(Un)common Sense
You know those warning labels on things like hair dryers? The ones that tell you not to use the hair dryer while you are in the tub or shower?Or don't stick a fork in the toaster to get your piece of bread?You would think these things are common sense. Why would you need to tell someone they shouldn…
Breaking: Actual ObamaTax Rates (Tar Heel State edition)
A friend of mine, who lives in the Wilmington area, just received his 2014 "renewal" from Blue Cross/Shield, as well as a copy of the internal rate sheets for their new "metal" plans.As one might expect, although he likes his current (HSA) insurance plan, he can't keep it. And contra the President's…
ObamaTax Exchange Jitters - Part 1
Over the weekend, co-blogger Patrick sent me the link to an online "database" that purported to have the rates for various QHP's (Qualified Health Plans) as they'll appear on the Exchanges. Only problem was, the "data" was simply a recap of how many plans and carriers would be participating in a giv…
On ObamaCare Messaging and Strategy
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ObamaTax Eve: MVNHS© and CanadaCare© edition
While legacy media reports that the ObamaTax rolls out tomorrow aren't quite accurate (various portions have been implemented over the past 3 1/2+ years), the opening of the Exchanges is certainly a high- (or low-, depending on one's perspective) watermark. And so in that spirit, let's see what our …
Obamacare and Mega Blue
The Obama administration plans on Monday to announce scores of new health insurance options to be offered to consumers around the country by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and the United States Office of Personnel Management, the agency that arranges health benefits for federal employees…
Cavalcade of Risk #193: Call for Submissions (And A Special Note)
Dennis Wall hosts next week's Cav, and he's chosen to build it around a rather interesting (and provocative) theme:The Rich Get Richer from the Great Recession, The Unemployed Stopped Looking.So, please try to submit a post that fits this theme (of course, non-themed posts are also welcome).Submiss…
Cute vs Real
This is how Ms Shecantbeserious sees the ObamaTax:And this is reality, barking back at her:[HatTip: Ace of Spades] …
ObamaTax Exchange Crunch-Time edition
Poor Ms Kathy: the clock keeps on tickin', and her pet project keeps getting a lickin'.To wit:■ Capital City itself"The ObamaCare exchange serving Washington, D.C. is delaying important parts of its operations less than a week before it is scheduled to open for enrollment"Not only won't potential en…
A Gentle Reminder...
For HHS Secretary Shecantbeserous:COUNTDOWN CLOCKSThis word "start" - I dunna think it means what you think it means:"In response, Joel Ario, a former HHS official who oversaw health exchange matters at the agency, told The Washington Post’s Sarah Kliff that “nobody is going to say we’re not startin…
Health Wonk Review is up!
Peggy Salvatore presents this week's terrific Health Wonk Review, celebrating blogger Brad Wright's 700th post (Mazel Tov, Brad!). The main theme of this week's collection of wonky posts is (no surprise), the ACA. Lots of quality entries this week - enjoy!Bonus: Mike's post (about how the ACA is pla…
Singles for Obamacare
Psst. Wanna save money on your Obamacare plan? Stay single. If you are married, get a divorce.The "wedding tax" is upon us.To illustrate, let’s start with the 60-year-old married couple with no children If they have identical earnings totaling $65,000, which will usually net down to $50,000 or below…
One Down, Ninety-Nine More To Go
Obamacare navigators. Much has been written about this job creation project that is tied to Obamacare. Take 3 days of training and you are qualified to answer any and all questions about Obamacare. Background checks not required.The state of Georgia decided to pass on creating our own exchange which…
Spain's Obamacare on the Ropes
Spain is like most other European countries in providing their own version of Obamacare, a government managed health care delivery system funded by taxpayers. And like other countries that provide "health care for all", the program is bleeding profusely."The impact we have seen in the year since the…
Euthanasia in Netherlands up 13% in 2012. Aren't the Dutch happy?
“The number of Dutch people killed by medical euthanasia has more than doubled in the 10 years since legislation was changed to permit it, rising 13 per cent last year to 4,188 . . . One explanation for the steep rise of Dutch cases is the introduction last year of mobile euthanasia units allowing p…
Feature or Bug?
Yesterday's McPaper characterized one aspect of the ObamaTax pricing regime as the "Family Glitch:""Congress defined "affordable" as 9.5% or less of an employee's household income ... the "error" was that it only applies to the employee — and not his or her family. So, if an employer offers a woman …
Patient Protection Act - Cause it isn't Affordable
With insurance Exchanges Marketplaces nearing their grand opening HHS has released another issue brief on the "low rates" people will pay after subsidies. In one of the examples they use a 27 year old in Texas who makes $25,000 per year. This person will pay $145 for the second lowest cost silver pl…
Alzheimer's Update: Good news (for once)
SoIB Gail S tips us to this recent story in the Dayton Daily News, recounting an award-winning therapy that's deceptively simple:"Three years ago, Wright State University professor Dr. Govind Bharwani was given a challenge: Find a way to help people living with Alzheimer’s disease so they are less p…
Take two apps and call me in the morning
Introducing the iDoc® (not really, but we're getting close):[Hat Tip: FoIB Jeff M] …
How uninformed can NYT readers, commentors possibly be?
Every once in awhile you see a comment that just makes you stop and ask how clueless and misguided people can be, then you remember they are allowed to vote.Your typical NYT tripe from some blowhard that doesn't understand 90% of what he is talking about. The real gem is down in the comments though;…
ObamaTax Health Exchange (Marketplace) news
So yesterday, I did my Exchange training and exams. Started at about 9:30 in the morning, finished about 4:30 in the afternoon.I understand Pat completed this in just a few hours, but he's a lot younger (and apparently smarter) than I am. And I also took the liberty of saving all the training materi…
I've been remiss....
In case you missed it, I'm the newly-installed Content Expert Writer (Insurance) for Answers.com. It occurs to me that IB readers might be interested in some of my work in that venue, so here are some free samples:Part 1 of a 3-part series on Universal LifeAn explication of Insurable InterestEnjoy! …
But it's a nice hat. That's because the people paid for that hat.
Remember the President's assurances that his ACA would finally “bend the cost curve”? Despite a determined rear-guard media that clings to Obama's every word as universal truth, evidence accumulates that the President was talking thru his hat. On September 17, 2013, CBO released it's most recent Lon…
Cavalcade of Risk #192: Galloping Into View edition
Nancy Germond hosts this week's romp through the wilds of risk, a maze of medical conditions, and a not-so-*fowl* post on chickens (cluck all you want). …
Bored Game
If you have nothing to do, what happens? Some drink. Some go shopping. Others create board games."Everybody has to pay. Nobody ever wins,"Each player starts out on the "Buy Insurance" square as a small business owner (except for the Occupy Wall Streeters, who begin the game unemployed). Along the wa…
Obamacare Cry Babies
Employees of Bibb County (GA) schools got an early peek at their new benefit plan for 2014. Through the end of this year employees had a choice between several plans administered by UHC or Cigna. They could pick an HMO or PPO. Copay or high deductible HSA or high deductible HRA.Choices, choices.That…
Layers and Layers of Fact-Checkers
The Lame Stream Media prides itself on its unerring accuracy and commitment to getting the facts straight. As it turns out, at least when it comes to life insurance, this pride is, in fact, unjustified. As we pointed out almost 4 years ago, they can't even get the relatively simple suicide exclusion…
Monday Afternoon LinkFest
Lately, we've had an embarrassment of riches concerning the ObamaTax and other related news. Because there are only 24 hours in a day, it's not really possible to give each one the blog-space it probably deserves, but at least we can give our readers a heads' up on what's hot:1 - We've been warning …
Not just No, but Heck No!
As Bob noted last month, the grand folks in Capital City aren't too keen on rubbing elbows with us rubes waiting on line at the Health Insurance Exchange. Far beneath their stations in life, don'tcha know.Well, it should probably comes as no surprise, then, to learn that Federal "workers" really do…
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