Have you been denied insurance?

Sen. John McCain laid out his vision for the U.S. health-care system Tuesday, rejecting universal health insurance and embracing a system with fewer regulations in which consumers shop for coverage on their own rather than get it from an employer.

His plan, parts of which are similar to a failed effort by President Bush last year, embraces a Republican approach to an issue long dominated by Democrats. Sen. McCain aims to introduce more competition into the system, giving people more choice in insurance and the ability to keep it when they change jobs.

“The key to real reform is to restore control over our health-care system to the patients themselves,” Sen. McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, said Tuesday at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. The address offered few details beyond the scant outline Sen. McCain first offered in October.

The plan isn’t expected to make a major dent in the number of uninsured Americans, and questions remain about how the plan would help older, sicker people who can’t find insurance on the open market.

The McCain health plan contrasts with Democratic plans, which propose spending $110 billion a year toward universal coverage. Both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama would set up government-run insurance markets in which private companies and a government-run plan would compete. Democrats also would bar insurance companies from denying care or charging sicker people more, a proposal Sen. McCain rejects.

The original article can be found here.

Obtaining health insurance coverage for the self employed in any State can be a daunting task. There is so many sources to choose from. There are several carriers like Humana and United Health Care/ Golden Rule who offer health insurance plans for self employed individuals, students and families with reasonable premiums and deductibles. It is important to work with a licensed independent agent who is licensed with several carriers in your State.  A reputable agency like Insurance Care Direct will allow self employed individuals to compare several plans from competing companies.  It also allows for easy transitions should it be beneficial to change carriers in the future. 

 A single claim against a self employed person’s policy can cause a significant monthly rate increase. However, by changing plans to a competing carrier, a self employed individual can oftentimes purchase coverage at a lower rate without sacrificing benefits.  A knowledgeable agent will be able to illustrate an affordable plan with relative ease.  Additionally, recent legislative changes allow self employed individuals to participate in health savings accounts – also known as HSA’s.  These qualified accounts typically are less expensive and will also provide tax advantages.

Let’s simply be blunt. SCHIP Programs in Florida need a bigger budget.  This political issue has brought a great deal of political attention to both conservatives and liberals.  This issue of underfunding children’s health plans in the United States needs to be addressed.  Would increased funding bring about a better quality of healthcare?  Or would it break our current system that seems to be broken.  Let’s see what our 2008 Presidential Candidates have for a new direction with the biggest social issue our county faces. 

Senate leader Harry Reid reacted to the cut in funding immediately saying; “Never has it been clearer how detached President Bush is from the priorities of the American people,” Reid said in a statement. “By slashing a bipartisan bill to renew the successful Children’s Health Insurance Program, President Bush is denying health care to millions of low-income kids in America.”

The (SCHIP) – State Children’s Health Insurance Program – is a joint state-federal effort that subsidizes health coverage for 6.6 million people, mostly children, who come from families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford their own private health insurance coverage. According to health insurance experts, there are 35 million American’s who fit into this category… Insurance Care Direct can help you find affordable health insurance for your children.

Ten years ago a college graduate with a high-tech degree used to be able to demand a big salary, great health insurance, maybe even a fancy car; but now those white collar managers are finding their salaries cut, their Mercedes Benz gone, and their health insurance plans dwindling down to nothing. A recent report published on Florida health insurance web, says white collar workers are losing company paid benefits and insurance programs even without losing their jobs. See the article here.

The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) released a disturbing report this week which revealed how many white-collar workers in Florida have lost their employer-based health insurance in recent years, even though they didn’t change jobs. Moran, a Jacksonville business and insurance consultant said, “We all have been taught that if we work hard, and hold onto our job, that our insurance will be safe … sadly that is no longer the case.”

Moran continued, “If a company is having financial problems, and they want to reduce costs, they may start cutting in the benefit department.” Usually the employer will begin by shifting the cost of the health insurance premiums to the employees in the form of higher co-pays and deductibles, but eventually a lot of these companies will decide that they cannot continue to offer insurance at all, leaving another person in Florida without health insurance, Moran said.

Our medical insurance system is primarily designed around an employer based benefit to the employees for health care coverage. Self employed health insurance is a growing need because many Americans are opting out of the traditional job environment to start their own business out of their homes or over the internet. These people still need affordable health insurance, but they are unable to benefit from the rates and risk pools that larger companies have.

There are many different plans available like the Humana plans or United Health Care/ Golden Rule plans. You can get programs that have the same benefits as employer plans with low doctor co-payments, prescriptions and preventative care benefits. These companies also have more options for those that want to save money with high deductible health plans that operate in conjunction with a tax favored health savings account. The possibilities are endless!

Your best options should be explored with experienced licensed agents or through intense website research online. You can browse different companies, benefits, premiums and rates to make the decision and apply online on your own. Or you can call a licensed agent for help to get the best value for your health care dollar. Call us at Insurance Care Direct …we can help you!

A Gallup poll in November showed nearly two-thirds of Americans think the government should be responsible for everyone having affordable health insurance. The parties are clearly split on the issue of mandatory health insurance for everyone.In broad strokes, the Democratic candidates support a government-legislated solution; the GOP candidates favor a private-market approach. Democratic presidential contenders may ultimately find an unlikely ally: the same big health insurance firms they fight on the campaign trail. It doesn’t appear that each side want to give but eventually both maybe have to. Someone has to take the first step to providing health insurance for everyone.

Democratic presidential candidates and even the Republican governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, are pushing what they call universal health insurance proposals. Health insurance lobbyists are pushing back. Universal Health Care Coverage like Canada is what they are seeking….others fight because they don’t want higher taxes.

Nearly 1,300 health insurance companies are united under the American Healthcare Insurance Providers, a Washington, D.C.-based association. This coalition represents both large and small insurance firms like Humana and United Health Care. The large companies may find benefits in the Democratic proposals, while the smaller companies see only burdens.

Several states and both houses in Congress are pushing to expand a children’s health-insurance program partially financed by the federal government. The new guidelines restricting enrollment have drawn criticism from school officials and health insurance advocates, who warn that children will lose access to insured medical care which is important for children who may need medical attention for broken bones, shots, doctor visits and countless other things.

The $25 billion-a-year State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, is intended for children in families that earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid but may find it hard to afford private health insurance.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in an Aug. 17 letter, told states that they cannot enroll children from higher-income families-those with income above 250 percent of the federal poverty line-unless the states can prove that 95 percent of their poorest children are already covered through Medicaid or SCHIP. As a result, many children will remain uninsured, school health officials argue-and that could affect schools by weakening student preparedness for learning and increasing the need for services. Without insurance of their own, many families also come to rely on schools for services, said Donna Mazyck, the president of the National Association of School Nurses, based in Silver Spring, Md. “School nurses are sometimes the only health-care provider a student regularly sees,” she said. “We definitely see the importance of students’ having a regular primary- care provider.”

The bad news -The number of Americans without health insurance rose last year from 44.8 million, or 15.3% of the population, to 47 million, or 15.8%, the Census Bureau reported August 30, 2007. Almost 16% of our nation…this is more than just a problem.

In a report on income, poverty and health insurance coverage, the bureau also said that the median household income — the income level of Americans at dead center of the U.S. economy — rose seven-tenths of one point to $48,201 last year, mainly because more people were working full time. Analysts stated the figures showed that the nation was still a long way from making it back to where it was before the last recession in 2001, and helped explain why working Americans were more doubtful than the overall economic numbers might suggest they should be.

Median household income peaked in 1999 at $49,244, then fell for five years before climbing back in 2005 and last year. But the improvement was not the product of higher earnings but more work. Real median earnings of men and women who worked full time declined in 2006. For men, the decline was 1.1%, to $42,300; for women it was 1.2%, to $32,500.The nation’s official poverty rate experienced its first significant decline of this decade, from 12.6% in 2005 to 12.3% last year.

Most of the problems with health insurance were traceable to the continued erosion of employer-based healthcare coverage. The percentage of people covered by employer plans decreased to 59.7% of the population in 2006, down from 60.2% in 2005. So the majority of Americans with insurance are covered by employer offered insurance….and the number went down.

Don’t be one of the millions of uninsured without a secure future.

How can the World Wide Web help you find the health insurance plan best suited to your needs and budget? The internet has become a confusing and overwhelming area of information and mis-information.

Health insurance is important no matter who you are. Americans who need to purchase individual health insurance, make decisions about health plans offered by their employer or by a potential employer may be confused about the options available. Everyone wants to make the best decision and get the coverage they need at a price that is best value for their dollar.

The Internet offers many ways to help with the process. Anyone can use online search engines to search for brokers and carriers that offer what they are looking for. They can consult the web pages of various insurance brokers and carriers and in some cases even apply and receive a quote online.

America has a variety of different health insurance companies serving the needs of its citizens. For a small business owner selecting medical benefit options for their employees, it is particularly important to make the right decision. Potential employees in today’s competitive employment market are looking for a health insurance package that is affordable and backed by a carrier like Humana and United Health Care they are familiar with.

Using the World Wide Web to search for health insurance company rankings, third-party reviews, newspaper articles, industry data and blogs can help anyone arm themselves with as much information as possible when making important choices about their health insurance coverage. While the Internet can be a valuable tool, it is important to keep in mind that credibility of the source. Bob’s Fried Chicken and Discount Health Insurance may not be such a good idea. Be cautious of phishing or virus laden sites in disguise and always be certain that you know what organization is responsible for the content of any website you choose.

Unemployment has its drawbacks but with COBRA being uninsured does not need to be one of them. COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) is designed to provide a safety net for people who might find themselves uninsured after a change in their employment status whether voluntary or involuntary. For example, a mother and wife who works as a construction foreman is laid off from her job. In the past, the only option for this family would be unaffordable individual health insurance – assuming they are healthy enough to qualify. However, under COBRA, many companies are obliged to offer ex-employees the right to continue their coverage for a limited amount of time.

There are some important things to keep in mind when considering if COBRA applies to your situation and how it will impact your budget. Not all employers are required to offer continuing coverage under COBRA – those who are not include businesses with fewer than 20 employees.

American healthcare consumers can go to their local library, check with their company’s human resources department or visit online websites to get more information about COBRA.

Once you have determined if you qualify for COBRA, you need to consider the cost. Most employers pay for a portion of their employees’ health insurance premium costs as part of their benefits package. Sometimes the individuals pay the entire cost. However, that contribution will not continue once employment is terminated. If the employee wishes to continue their health insurance benefits, they need to pay the whole amount of the premium out of their own pocket. Using COBRA to continue existing insurance is, however, generally less expensive and easier than purchasing individual coverage.