Individual Health

The Associated Press, June 19, 2014 The group most directly affected by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance markets — those who buy insurance on their own directly from an insurer or through one of the exchanges — is a difficult group to survey. Those who purchase their own insurance make up just 1 in 10 people under …

In Part One, we looked at the overall dysfunction of the healthcare industry and the reasons for it. Here, we’ll continue to follow the money and look at the first two disconnects. Condition of the Existing Healthcare Industry At one time, individuals paid for treatment directly to the provider. Later, health insurance was offered as a means of spreading the …

Part 1 of 4: The Results of Dysfunction We are up to our necks in charts and graphs prepared by academic experts, government regulators, and industry marketing hype—all addressing or attempting to obscure, based on their various agendas, how the healthcare industry works in relation to the  money in and money out. It is incredibly obvious that dysfunction reigns. Transparency …

Being a sales trainer in the health insurance field, I’ve seen many agents who jump into the business when they’re not fully prepared to succeed. I’m going beyond obvious sales skills, such as qualifying, assessing needs, handling what most people call objections, closing and follow up. I’m also going beyond product knowledge. For the sake of time, I want to …

By Tom Murphy, May 26, 2014 The wild hikes in health insurance rates that blindsided many Americans in recent years may become less frequent because of the health care overhaul. Final rates for 2015 won’t be out for months, but early filings from insurers suggest price increases of 10 percent or more. That may sound like a lot, but rates …

By Tom Murphy, May 24, 2014 Customers who bought health insurance on the overhaul’s public exchanges can expect a flurry of reports about big price hikes and some decreases for 2015 as insurers finalize their rates over the next few weeks. But they shouldn’t give much weight to any of this. The actual change in a person’s policy will depend …

Headlines related to the Affordable Care Act and the new healthcare and insurance landscape seem to change more often than the weather. But one thing seems certain in its uncertainty: The future of Medicare Advantage plans. A recent online article stated that, “Because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans are paying higher …

By Liz Neporent, May 8, 2014 Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can charge smokers and other tobacco users up to 50 percent more than non-smokers for a health insurance policy. But where do e-smokers fit in? E-cigarettes are battery-operated nicotine inhalers that consist of a rechargeable lithium battery, a cartridge called a cartomizer and an LED that lights …

By Henry J. Aaron, May 7, 2014 Open enrollment for 2014 insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ended on March 31. When the White House reported that enrollment had reached the targets, one could almost hear sighs of relief from supporters and gnashing of teeth by opponents. In truth, meeting the enrollment targets made clear only that the …

By Neil Irwin, May 1, 2014 The days of Americans getting health insurance through their employers may be numbered — and the change could be just as profound as the shift of employers forcing employees to manage their own retirement savings. As the Affordable Care Act goes from thousands of pages of legalese to actual, real-life public policy, the future …