Physicians and patients are watching a pending $611 million sale of Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheatridge and Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette to Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, a Catholic organization in Kansas. At issue are the “ethical and religious directives” that many hospitals owned by Catholic organizations must follow,… Read more about Hospital Sale Will Limit Health Care
Archives for November 2007
Health Wonk Review at Health Care Renewal
Roy Poses has the latest Health Wonk Review over at Health Care Renewal.
More on Mandatory Health Insurance
Several presidential candidates have put forth health care plans that include making health insurance mandatory, much like liability auto insurance. Governor Schwarzenegger has been pushing for universal health care in CA for months now, and part of his plan is to make health insurance mandatory. And Colorado is considering two proposals that would make health… Read more about More on Mandatory Health Insurance
Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk
Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of the Cavalcade of Risk at the Colorado Health Insurance Insider. We’ll start with insurance related articles and blend into finance and investing. Does your health insurance policy pay for sex? InsureBlog’s Bob Vineyard explores the question, and comes up with some surprising info with his post about Sex Insurance…. Read more about Thanksgiving Cavalcade of Risk
Losing Weight A Good Idea Before Surgery
Francis Kinley-Manton has arthritic hips that have confined her to a wheelchair for two years. She wanted hip replacement surgery, but her doctor told her that she needed to lose 30 pounds before he would do the surgery. She lives in the UK, and the British National Health Service would have paid for the operation… Read more about Losing Weight A Good Idea Before Surgery
Health Insurance Can’t Be Optional
In Mass, everyone has to have health insurance by January 1. Their new universal health insurance system has expanded government coverage options and driven down the price of private insurance with government subsidies and state collaboration with health insurance companies. But everyone has to sign up. If they don’t they’ll face tax penalties starting next… Read more about Health Insurance Can’t Be Optional
Moving Away From Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Julie Appleby has written an article for USA Today discussing the decline of employer-sponsored health insurance in the US. As group health insurance premiums continue to rise, it’s impractical to expect employers to keep absorbing the costs. More and more employers are collecting larger premium percentages from their employees, and the number of employers who… Read more about Moving Away From Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
Health Beat Hosts the Health Wonk Review
A newcomer to our little “health wonk blogosphere”, Maggie Mahar of Health Beat hosts the latest Health Wonk Review. She’s done a nice job of going through each of the articles and coming up with an opinion about them, and (like a blogger is supposed to) letting us know what her opinion is. This gives… Read more about Health Beat Hosts the Health Wonk Review
What Are We Waiting For?
Paul Krugman has written an op-ed piece for the New York Times that perfectly sums up the excuses we keep hearing about why universal health care wouldn’t work in the US, and why the excuses aren’t really valid at all. He sums up the problem: The United States spends far more on health care per… Read more about What Are We Waiting For?
A Sad Story About Generic Drugs
With the advent of TV advertising for pharmaceuticals, I lost a lot of respect for the drug industry. The more I learned about how much money they spend wooing doctors and medical schools, and paying practicing physicians as consultants, the more that respect dwindled. But I think it’s hit a new low. I didn’t know that… Read more about A Sad Story About Generic Drugs
Of Course It Won’t Be Easy
According to policy experts, it might not be an easy task for other states like Colorado to duplicate the new Massachusetts law the brings nearly universal health coverage to the state. Apparently Mass. already had a “free care pool” in place that they are able to use to subsidize the new health-care-for-all program. In other… Read more about Of Course It Won’t Be Easy
Health Care Has Become Too Complicated
In 1999, 70.4% of Americans under age 65 had employer sponsored health insurance. By 2005-2006, that number had fallen to 63.2%, and the trend is likely to continue as health care costs rise, taking health insurance premiums along for the ride. Health care has become the 800 pound gorilla in the room in our current… Read more about Health Care Has Become Too Complicated
Cavalcade of Risk #38 Is Up
“Super Saver” is hosting this weeks Cavalcade of Risk. This week’s Cavalcade concentrated on Insurance and Investing risk, with a smaller representation on Health, Business and Personal risk. Bob Vineyards submission, I Am Not a Carpenter, is a very entertaining read for experienced health insurance agents. By the way, ask him about his pantyhose. I am excited that… Read more about Cavalcade of Risk #38 Is Up
Health Insurance Choices – Emotions Versus Reason
Amy Gillentine has written an article for the Colorado Springs Business Journal that points out many of the current concerns and confusion surrounding our health care system. When it comes to open enrollment for employer-sponsored plans, she sums it up clearly: Choosing among options for health insurance is often an emotional — rather than practical… Read more about Health Insurance Choices – Emotions Versus Reason
Putting A Price Tag On Life
Self Magazine published an article in their October issue titled “How Much Is A Life Worth?” written by Roxanne Patel Shepelavy. The article is a detailed analysis of the cost of heavy duty cancer-fighting drugs, who pays, and who profits. Michelle Diekmeyer’s story is highlighted in the article, and it would make anyone cringe. She… Read more about Putting A Price Tag On Life
Colorado "Health Report Card"
While Coloradans tend to be healthier than residents of other states, senior citizens are faring better than the state’s children and infants, according to a study by the Colorado Health Foundation.The nonprofit foundation’s 2007 “Health Report Card,” released Wednesday, found that based on 40 health indexes: Colorado residents overall got a B-minus grade when compared… Read more about Colorado "Health Report Card"