Having health insurance does not always mean health care is affordable. In addition to premiums, there are a slew of costs to contend with — from deductibles and co-payments to uncovered therapies and medicines. A 2011 study from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions in conjunction with the Deloitte Center for Financial Services (“The Hidden … Read more
Health savings accounts (HSAs) offer powerful financial incentives for consumers who want to rein in their spending on health care and take advantage of tax benefits. But a study in the March 2011 issue of the American Journal of Managed Care raises some questions about whether the cost savings of these consumer-directed plans may indirectly be hurting … Read more
Mary Lou Jay Think it’s no big deal to skip a visit to the dentist? Going without treatment for some dental problems can affect not just your mouth but your overall health, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies have shown links between gum disease and diabetes, heart disease, stroke and … Read more
Mary Lou Jay Even if you’re fortunate enough to have good health insurance, a stay in the hospital may be more costly than you expected because of expenses that aren’t covered under your policy. A hospital confinement insurance policy could help pay some of those costs. A hospital confinement insurance policy also is known as … Read more
Amy Higgins Of all the provisions of the federal health care reform law, the health insurance mandate is the most publicized and controversial. But one of health care reform’s lesser-known buzzwords, “accountable care organizations,” has the potential to dramatically change the health care landscape. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are networks of providers that include physicians, … Read more
Amy Higgins Nearly all Americans will be required to have health insurance whether the federal insurance mandate goes into effect in 2014. For those who get coverage through their jobs, little will change. But those who don’t have health insurance through their employers will be able to shop for insurance through new state-run health insurance exchanges. … Read more
Amy Higgins As of May 2011, there were more than 111,000 people on the waiting list for organ transplants, according to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data. These candidates can receive organs from cadaver donors or, in some cases, living donors, but it can take years to find a match. When it comes to kidney and … Read more
Marcus Pickett For many considering early retirement, the difficulty in finding affordable health insurance coverage is the key obstacle standing in the way. You’re likely too young for Medicare, which kicks in when you turn 65, and premiums for private insurance may be out of reach. The Rand Corp. recently completed a research review of early … Read more
Crawford Frazer Community health centers serve about 20 million people a year, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). If you have health insurance, you may never have been to one. But they have been aiding low-income and uninsured people for decades. And because of the billions of dollars in increased federal funding … Read more
Mary Lou Jay When someone steals your medical identity — using your health insurance card, Social Security number or other personal information to obtain medical services or prescriptions — it can harm both your wallet and your health. Medical identity thieves use your data to submit bogus claims to your insurer or work with dishonest pharmacists to … Read more