Tamela Southan, CBCIn the Washington Post (8/16) “Ezra Klein” blog, Sarah Kliff notes that Texas has the “highest percentage of uninsured people in the country”: 26% of its residents have no health coverage, compared with a 17% national average. According to Center for Public Policy Priorities Director Anne Dunkelberg, Texas has led the nation in “percentage of uninsured residents since well before” Gov. Rick Perry (R) took office in 2000. She noted several factors that contribute to the uninsured rate. For one, “many Texas jobs don’t offer insurance”; and the state has a higher number of retail and service, agricultural, and industry jobs, all of which are “less likely to offer health benefits.” Moreover, Texas’ Medicaid program is “relatively limited”; and its insurance rates “are largely unregulated,” making coverage “expensive or unobtainable,” especially for undocumented citizens, older residents, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
Tele-Health Expected To Benefit Low-Income, Minority Patients
August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
E Tele Health Kweisi Mfume, president of the Mfume Group, writes in the Baltimore Sun (8/16) that “tele-health…not only enhances efficiency, care and affordability, but it holds the key to profound improvements in medical treatment by eliminating physical barriers to high-quality health services.” Tele-health technologies “will have the power to improve the lives of those struggling with medical issues that formerly required frequent trips to the hospital and sometimes surgeries or other risky procedures,” Mfume writes, as well as “enable earlier detection and more effective treatment of critical health problems through remote monitoring.” Mfume concludes, “I share President Barack Obama’s vision of connecting all of America to the Digital Age. Particularly when it comes to the nation’s health, we cannot leave anyone behind.”
Appeals Court Rules Individual Mandate Unconstitutional
August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011, that the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that nearly all Americans buy insurance, called “the individual mandate,” is unconstitutional.The ruling comes from a suit brought by 26 states — nearly all led by Republican governors and attorneys general. The 2-1 ruling marks the first time a judge appointed by a Democrat has voted to strike down the mandate. Judge Frank Hull, who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton, joined Chief Judge Joel Dubina, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, to strike down the mandate. Judge Stanley Marcus, in a dissenting opinion, said the mandate is constitutional. He was also appointed by Clinton.
The Department of Justice is expected to appeal. The federal government will have 90 days to appeal to the Supreme Court or ask the entire 11th Circuit to review the ruling.
Our Insurance Parnters / Companies continue to anticipate that this issue will ultimately be taken to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, they are moving forward with complying with all aspects of the Affordable Care Act until these types of issues are resolved.
- We the People
Which Healthcare Plan?
July 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
How To Choose the Right Health Plan! 
Basic healthcare plans are designed to protect your finances in the event of a major illness or serious injury. They dont cover smaller, out-of-pocket expenses like doctors office visits, and they generally cost less.
Stay Smart Stay Healthy was created by Edward Batchelor at Humana Inc. as a new-media venture designed to deliver guidance, and to support awareness and understanding of the healthcare industry.
His goal was simple: to educate consumers on the healthcare system by removing the usual complexities and replacing them with an informative and engaging series of videos.
Humana is one of my key benefit solutions for individuals, small to mid size employers, voluntary options and medicare clients. They have a diverse benefit portfolio utilizing agents as their avenue to consumers. Want to know more, drop me a quick email.
2011 HSA Bill on the Hill in Washington, DC
July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
HSA, FSA, HRA, CDHP & HDHP – WHAT? Congress Introduces Bill to Undo Health Law Provision for Medical Savings Accounts
Last week, Congress introduced bipartisan legislation to remove restrictions on tax-exempt health spending accounts – a revenue-raising provision of the Affordable Care Act that was estimated to garner $5 billion over 10 years. The bill would end a provision that since January has required a prescription for buying over-the-counter medicines with medical savings accounts, such as Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts.
The language was originally added as a way to keep the Affordable Care Act’s costs down by reducing unnecessary drug purchases. However, the provision appears to have had the opposite effect of increasing costs, as many people are scheduling doctor visits for the sole purpose of obtaining prescriptions for over-the-counter medications. The proposed legislation would restore the ability of people participating in a medical savings account to use funds from those accounts to purchase over-the-counter medications without a prescription.
Article provided by BCBS of TX and video by Humana. My healthcare partners.
The Texas Jobs Juggernaut – Nature vs Nuture!
July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“Texas has become the job creating capital of the country and some people don’t like it — or maybe they’re just jealous.
Governor Perry has aggressively encouraged businesses to move to Texas, and provided them with tax credits.
They complain that factors such as the climate, abundant natural resources and a steady supply of low cost labor have made a big difference. While those are helpful, California has all of the above, and yet its businesses are packing up and moving to Texas. Read more of on Texas Conservative leadership style has brought over 1.1 jobs to Texas.
Thank you Dr. Merrill Matthews “Nature vs. Nurture” Updated July 17, 2011, 07:00 PM Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas [Read more...]
Are you concerned about Indentity Theft?
June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Reviewing your credit file on a regular basis is essential for safeguarding your identity. Unexpected changes or evidence of suspicious activity may be the first sign of identity theft.
With Identity Theft Shield, you will experience the following benefits:
Enables your identification of inaccuracies in your credit files
Opportunity for early detection of suspicious activity in your credit files
Access to Credit Specialists to answer questions about your credit file
Access to Licensed Investigators to answer your questions and concerns about identity theft and fraud. Should you become a victim of identity theft, your investigator will work with you to help restore your name and credit to pre-theft status
I can help you with the best protection in the industry. Let’s shield your personal identity today before it’s too late.
HHS to Reduce Premiums, Make it Easier for Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions to Get Health Insurance
June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced new steps to reduce premiums and make it easier for Americans to enroll in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. Premiums for the Federally-administered Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) will drop as much as 40 percent in 18 States, and eligibility standards will be eased in 23 States and the District of Columbia to ensure more Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan was created under the Affordable Care Act and serves as a bridge to 2014 when insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with any pre-existing condition, like cancer, diabetes, and asthma.
“The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan changes lives, and in many cases, literally saves lives,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “These changes will decrease costs and help insure more Americans.”
In 23 States and the District of Columbia, the PCIP program is Federally-administered. The remaining States operate their own PCIP programs using Federal funds provided by the Affordable Care Act.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/05/20110531b.html
Theft? Yes, Health Care Identity Theft?
March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What Are Your Best Practices For Preventing HC Identity Theft?
Theft of a patient’s identity to acquire health care hurts patients, providers, payers & plan sponsors and employers that fund benefits. Patients are hurt if incorrect information in the patient record undermines care and when their available benefits are decreased when paid to someone else. Providers risk legal and financial exposures from malpractice, HIPAA, health care fraud, uncollectable or recouped fees, malpractice, and other issues. Plans and plan sponsors loose because they pay for benefits received by ineligible individuals. What are your best praactices & ideas about how patients, health care providers, health plans and insurers and employers and other plan sponsors can prevent and manage health care identity theft and its associated risks?
Thanks You! Cynthia Stamer.
Started by Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, Executive Director/Founder at Project COPE Coalition For Patient Empowerment
A True American Hero – Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman
March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
You’re a 19 year old kid. You’re critically wounded and dying in
the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam. It’s November 11, 1967. LZ (landing zone) X-ray. Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100 yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MedEvac helicopters to stop coming in. You’re lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you’re not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you’ll never see them again.
As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.
Then – over the machine gun noise – you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. You look up to see a Huey coming in. But.. It doesn’t seem real because no MedEvac markings are on it. Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you. He’s not MedEvac so it’s not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he’s flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway. Even after the MedEvacs were ordered not to come. He’s coming anyway.
And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 3 of you at a time on board. Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety.
And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!! Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm. He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.
Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force, died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise , Idaho
May God Bless and Rest His Soul.
I bet you didn’t hear about this hero’s passing, but we’ve sure seen a whole bunch about Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods and the bickering of congress over Health Reform. Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman
Shame on the American media !!!
Now… YOU pass this along to YOUR mailing list. Honor this real American.
Please.
