Insuring Ferguson: Update/Correction
Earlier this week, we posted on a couple interesting P&C-related items, one of which was the "civil unrest" in Ferguson, MO (there's a reason for the scare-quotes, we'll get to that directly). In that post, I reported - incorrectly - that riot-related claims would not be covered under standard comme…
Cavalcade of Risk #216: Call for submissions
Tim Dodge makes his CavRisk hosting debut with next week's edition. Entries are due by Monday (the 1st).To submit your risk-related post, just click here to email it.You'll need to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the post…
Healthcare.gov Security Chief Was Distracted
It's no secret that the Obamacare website is not only dysfunctional, but also has major security flaws. There may be a good reason for the latter problems. The IT chief of security apparently had his, uh, hands full with other distractions.Timothy DeFoggi, who had been the lead IT specialist at the …
Obamacare SNAFU - The Gift That Keeps On Giving
It all started with a failed website (that STILL isn't fixed), followed by lack of full disclosure aboutjust how bad the new Obamacare plans were, then you had doctors that refused to accept patients with Obamacare, applications that were never properly submitted to carriers, premiums that were neve…
MVNHS© Rocket (but not Cancer) Surgeons
First, the good news: 66 year old Roger Mollison is cancer free.That's good news because the folks who run the Much Vaunted National Health Service© don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to cancer care. The not-so-great news is that, despite their "best" efforts, they couldn't cure M…
This Obamacare Winner Will Save $78,420!
Thanks to President Obama's promise of keeping their current plan my client is seeing his premiums increase by 13% for the upcoming plan year. Annual premiums for this company's 15 employees are going from $129,684 to $146,508.They offer a very rich plan design (Platinumesque) and until October of 2…
Medical ID Theft Revisited
Back in February, we again sounded the alarm about Medical Identity Theft:"Most identity theft in the United States is medical-related ... In 2012 alone, medical identity theft increased by nearly 25 percent, affecting 1.85 million Americans"And things haven't really improved since then.So what's th…
And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
Did you buy one of those brand spanking new Obamacare plans? If you did, you may get an email from (Carrier) that reads something like this:Immediate attention is needed to keep your health coverage. Take action before Sept. 5, 2014.Carrier wants to help you keep your current insurance coverage and …
IRS Form 1095-A
Obamacare fans, here is what you have been waiting for.If you bought an Obamacare plan through hc.gov and received a premium subsidy or APTC, you will need to file form 1095-A with your taxes.Here is your link to a DRAFT of 1095-ABut wait, there's more.You (and your tax adviser) might also be intere…
Who Do You Believe
According to CNN, the Inspector General is expected to release a report that claims there were no deaths due to excessive wait times or denied access to care at the Veterans Administration facilities.Link to CNN story …
(Sex) Ch-ch-changes
Well, it took some time, but the future is finally here:"Then Payne, who had a wife and four children, realized she could no longer live as a man."Wait, what?Demonstrating the mother (er, father?) of all "pre-existing conditions," Ms Payne (and what a gloriously appropriate moniker) waited until her…
Two Timely P&C Notes
■ Now that things seem to have down a bit in Ferguson, it's worth noting that the clean-up from all the looting and rioting will take some time, but that it's unlikely any of the damage will be covered by business owners' insurance policies.According to P&C Guru Teresa S, "riots are not covered, the…
Has Medical Tourism Jumped the Shark?
Over the years, we've written many times about medical tourism: from folks traveling to the US for treatments to folks who found better options abroad.But this, this boggles the mind:"The number of foreigners traveling to Switzerland to commit assisted suicide doubled over a four-year period"Europea…
Tax Form 1040(OY)
Let's suppose that, against all odds, you've successfully navigated the 404Care.gov site and enrolled in an ObamaPlan. And let's further suppose that, against all odds again, you're deemed eligible for a subsidy.Now - and bear with me here - let's suppose even further that you're gainfully employed …
Carefree, or Free to Care?
Dr Rob Lamberts (whom we interviewed a few short years ago, when he dove into the concierge medicine pool) has a touching, sad but ultimately hopeful post on end of life care, and the compassion one can bring to the table:"Thank you, sir, for letting me into your home. Thank you for trusting me whe…
What's Old is New: The AMA, Medicare and Value
Almost four years ago, we wrote about a little known committee, nestled deep in the bowels of the American Medical Association (AMA), that exercised outsized power over how much money doctors will receive in Medicare reimbursements:"Three times a year, 29 doctors gather around a table in a hotel mee…
Wednesday Potpourri
■ Craig Gottwals has the scoop on the latest Golden State efforts to come into line with the new group waiting period requirements:"A year and a half ago, California decided that the 90-day waiting period limit imposed by PPACA ... was too long and cut that period to 60 days via a series of confusin…
Facebook for Physicians
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Wellpoint and Blue Shield of California are partnering to create a Health Information Exchange, or HIE.An HIE is a federally-funded network designed to “allow patients’ records to be shared digitally among the providers caring for them.”HIE’s…
Transparency redefined
We've long been fans of transparency in health care, both its delivery and its financing. That is, the ability of the consumer to pre-determine how much a given procedure or med may cost, in order to make an informed decision.But transparency only works well when both parties participate: providers …
Cavalcade of Risk #215 – Dog Days of Summer Edition is up
Paul Dzielinski makes his CavRisk debut (a day early, how's that for promptness!) with an excellent round-up of interesting posts, and his own helpful insights on each one.Bravo, Paul! …
It's Not Discrimination
Today must be the whiner day. Or perhaps a full moon. Or both.More than 300 patient advocacy groups recently wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell to complain about some insurer tactics that "are highly discriminatory against patients with chronic health conditions and may…
T.R.A.G.I.C. is Back and Still Clueless
T.R.A.G.I.C. (Teachers Rally Against Georgia Insurance Choices) is in the news again, railing against the new SHBP (State Health Benefit Plan) choices. They whined earlier this year when they came out of the ether and realized the plan choices for 2014 which were FULLY EXPLAINED during open enrollme…
Stupid Congressman Tricks
Democratic member of the House Ron Barber is donating his Obamacare subsidy to charity! What a great act of kindness.Under PPACA, all members of Congress are required to purchase their insurance through the DC Health Link. Unlike you and I, these congresscritters are allowed to receive their traditi…
Be careful what you wish for...
The other day, Mike posted about the efficiency of Britain's Much Vaunted National Health System©, and made this observation:"[T]he UK has for years led the US in terms of restrictions on its citizens’ access to specialized medical services and newer technologies. In many respects, such restriction…
Yum!
On August 14, the Wall Street Journal carried this op-ed piece by Dr. Scott Atlas of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University (subscription required, sorry).You’ll find it well worth the time to read. Particularly interesting to me is Atlas’ statement that “NHS insurance costs $3,500 annually f…
Kliff Diving with Sarah
Recently, longtime foil Sarah Kliff (she who couldn't understand her own Explanation of Benefits) set out to enlighten folks in flyover country on how to negotiate better prices for their health care:"Earlier this year, I got an unpleasant surprise in my mailbox. A$820.19 surprise, to be exact ... E…
Authentic 404Care.gov gibberish
You really can't make this up:"[T]hose looking for information about appealing a Marketplace decision are facing a brand new one: nonsense."Here's 1,000 more words on the subject: [Click picture to embiggen] I spent most of yesterday doing my annual Marketplace re-certification training (more on th…
Cavalcade of Risk #215: Call for submissions
Paul Dzielinski makes his CavRisk hosting debut with next week's edition. Entries are due by Monday (the 18th).To submit your risk-related post, just click here to email it.You'll need to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of t…
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