insurance
December web quiz – CT managed care plan performance
Test your knowledge about the performance of CT’s managed care plans. Take the December CT Health Policy web quiz.
Read MoreInsurance Dept. hearing on United Healthcare buying HealthNet
Monday’s CT Insurance Dept. (CID) hearing on the acquisition of Health Net’s license by United Healthcare was fascinating. If you didn’t hear anything about it, you’re not alone. It was not well publicized, there was little time to respond, and the hearing was not held at the Legislative Office Building, but in a windowless room,…
Read MoreCT Health Care Advocate’s Office has saved consumers $2.7 million so far this year
The Office of Health Care Advocate’s latest update reports saving state consumers $2.7 million in denied health care claims and services through September of this year, including $700,000 in the third quarter alone. Last year the office saved consumers over $5.2 million and are predicting an increase of over 50% in the number of cases…
Read MoreAnnual 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…
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