insurance
Annual comparison of health plans out
The CT Insurance Dept. has released their 2009 Consumer Report Card on Health Insurance Carriers in CT. The report compares insurance plans on the number of participating providers and 14 quality measures including rates of cancer screening, immunization rates and the percent of physicians who are board certified. For example, the percentage of patients who’ve…
Read MoreThe Day Editorial – He snores, so why can’t we buy health insurance?
Susan Epstein has so many good points, it is hard to know where to start. “Don’t think it can’t happen to you. We’re ordinary people. My husband snores and I take too much medicine and therefore, we’re ineligible for health insurance.” Ellen Andrews
Read MoreGAO report finds reduced competition in insurance markets is associated with higher premiums and profits
After pages of disclaimers and cautions that there is not enough good research on the issue, a recent GAO report finds evidence that there has been increasing concentration in health insurance markets in the US. Market share of the top five insurers rose from 43.2% in 1994 to 49.9% in 1997. The impact varied by…
Read MoreTest your knowledge of CT health policy premiums
Take the September CT Health Policy Webquiz to test your knowledge about the costs of health insurance premiums in CT.
Read MoreCT family premiums fifth highest in nation
This won’t surprise anyone who buys their own coverage (or buys it for their employees), that a new report by the Commonwealth Fund finds that CT’s family premiums were the fifth highest in the US last year. Rates increased by one third from 2003 to 2008, as did the US average family premium — so…
Read MoreUndecipherable health insurance documents
I was very happy when I finally received the document from my health insurance company explaining my medical coverage. Now I could finally see exactly what medical benefits are covered. Or maybe not. I decided to review it so I would know what is covered and what isn’t. I didn’t get very far. The document…
Read MoreCT health insurance premiums grew 7 times faster than our incomes since 2000
From 2000 to this year, family premiums rose 7.4 times faster than median earnings in Connecticut according to a new report by Families USA. Premiums are up 96% while earnings inched up only 13%. Also stunning is that while employers’ average share of that premium rose 91%, workers share jumped 114%. The cost shift to…
Read MoreExtreme out-of-network charges for CT health care services
A new survey of out-of-network physician claims finds some extremely high examples of over charging in CT. The highest example includes a bill for $26,881 for a lower back spinal fusion; the Medicare rate for that service is $1,572.95 or 17 times less. The report includes ten examples of out-of-network charges ranging from 1,709% to…
Read MoreCharter Oak after one year – mixed returns
One year after the implementation of the Governor’s Charter Oak Health Plan, the program is still struggling to make a difference for CT’s 326,000 uninsured as outlined in a Stamford Advocate article yesterday, updated today. Currently there are just under 9,000 members accessing care who may not have any other option. However, a year ago…
Read MoreOLR insurance acts report out
The Office of Legislative Research’s annual report on acts that passed this year concerning insurance is out. Eighteen public acts are described covering a range of issues including autism, expedited external appeals, a program to review the social and financial impact of mandated benefits, insurer medical loss ratio disclosure, coverage of stepchildren, and prohibiting payments…
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