Healthplans

Monday, April 09, 2007

State Debates Aid for Immigrant Children

The debate over migration is primarily a federal one, but Florida's large immigrant population ensures that state lawmakers struggle with two issues every year: Should Florida permit students who aren't legal U.S. residents to be present at universities on in-state tuition? And should Florida help the families of current legal immigrants pay for their children's health care, which isn't covered by the state's low-cost health insurance program for children?

Halfway through the annual 60-day legislative session, there's broad trust among advocates that Florida this year could give subsidized health coverage for legal immigrants' children. In-state tuition for illegal immigrant children, however, looks unlikely again this year no bill has been filed to alter it.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Reformers: Consumers must drive health care

Steve Neeleman, M.D who believes in desperation fuels a growing interest in a single-payer health care system. "I think we're enamored with it because we don't know what else to do," said Neeleman, author of "The Complete HSA Handbook" and chief executive officer of the Utah-based used to consult firm Health Equity. He is among a growing wave of reformers who consider a move to consumer-driven health care will treat the ailing system.

The approach entails employing low-premium, high-deductible insurance plans with health check savings plans, such as health savings accounts and health reimbursement accounts. Consumer-driven plans typically put the first-dollar onus on consumers, a setback meant to empower them to make cost-conscious, educated choices when it comes to health care. They also need a much steeper out-of-pocket investment.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Self-employed losing health care options

A major foundation of health insurance for people who work for themselves has all but left, casting thousands of contractors, freelancers and solo practitioners into the ranks of the uninsured with little expectations of obtaining new coverage. Health plans obtainable by professional associations were once safe havens for millions of people who couldn't obtain treatment anywhere else. But, as medical costs have soared, groups instead of professions as varied as law and golf have been required to stop offering the benefit or been dropped by insurers.

More than 8,000 California Realtors and their families could be after that if Blue Shield of California succeeds with its diagram to cancel their association health coverage. "It's a real stab in the heart," said Marcy Garber, 62, a Los Angeles real estate agent whose history of breast cancer makes her an almost-certain refuse if she seeks similar coverage on her own.

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