| Hospital officials have concerns on health reform
Richardson, chairman-elect of the Iowa Hospital Association, said he sees three main components to the bill: Insurance reform through prohibiting exempting people with pre-existing conditions and allowing portability; insuring nearly 50 million uninsured people; and cost reduction, as health care makes up about 17 percent of the gross national product. While Richardson said it's hard to argue with the former two components, he's not sure the cost savings are there. "I really believe they're overly exaggerating the amount of cost savings that can come out of health care right now," Richardson said. Taxation and penalties Platt said one of the main means of paying for health reform is putting an end to cost shifting. Now, the difference between reimbursement rates and costs is financed on the backs of people with private insurance.
Who are the uninsured and should we pay to cover them?
I don't have to explain to you that nearly 46 million Americans don't have health insurance coverage today. In the wealthiest nation on Earth, 46 million of our fellow citizens have no coverage. They are just vulnerable. If something happens, they go bankrupt, or they don't get the care they need. Hennessey breaks this group of nearly 46 million into five categories. The first, consisting of about 6.5 million, actually is insured. According to Hennessey, they are enrolled in Medicaid or S-CHIP but didn't tell the census taker. This is called the "Medicaid undercount." The second group, about 4.5 million, consists of people who are eligible for Medicaid or S-CHIP but have not enrolled. If they need care, the hospital or clinic generally enrolls them. In other words, they do not (as Obama claims) go bankrupt or without treatment.
College Car Insurance Basics: Tips for Saving Money and Staying
If you plan to have your car on campus, it's wise to compare auto insurance rates before you move, especially since rates have decreased significantly since last fall. Whether you are buying a new policy for the first time, or looking to save your parents money, comparison shopping online is easy and can save hundreds of dollars. "Teen and young adult drivers are the highest risk group for violations and accidents, so their rates will be expensive," said Sam Belden, VP at Insurance.com. "Insurance.com found that drivers ages 18-22 were paying an average rate of $150 a month for their own insurance. On average, young men pay about 10 percent more for auto insurance." Taking your car to school? Consider these tips: Purchase a parking permit Check your school's policy on parking and buy a permit if necessary.
Citizens insurance seeking 9.2 percent rate increase at Thursday
John Wortman, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., said the average policyholder, who now pays about $1,800 a year, will see premiums go to about $1,966 annually if the proposed rates are approved. Wortman said the increase is expected to generate about $20 million a year in additional revenue for the company, bringing it to about $245 million a year. By law, Citizens' premiums must be at least 10 percent more than premiums of private insurance companies that write at least 2 percent of the business in a parish. Wortman said the 10 percent mark-up is include in the proposed 9.2 percent rate hike because the new rates are based on existing premiums that have already been marked up. Citizens insures about 125,000 policies in the state, about 45 percent of that in Orleans and Jefferson parishes -- roughly 56,000 policies.
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