I'll take that bet
I'm not sure what, exactly, this says about the priorities of Garden State denizens, but this can't be good news for proponents of the ObamaTax:"...fifty thousand people signed up online for New Jersey's gambling sites in the first week ... 741 who signed up for Obamacare during all of October."That's about 67 high rollers to each newly-insured.One wonders if gambling addiction is covered under the ObamaTax.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 6, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Cavalcade of Risk #198: Call for submissions
David Williams hosts next week's Cav. Entries are due by Monday (the 9th).To submit your risk-related post, just click here to email it.You'll need to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the postPLEASE remember: ONLY posts that relate to risk (not personal finance tips and the like). And please only submit if you are willing to link back to the carnival if your submission is accepted.ALSO: Because the next Cav would fall on Christmas, we'll be postponing that edition. Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 6, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
It's 5 O'clock Somewhere!
So it's come to this:"If you're a bartender, have a Happy Hour [to promote the ObamaTax]"Well, I suppose there is a case to be made for beer goggles and 404care.[Hat Tip: Ace of Spades]Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 5, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
It's the most wonderful time of the year
Well, for a certain value of "wonderful," one supposes:"The Obama administration quietly finalized the Health Insurance Tax (HIT) over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a provision in Obamacare that will cost nearly $60 billion over the next five years and raise health care premiums by 3 percent." [emphasis added]Gotta love that acronym - talk about truth in advertising.I find this a bit disingenuous, though:"The annual tax is levied for “United States health risks,” and is hidden from consumers since it is directly assessed on health insurance companies."Um, no: why can't these rocket surgeons in the press understand ...
Source: InsureBlog - December 5, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Quick rebuttal to "preventive care saves money"
Like man-made global warming, the power of preventive medicine to save money is a huge hoax that won't die. A quick and simple rebuttal to these claims goes as follows:Assume we catch heart disease early, treat diabeties, or prevent all these causes of early death....what will these people eventually die from? And how much will that cost?Hint: it is far slower and far more expensive then what we prevented.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 5, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Post-Thanksgiving Health Wonk Review
Jason Shafrin hosts this week's HWR, with a special emphasis on the troubled website roll-out.As usual, Jason brings his own unique style to the 'Review, presenting it in helpful FAQ format.Well done, Jason!!Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 5, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Piling on...
This can't be good news for Ms Shecantbeserious and her boss:"A stunning new poll of young adults aged 18 to 29 shows that in large numbers, they have turned against President Obama and ObamaCare ... Fifty-seven percent disapprove of ObamaCare, with only 38% approving."That's almost two out of three of the folks that are critical to the "success" of the ObamaTax.Hmmm.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 4, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
They just won't let it go...
For some reason, the folks in Capital City think that if they just throw enough money at a (self-created) problem, it will go away. Case in point: the "You can't really keep your insurance" problem.The carriers have already made it clear that there's only so much they can do (and that turns out to be not much of anything). For example, Anthem has extended its deadline for "early renewals" to the middle of this month, and Medical Mutual has followed suit. Interestingly, Medical Mutual included this little caveat in its email:"Medical Mutual is not able to extend individual plans that do not comply with the Affordable Care A...
Source: InsureBlog - December 4, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Obama Healthcare Error 834
Have you tried to apply for Obamacare only to wonder where your personal information goes? Health insurance carriers are being blamed for failing to issue policies but the problem originates with healthcare.gub and error 834.The idea that one-third of the enrollment records are flawed “doesn’t accurately reflect the picture of what’s happening right now,” White House senior communications adviser Tara McGuinness said.“We’ve got a team of experts already working closely with issuers to make sure that every past and future 834 is accurate. We’re confident they’ll succeed,” McGuinness said.Washington P...
Source: InsureBlog - December 4, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Bar-hack Obama?
Back in 2010, Obama promised he would sign up for Obamacare as a show of confidence and leadership, or something.But he's been backpedalling from that promise and no one in the White House is saying why.In this case, I think there is a very good reason that he doesn't want to keep his promise: OBAMA IS AFRAID HIS PERSONAL INFORMATION WILL BE HACKED.He can't exactly come out and say that though, can he? Meanwhile, his minions are doing their best to invent a plausible reason for the delay. Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 3, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
ObamaTax (In)Security
We've long noted the rather lackadaisical attitude Ms Shecantbeserious has taken regarding the security of your private medical, financial and tax info. Turns out, it's not just unlicensed, unvetted "Navigators" and a buggy website:"...a Sept. 27 government memorandum surfaced in which two HHS officials said the security of the site had not been properly tested before it opened, creating "a high risk."Okay, so they still had a couple days to fix that, right?Oh:"...vulnerabilities remain on "everything from hacking someone's computer so when you visit the website it actually tries to hack your computer back, all the way to ...
Source: InsureBlog - December 3, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Biggest Loser?
My case is not unique. I am a small employer with two employees. Recently I took advantage of the opportunity to early renew. This option allows my plan to remain until January 1, 2015 at which time it will no longer be available. Current rates for my group are around $1800 per month. I believe in what I sell and the value proposition it brings for both my family and my employee so I pay 100% of the premiums. However, because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act I will be forced to reevaluate this position next year.The plan offered is a local HMO with benefits that are far better than the minimum essential co...
Source: InsureBlog - December 3, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Obamacare, a Teachable Moment
At InsureBlog we have not tried to hide our feelings about Obamacare. Quite simply, it is an ill conceived plan that is unpopular, unwanted, unworkable and under-funded. But other than that . . .Among the horror stories there are also good ones. I have several clients that, under current rules, are uninsurable. One has a severely arthritic hip that needs to be replaced. The other was recently diagnosed with cancer and needs an operation.Both need surgery sooner, rather than later.Both have surgery scheduled for early January, thanks in part to Obamacare.That brings us to Bev Veals, a North Carolina cancer patient whos...
Source: InsureBlog - December 3, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Obama Pulls the Plug on PCIP
This just in. Kind of . . . PCIP funding cut.Old news?Sort of.The big print news was PCIP stopped accepting new applications in March, 2013. But if you read the small print (which we missed at the time) the message was more ominous.Eighteen states have decided to turn their state Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) programs over to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), HHS officials said Tuesday.HHS officials have asked states with state-based PCIP programs to accept a fixed, lower-than-expected budget allocation for the rest of the year or else shut down the state-based prog...
Source: InsureBlog - December 3, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Thanksgiving: ObamaTax version
This family had "that talk" at Thanksgiving. Given that the 'talker' is an ObamaTax proponent, and the rest of the family are realists, it went about as you'd expect:[Hat Tip: Ace of Spades]Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - December 2, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
