checks requested through phone calls to 311, the city's information number.

www.medquote.com
www.medequote.net
www.unicaresoundplans.com

UniCare Sound Plans

2006-07-28T02:33:00.000-05:00

UniCare Sound Health Plans are a new product for resident of Illinois, and Texas. The plan has proven to be the most popular plan in whatever area it is marketed in. Simply put it is the best deal in health insurance today.

UniCare's Sound Health Plan is the perfect plan if you are single, between the ages of 18-40, and live in Illinois, or Texas. It is the perfect student health plan, the perfect plan while you are waiting for the next job, the perfect plan for when you are single, and it is real health insurance that limits your losses to the deductible.

Sound is Health coverage for your body, eyes, teeth. You know, the important stuff. Three simple health insurance plans, one just your flavor. Apply online, that's it. No catches, no wasted time.

Brought to you by your tight bud's at UniCare Health Insurance Company of the Midwest.

How Much you Could Save?

Sure, paying for health insurance is a pain. But not having it can hurt a lot more. Accidents and illness can happen even if you think you are invincible. You blow out a knee, or have appendicitis, your faced with a $30,000 hospital bill, but with Unicare Sound you will only pay $1,500 to $5,000 for the year depending on the plan you choose to get rid of that bill.
What's the Deal?
Here it is. Health insurance, straight up. Three plans. Same all-around coverage: preventive, emergency, Rx, eyes, teeth.

Compare Plans

See how much you can save. Pick the plan that fits. Then go play. The differences: What you pay, the deductible. We pay the rest at 100% with no hassles, or paperwork.

Gravity Bender...A.K.A. 5000

You live life on the edge, and happily go over it.

In network: unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vision, Rx, ER, Preventative
$5,000 annual deductible
$67-$91 per month
Apply Online at www.unicaresoundplans.com

Curb Jumper...A.K.A. 3000

Play hard. Play safe. You mix it up any which way.

In network: unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vison, Rx, ER, Preventative
$3,000 annual deductible
$67-$91 per month
Apply online at www.unicaresoundplans.com

The Cruiser...A.K.A. 1500

A well-thought-out walk on the wild side is just your style.

In network: Unlimited doctor visits per year
$40 co-pay
Dental, Vision, Rx, ER, Wellness, Preventative
$1,500 annual deductible
$85-$114 per month
Apply Online at www.unicaresoundplans.com

Blagojevich allocates another $5 million to stem cell research

2006-07-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

For a second straight year, Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his executive powers Thursday to order millions of dollars in state funds to be used for stem cell research, bypassing a state legislature conflicted on the controversial issue.Acting just a day after President Bush issued his first-ever veto in rejecting an expansion of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, the Democratic governor ordered $5 million be available for grants on top of $10 million he announced last July.Illinois Senate Republicans accused Blagojevich of again subverting the will of the legislature, which has been sharply divided on the issue--particularly embryonic stem cell research. Lawmakers objected to Blagojevich's efforts to specifically earmark stem cell research funding in the state budget they approved in May.As he did last July, Blagojevich justified his move as an effort to help advance medical progress. He has used populist health-related initiatives, such as expanded children's insurance coverage, as a cornerstone of his re-election campaign.Blagojevich said Bush's actions made it clear that "stem cell research will get no support from Washington as long as he occupies the White House" while state lawmakers "had yet to back a plan" for providing research support."It would be wrong to ask sick and injured people and their loved ones to wait for the tides in Springfield and Washington to change before research into potentially life-saving cures can move forward," he said.Blagojevich aides said they could not determine how much of the $5 million would go to grants involving embryonic stem cells--the most politically controversial aspect of stem cell research--until the recipients were selected. Some conservatives, including Bush, oppose embryonic stem cell studies because they involve the destruction of human embryos.Senate Republicans said the Illinois legislature has answered the governor on this issue."The General Assembly has on at least two occasions debated this issue and rejected it," said Patty Schuh, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville).Last July, after failed legislative attempts to set aside money for stem cell research, Blagojevich announced that he would fund such grants using $10 million that had been tucked into the state's budget under the generic heading of "scientific research." The line item did not mention the words stem cell, which angered opponents who said Blagojevich was trying to circumvent the legislature.After that experience, Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) said he asked directly this year on the Senate floor whether this year's budget would include any funding for stem cell research.Sen. Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), the top budget negotiator for Senate Democrats, said he told Righter that the budget didn't contain money for stem cell research because there was no specific line item for it.Trotter said the governor was able to find $5 million in the administrative budget of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for stem cell research, partly because the cost of implementing All Kids, the governor's health-insurance plan for children, and other health programs was lower than projected."This wasn't our original intention during the budget process," said Blagojevich spokesman Abby Ottenhoff. "But in light of the president's veto yesterday, it's really the only option to make sure that stem cell research continues."

www.medequote.com
www.medequote.net
www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.tonikhealthquotes.com

Napierville snuffs out smoking

2006-07-20T19:29:00.000-05:00

California snuffed out smoking in bars and restaurants eight years ago. Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Chicago and most recently Oak Park followed with similar smoke-free ordinances.On Tuesday, the Naperville City Council took the first steps toward banning smoking in public places, including bars and restaurants. Heeding the call of a grass-roots anti-smoking group, the council unanimously agreed to take up the issue and directed city staff to draft sample ordinances for consideration in August.

Doubts about Illinois All Kids program

2006-07-18T20:00:00.000-05:00

When Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed it last fall, the All Kids legislation was heralded as one of the nation's most ambitious plans to ensure that all children would have access to health insurance, regardless of their immigration status.Now, as the program's benefits have begun to roll out, thousands of families and doctors are wondering whether the broad-reaching effort will live up to its promise.

Illinois officials said the program, which launched July 1, was designed to cover medical, dental and vision visits as well as prescription drugs for those 18 and younger. It targets working-class families that can't afford private insurance but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. New Mexico and Hawaii have established similar youth health benefits, and Massachusetts' new near-universal program includes provisions to increase coverage for uninsured minors.

Legislators in at least eight other states are examining proposals that would guarantee affordable coverage for minors. And as the country heads into midterm elections, universal coverage for children has broad popular support: 83% of voters in California, for example, supported state proposals to make sure every child had health insurance, according to a recent poll conducted for the United Way."It's more than just politics, though," said Jocelyn Guyer, senior program director at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute. "Kids not having coverage is a huge problem, and it's only getting bigger."

The goal of All Kids is to fill the gap between where the federal government leaves off and where the private sector begins. An estimated 250,000 children in Illinois do not have health insurance.So far, more than 43,000 children have been enrolled in All Kids; the state hopes to enroll 50,000 in the first year. How much a family pays at the doctor's office depends on its income. For example, a family of four that makes $40,000 to $60,000 a year would be billed a $10 co-payment for each doctor visit and $40 a month per child, according to program officials.

The program is to be funded by a combination of patient fees, federal funds and cuts to other state healthcare expenses. Part of the costs will be covered by changing how the state's 1.7 million Medicaid patients see their doctors. Instead of visiting any physician on a list, those beneficiaries will be assigned a single doctor — a system modeled after health-management organizations."To me, healthcare is a fundamental human right," Blagojevich said. "If it's OK for the governor's two young children to have regular visits to the doctors for checkups … then the golden rule teaches us we should do for others as others would do for you."

Yet some critics question whether All Kids, which is expected to cost $45 million in its first year, will be able to deliver on its promise. They fear the program could end up costing more than expected, which could strain an already tight state budget."We've seen lots of promises with All Kids and little else," said state Sen. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton), who has criticized the program's design. "How much of this is politics, and how much of this is trying to do the right thing?"Blagojevich, who has turned the program into a cornerstone of his reelection campaign this year, countered: "This is an affordable healthcare program, not a free one."Medical professionals have varying opinions about the program.

Some are optimistic — "It's something we've needed for years," said Dr. Mark Rosenberg, past president of the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics — whereas others have serious concerns about the program's long-term success."We have trouble with the state Medicaid program paying bills on time. We haven't been told if patients are going to know where to go for treatment, or how we're supposed to deal with referrals," said Dr. Peter Eupierre, president of the Illinois State Medical Society. "There are too many unanswered questions for our comfort."Blagojevich said he spearheaded All Kids in response to appeals from voters, who said they could not afford regular medical checkups for themselves or their children, and couldn't afford treatment if they got sick.An estimated 46 million people in America lack health insurance, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and some state and local governments are trying to step in and fill the gap.

The federal government has tried to make cuts into Medicaid, and there's concern that they'll try to duplicate the same cuts here," said Peter Harbage, an independent consultant and former assistant secretary with the California Health and Human Services Agency. "Without those federal dollars, these state programs will be in serious trouble."

Considering a retirement home brings up some good questions.

2006-07-17T22:18:00.000-05:00

Moving late in life is hard. First you must come to terms with the idea, then decide where to go. As one reader wrote, "I'm an active 89 this month and having a terrible time deciding what retirement home I should select. Time to move, I'm sure — but where?"
Here's where the "tire-kicking" comes in doing your homework to find the right place. While the decision can be tough, it can also open doors to a renewed and more convenient quality of life. What's hard is the unknown until you know it.

So where do you start? One step at a time.

• Know what services are available and their costs.
• Decide which of these services is appropriate, based on your functional needs, now and in the future. You can download my "Older Adult Assessment" form in the related links area of this article.
If you're healthy, you'll look for an independent retirement community that offers additional services for later.
If you have difficulty with daily chores, can't walk, have Alzheimer's, or need medical attention, you're more likely to need an assisted-living facility, adult family home or nursing home.
Whatever the choice, the basic questions are similar.

1. What are the fee structure and costs?
Private-pay. Fees are based on the living space you choose, with higher rates for such amenities as a view, large square-footage or a deck. Some facilities charge a fixed amount, while others add on fees for the services you use. This might be stated as a "level" of care for, say, two hours of staff time a day; "à la carte," meaning each item you use has a price, such as assistance with medications and bathing; or a "point" system that covers a group of services.
Ask about the facility's history of price increases, whether there's a one-time move-in fee or pet deposit. What happens if you run out of money?
Government funding may be available if you need care (not if you're healthy), but availability varies widely. Medicare, for example, is available only in nursing homes, while Medicaid or COPES (for those who've spent down their assets) is in a few assisted-living facilities (the state calls them "boarding homes"), some adult family homes, and most nursing homes.

2. Is space available now? Is there a waiting list? What happens if you're not ready when they call? Is there a fee to be wait-listed?

3. Special needs: If it's appropriate, be sure to ask whether the facility can provide low-salt or diabetic meals, help with insulin shots, lifting or other medical assistance. These require special staff (mainly nurses) and equipment, and some places don't have them.

4. Food: How many meals are provided each day? What choices do you have if you don't like what's served? Can you have a fried egg anytime you want? Most facilities welcome visitors for lunch, so be sure to sample amply, since the quality and taste can be a deal-breaker.

5. Pay attention to the activity schedule and, if you can, observe what happens. A good activity director is worth her weight in gold.

6. How does the facility assess your condition as it changes, and what happens then?

7. In adult family homes, where only one person may provide care day and night, how does he or she take a break?

8. The long-term-care ombudsman's office, a state program (in every state) that advocates for residents' rights, sends volunteers to many facilities to visit. Does one come to this facility?

9. Does the facility accept residents with memory loss? If so, is there a special section for them, with special activities and trained staff? At what point is someone with dementia required to move?

You can get answers to some of these questions by telephone. However, the best way to gauge whether a facility fits your needs is to visit. The more choices you experience, the easier it is to compare. And try to visit more than once. Make an appointment when you need in-depth information (such as for your first visit), then come unannounced on a different day and hour of the week to observe.

If you have a friend, daughter or son, bring that person, too. It's always good to have more than one set of eyes and ears helping you process this complicated information.

Remember, it's not the wallpaper that makes a place worthy of being your new home, but the quality of what goes on inside.
Use your senses: your eyes, ears, nose, taste and touch. Does the place smell? Does it seem clean? Is it pleasant? In nursing homes, are the call bells answered promptly? Do you hear irritation in staff voices? This may indicate staff shortages and overwork.

Do staff members know residents by name, and vice versa? Do they seem to like each other? Pull the emergency cord and see how quickly someone comes. Telephone during nonbusiness hours and leave a message. How promptly is it returned?

www.medequote.com

Overcoming hurdles with Cobra

2006-07-10T13:52:00.000-05:00

Under COBRA, an individual who might otherwise lose coverage under a group health plan can pay to continue that coverage for a limited time. Thus, under COBRA, an employer must give a “qualified beneficiary” who has had a qualifying event the opportunity to continue the health coverage that he or she was previously receiving before the qualifying event. Notice and disclosure obligations relating to the continuation coverage are imposed upon employers that sponsor COBRA-covered plans.COBRA applies to group health plans. Generally, a plan is a group health plan if it provides medical care and is maintained by the employer. Medical care, defined under section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, includes the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease and any undertaking affecting any structure or function of the body and is not just merely beneficial to an individual’s general health or well being. A group health plan can require a qualified beneficiary to pay an amount that does not exceed 102% of the “applicable premium” for the coverage. The “applicable premium” is the cost to the plan of providing coverage.When a plan offers DM, wellness or health improvement programs, how does this fit into the COBRA picture? Is the DM or wellness program part of the health plan or a health plan in and of itself? Should qualified beneficiaries be afforded the opportunity to continue in the DM or wellness program; and if yes, at what cost? Is continuation of the primary medical plan necessary to receive on-going DM benefits? Should the individual receive any premium discounts or other incentives?

It’s easy to raise questions, but not so easy to answer them. Often, there may be no clear answers. Some plans extend benefits (and even the discounts) to COBRA qualified beneficiaries; others do not. When it comes to DM programs and COBRA, it’s best to seek legal advice about whether or not COBRA requires that the program be extended to continuees. Several considerations come into play when analyzing whether COBRA continuation coverage must be extended in a particular DM program:

1. Consider what type of program it is -- DM, wellness or health improvement program. This may have bearing on whether the program would be considered a medical plan under COBRA. For example, a program that simply promotes healthy living or offers referrals may not be considered to be medical care. On the other hand, a program that promotes healthy living, but also provides smoking cessation and weight loss classes, in addition to counseling services and screening services with follow up consultations with program physicians would likely be considered to be medical care.

2. Consider what type of incentive is offered – cash, flex credits, premium reduction or discount or improved benefit? It seems fairly clear that if the incentive involves cash or a premium discount or reduction, COBRA would apply differently, or maybe not at all. COBRA only attaches to “medical care.”

3. Is the DM program part of the health plan, or a free-standing arrangement? Would it be considered a separate group health plan? Does the DM program offer medical coverage? Who delivers the DM program? Is it offered by an outside vendor? By the health issuer or employer health plan? Does it make a difference who provides the discount – the employer, the vendor, the insurer?The key here turns on whether the DM program offers medical care or would be considered medical care. If the DM program provides health credits, discounts or cash incentives when a participant fills out a health risk assessment, some argue the DM program is related to the cost of coverage and is not a medical benefit at all. Others believe that if a “premium discount” is offered for DM participation, it likely means that COBRA continuees must be offered an opportunity to participate (i.e., with or without the discount based on DM participation) in the primary medical plan with the premium discount. This especially seems to be the case where the DM incentive is deposited into a health reimbursement account.If the program is a “strict disease management program” that identifies individuals with risk factors once a claim is made, the services provided under the program (such as education, nurse contact to manage a chronic disease) seem to be clearly medical care provided through the employer. These services must be extended to COBRA continuees on the same basis as they are extended to active employees.What about a DM program where the incentive is related to benefit coverage? An example of this type program is one that offers a higher level of benefit (e.g., smaller copays, coinsurance, or deductibles) for coverage of individuals who participate in the DM program. It would appear that this type of incentive must also be offered to COBRA continuees since it relates to the coverage under a medical plan. This coverage also, however has a value. While the continuee might be entitled to the better coverage under the DM program, they will have to pay 102% of any additional cost to get the benefit. Of course an actuarial analysis must be undertaken to justify whether there is indeed an additional cost (or whether the DM participation may in fact reduce claims costs). (See discussion of premium later in the article.)If the program is of a “wellness” nature, the question of whether medical care is provided is less clear. A program that offers a health risk assessment and coaching services to promote a healthy lifestyle may not be considered medical care. A program that offers “targeted intervention” based on answers to the health risk assessment questions would more likely be construed as providing medical care. Much depends on what the “targeted intervention” entails. A program that offers smoking cessation or weight loss classes (rather than a referral to such classes) and provides screening and physician follow-up would likely be considered to offer medical care. It would seem appropriate in that instance to extend the program to continuees.

4. Is the DM program extended to a larger “footprint” than active medical coverage? For example, many employers make the DM program available to all employees – even if they do not participate in the medical plan. In this case, a DM program that is deemed to be medical care would create COBRA obligations (and a continuation right) for all employees eligible for the DM benefit – even if they are not in the employer’s primary medical plan. This could substantially increase the administrative burden and cost on the plan sponsor. On the other hand, if the DM program is structured as part of the employer’s group health plan, COBRA rights could be restricted to those in the medical plan, and continuation coverage obligations could be integrated into the active plan’s COBRA regime.

5. Ultimately, COBRA is not just about continuing medical care, but paying 102% of the actual cost of that medical care. Even if a DM program would be considered employer provided medical care, the COBRA premium for such care is 102% of the actual cost. An employer has wide discretion to determine the number of group health plans it maintains. If the DM program is a separate plan, or priced separately, this determination is easy. In many cases, to accommodate COBRA, employers will be required to offer a COBRA rate with the DM program included in the health plan, and/or a rate with the DM program excluded.Note that if the employer considers the DM program to be a separate medical plan, a COBRA notice obligation could also arise.The issues presented here can be complex and intricate. In reality, probably few employers adequately consider the COBRA implications when it comes to their DM programs, particularly the ones that relate to healthy living or wellness program and those that offer cash incentives. As incentives for participation in these programs tie them tighter to medical benefits though, employers will have to carefully consider the COBRA implications. When COBRA applies, as a general rule, the plan sponsor must give COBRA continuees the same DM privileges as are extended to active employees. Employers will need their legal counsel to help them sort out all the issues.B. Taxability ConcernsAs noted above, as an inducement for employees to complete a health risk assessment, many DM Programs provide financial incentives (the “carrot”) to employees for completing the health risk assessment. These financial incentives often take the form of gift certificates, cash, premium reductions or dollars in an HRA, FSA, or HSA. When the incentive is couched in terms of a health benefits, such as a premium reduction or a payment into a health FSA, HRA or HSA, the incentive may be excluded from taxation. When the incentive is couched in terms of a gift certificate, gift card or coupon or cash bonus, the incentive will be included in income and will be taxable. Often the infrastructure does not exist to properly address tax issues associated with DM financial incentives.

1. Premium Incentives - If an employer offers an incentive (or disincentive) related to a health premium, such as reduction in a health premium, a premium holiday, or a contribution to a health FSA, HRA or HSA (or a premium increase), the amount of that incentive will be excluded from the employee’s gross income pursuant to sections 105 and 106 of the Internal Revenue Code. Like other employer provided health benefits, an incentive of this nature will receive the same tax treatment. The incentive will not be included in the employee’s gross income. Additionally, the incentive will be excluded from employment taxes (FICA and FUTA, generally) and will be a deductible business expense for the employer (under section 162 (a)).

2. Cash Incentives - If the employer offers an incentive that takes the form of cash, such as a bonus or a gift certificate or card, the incentive will likely be taxable and should be included in the employee’s gross income as compensation. In some cases, it may be possible that an incentive offered in the form of an employee discount or meal, for example, could be excludable from the employee’s gross income because it is considered a fringe benefit under section 132. But these instances are rare. The more common situation, however, is where the employer offers a gift certificate, card, coupon (or outright cash) to the employee that participates in the DM program. These types of incentives will not qualify as nontaxable fringe benefits. The IRS treats gift certificates, card or coupons as cash equivalents. Cash to an employee is treated as compensation and is always taxable under section 61 of the Code. These incentive amounts will be subject to employment tax reporting and additional withholding obligations.In addition, if the DM financial incentives are paid through a VEBA, the VEBA’s tax-free status may be jeopardized, even though the incentive is tied to a permissible benefit (the health plan and DM Program). This is because VEBAs must generally provide only certain permissible benefits (e.g., healthcare). VEBAs may provide some level of other (e.g., impermissible) benefits, but the level of such impermissible benefits must be “de minimis” when compared to other benefits offered under the VEBA. There is no definition of “de minimis,” in the Code or Treasury Regulations, but IRS rulings related to domestic partner benefits seem to use 3% as the threshold. While such incentives may be de minimis when considered separately, when combined with additional “non-health” benefits the incentive could raise exceed the 3% threshold. For example, if the VEBA presently pays benefits for domestic partners (also an impermissible benefit), the addition of the DM financial incentive might send the entire amount over the VEBA’s “de minimis” limit.

3. Incentives Can Raise Nondiscrimination Red Flags - Although not intentional, DM incentives could cause nondiscrimination issues under sections 105(h) (self–insured medical plans) and/or 125 (cafeteria plans). Nondiscrimination issues could arise depending on the employees who choose to participate in the program and receive the incentive. Those that receive the incentive, depending on the nature of the incentive (e.g., cash vs. premium reduction), could also get a better benefit under the self-insured medical plan and/or cafeteria plan which could, in turn, affect nondiscrimination testing. Incentives could affect the benefits test under section 105(h) and the key employee concentration and the benefit and contributions tests under section 125.

As a result of these tax issues, plan sponsors should seek the advice of competent benefits counsel to weigh the pros and cons of the type of incentives to offer, and to decipher potential tax issues.C. Compliance Concerns That May Arise When DM Programs are Integrated With HSAs or HRAsIn light of the tax and VEBA compliance issues associated taxable financial incentives, many employers seek to direct incentives toward tax-free health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) benefits. As discussed in this section, great care should be exercised to ensure that the applicable operating rules associated with HSA and HRA arrangements are not violated.

1. HSAs and the Comparability Requirement - As employers search for new ways to keep illness and health plan spending down and promote wellness programs, HSAs are often considered. An employer that sponsors an HSA is not required to make HSA contributions. However, if an employer makes HSA contributions, the employer is subject to a 35% excise tax on all of its HSA contributions made during the calendar year unless it “makes available comparable contributions to the [HSAs] of all comparable participating employees for each month during such calendar year.” Generally, if an employer makes contributions to HSAs, it must contribute the same amount or the same percentage of the deductible to all employees who are eligible individuals, and who have the same coverage category (self-only or family). The employer may, however, restrict its contributions to those eligible individuals covered under the employer’s HDHP provided that the employer makes no contributions to any employee not covered under the employer’s HDHP. Also, the test may be run separately for “part-time employees”, which is statutorily defined as those who customarily work fewer than 30 hours per week. We call this the “HSA comparability rule.”Unfortunately, this inflexible “comparability” requirement does not fit well with the goal of rewarding DM Program participants with HSA-based financial incentives for DM participation. However, the HSA comparability rule does not apply when employer contributions (including matching contributions and bonuses for disease management and wellness programs) are “made through a Section 125 cafeteria plan”. IRS Notice 2004-50 includes the following discussion:Q-49. If under the employer’s cafeteria plan, employees who are eligible individuals and who participate in health assessments, disease management programs or wellness programs receive an employer contribution to an HSA, unless the employee elects cash, are the contributions subject to the section 4980G comparability rules?A-49. No. The comparability rules under section 4980G do not apply to employer contributions to an HSA through a cafeteria plan.Employers struggle, however, with this concept of a DM-based HSA contribution being made “through a cafeteria plan.” Exactly when is a contribution considered to be made "through a cafeteria plan?" If the example above is read too literally, it would seem that a “cash” incentive must always be available for the DM incentive to be offered through the cafeteria plan.

2. HRAs and DM IncentivesMany consumer-driven healthcare arrangements include a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) under which unused funds carry forward into subsequent years. Often plan sponsors seek to include the DM financial incentive as part of the HRA – i.e., participating in the wellness or DM program results in an increased HRA contribution. As discussed below, this plan design may create compliance issues under the current HRA rules.Currently, employer contributions to an HRA may NOT be attributable in whole or part to pre-tax salary reductions made under a cafeteria plan. In addition, an HRA may not be funded with benefit credits that could otherwise be received as cashable compensation. This does not mean that the HRA cannot be offered in conjunction with a major medical plan (e.g., an HDHP) that is funded in part with employee pre-tax contributions. However, the “no direct/indirect” funding requirement must be satisfied in order for the HRA to be offered with a medical plan that is offered under the cafeteria plan – i.e., employee salary reductions (or employer cashable credits) cannot fund the HRA either directly or indirectly.No direct funding of HRA: The first condition is satisfied if employee pre-tax salary reduction amounts do not directly fund the HRA. Direct funding does not occur if (i) the salary reduction agreement indicates that salary reductions are used solely for the non-HRA portion of the major medical plan, and (ii) the employee pre-tax salary reductions for the major medical plan are less than the applicable COBRA premium for such coverage. For example, if the applicable COBRA premium for single major medical coverage is $1,800 per year, the annual salary reduction election for such coverage must be less than $1,800. The applicable COBRA premium is generally the cost to the plan to provide such coverage. The 2% administrative charge permitted by COBRA is in addition to the applicable premium. The salary reduction must be less than the applicable premium for such coverage without consideration of the 2% administrative charge.No indirect funding of HRA: A substantially less clear condition is that the HRA cannot interact with a cafeteria plan in such a way that it is indirectly funded with pre-tax salary reductions. IRS HRA guidance indicates that where an employee who participates in an HRA has a choice among two or more medical plan options to be used in conjunction with the HRA (or a choice among various maximum reimbursement amounts), and there is a correlation between the maximum reimbursement amount under the HRA and the salary reduction election for a specified medical plan, then the salary reduction is attributed to the HRA, even if the salary reduction is less than the applicable COBRA premium. For example, an employer may not permit an employee to choose a higher salary reduction amount for a particular level of specific medical plan coverage in order to receive a higher HRA amount. In the example provided by the IRS HRA guidance, the employer offers family medical coverage worth $4,500. The employee may choose to contribute on a pre-tax salary reduction basis either $2,500 or $3,500 for such coverage. If the employee elects the $2,500 salary reduction option, the employee receives a $1,000 credit to his or her HRA. If the employee elects the $3,500 salary reduction option, he or she will receive a much higher HRA credit of $2,000. The example set forth in the guidance (and discussed above) indicates that an employee cannot have a choice between a higher salary reduction amount and a higher HRA. Thus, it may be permissible to offer multiple medical plan options in conjunction with the HRA provided that HRA reimbursement amounts increase as salary reduction amounts decrease.

For example, assume an employer offers two medical plan options in conjunction with an HRA. Option 1 offers major medical with a $3,000 deductible. The applicable premium for such coverage for the year is $2,000. The required salary reduction amount is $500 and the HRA amount is $2,000.

Alternatively, employees can choose Option 2, which offers a major medical plan with a $4,000 deductible and an applicable premium of $1,500. The salary reduction amount for Option 2 is $300 and the HRA is $3,000. This would appear to be permissible because the employee is not electing a higher salary reduction amount for a higher HRA (it is quite the opposite).The IRS HRA guidance identifies two other situations where the salary reduction is attributable to the HRA, even though the salary reduction amount is less than the applicable COBRA premium. One, an HRA is deemed to be indirectly funded with pre-tax salary reductions if the employee may choose to apply the HRA amount toward the employee’s share of medical plan coverage in lieu of the pre-tax salary reduction. Two, an HRA is deemed to be indirectly funded with pre-tax salary reductions if the amount credited to the HRA is related to an amount forfeited under a Health FSA. Impact of HRA Rules on DM financial incentives: Health plan sponsors must be especially vigilant of the HRA indirect funding rules when designing their DM financial incentive arrangements. For example, an employer that creates a DM health incentive for all employees that participate in a specified disease management or wellness program may run afoul of the HRA indirect funding rule if the DM financial incentive is deposited in an HRA. Consider the following: Wellco currently has two health plan options. A PPO option with an employee contribution rate of $100 per month and a high deductible HRA option with an employee contribution of $200 per month with $100 per month accruing in an HRA. Wellco is considering a DM incentive whereby employees in either option can receive a $10 per month HRA credit for completing a health risk assessment. Are there any issues under the HRA indirect funding rule? Under the above arrangement, it appears that participants have a choice of the Wellco PPO option or HRA option – both of which have a related DM HRA. While the PPO option has a DM HRA, additional HRA contributions can be obtained by electing to salary reduce an additional $100 per month and electing the HRA option (in lieu of the PPO). This could be considered to be a violation of the indirect funding rule. The amount of the HRA accrual for the DM incentive for the PPO option is less than the HRA accrual for the HRA option. Therefore, if the salary reduction amount for the health coverage under the HRA health coverage option is greater than the salary reduction amount for the health coverage offered with the PPO Plan, then there may be an indirect funding issue -- i.e., the HRA accrual increases in tandem with the salary reduction. Arguments can be made that the Wellco plan does not violate the indirect funding rule – e.g., indeed, the DM incentive is equally available regardless of salary reduction contribution amount. However, once this issue is identified, conservative employers may wish to evaluate a couple of alternatives to possibly eliminate the "indirect funding" issue. First, given the nominal amount of the DM HRA, perhaps it could be offered without a carryover -- thus making it an FSA but not an HRA at all. This would facilitate offering the DM incentive without adversely affecting the indirect funding rule. Alternatively, depending on pricing and benefit offerings, if the HRA option has a lower salary reduction requirement than the PPO option, then an indirect funding issue should not arise.Needless to say, great care should be taken in designing a DM incentive program to ensure that the direct/indirect funding rules are not violated.ConclusionWe have examined the ADA, HIPAA nondiscrimination as well as privacy, COBRA, ADEA, and tax issues (HSA and HRA issues) related to DM programs. While DM programs continue to gain popularity and make their mark on the healthcare industry, employers should take care to take a measured approach looking at the whole picture, including the benefits compliance issues associated with such arrangements.

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UniCare HSA Plans gaining momentum

2006-07-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

The sales of UniCare HSA plans have increased quite a bit this year as the price of competitors products have risen and the UniCare HSA Plan prices have reamined stable as expected.

Say's John Berkowitz of www.medequote.com "The prices for all UniCare products are very stable from year to year, and the best thing about UniCare is they charge the same price to new consumers, as they do to existing plan members, they don't supplement new enrollment by offering a low price initially then raising the price dramatically in the second year."

UniCare offers four different HSA plan options for consumers, and the plans are now available in Illinois, Texas, Michigan, and Virginia.

Sales have been brisk according to Berkowitz, "In the Illinois market, particularly in Chicago there really is only one choice price wise, and that is currently UniCare, but we do sell BCBSIL HSA plans to families who want the maternity option added to their health plan. Assurant also offers the same maternity option with HSA plans."

"We have a lot of consumers from other states who call and ask for UniCare products, or ask when they will be available here, so you know there is quite a national buzz surrounding everything UniCare does", says Berkowitz.

UniCare HSA plans and UniCare HSA Quotes are available at www.medequote.com, and www.medequote.net.

Illinois Student Health Insurance

2006-07-06T21:57:00.000-05:00

We have been getting quite a few calls from Illinois residents concerning the UniCare Sound plan and it's use as a Illinois Student health insurance plan.

UniCare Sound is the perfect health insurance plan for Illinois students. The plan provides coverage for Hospital, Surgical, ER, Unlimited Doctor Visits, Prescriptions, Dental and Vision. What get's everyone's attention is the low price per month which ranges between $60 - $114 per month depending on your age, sex, where you live, or are going to school. The price may be low but the coverage isn't compared to so called Illinois Student Health Insurance Plans.
Parents like the UniCare Sound Student plan because it provides a lot more coverage than is typically offered with school policies, and the large network gives nation wide coverage while traveling.

Illinois students like the fact that they are covered head to toe and can visit any emergency room. The unlimited $40 copay for doctor visits means that health care is now affordable when they have a problem. The dental plan pays 100% for checkups, and 80% for fillings! The vision provides for an $50 toward your eyes exam and deep discounts on contacts, and eyewear!
The UniCare Sound plan is the hottest thing to enter the Illinois Health Insurance market in the last decade! The plan is available in three different deductible, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All are 100% plans with out any coinsurance, and no hassles! Your yearly out of pocket for Hospitilization and Surgery equals your yearly deductible, everything else is first dollar coverage!

The application process is simple, apply online, or over the phone, the whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and a healthy person can be covered right away! Just click above to get a Illinois health insurance quote for the UniCare Sound plan. It is the ideal Illinois Student Health Insurance Plan.

www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.com

Is it OK to call children obese?

2006-07-04T13:13:00.000-05:00

Is it OK for doctors and parents to tell children and teens they're fat?

That seems to be at the heart of a debate over whether to replace the fuzzy language favored by the U.S. government with the painful truth. Labeling a child obese might "run the risk of making them angry, making the family angry," but it addresses a serious issue head-on, said Dr. Reginald Washington, a Denver pediatrician and co-chairman of an American Academy of Pediatrics obesity task force."If that same person came into your office and had cancer, or was anemic, or had an ear infection, would we be having the same conversation? There are a thousand reasons why this obesity epidemic is so out of control, and one of them is no one wants to talk about it."

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Second Hand Smoke in Chicago is Dangerous

2006-06-28T14:12:00.000-05:00

No amount of air filtration can eliminate the health hazards of secondhand smoke, according to a new U.S. surgeon general's report that could challenge a controversial loophole in Chicago's impending ban on smoking in public places.The report surveyed 20 years of scientific evidence about the effects of secondhand smoke and found that even trace amounts cause immediate and damaging effects in non-smokers. That led Surgeon General Richard Carmona to conclude there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke."The debate is over as far as I'm concerned," said Carmona. "Based on the science I wouldn't allow anyone in my family to stand in a room with someone smoking."Some 126 million non-smokers in the U.S. are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces, putting them at a 20 percent to 30 percent greater risk for lung cancer and heart disease, according to the report. It attributed an estimated 50,000 deaths each year to secondhand smoke exposure, 430 of them babies who succumb to sudden infant death syndrome.

John Berkowitz of www.medequote.com says a smoking ban goes into effect in Evanston July 1st.

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Access to care expands in suburban Cook County

2006-06-26T18:06:00.000-05:00

A low-cost medical program for the uninsured in suburban Cook County will be able to serve 5,000 new clients this year thanks to a $3 million allocation from the State of Illinois. Access to Care, a Westchester-based non-profit group, said the legislature provided the money in a bipartisan endorsement of the program's efforts to reach the growing number of uninsured in suburban Cook County. Access to Care lets patients pay $5 for certain doctor's office visits, $5 for basic lab tests and X-rays and $10 to $30 for certain prescription drugs. There is an annual enrollment fee of $20 to $50, depending on family size.Nearly 360,000 of the more than 900,000 uninsured residents of Cook County are in its suburbs, Access to Care said. In Illinois there are about 1.8 million uninsured of the estimated 45 million uninsured in the U.S., the most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures show.Last year Access to Care provided medical services to nearly 14,000 people and it has about 2,800 on its waiting list.

The pilot program serves the area of Chicago west of Pulaski Road and north of North Avenue.For eligibility questions, call Access to Care at 708-531-0680

Your Health Insurance Company Can Actually Kill You!

2006-06-22T17:38:00.000-05:00

Many health insurance companies, including Illinois Health insurance companies are now selling direct to the consumer, bypassing the health insurance agent. The cost of health insurance is the same, there is no discount whether you are buying it from the agent, or directly from the insurance company. The advantage for the insurance company is simply more profit, by not paying the agent, they make more money.

One large Midwest Health Insurance comments that they have a goal of selling 10% of their sales volume in house, but despite that they realize the importance of having agents in the field becuase there is no way they could service their cutomer base without the aid of independent agents. Still that 10% adds a lot to the bottomline, so they go after it while still supporting affiliated agents.

For the consumer there is no advantage to buying directly from the health insurance company. What the consumer gets is a reduced, to non existant level of policy service. That's right, dealing directly with the company means you are going to be dealing with entry level customer service people on the phone, and more often, or not that customer service is being outsourced to foreign countries.

The level of service you expect won't be there. The same health insurance companies that want you to buy direct, and cut out the agent to increase their profits is also cutting back on the level of customer service it provides. Do you really think they will act in your best interest rather than the insurance companies? Does this really surprise you? In a profit driven health care system that is becoming more centralized in power it should be no surprise.

Your health insurance company can actually kill you!

Let me give you a prime example of how having a health insurance agent can save you, or a family members life. The following is a recent scenario that I was involved in that became a life and death situation for the insured.

I sold a health policy to a Chicago family in 2002, sometime along the way the primary applicant developed cancer, he went through various treatments, got better, but had a relapse this Spring. He also had a problem with his checking account where he was over drawn a small amount. His bankdraft for his insurance premium was returned, so his policy lapsed, and he lost his coverage, which in his case is a death sentence.

In Illinois, and most states you have a 30 day grace period when it comes to paying your health insurance premiums. Once you are past thirty days with no payment, you lose your policy. You can apply for reinstatement, but if you have cancer like my client did, they won't take you back after a lapse of more than 30 days. My client never learned in writing that his policy has lapsed till May 24th, which was too late to reinstate by payment, and in his case no exception could be made due to his prior health history.

If you do not have an agent in a situation like this, and you are dealing with entry level customer service at your health insurance company, you are as good as dead, honestly you have been handed a death sentence because hospitals are not going to treat you, that's right no chemo, no radiation, until you show up with cash, or make other financial arrangements. In the end a public health hospital will make you comfortable.....that's it, that is the reality, and the coldness of the current health care system in America.

You have nobody on your side, no advice, you are completely alone if you do not have an experienced health insurance agent by your side in a situation like this.

Well in my clients case he called the insurance company first a number of times directly to try to rectify the situation before he contacted me, which wasting valuable time. He had no idea that the clock was ticking on all his available options because nobody on the phone he talked to at the insurance company was trained well enough to tell him what they were.

He owned a small business, had a few employee's, but never offered group coverage in the past, so he could have formed a small group if there was time, and he could have gotten credit for continuous coverage credits for Hippa (63 days), but by the time he was able to react to the letter he received, that option was gone too!

He asked me for help, his case had to go through an elaborate appeal process which by law can take up to six months. This guy didn't have six months, or six weeks, if he didn't get treated the cancer was going to spread, and quickly become untreatable. He would of course leverage everything he owned to prevent that, his house, his cars, his two pizza restaurants, they would all have to be sold to give him a chance to live. All because of a delayed correspondence, and being less than $100 shy in has bank account for the first time in ages.

I had one option, and that was to write the most important letter of my life, and that was his appeal letter. I had to completely state his case, his contacts, and his lack of correspondence. Everything involved had to be documented including copies of his bank statements, copies of the correspondence he received, and the postmarks on the envelopes they were delivered in.

I sent the appeal in, and didn't hear anything for a few weeks even though I contacted the company each day. On June 17th my client received a letter from the company. It was dated April 20th, but postmarked June 14th. The letter informed him that if he didnt get his premium in by the end of the April his policy would lapse. Well obviously he never had time to react, the letter had been misplaced in the company mailroom.

When I forwarded the insurance company a copy of that letter, they reinstated the policy for back premium within 48 hours, and my client had another shot at life. I spent maybe 30 hours working on this situation from May 24th till today, June 22nd, when this was resolved in my clients favor.

I ask you, would you receive that type of service dealing directly with your health insurance company?

What would have happened if he didn't have an experienced agent?

He would never have heard about the reinstatement process, he would never have known in time about the appeal process, he would not have been able to expedite his appeal because by law they can take up to six months. In other words he would have lost everything he owned, everything his family had worked for, and most importantly he would have lost his life.

Perhaps he could have called an attorney, he could have called the state insurance commisioners office. All good ideas, but that would have guaranteed the six month appeal process, by law the insurance company can take six months to decide an appeal. It is a common unwritten practice that if the company is threatened by an outside authority, (Attorney, Insurance Commisioner) they sit on the appeal for the six month period allotted by the law. To my client, and anyone else in this situation, it would have been a death sentence.

Long after he passed away, perhaps two to three years from now his family would have recourse in the court's, and there is a very good chance they would win.

Insurance companies have yearly budgets for litigation, and they know that most people won't sue, they will end up beaten down by the circumstances and just give up. Insurance is a calculated risk business, and yes litigation is part of the calculated risk formula. On average they know they will come out ahead regardless of the outcome.

In life sometimes you can't wait six months, or two years, so that why it is important to have a health insurance expert on your side.

Here are a couple of guidelines for picking an Illinois health insurance agent, or a health insurance agent in any state for that matter.

1. Only work with a licensed independent insurance agent who gives you at least five companies to choose from. There is something wrong if the agent only gives you one choice, that means he represents the company, not you. A good agent will always offer plenty of choice.

2. Only work with an agent who has five or more years of experience and is a succesful producer for the companies he represents. Succesful producers can get problems solved with a phone call, in fact they can go to the very top of the company to get a problem solved. A top agent can circumvent the red tape.

3. Never buy your health insurance directly from the insurance company. If you do, you won't have anyone who is independent that can represent you when problems arise, or simply when you have basic policy questions.

4. Shopping on the internet is a great way to buy health insurance, but who are the people behind the website? Make sure you are buying from an experienced health insurance agent who will be there when you need him, not a telemarketer reading a script. Don't buy from a phone room, buy from an agent.

5. When buying on the internet call before you apply. Get to know the agent you are dealing with, make sure he is around to service you. A good way to figure that out is if he presses you to buy, if he does that it is a sign that he may not have your best interest at heart. We all of course want you to buy a policy from us, but our agency www.medequote.com want's you to make sure you understand everything before you buy. We want you take your time. A good agent gives you the information to make your own best decision. A good agent lets you take your time.

In conclusion the internet has made comparing policies, getting information and applying for health insurance a lot easier for the consumer, but the most important decision you make is always picking the right agent, or agency.

At Medequote we are that type of agency, and if you want service after the sale, and you aren't getting it from your existing agency give us a call at 800-301-7469, or visit us online at www.medequote.com , www.medequote.net , or if you are a young single stop by www.unicaresoundplans.com .

I have over 18 years of experience as a life, and health agent. I am known by the companies I represent in words, and deed. I personally service every client who calls, and we are always available. We make a commitment to always be there for you and your family, and we take that commitment seriously.

Whomever you choose, make sure they compare to the standards set by www.medequote.com, if you are in a state we are not licensed in, we currently serve Illinois, Texas, and Michigan, if you need a referal for a quality agent in a state we do not directly serve, just give us a call!

UniCare Sound Quoting

2006-06-19T16:42:00.000-05:00

Medequote is providing online quoting and applications for UniCare Sound Health Plans on their websites. The plans offer Unlimited Doc visits, ER, RX, Dental, and Vision in one slick package.
The plans are available at www.unicaresoundplans.com

The plans are very popular among students in Illinois, and Texas. If you are graduating this is exactly the plan you need as you enter the real world and are dropped by your parents policy. Don't go without coverage, don't take the risk. Consider this, a ruptured appendix could cost you $30,000, where are you going to come up with that type of money? With UniCare Sound the most you will ever pay is the deductible, that's right no co insurance, all Sound Plans are 100% after you fulfil the deductible. You have a choice of three deductibles, $1500, $3000, and $5000. Paying any of those amounts and getting the care you need from the provider of your choice is a lot better choice. The plan only cost's $60 - $114 per month depending on how old you are, and where you live.

So anyway, what are you waiting for?

Don't take the risk, get a UniCare Sounf Health Plan today!

250,000 children in Illinois without Health Insurance

2006-06-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

Of the 250,000 children in Illinois without health insurance, half come from working and middle class families who earn too much to qualify for programs like KidCare, but not enough to afford private health insurance. The Governor’s program would make comprehensive health insurance available to children, including doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eye glasses and asthma inhalers. Parents will pay monthly premiums and co-payments for doctors’ visits and prescription drugs at affordable rates.

Unlike private insurance that is too expensive for so many families, the rates for All Kids coverage will be based on a family’s income. The state is able to offer All Kids insurance coverage at much lower than market rates for middle-income families by leveraging the significant negotiating and buying power it already has through Medicaid.

For example, a family with two children that earns between $40,000 and $59,999 a year will pay a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit. A family with two children earning between $60,000 and $79,999 will pay a $70 monthly premium per child, and a $15 co-pay per physician visit. However, there will be no co-pays for preventative care visits, such as annual immunizations and regular check ups and screenings for vision, hearing, appropriate development or preventative dental. These premiums for middle-income families are significantly more affordable than typical private insurance premiums of $100 to $200 a month, or $2,400 per child annually.

The state will cover the difference between what parents contribute in monthly premiums and the actual cost of providing health care for each child, expected to be $45 million in the first year, with savings generated by implementing a primary care case management model (PCCM) for participants in the state’s FamilyCare and All Kids health care programs. Participants will choose a single primary physician who will manage their care by ensuring they get immunizations and other preventative health care services and avoid unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Patients with chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes will have a single care manager to make sure they are getting the treatments and ongoing care they need to avoid acute care. Primary care physicians will make referrals to specialists for additional care or tests as needed.

By ensuring patients get adequate preventative care on the front end, fewer people will need expensive specialized care or emergency care for critical conditions. In children, preventative care is especially important. For example, infants with stomach flu (gastroenteritis) who receive appropriate primary care can avoid being hospitalized for dehydration. Providing a timely exam and appropriate antibiotic treatment for children with ear infections (otitis media) can prevent chronic ear problems, loss of hearing and the need for surgically placed tubes to relieve fluid build up. Treating children with bronchitis or minor lung infections in a primary care setting can help to avoid more expensive hospitalization treatment of pneumonia, including intravenous antibiotics and respiratory treatments. And early identification and appropriate treatment of children who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, will result in fewer expensive emergency room and inpatient care visits.

Twenty-nine other states, including North Carolina, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Louisiana, have realized significant savings by using this model for their Medicaid programs. Based on independent analyses, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services estimates the state will save $56 million in the first year by implementing the PCCM model in all state health programs but those that serve seniors and the blind.

Research provides strong economic reasons for insuring all children. Delayed treatment can result in more complex, more threatening and more expensive care later. While the uninsured pay approximately 35% of their medical bills out of pocket, more than 40% ends up being absorbed by those who do have health insurance in the form of higher premiums. According to a recent Families USA report, the cost of paying for the uninsured added $1059 to the average family’s insurance premiums in Illinois in 2005.

In addition, investing in health care can have a positive impact on local economies. Over the past five years, the health care industry has created nearly 40,000 new jobs in Illinois. Health care is the second-fastest growing industry in the state, and one of the fastest in the nation. Families USA found that for every $1 million invested in health care for people who need coverage, an additional $2.4 million is generated in new business activity and $840,000 in new wages.

While All Kids coverage does not begin until July 1, 2006, pre-registration is now underway in order to expedite the application process so children can enjoy the benefits of the program as soon as All Kids takes effect. The forms are now available online at www.allkidscovered.com in 8 languages: English, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese, with more translations on the way. The forms can also be requested through 1-866-ALL-KIDS to receive them in the mail.

Once a pre-registration form is received, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will process the information and mail parents a letter to explain the next steps in the application process. When it is time for the family to apply, the Department will mail each family an All Kids application that will be partially filled out based on the information provided during pre-registration. Children who are determined to be eligible for KidCare can apply immediately to receive health coverage. Families not currently eligible for KidCare may apply early in 2006 for benefits that will begin July 1, 2006.

For more information on these plans, or to apply for Illinois health insurance visit us at www.medequote.com , www.medequote.net , or www.unicaresoundplans.com .

Emergency Medical Crisis....UniCare Sound Solution

2006-06-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

Emergency medical care in the United States is on the verge of collapse, with the nation's declining number of emergency rooms dangerously overcrowded and often unable to provide the expertise needed to treat seriously ill people in a safe and efficient manner.
That's the grim conclusion of three reports released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Wednesday, the product of a massive, two-year look at emergency care.
Long waits for treatment are epidemic, the reports said, with ambulances sometimes idling for hours to unload patients, and patients, once in the ER, waiting up to two days to be admitted to a hospital bed.

One thing for sure, when you head off to the hospital, you better have insurance, if you don't you may not get the service you need. If you have to go to a public healthcare institution like Cook County in Chicago be prepared for a long wait.

The great thing about the UniCare Sound Plan is that it includes a $150 copay for emergency room and UniCare pays the rest! Most plans apply ER against your deductible, and that can be costly. Make sure you get covered, with UniCare Sound you have no excuse to go with out health insurance!

Another helpful hint is to not go to the emergency room unless it is completely neccesary. Give your doctor a call first, try to make an appointment to see him/her first. Under the Sound Health Plan you only pay $40 for a doctor visit, and the wait at the doctors office is pretty brief compared to the ER. Usually over the phone if the doctor is familiar with you he can prescribe something to make you feel better without having to go in.

You want to stay out of the doctor's office, and the ER, but if you have a Sound Health Plan you have all your bases covered. www.unicaresoundplans.com

U.S. new Flu Vaccine Program

2006-06-15T11:49:00.000-05:00

Worried that the 1940s-era egg-based flu vaccine technology still in use won't stand up to bird flu, the federal government on Thursday awarded Baxter International Inc. and five other vaccine makers more than $1 billion to advance a new technology that eliminates the need for chicken eggs.The contracts are a vote of support for new cell-based flu vaccine production technologies being pursued by Deerfield-based Baxter and others. They are also a boost for vaccine makers in an era when the United States and other countries lack sufficient capacity to make vaccines against both seasonal flu and pandemic bird flu.

Boosting capacity is what this is all about, we do have the technology to predict most people from a pandemic, the questions is can we develop quickly enough, in amounts large enough, to protect every human being in the world, the answer to that will always be no. As we all know there is more than enough food in the world for everyone, but hunger and famine are more distribution, than drought issues. The problem is getting it all there, stockpiling, and distributing it.

It is a big boost for the drug companies says John Berkowitz of www.medequote.com, with the new technology they will be able to replace and update vaccination stocks across the world for more than just pandemic flu. This is a big piece in equation to mitigating the damage and suffering a pandemic would cause.

Where do you bury the bodies in a pandemic?

2006-06-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

They brought in steam shovels to dig graves. Caskets were rented — just long enough to hold a brief memorial service — and passed on to the next grieving family. The death toll of the 1918 flu pandemic was so overwhelming that the military commandeered trains to transport dead soldiers; priests patrolled the streets of Philadelphia in horse-drawn carriages, collecting bodies from doorsteps.
"One of the most demoralizing things was the inability to move bodies out of the home," said John Barry, author of "The Great Influenza," the definitive work on the 1918 pandemic.
With medical experts and government leaders racing to prepare for a potential pandemic, a cadre of mortuary specialists has begun quietly dealing with the grisly but essential question of what to do with the dead if it happens again.
Opinion is varied on when and how virulent the next global flu outbreak would be, but even a modest epidemic — similar to the one that hit in 1968 — could kill 89,000 to 207,000 Americans. If the next virus mimics the far more potent 1918 strain, the U.S. death toll could reach 1.9 million.
In any event, experts foresee 18 months of funeral homes being short-staffed, crematories operating round-the-clock, dwindling supplies of caskets and restrictions on group gatherings, such as memorial services. Morgues and hospitals would quickly reach capacity. And most of the federal Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) would be too busy in their own communities to deploy elsewhere.
"I can't see myself packing my bags to go to another state to help out," said Joyce deJong, a Michigan medical examiner who worked on DMORT teams after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. "I'll be here dealing with an increase in the number of bodies."
Some fear that the Bush administration, in all its planning for pandemic flu, has paid scant attention to deaths.
"The last flu epidemic taxed the resources of the country, there were times when it began to look that if it dind't slow down it would result in mass extinction according to Medequote's John Berkowitz who grew up in Seattle. "Seattle, and Chicago being port sities were particlularly hit hard in 1918, the living barely had enough strength to take care of the dead...then it simply stopped by the grace of god. We are overdue for another one, and it will take a much greater toll this time."
"It's the one thing nobody wants to address, because it's ugly. People don't want to think that anyone will die," said John Fitch, senior vice president for advocacy at the National Funeral Directors Association. "We can't put our head in the sand and say response stops at prevention and treatment."
The high amount of uninsured add's to the problem, that is why UniCare introduced the Sound Health Plan. The plan which is targeted at singles between ages of 18 and 45 is a good thing to have when illness strikes.

www.unicaresoundplans.com
www.medequote.com
www.medequote.net

Rise in Teen Smoking Reported

2006-06-14T22:00:00.000-05:00

The steady decline in teen smoking in the United States since the late 1990s appears to have halted, health officials said.
A survey released last week showed that smoking among high-school students held steady at about one in four teenagers between 2003 and 2005. Two other surveys in the past year or so found that teen smoking has apparently plateaued since 2002.
"We were making good progress, and now it looks like we're not," said Dr. Corinne Husten, acting director of the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

www.medequote.net
www.medequote.com
www.unicaresoundplans.com

Nurse practicioners threaten physicians in Illinois and Kentucky

2006-06-13T18:45:00.000-05:00

Feeling threatened by the proliferation of retail health clinics staffed by nurse practitioners, the nation's largest doctors group is pushing this week for increased scrutiny of the clinics and the nurse practitioners who staff them.Basically, the American Medical Association has a problem with caregivers like Laura Maxwell.Maxwell, a 25-year-old licensed nurse practitioner with a master's degree, checks coughs, gives vaccinations and dispenses other routine medical care at The Little Clinic in a Kroger grocery store in Louisville."We see lots of minor illnesses like colds, sore throats, and write a lot of prescriptions, typically for viruses," said Maxwell, who views her clinic as a complement to a physician's care. "It's a place they can go when the doctor's office is closed."

The big problem is that the nurse practicioners are making medical care affordable, and accessible for people, and that is cutting into the physicians bottom line.

One physician said, "If I can't charge the insurance company $300 bucks for the flu to see someone five minutes it hurts my lifestyle. A nurse practicioner charges far less and does basically the same things for a minor illness, and if they are independent that means I am not getting a cut of the action. We want to control the nurse practicioners so we can control prices and limit accesibilty for patients. Without control we make a lot less money. I went to medical school, nurse practicioners did not, why should they threaten my livelihood after I actually went the full road and got an education? Cold, and flu are the bread and butter of our practice, a person comes in, I spend four-five minutes, I write a prescription and get on to the next guy, it sounds very cold, but that is the reality of paying the bills, maintaining my lifestyle, and keeping the lights on. We practice assembly line medicine, the more people we see during the day the more it contributes to the bottom line. It's harsh, but that is the reality of medicine today, you need to pay the bills, and volume pays the bills, you chip into it, and you have a problem. sure, they are supervised by a physician, but they just come into review charts, it isn't the same as seeing a doctor. I can identify plenty of things that people never suspect they have simply by seeing them in person, you can't get that kind of care and experience from a nurse practicioner."

Insurance companies on the other hand are all for reducing cost, that increases profits, and lowers rates for the consumers, they will continue to strongly support the use of nurse practicioners for minor illnesses.

John Berkowitz of Medequote comments, "You need to cut costs somewhere to make sure health insurance stays affordable. One thing UniCare did this year was introduce the Sound Health Plan to consumers in Illinois, and Texas. It was the first time a plan was designed for a specific age group, and also a solution to the problem of young uninsured's. The cost ranges from $61- $114 per month if depending on where you live, and how old you are. The plan is a big hit with the single young adults aged 18-29 it was developed for. Suprisingly enough, healthy people into their 50's have been enrolling into the plan because of the low price point."

The plans are available at www.unicaresoundplans.com . The plan has unlimited doctor visits, so you can see whoever you choose within the network. The Sound health plan for UniCare is a winner that will bring a lot of people back into the healthcare system. The more people that participate the more stable rates will become.

MedeQuote introduces New UniCare Sound WebSales Site

2006-06-12T16:54:00.000-05:00

The Medequote Agency of Chicago announced today that they have opened an exclusive UniCare only Website for the new and popular UniCare Sound health plan. The Sound plan is designed for young singles between the age's of 18-30, but many healthy singles into their 50's are opting for the attractive health plan. The website at http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/ is a one step portal to getting all the information you need concerning UniCare Sound.

John Berkowitz of Medequote commented "The plans are very attractive and popular in Texas, and Illinois were they are marketed. We expect UniCare to continue to roll out the product in new states over the next couple of years. They are expanding the Tonik brand also for their BCBS affiliates, but after that they will concentrate on opening more states for UniCare. Having a site devoted to this product makes a lot of sense to me as it becomes more popular. This allows us to concentrate on other areas outside of Illinois.

Sound is designed for healthy, single, young adults, and it comes in three deductibles, $1500, $3000, and $5000. All plans include preventative, unlimited Dr visits, Rx, and ER. As an added bonus it includes dental and vision.

To find out more about the new UniCare Sound product visit http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/

Why UniCare's Renewal Rates are so Stable

2006-06-07T19:33:00.000-05:00

Unicare health insurance plans offer some of the lowest cost major medical plans in the industry. The Unicare HSA, FIT, Saver, and Sound plans offer the greatest values in health insurance depending on where you live.
Best values are found in the $1000 to $5000 deductible plans. When you have a Unicare plan, you will pay the same premium as an existing member, not an artificially low rate for the first year like other companies. No tiers, or blocking of business. uniCare never close out a block of business and allows exiting members to upgrade to new model plans when they become available. This kind of practice keeps their pool healthy and avoids the infmaous death spiral.
Unicare HSA's have only had two price increase's in the last eight years. The Unicare HSA is probably the best valued product of any carrier. Deductibles over $1000 had only a zero to one percent trend upwards last year. Your prices will however go up with age, there is now way you can stall father time, the older you are the more expensive health insurance becomes.
How can we help keep health costs down?
One of the best things that we can do with the public, legislators, and so forth is to really understand that uninsured population in great depth. A third of them are in households that have incomes of $50,000 or greater, and, for whatever reason, they're uninsured. Our job is to reach out to them with affordable products with lots of education, and that's what we're trying to do with things like UniCare Sound, Tonik or Blue Access, for example. The second segment is a third of the uninsured that are actually eligible for either federal or state programs. They're simply not enrolled. Then the balance are really the working poor. There, we really need to work collaboratively with the government and our industry and figure out what the right solution is. We've been in favor of tax credits. We've been in favor of giving those people incentives that would allow them to purchase some sort of coverage. So far the goverment has only addressed tax incentives for HSA's which are designed for the over 50 market which has borne most of the brunt of medical inflation these past few years.
The key to keeping health costs down nationally is to make the best effort to make sure as many people as possible are insured. UniCare has the largest block of insured's in the country and that number is increasing daily, and that is a major factor in keeping the cost of their plans affordable, volume equals cost savings. By not closing of blocks and letting people have the opportunity to upgrade coverage when neccesary without changing carriers it keeps the overall costs down as the block continues to increase in size.
Would a larger role for the government in health care be a good thing?
A public/private system is what best serves Americans. We're a culture of people that want choice. I just can't imagine us going to a place that's going to be a one-size-fits-all. It's just not our makeup as a culture.

Unicare health plans can be purchased for Illlinois, Texas, and Michigan at www.medequote.com
http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/

U. of C. gets $10 million to study cancer's spread

2006-06-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

Arlington Park racetrack Chairman Richard Duchossois and his family said Tuesday that they are giving $10 million to the University of Chicago for research on the metastasis, or spreading, of cancer cells.The gift is the latest donation by the family to the U. of C. since 1980, including $21 million in 1994 for the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine.It also represents the school's fourth major medical-related gift this year, all from different donors and totaling $102 million.

www.medequote.com
www.unicaresoundplans.com

New Alzheimer Drugs on the way

2006-06-05T18:25:00.000-05:00

University of Washington scientists have begun testing two new drugs they hope will ease the symptoms and possibly prolong the useful lives of Alzheimer's disease patients, a group that is destined to grow by multitudes in the decades to come.
Researchers hope the drugs, which take a new approach to the disease, will do a better job than the current generation of medications that slow progression for only a few years.

www.mededquote.com

United Health Care urges pill-splitting to ease swollen expenses

2006-06-04T18:36:00.000-05:00

In another push following an initial effort made last fall, the second-largest health insurer in Illinois is encouraging its members to split pills to help them save money on select maintenance drugs.UnitedHealthcare Illinois has sent letters to its members to inform them that by using higher-strength tablets and splitting them in half, they will get the same medication and dosage for half the cost. Members can save $150 to $300 in copayments for one drug over a year in the Half Tablet program.Member physicians also are being urged to inform patients about the voluntary program and change prescription doses for those who participate. Physicians must write the prescription for a double-strength tablet with instructions to take one-half tablet.In Illinois, 8.5 percent of UnitedHealthcare members have participated in the pill-splitting program since its inception last October. The goal is to have 20 percent participation rate by the end of 2006. United Healthcare will provide pill splitters to members who request them."We do not have a specific policy on pill splitting," said spokesman Tony Rau of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, the largest insurer in the state. "We don't promote it, but we understand that some people do choose to split pills, and that's a decision to be made by members and their pharmacists to determine whether that's an appropriate option in terms of cost savings on drugs."Not all medications are appropriate for pill splitting. UnitedHealthcare has identified 17 medications that can be split and retain their effectiveness. These include the cholesterol-lowering drugs Crestor, Lipitor, Pravachol, Pravastatin and Zocor; the ACE inhibitors Aceon, Mavik and Univasc; the Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Atacand, Avapro, Benicar, Cozaar and Diovan; the antidepressants Lexapro, Pexeva and Zoloft and the antiviral Valtrex."The program is aimed at making medication affordable and increasing patient compliance," said Bill Moeller, president and CEO of UnitedHealthcare Illinois. "Pharmaceutical companies in many cases charge the same price for drugs regardless of pill size," he said. "This program makes good economic sense for anybody who takes medications in these categories of drugs."Michael O'Rourke of Crown Point, Ind., takes Zocor to manage his cholesterol. At his doctor's suggestion, he began to split 20-milligram tablets and take the 10-milligram dose a year ago. He saved about $150 in copayments. "It's very easy," he said. "I bought the pill splitter at the local drugstore, and when I get my pills, I sit at the table and cut them in half. It's very simple and certainly worth the savings."

www.medequote.com

Diabetes increasing dramatically.

2006-06-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

The number of Americans diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the kind associated with obesity, has topped 19 million, and a study says a third of adults with the disease don't even know they have it. Researchers found that another 26 percent of adults had "impaired fasting glucose," a precursor to diabetes."So, if you add that together with the 9.3 percent of people with diabetes, that means that fully one-third of the adult population--73 million Americans--have diabetes or they may be on their way to getting it," said lead researcher Catherine Cowie, director of the diabetes epidemiology program at the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Her team's report appears in the June issue of Diabetes Care. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/
www.medequote.com

We have a suggestion for curbing your risk for Diabetes and that is eating better, and getting a little exercise. It only takes a leisurely one hour walk per day to stay in shape and stimulate the body to lose weight which decreases your chances of developing diabetes. For most people Diabetes is very preventable just by changing your lifetyle a tad bit.

The cost of Diabetes is expensive, especially for the self employed whose only option for coverage is state sponsored high risk pools. A 38 year old Woman in Illinois will pay approximately $1700 per quater for health insurance for the state sponsored plan compared to approximately $400 for for the same time period for an Illinois health insurance program through a provider such as UniCare, or BCBSIL that a healthy person can qualify for.

The best advice for saving money on health care, and health insurance premiums is to try to lead a healthier lifestyle!

Pharmacist loses fight with Walmart

2006-06-04T18:21:00.000-05:00

A federal judge dismissed a Roman Catholic pharmacist's claim that he was fired by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for refusing to fill birth-control prescriptions and that the dismissal violated his religious freedom.The ruling Thursday said Wal-Mart had accommodated Neil Noesen's religious opposition to birth control by having other pharmacists fill prescriptions. But U.S. District Judge John Shabaz said Noesen, 32, went too far by obstructing service for those customers.

The morning after pill which is basically an abortion in a capsule is another growing controversy as many pharmacists across the country are refusing to handle it because of moral, and religous beliefs. How Walmart, and other companies will handle this is not uncertain, if you work for them you follow their rules, and if you don't you need to find another place to work.

The FDA is investigating numerous health problems associated with the pill which basically cause the body to have a miscarriage.

At Medequote we really don't have a proffesional opinion regarding these drugs since they are not covered by health plans anyway, but we advise you to be very careful with any medication which can cause a violent enough reaction to cause a miscarriage. The long term benefits can't be good for you. Remember the drug companies want to sell this product to make a profit for their executives and major stock holders, your long term health is of little consequence to them.

Medications of course are a good thing, but unneccesary lifestyle drugs just fuel the rise of health care cost's.

www.unicaresoundplans.com

Study says Canadians more healthy than Americans

2006-06-02T14:13:00.000-05:00

You can add Canadians to the list of foreigners who are healthier than Americans.
Americans are 42 percent more likely than Canadians to have diabetes, 32 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and 12 percent more likely to have arthritis, Harvard Medical School researchers found. That is according to a survey in which U.S. and Canadian adults were asked over the telephone about their health.
The study comes less than a month after other researchers reported that middle-aged, white Americans are much sicker than their counterparts in England.
"We're really falling behind other nations," said Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard and a co-author of the Canadian study.

Woolhandler said her findings were different in at least one important respect: In the Canadian study, insured Americans and Canadians had about the same rates of disease. It was the uninsured Americans who made the overall U.S. figures worse, she said.

Medequote believes uninsured in America are a huge factor in the increase of the cost of health insurance. If everyone is paying in the rates would be much lower.

www.medequote.com
www.unicaresoundplans.com

AMA mulls backing limits on TV drug ads

2006-06-02T14:09:00.000-05:00

Once again, the American Medical Association will consider backing a government moratorium on pharmaceutical advertising to consumers.The largest U.S. doctor group will ask its members at its annual meeting later this month to put its considerable lobbying clout behind federal regulations that would greatly limit television commercials targeted at consumers once drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration.Last year the AMA stopped short of backing a moratorium at its annual policymaking House of Delegates meeting in favor of more study. The study, now complete, advises AMA delegates to support a "time interval" that would put an unspecified amount of time between a drug's approval and when a company could begin advertising to consumers, specifically on television.

Medequote feels that drug advertising leads to one thing, higher drug sales, and that is why the companies are doing it. People watch TV, self diagnose themselves then go to the doctor to ask for a prescription. What this is doing is fueling the increase in the cost of health insurance. Funny but there is a collorary between the advent of drug company advertising and the increase in medical insurance rates over the last decade. www.mededquote.com
http://unicaresoundplans.com/

www.medequote.com

Destiny Health CEO to leave post soon

2006-06-02T14:03:00.000-05:00

In a surprise announcement, a South African health benefits company Friday said the chief executive of its up and coming Chicago-based U.S. subsidiary would leave "in the next few weeks."Scott Spiker, 50, who became chief executive officer of Destiny Health in 2004, helped to more than double the size of the company as more businesses bought its new consumer-directed health plans. He also led the relocation of the company last year to more spacious downtown Chicago offices from the suburbs after the company grew from just five workers at its launch five years ago to more than 150.Yet despite the overall growth of consumer-directed health plans across the country, Destiny Health's performance "disappointed during the latter half of the year," a financial report posted on the parent company's Web site said.In particular, the company said Destiny has had trouble in the Illinois market, despite growth elsewhere.

Destiny has a different kind of business model that differe from other plans, despite a lower price point few large Illinois companies have been willing to take the risk of working with an overseas funded health insurer. www.medequote.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0605270025may27,0,4125045.story

States issue alerts concerning Discount Medical Programs

2006-05-25T18:49:00.000-05:00

They work more like savings coupons than bona fide insurance programs, but whatever they are, discount health, dental and vision programs are cause for concern among some industry and consumer groups, who feel they should be better regulated.
The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) recently lifted a cease and desist order on "discount health plans" following a review of that action by the former California Department of Corporations. Legislation to address the DMHC's stated lack of jurisdiction may soon emerge in the California State Legislature, but in the meantime, discount health companies are active once again in California marketplace.
"We are not convinced discount plans offer real and substantial benefits to consumers," said Earl Lui, senior attorney for Consumers Union. "The lack of adequate regulation only heightens our concerns. We believe the Department of Managed Health Care should regulate the industry and conduct random audits to ensure consumers get true discounts."
Simply put, discount health plans market annual memberships for a low monthly or annual fee, claiming to entitle users to reduced prices from participating providers and suppliers. Medical, dental and vision care, as well as chiropractics, cosmetic and even nutritional supplements are among the most common discount plan offerings. Advertisements — often found on the Internet or delivered as "spam" e-mail — boast that consumers can save up to 30 percent or more on the cost for such services.
Some industry observers and consumer advocates, however, warn that it's difficult to know just how much of a real discount members receive over the usual costs charged by participating providers. They are also concerned that discount program subscribers are not adequately informed that they only purchase access to a provider list — not actual coverage or insurance. The providers on these lists collect their payment in full from discount subscribers, receiving no reimbursement for any portion of their services from those who market the discount program.
"We are not convinced discount plans offer real and substantial benefits to consumers," said Earl Lui, senior attorney for Consumers Union. " The lack of adequate regulation only heightens our concerns. We believe the Department of Managed Health Care should regulate the industry and conduct random audits to ensure consumers get true discounts."
In a recently published opinion, DMHC Director Daniel Zingale determined that without new legislation, his department lacks the legal jurisdiction necessary to exercise any regulatory authority over discount health plans, which the DMHC does not regard as true healthcare service plans because they don't assume any risk or pay claims. Draft guidelines issued by the DMHC do, however, effectively prevent Knox-Keene licensed health plans in California from offering similar discount programs to compete with those from unlicensed companies. These guidelines are currently under review.
Knox-Keene licensed health plans like those that belong to the California Association of Dental Plans (CADP) are required to implement a quality assurance program, audit participating providers, maintain solvency standards and obtain plan design approvals from the DMHC. Licensed health plans must also fully inform and disclose to subscribers the provisions of their plan coverage, all limitations and exclusions, and advise subscribers of their right to complain or challenge a health plan's determination of coverage by calling the DMHC's patient complaint hotline.
The popularity and acceptance of discount programs by consumers remains unproven in California, but regulators in other states where discount plans are offered are taking action to head off trouble.
The Kentucky Department of Insurance, for instance, recently put out a consumer alert to make consumers understand that they are not buying actual insurance with these products, and to require adequate disclosure regarding how advertised discounts are calculated and administered.
Another alert will soon be put out by the Georgia Consumer's Insurance Advocate, Cathey Steinberg, who has reportedly fielded a spate of complaints from dissatisfied discount plan customers.
CADP — California's dental plan trade group — recently adopted the position that a more level playing field should be established between discount health plans and licensed healthcare service plans in California. And like the Consumers Union, the organization is on record advocating that appropriate regulation of discount plans should be adopted for the protection of California consumers.
The California Association of Health Plans has embraced a similar position, and new draft legislation that puts forward these principles is anticipated sometime during the 2002 legislative session.

Inhaler could replace needles

2006-05-24T23:52:00.000-05:00

Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in January, Exubera is the first non-injectable insulin option in the United States since insulin delivery was introduced more than 80 years ago. It can be used to treat both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Taken at mealtime, a patient breathes in normally through the mouth, sending the insulin into the lungs, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Because the lungs have a large and permeable surface area, they allow for rapid delivery of the insulin.

www.medequote.com

Radical New Asthma Treatment

2006-05-23T12:11:00.000-05:00

In a radical experiment, doctors are snaking wires inside the lungs of asthma patients to essentially burn off some of the tissue that blocks their ability to breathe.
The procedure, called bronchial thermoplasty, is the first attempt at a nondrug treatment for asthma.
It's not without risk. Irritating those super-sensitive airways can trigger wheezing, and no one knows the long-term effects. Nor does it promise a cure.

www.medequote.com

2006-05-22T15:39:00.000-05:00

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

A heart-healthy diet may also guard against cognitive decline.

THE QUESTION: Adhering to a so-called Mediterranean diet — lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and little poultry, meat and dairy products — appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Might what's good for the heart also be good for the brain?

Information

Learn more about Alzheimer's disease: at http://www.alz.org/ and www.alzinfo.org.

www.medequote.com

THIS STUDY followed 2,258 older people (average age, 77) with normal mental faculties, recording what they ate and periodically assessing their cognitive abilities. In a four-year period, 262 of them were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The more closely people followed a Mediterranean diet, the less likely they were to have Alzheimer's.
Compared with those who followed the diet the least, people in the mid-range of adherence had Alzheimer's 15 percent less often, and those who followed the eating pattern the closest were 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Older people. About 10 percent of those over 65 and about half of people older than 85 have Alzheimer's. The number of Americans with the disease, currently about 4 ½ million, is expected to grow to as many as 16 million in the next 15 years.

CAVEATS: The study did not address the effects of following a Mediterranean diet earlier in life.

FIND THIS STUDY: April 18 online issue of Annals of Neurology; abstract available at www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/ana

Alzheimers Disease Prevention

2006-05-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

A heart-healthy diet may also guard against cognitive decline.

THE QUESTION: Adhering to a so-called Mediterranean diet — lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and little poultry, meat and dairy products — appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Might what's good for the heart also be good for the brain?

Information

Learn more about Alzheimer's disease: at http://www.alz.org/ and www.alzinfo.org.

THIS STUDY followed 2,258 older people (average age, 77) with normal mental faculties, recording what they ate and periodically assessing their cognitive abilities. In a four-year period, 262 of them were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The more closely people followed a Mediterranean diet, the less likely they were to have Alzheimer's.
Compared with those who followed the diet the least, people in the mid-range of adherence had Alzheimer's 15 percent less often, and those who followed the eating pattern the closest were 40 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE FINDINGS? Older people. About 10 percent of those over 65 and about half of people older than 85 have Alzheimer's. The number of Americans with the disease, currently about 4 ½ million, is expected to grow to as many as 16 million in the next 15 years.

CAVEATS: The study did not address the effects of following a Mediterranean diet earlier in life.

FIND THIS STUDY: April 18 online issue of Annals of Neurology; abstract available at www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/ana

www.medequote.com

Avoid Skimping on health care, study says

2006-05-22T00:05:00.000-05:00

Millions of Americans are going without needed medical services because of skimpy insurance coverage, potentially endangering their health, according to a study published Monday in the journal Health Affairs.The report found that 16 million adult Americans are "underinsured" and face problems similar to those encountered by the 45 million Americans with no health insurance--primarily, difficulty getting and paying for care.

It's important to understand your health care coverages and be aware of any limitations it may have. Don't assume you are covered for everything when you are not. As health care prices continue to rise it is important to understand that benefits are cut to keep prices in line. Physical therapy is a good example of a service that is becoming increasingly limited under most health plans. It is always a good idea to have an experienced insurange agent review coverage with you on a yearly basis so you are aware of where the gaps in your existing policy exist, and of course if better coverage is available in the same price range from another carrier.

www.medequote.com
http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-060103insurance2-story,1,4544168.story?coll=chi-health-utl

ww.medequote.com

More Americans declining health coverage, but UniCare offers solution

2006-05-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

As the cost of employment-based health insurance and premiums faced by the employee continue to rise, an increasing number of employed Americans are declining coverage, according to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. About 3 million fewer eligible Americans signed up for health insurance in 2003, compared with 1998.
There has been a 42 percent increase in the cost of individual, employment-based health care plans between 1998 and 2003, with adjustment for inflation. About 80 percent of eligible workers elected to enroll in their employers’ health care plans in 2003. More than half of all adults who do not have health insurance cite high costs.

A series of Institute of Medicine reports looks at the United States' uninsured population and what the nation should do to ensure health care coverage. Insuring America's Health: Principles and Recommendations calls for universal health coverage by 2010 given the growing stress being placed on the nation's health care system, the exacerbated health problems, and the substantial societal costs that result from more than 45 million Americans lacking health insurance. Hidden Costs, Value Lost: Uninsurance in America estimated the societal economic loss for the United States at between $65 billion and $130 billion every year because of the poorer health and earlier death experienced by the uninsured.

UniCare has taken a huge step in reducing this problem in Illinois, and Texas by introducing the new Sound Health plans aimed at the nations largest amount of uninsured, those in the 18-40 age group, the young invicibles. John Berkowitz of Medequote in Chicago states that sales have been brisk for the new product. "It includes everything you need at a very low cost without sacraficing the quality of coverage", says Berkowitz, "The product is now be offered at our website www.medequote.com, and the sign-up is slick, easy and only takes only a few moments, most applicants are immediately covered and are able to print out a colorful enrollment card."

UniCare has plans for national distribution of this product in the future. Based on sales so far of the similar Tonic product in California for Blue Cross of California, another WellPoint company. Tonic has been a huge hit in California, and UniCare's Sound should do well and make a serious dent in the number of young insured's in Illinois, Texas, and at a later date, the country as a whole.
www.soundhealthplans.com

Survey says that recent college grads are unaware they are no longer covered by parents insurance

2006-05-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

New research by College Parents of America and Assurant Health shows parents are concerned about insurance but unaware of affordable options Milwaukee – April 18, 2006 – Graduation day is just around the corner, but it’s the parents of these young students who still need remedial education on whether their health plans cover their children and the options now available for short-term medical insurance.

John Berkowitz of Chicago's Medequote agency comments, "That it is a growing problem and we are prepared to deal with it since we have added the new UniCare Sound, and Assurant Student plans to our health portfolio." www.medequote.com

Findings from a recent national survey of college parents revealed that only 23 percent were highly confident that their adult children would immediately find a job after college that provides health insurance. Yet, fewer than one in three were aware that they could buy short-term medical insurance for these young adults for as little as $50 per month.
The research was conducted by College Parents of America and Assurant Health. It reaffirmed the results of a previous Assurant Health survey that showed 40 percent of parents mistakenly believed that adult children (ages 21 -24) living at home were covered under their health insurance plans.

“We hope this sends a wake-up call to the tens of thousands of parents who do not realize they may be at great financial risk right after their children graduate,” said James A. Boyle, founder and president of College Parents of America, the only national membership association dedicated to advocating and serving on behalf of current and future college parents.
Some of the survey’s other findings included:
20 percent of parents have no idea when their health insurance will no longer cover their college-age children.

Most believe that short-term health insurance for a healthy young adult costs more than $100/month, when in fact such policies can be obtained for as little as $50/month.
68 percent of the parents were not even aware of the availability of short-term health insurance, which typically offers coverage for periods ranging from one to six months.
“Other studies show that about 40 percent of young adults are uninsured at some time during the year following their graduation,” said David Andrews, Vice President, Product Management, Short Term Medical for Assurant Health. “With college expenses so high, the last thing parents and their children need is to get hit with unexpected medical bills.”

According to Assurant Health data, a climbing accident could result in more than $450,000 in medical expenses, while a case of pneumonia can cost $75,000. One Assurant Health policyholder suffered a spinal cord injury that cost $623,000 to treat, yet paid only $266.40 for six months of short-term coverage.

Assurant Health offered the country’s first Short Term Medical Plan in 1973 and is the leading provider of temporary health insurance. For more information on the company’s other health insurance products and services, please visit www.medequote.com.

The survey was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of college parents in March 2006, and its results carry a 95% confidence with a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points. About Assurant HealthAssurant Health has been in business since 1892. Assurant Health's underwriting companies provide health insurance coverage for more than one million people nationwide. The companies’ primary products include individual medical, small group, short-term and student health insurance products, as well as non-insurance products and consumer-choice products such as Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements.

About Assurant Health, Assurant Health is part of Assurant, which offers specialized insurance products and related services in North America and selected other markets. Its five key business units – Assurant Employee Benefits, Assurant Health, Assurant Preneed, Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property – have partnered with clients who are leaders in their industries and have built leadership positions in a number of specialty market segments in the U.S. and selected international markets. Assurant is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ.

About Medequote, founded in 1999 as one of Chicago's first internet health insurance agencies. The company continues to be a leading provider of health insurance in the state of Illinois. Medequote is a prefered Assurant Master General Agency. Please visit the website at www.unicaresoundplans.com for more information.

About College Parents of AmericaCollege Parents of America is the nation's only membership organization dedicated to advocating for and providing practical information to parents of current and college-bound students. Based in Arlington, Virginia, it also provides discounts on a broad variety of educational and consumer products to help members save money while their children prepare for, apply to and make the transition to college. The College Parents of America Web site is http://www.collegeparents.org/.

UniCare introduces Sound Health Plan to Illinois and Texas

2006-05-20T13:23:00.000-05:00

UniCare Life & Health Insurance Company has unveiled an innovative health insurance plan for Illinois, and Texas called Sound™, which caters to the unique needs of adults between the ages of 19 and 29. There are an estimated 1.2 million uninsured people between the ages of 19-29 in Illinois, and Texas. And nationwide, nearly half of all full-time workers in this age group lack employer-based health benefits. Sound™ has the potential to reduce the number of uninsured by offering affordable access to quality medical care. Between school and the beginning of their professional careers, “young invincibles” are often no longer covered by their parents' insurance policy and are less likely to have employer-provided health coverage. Statistics indicate these individuals have one of the highest uninsured rates in the nation.

“Sound is designed with the lifestyle and attitude of the ‘young invincible' in mind,” said Mike Murphy, UniCare Regional Vice President for Individual and Small Group sales. The insurance plans are simplified, focusing on the benefits young people are looking for. There is an easy, online application and automated underwriting. “Too often young adults risk their financial futures by going without health insurance because they don't understand it or don't think they need it,” said Murphy. “Sound™ provides affordable coverage for everyday preventive needs like doctor's visits as well as for situations that require hospitalization.” Sign-up is available with the click of a mouse at http://www.medequote.com, or http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/. If approved, applicants will be notified within minutes and can print out a flashy, colorful Sound identification card right on the spot. Once approved, coverage is effective immediately. No paperwork, no hassles. Applicants can choose from three different plans: Gravity Bender, Curb Jumper and The Cruiser. Premiums start as low as $68 a month, depending on the plan selected, age, medical history and where the applicant lives. Basic dental and vision benefits, traditionally sold as separate policies, are included with Sound™.UniCare is committed to increasing access to health insurance.

John Berkowitz, President of Medequote, one of Chicago's, and UniCare's largest agencies comments that the introduction of this product and easy online application format will allow Unicare to dominate health insurance in the lucrative under 40 market. It will continue to contribute to stable rate's of their entire health portfolio. "UniCare is the best deal on the market for the consumer", Berkowitz adds, "They care about their clients financial well being!"
"The price point on Sound is great, a young person can get medical, dental, emergency room, office visits, and prescriptions in some cases for less than $100 per month, that's a great idea, no other carrier is competing with that!" http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/

In December, UniCare introduced six new plans for individuals and families and three new plans for small businesses in Illinois, and Texas. For Individuals and FamiliesThe Individual FIT portfolio includes six different insurance plans with deductibles ranging from $500 to $5,000. Each FIT plan offers vital doctor, hospital and surgical coverage; first dollar preventive care, unlimited office visits with a $30 co-payment and drug benefits at in-network providers. “UniCare is pleased to offer affordable access to quality medical services at discounted fees with our new, easy to understand FIT plans,” said Mark Gastineau, General Manager for Individual and Small Group at UniCare. “UniCare members benefit from our recognized record of reliability and may choose from an extensive network of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and surgical centers.” For Small Businesses As health costs increase nationwide, nearly 50 percent of small businesses do not offer employer-sponsored health benefits.

Berkowitz of Medequote comments that Unicare is the only insurance company interested in serving under the under five employee category of businesses in the state of Illinois. "Nobody else want's that business, but UniCare gladly takes it to help decrease the number of uninsured in the states of Illinois, and Texas." The theory has always been that health rates will stabalize and become affordable if everyone pays their fair share into the privately managed systems available.

To help small business owners afford group health insurance, UniCare introduced its Small Group Pathways Plans. Three distinct Pathways insurance plans feature low premiums, first dollar accidental injury coverage and preventive care benefits, and unlimited office visits at in-network providers. With UniCare's Defined Contribution options as low as $30, budget conscious employers will know with certainty what their group health expenses will be each month. Further, the employer's share of the premium may be tax deductible. “UniCare understands the challenging economic times facing small businesses,” said Gastineau. “Pathways is an affordable answer for small businesses who want to offer health insurance to their employees. The Defined Contribution option makes budgeting more predictable for the employer by taking the month-to-month variation out of group health care costs. The coverage not only protects employees from the costs of health emergencies, but helps to shield the employer from the costs associated with lost time and decreased productivity.” FIT and Pathways applications, eligibility and benefit information can be found at http://www.medequote.com.UniCare Life & Health Insurance Company is a national operating subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc., the largest publicly traded commercial health benefits company in terms of membership in the United States. UniCare can be found on the web at http://www.unicaresoundplans.com/ . Not all UniCare products are available in all states where UniCare is marketed. Insurance coverage is provided by UniCare Life & Health Insurance Company, Medequote is one of UniCare's top fifty agents.

All Kids Health Program in Illinois Starts July 1st, 2006

2006-05-20T02:05:00.000-05:00

At one point or another, nearly everyone has lived through the experience of seeing a loved one cope with sickness or a serious injury. You only have to go through that experience once to know just how much it means to have health insurance. Yet more than a quarter of a million children right here in Illinois do not have health insurance. That means they can’t see a doctor or get medicine when they need to. When they do get medical care, it’s often in the emergency room, after a small problem has grown into a big problem. That’s wrong. I believe every child should be able to get medical care when they need it, before it becomes an emergency.
That’s why the All Kids program was created: to make health care a reality for hundreds of thousands of families across the state. Illinois will be the first state in the nation to provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance for every child. Of the 250,000 children in Illinois without health insurance, more than half come from working and middle class families who earn too much to qualify for state programs like KidCare, but not enough to afford private health insurance. Through All Kids, comprehensive health insurance will be available to every uninsured child at rates their parents can afford.
The All Kids program will offer Illinois’ uninsured children comprehensive health care that includes doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers. Parents will pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families will be significantly lower than they are on the private market. For instance, a family of four that earns between $40,000 and $59,999 a year will pay a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit. To get enrollment information, fill out the application today. The program officially begins on July 1, 2006.
We know providing every child with health coverage will mean better attendance and performance in our schools. We know it will reduce the pressure on insurance premiums. We also know it can boost our local economies and improve productivity in the workplace. But more than any of these things, giving every child the chance to grow up healthy is the right thing to do.

http://www.allkidscovered.com/aktraining/

www.medequote.com

Insurance Premium Relief for ICHIP Participants

2006-05-20T01:50:00.000-05:00

A multi-million dollar grant, secured from the United States government, provides insurance relief to the people of Illinois covered by the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan's (ICHIP) high risk health insurance pool. This grant is used to help working families who are in transition between jobs and who have no other access to health insurance plans. Illinois is one of only two states using this grant money to provide insurance premium relief.
ICHIP allocated $5.365 million in federal funds distributed to the state by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for insurance premium relief for the 11,000 enrollees in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) pool. The average amount of premium relief will be $482 in 2005. The one-time reduction in premiums will range from $160 to more than $1,000 depending on several factors, such as age and residence.
HIPAA provides for the portability of health insurance coverage, without regard to pre-existing health problems, to persons coming off group coverage and who have otherwise exhausted their COBRA or state continuation benefits. HIPAA is one of several health insurance programs administered by the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP).
ICHIP provides access to health insurance coverage for some Illinois residents who have been denied access to major medical coverage by private insurers because of pre-existing health problems. ICHIP also serves as the state's agency of compliance with the individual portability requirements of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

John Berkowitz of Chicago's Medequote agency comments, "ICHIP is a huge safety net for everyone in this state who is unable to get individual health insurance from an individual and family plan, plus does not have acesss to an employer group. The rates to be in this high risk pool are expensive, and any type of temporary relief is welcom, but is not part of the long range solution which becomes more difficult to solve each year."

www.medequote.com

Clinton in Chicago: Health Care Spending Hurts Auto Industry

2006-05-20T01:35:00.000-05:00

Former President Bill Clinton was in Chicago, and Evanston Friday, and he says U.S. spending on health care is dragging down the nation's competitiveness, particularly in the auto industry. The former President spoke on Friday in Evanston at a forum on health care sponsored by Huron Consulting Group and Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He told an audience of hospital administrators that when it comes to health care, no one in the world spends more money than the United States, yet many people are without quality health care.“We have made decisions as a society pretending that we weren’t making them, that it is more important to us to let the healthcare financing tail wag the healthcare dog than it is to maintain a competitive automobile industry or insure all Americans, or improve the quality of healthcare,” Clinton said. “Now that’s the truth.”The former president says he would gladly give up his share of the Bush administration's tax cut to help Detroit auto makers with its legacy of high health care costs. Clinton also talked about the health crisis affecting school children. He says schools should measure the body mass index of students and give the results to parents. Clinton says his recent success in brokering an agreement to get soft drinks out of schools is an example of an approach it will take to solve the nation's health care problems.

John Berkowitz of Medequote www.medequote.com comments, "Exactly how he hopes to help reduce health care costs is a mystery without goverment subsidies which would be unheralded for upper middle class factory workers, is he saying the goverment should chip in on employee health insurance costs to reduce the cost of it for fortune 500 companies?"

Illinois State budget expands uninsured coverage

2006-05-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

More uninsured women can obtain screening and treatment for breast and cervical cancer under the new state budget, Gov. Blagojevich said Sunday. The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program offers uninsured, low-income women mammograms and breast exams between the ages of 40 and 64, and free pelvic exams and Pap tests between 35 and 64. The new budget raises the income threshold for women who qualify for the program, to $50,000 for a family of four -- up from $40,000. Treatment for outside diagnoses Before the new budget, women weren't eligible for free IBCCP treatment if their cancer was first diagnosed outside of the program. But now, even if diagnosed elsewhere, they can "go straight into the free treatment program," according to the governor's office. Uninsured, symptomatic younger women who meet the income ceiling are considered for the program on a case-by-case basis.

For more information, check the Illinois Department of Public Health's Web site at:

http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/press06/5.19.06IBCCP.htm

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Quitting smoking decreases your risk for Flu and lowers your health insurance premiums

2006-05-19T22:41:00.000-05:00

To increase your resistance to the flu, as well as many other resperatory illnesses, you should at least cut back your smoking although stopping completely will reap you the most benefit.
For those of you who are not ready to quit remember that smoking will make your flu symptoms worse. If you can stop smoking while you are ill it can greatly improve your recovery time. Another help would be if you can avoid secondhand smoke altogether.

Health insurance rates can increase as much as 40% if you smoke, so you have plenty of financial and well as health incentives to quit. Many health insurance companies like Unicare offer smoking cessation programs as part of their health plans.

The link below is to the American Lung Association website which has a considerable amount of information, quitting, and lung disease.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22938

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Medicare deadline hits; fee for late sign-ups debated

2006-05-19T21:34:00.000-05:00

Enrollment in Medicare's new prescription drug benefit ends Monday, with insurers and many lawmakers saying Congress should eliminate the financial penalty for people who sign up late.Under one proposal, Monday still would be the deadline for enrollment, and beneficiaries would not have another chance to sign up until November. But people who sign up at the end of this year would be spared the late-enrollment penalty, a permanent surcharge that otherwise would increase all future premiums by 7 percent or more.

www.medequote.com

Seniors get Extra Time from State For Drug Aid

2006-05-19T21:23:00.000-05:00

As an unprecedented campaign to sign up seniors for Medicare drug coverage came to a close Monday, Illinois officials announced they would let needy elderly and disabled residents join the state's pharmaceutical assistance plan through the end of the year. That will offer a safety net to low-income consumers who couldn't meet Medicare's enrollment deadline, a group that could include tens of thousands of people. "You can sign up for Illinois Cares Rx tomorrow or next week and still be covered through December," announced Anne Marie Murphy, director of the Illinois Medicaid program.

www.medequote.net