Marcus Pickett When health care reform was first debated and passed, many saw it as a huge, one-time overhaul. In actuality, the law’s various provisions will be phased in over several years. Although this list is by no means exhaustive (more than 20 provisions went into effect during the law’s first year alone), here are some changes … Read more
Marcus Pickett With all the intricacies of health care reform and the insurance mandate, one question keeps rising to the surface: Will reform make health insurance and health care affordable? A 2011 Commonwealth Fund study offers some insights. The study (called “Will The Affordable Care Act Make Health Insurance Affordable?”) focuses on the health insurance exchanges and subsidies … Read more
Amy Higgins Even though they can get it for free, our nation’s seniors aren’t getting the recommended amount of preventive care, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Medicare (available to those age 65 or older) provides each beneficiary with a free “wellness visit” each year that includes a … Read more
Mary Lou Jay There’s still a lot of confusion over the provisions of the federal new health care reform law. Unfortunately, that confusion is setting the stage for health insurance scam artists. The frauds started almost as soon as the bill was signed. In an April 2010 letter to state insurance commissioners, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of … Read more
Even with the dog days of summer behind most of us, some areas of the Southwest are still roasting. In addition to discomfort and high electricity bills, heat waves can cause serious and potentially fatal heath issues. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines “extreme heat events” as several days of temperatures above 90 … Read more
Amy Higgins Some employers and government organizations are offering incentives programs to encourage Americans to ditch bad habits and adopt healthy lifestyles. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is starting a $100 million program that seeks to improve Medicaid recipients’ health through rewards — a tactic that some employers have been using for years … Read more
Amy Higgins Women have unique concerns when it comes to their health, but with rising health care costs and limited coverage under many insurance plans, many aren’t getting the care they need. A recent report from The Commonwealth Fund analyzes how that could change under health care reform. A health care discrepancy In 2010, roughly 27 million … Read more
Marcus Pickett One of health care reform’s more popular provisions guarantees people younger than 26 access to their parents’ dependent health coverage. Since that provision went into effect in September 2010, a lot of young adults have been hopping on board. According to a May 2011 Gallup poll, the uninsured rate among 18- to 26-year-olds dropped … Read more
Health care costs are spiraling out of control. Could our unhealthy lifestyles be to blame? While not all serious health conditions are preventable, adjustments in behavior can lessen their chance of developing, or at least reduce their severity. The government even has adopted this philosophy. The health care reform law established $100 million in grants … Read more
Marcus Pickett In October 2011, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with some bad news — by the end of the year, roughly 230,000 U.S. women will have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and nearly 40,000 will have died of the disease. About 2,000 men also will be diagnosed … Read more