Health Archives - Page 19 of 35 - Consumer Insurance Guide

Massachusetts sets global cap on health care costs

By Loren Heal, The Heartland Institute
October 23, 2012October 23, 2012

GUEST EDITORIAL By Loren Heal, The Heartland Institute In an attempt to impose top-down containment on Massachusetts’s soaring health care costs, Democratic Governor Deval Patrick signed a law which creates a statewide global cap on public and private health care costs. The law expands the state’s bureaucracy and specifies a target growth rate for overall medical spending based on the growth rate of the state’s economy. Joshua Archambault, director of health care policy at the…

Health care premiums see meager increase this year

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
October 3, 2012October 16, 2012

In 2012, U.S. companies and their employees saw the lowest health care premium rate increases in six years, according to an analysis by Aon Hewitt. The average health care premium rate increase for large employers in 2012 was 4.9 percent, down from 8.5 percent in 2011 and 6.2 percent in 2010. That’s expected to change in 2013, as the company foresees rate increases of up to 6.3 percent. Aon Hewitt’s analysis showed the average health…

HMOs taking a backseat to other health plan options

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 24, 2012October 8, 2012

Consumer-driven health plans have surpassed health maintenance organizations to become the second most common plan offered by U.S. employers, according to Aon Hewitt, a human resource consulting firm The company surveyed nearly 2,000 U.S. employers representing more than 20 million U.S. employees and their dependents to find that in 2011 that 58 percent of employers offered a CDHP and 38 percent offered HMO plans. Preferred Provider Organizations continue to be the most widely offered plans, with 79 percent of…

Financial security for singles requires a bit of planning

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 21, 2012October 2, 2012

Single Americans who think they don’t have a care in the world still need to take care of themselves financially. Even those without kids should consider protecting the only dependent they have—themselves. In observance of Unmarried and Single Americans Week (September 16-22), the Insurance Information Institute offers advice on coverages that many singles might not think they need. In the U.S., 33 million people lived alone in 2011—53 percent of unmarried residents 18 and older…

Eating fruits and veggies helps smokers kick the habit

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 20, 2012September 20, 2012

An apple a day might keep more than the doctor away, it could also help smokers quit. Those who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables are three times more likely to quit and stay tobacco-free for longer, according to a study by University at Buffalo public health researchers. It’s the first longitudinal study on the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and smoking cessation. The authors, from the university’s School of Public Health and Health…

How to help kids cope when natural disasters strike

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 4, 2012September 17, 2012

As the tornado and hurricane seasons wreak havoc across the U.S., Save the Children is offering tips on how to help children cope in the face of disaster. Based on Save the Children’s years of domestic and international experience of coming to the aid of children in emergencies, these tips can be used as a guide for parents to support their loved ones in the event of a crisis. “Save the Children knows from experience…

Employers offering incentives for health and wellness

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 9, 2012August 30, 2012

U.S. employers are increasingly relying on incentives to drive participation in health programs and encouraging employees and their families to take better care of themselves, according to new survey findings from Aon Hewitt, the global human resource solutions business of Aon plc. The survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. employers representing more than 20 million U.S. employees and their dependents found that 84 percent now offer employees incentives for participating in a Health Risk Questionnaire and…

Study says generic drugs reduce prescription costs

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 6, 2012August 20, 2012

The American healthcare system saved more than $1 trillion over the past 10 years from buying generic prescription drugs, according to a study released by the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. The study put the current savings at $1 billion every other day — totaling $193 billion in 2011. It was conducted by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, a division of IMS Health. “The remarkable findings demonstrated in this report are a testament not only to the generic…

Women underestimating healthcare retirement needs

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 1, 2012August 1, 2012

Although women typically spend more years living in retirement, they tend to underestimate the costs of their future healthcare needs in their financial planning, according to a survey by Nationwide Financial. Both men and women’s expectations fell short of what their future needs will likely be. The survey polled 1,250 Americans with at least $250,000 in household assets. Women close to retirement estimated they would spend $4,624 each year on health care beyond what Medicare…

Long-term care claims rise

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
July 16, 2012February 19, 2013

The largest long-term care insurance claim paid totaled $3 million while the largest claim still being paid has exceeded $1.7 million in paid benefits, according to a report from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. “Last year the nation’s long term care insurance companies paid $6.6 billion in claim benefits to over 200,000 individuals,” Jesse Slome, AALTC executive director, said in a statement. According to the association’s report, the amount of claim benefits paid increased 8…