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According to Wyoming's StarTribune, hundreds of people stood in line waiting in the cold for free health care at a health fair in eastern New Orleans for people without health insurance. The health fair, organized by Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing International and Remote Area Medical, a group that provides medical treatment in remote parts of the US and world, expects to see 10,000 patients during the week-long fair in New Orleans. 400 health workers have volunteered to provide medical, dental, vision, pediatric, gynecology, diabetic, and cardiology care. Normally, an area like New Orleans wouldn't be considered remote, but Hurricane Katrina left the area and its residents so devastated that medical services are desperately needed. The health fair is open to anyone, but is really aimed at helping people who are unemployed, uninsured, or simply can't afford to pay for health care. People began lining up outside the tents at 2:00 a.m. Even though affordable health insurance quotes can be found online, many New Orleans residents can't afford the monthly payments. One woman explains that her daughter tried to find health insurance online but couldn't find anything less than $799 a month, which the woman and her husband can't pay. If you find yourself in a similar situation, we suggest you compare prices to make sure you're getting the lowest rate possible for the care you need.
Should HPV vaccinations be mandatory for young girls entering middle school? That's the question policy makers and health experts are debating with the release of a groundbreaking new vaccine that prevents HPV, an STD linked to cervical cancer. According to Seattle Times, parents are trying to figure out if giving the vaccine to their daughters is a good idea, or if the vaccine promotes promiscuity. Some types of HPV, or human papillomavirus, causes genital warts; others cause cervical cancer. About 20 million Americans have HPV, and by age 50, at least 80% of women have HPV. Advocates of the new vaccine feel it's a breakthrough in women's health care and is an important step in cancer prevention. The vaccine is preventative, so it's most effective for preadolescents who aren't sexually active. But how should parents explain the vaccine to their 13-year old daughters? If legislation is passed in Washington state, a state-sponsored HPV vaccine program will begin on May 1st. But the vaccine is already available to some patients with family health insurance or to those willing to pay $120 for the shot. Many states are trying to make the vaccine mandatory, and while health experts support the vaccine, many feel it's too early to make it required. If you're interested in the vaccine, talk to your health care provider to find out if you're covered. If you don't have health coverage, affordable health insurance quotes can be found online. Whether or not you think the HPV vaccine is a good idea, having a reliable health plan for your family is important.
According to GOPUSA, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president, is making affordable health insurance a priority. In a speech to the Families USA conference in Washington, Senator Obama said he's working with experts on a detailed plan for universal health insurance. Obama pointed out that America spends more money per capita on health insurance than any other country but that a growing number of Americans are uninsured. Obama is calling for universal health insurance by the end of the next president's first term. It's good to hear politicians taking the issue of health insurance seriously. With so many uninsured Americans, and the rising cost of health plans, reform is needed so that more people get the health coverage they need. Even though low cost health insurance quotes are available, some low income families have a hard time keeping their families covered.
According to The Houston Chronicle, Democrats in the Texas House are working to increase the number of low-income children with health insurance in Texas. In 2001, Texas created a state-funded health insurance program, CHIP, that covers children of low-wage workers who aren't poor enough to qualify for Medicaid but can't afford private insurance. In 2002, enrollment in CHIP reached 529,000, but the plan was decreased when Texas had a $10 billion deficit in 2003. But now that Texas has a $14.1 billion surplus, Texas Democrat Garnet Coleman wants to bring CHIP enrollment back up so that every child who lost CHIP medical coverage in 2002 will get health insurance again. Currently in the House of Representatives, 61 of 69 Democrats are involved in drafting Children's Health Insurance legislation. Providing health insurance to children is a good idea because the cost is relatively low and will decrease the number of uninsured Americans. Families who don't get health insurance through work can usually find an affordable family health insurance quote online.
According to the The New York Times, President Bush's proposal to help provide medical coverage to the millions of Americans without health insurance received mixed reactions. Bush's health plan proposes that individuals and families who do not receive health insurance benefits through work will receive a tax credit if they buy their own health insurance policies. Critics point out that Bush's new health plan would encourage employers to stop providing health insurance to employees. On the other hand, individuals who buy their own insurance independently, such as real estate agents, consultants and small business employees may benefit from Bush's health care plan. Individuals would receive a $7,500 tax credit, and families would get a $15,000 credit under Bush's proposal. People with really good health insurance plans through employers, like teachers, may see a tax increase since employer health insurance contributions would be treated as taxable income. This means 80% of workers would see a tax decrease, and 20% would see an increase. Since so many Americans are without health insurance, Bush's plan does have some appeal. But what about the 20% of people who will have to pay higher taxes? The bottom line seems to be that someone is going to pay. The question is who. Why are so many Americans uninsured? Affordable health insurance quotes are available and there are a variety of health plans that can even be found on the Internet at low rates. Could it be as simple as eating more vegetables, quitting smoking, and spending money on health insurance instead of television sets?
According to The Mercury News, a coalition of heavy-hitters in health insurance will announce a proposal to reduce the number of people without insurance. This announcement couldn't have come at a better time - getting affordable health insurance for 47 million uninsured Americans seems to be on everyone's mind - from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to improve health insurance in California to Speaker of the House Nanci Pelosi making Medicare health plans a priority during the first 100 hours of Congress. The coalition, called the Health Coverage Coalition for the Uninsured, is made up of groups with different and often competing interests. Lawmakers were excluded because the group wanted to meet quietly and confidentially, which they did for two years. Details of the plan are expected to include improving health coverage for children. Interestingly, another disparate group of health advocates called "Divided We Fall" are stepping up to turn the nation's eye's toward health insurance. AARP (senior citizen's advocacy group with over 50 million members), the Business Roundtable, and the Service Employees International Union make up this powerful lobbying group. The last time health insurance reform received this much attention was President Clinton's 1993 proposal for universal health care. The businesses which fought Clinton are now leading the way towards change. The bottom line is, people with insurance are paying for those without. Families and small businesses face constantly growing health insurance costs. Whether or not the Congress can create legislation to help with the rising cost of health insurance, it's always a good idea to make sure you're covered. Affordable health insurance quotes are readily available for anyone looking for reliable health coverage. With the Internet, you can even get a free health insurance quote online.
The government has taken steps to help low-income seniors with the rising cost of health insurance and prescription drugs. A federal program called Medicare Prescription Low Income Subsidy offers help to lower prescription costs and copayments. For those who qualify, the program, offered by Medicare, can reduce generic prescription copayments to as low as $1 to $2.15. For brand-name drugs copayments could be reduced to $3.10 to $5.25. Some qualified persons with lower income and assets could receive extra help and a 15% coinsurance on generic and brand name drugs. An annual household income of $14,700 or less if single, if married $19,800 or less. (Or an annual income of 150% or less than the federal poverty level). Eligibility for the program means an individual’s total assets can not exceed $11,500, or $23,000 for couples. Some financial holdings are not counted as part of your assets, however, the exact level of assistance that would qualify one, depends on a combination of assets and income. To check out the qualifications for assistance, contact the Social Security Administration. Seniors may want to consider medicare supplemental insurance, also known as Medigap, to help cover the rising cost of health plans.
According to USAToday, health insurance in California and Massachusetts is leading the way in health insurance reform. One in seven Americans don't have medical insurance, and people with health insurance plans face high premiums. People without health insurance may be making health plans more expensive for people with insurance. A study by the New American Foundation, a health policy think tank, reports that tax payers pay a hidden tax of a whopping $1,186 per family to cover medical expenses of the uninsured. That works out to nearly $100 per month--per family! Health insurance reform in MA & CA are similar in that everyone is required to have health insurance in the same way that auto insurance is mandated. Massachusetts' health insurance reform is already in place. In CA, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a similar plan to cover the 6.5 uninsured Californians, including 1 million illegal immigrants. Whether or not health insurance is mandated in your state, it's always a good idea to have health insurance. Many people have health insurance through work, but if you don't currently have a health plan, it's easy to find an individual health plan or a short term health plan if you're in between jobs. The good news is that the Internet has made it easy to compare a wide range of online health insurance quotes so that you can find a plan that meets your needs.
According to DrugNewswire.com, William Novelli, CEO of senior citizen's lobbying group AARP, issued a statement in support of the new Medicare drug proposal recently passed in the House of Representatives. The proposal requires the government to negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients. Novelli's statement applauds the House for trying to help seniors get affordable health insurance and urges the Senate to do the same, "Making prescription drugs more affordable is just one of the building blocks needed to ensure that Americans have the health and financial security they deserve." President Bush says he'll veto the bill because competition between private companies reduces prices and increases the availability of a wide range of prescription drugs. It'll be interesting to see how President Bush and the new Democratic Congress will handle their opposing views on this health insurance act. Supporters of the bill hope that the government will be able to negotiate lower prescription drug rates and get rid of the coverage gaps that exist in the current Medicare drug plan. One way to protect yourself against the current gaps in coverage is to get medicare supplemental insurance that will pay for medical expenses that Medicare doesn't cover. Affordable health insurance quotes can usually be found online, so make sure you compare a variety of plans to get the coverage you need.
A new bill, according to NPR, is being voted on in the House of Representatives that concerns senior citizens who receive prescription drug coverage under Medicare Plan D. The new plan, backed by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, requires the government to negotiate with prescription drug companies on behalf of seniors. The idea behind the bill is that the government will be able to buy in bulk and get cheaper rates in order to save money for seniors and taxpayers. Critics of the bill argue that seniors are happy with the current Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Some critics also point out the bill will limit senior's access to a variety of medications since the government may have more restrictions on what drugs will be included in the plan. Currently, individual insurance companies negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, and seniors can choose the plan they like best. In a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, seniors expressed satisfaction with the current prescription drug plan, but also a strong desire to give the government the power to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies. Medicare recipients represent the largest number of prescription drug users in the country, so perhaps seniors feel that they'll get greater leverage if everyone is in one negotiating pool. Supporters of the new bill also hope that government negotiated rates with get rid of current gaps in coverage, known as the "doughnut hole." President Bush has already stated that he'll veto the bill, so seniors with Medicare Plan D should make sure they understand the extent of their health insurance coverage. Until changes to Medicare Plan D occur, seniors may want to look into medicare supplemental insurance to make sure gaps are covered. Affordable health insurance quotes can now be found online, so anyone with an Internet access can find out how much a Medigap plan will cost.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a new plan to provide health insurance to the 6.5 million Californians without health coverage. Here are the major points of the plan according to Forbes.com:
- Requires employers with 10 or more workers to provide health insurance or pay CA 4% of their payrolls
- Doctors pay additional 2% in taxes
- Hospitals pay additional 4% in taxes
While some local health groups like Legal Aid Society praise the governor for attempting to reform California health insurance, others criticize Schwarzenegger's health care proposal. Those in support of Schwarzenegger's proposal agree that everyone in the state of California should have a health insurance plan. Advocates say that the proposal may cut health costs since more people would receive preventative care, instead of receiving high cost emergency care. Critics of the plan think the extra tax burden placed on health care providers will just be passed on to the consumer. Whether or not the governor's plan is passed, the decision to get health insurance in California or any other state should be easy. Getting an individual health insurance plan or a family health plan if you're not covered at work is easy to do and may end up saving you money in the long run. Affordable health insurance quotes are readily available across the United States so that small businesses, large organizations, and individuals can get the health care services they need. Nowadays, you can even get Online health insurance quotes so that anyone can figure out their budget and find the right health plan.
According to The Washington Post, millions of senior citizens with Medicare Health Insurance are stuck in the "Doughnut Hole." The doughnut hole is a gap in Medicare's prescription drug coverage - Medicare stops paying for drugs when the costs get high and starts again when the cost reaches the catastrophic range. When drug costs reach $2,250, senior citizens have to cover 100% of the bill - while still paying their insurance premiums. Medicare starts paying a portion of the bill again when the cost reaches $3,600. For example, one senior who previously paid $58 for her 3-month supply of medicine will now face a $1,294 bill since she entered the doughnut hole. There are more expensive health care plans that don't have a doughnut hole, and low-income beneficiaries may be eligible for extra Medicare funding that covers the gap. So what can seniors do to help avoid Medicare Gaps? Some experts suggest finding less expensive medication from mail-order pharmacies. Another possibility is to research and purchase Medicare Supplemental Insurance, also called Medicare Gap Insurance. The bottom line is, read the fine print and make sure you know what your drug benefits are. The best protection against the doughnut hole is to not get stuck in it in the first place. For more information on Medicare, visit the official Medicare site.
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