Insurance Information

Keys To Controlling The Future of Health Care


Several key changes are necessary to get control of the costs associated with the run away health care system in the United States.

Here are just a few suggestions:

1) Cost information about medical procedures and cost comparisons to alternative treatments need to be more easily available so that consumers can make better educated health care choices.

2) Outcomes and outcome comparisons of alternative medical procedures need to be more available so that health care consumers can make more informed decisions.

3) Consumers need to take more responsibility for their health, health care treatment, and research the cost and outcomes of certain procedures prior to electing medical care.

4) Federal and state governments need to quit passing unfunded mandates that mostly add to the cost of care while reducing overall access to care.

5) Frivolous lawsuits and the threat of frivolous lawsuits cause doctors to practice defensive medicine in order to reduce the chance of being sued. The resulting tests are many times "overkill" and simply do nothing but increase the cost of care.

6) Consumers need to let their physicians guide them on the most appropriate treatment regimen. Drug companies have been successful in creating a demand for their products by convincing consumers to "ask your doctor about..." We need to get back to discussing our problems with our physicians rather than requesting a particular drug or treatment.

Michael Ertel is the President of Ertel & Company ( http://www.ertelandcompany.com ) and has over 15 years of experience in the health insurance business. He is the founder of http://www.MedicalInsuranceNow.com which is an internet based service that assists individuals, families, and small business owners by providing side by side comparisons of health insurance alternatives and the convenience of applying for health coverage online.


MORE RESOURCES:

Live Insurance News

'Obamacare' insurance exchanges: Let's get going
Los Angeles Times
1, 2014, to create "exchanges" in which individuals and small businesses could shop for insurance policies. If the states don't, the federal government will operate exchanges for them. The requirement poses a quandary for lawmakers who oppose the ...
Texas insurance regulatory system may be seized by federal regulators if the ...Live Insurance News
Mayra Alvarez: Obama's Affordable Care Act will grant more Latinos access to ...La Prensa
Colorado shows insurance exchange can be bipartisanGovernment Health IT
Crikey (blog)
all 77 news articles »


Tampabay.com

Lawsuit says Citizens Insurance is unfairly inflating premiums
Palm Beach Post
The suit filed in Pasco County Circuit Court seeks to represent all Citizens Property Insurance Corp. customers whose rates were affected by the use of 360Value software to set the projected cost of replacing a destroyed home.
Florida Homeowners Insurance BluesThePopTort
Lawsuit: Citizens Insurance Falsely Inflating Property ValuesWMFE
Citizens boosted home values to raise insurance premiums, suit saysTampabay.com
WCTV -Sarasota Herald-Tribune
all 73 news articles »


Consumer Watchdog Targets SHIP
KABC
This time covers their target is an insurance company that serves the elderly. KABC's Jo Kwon has the story. Listen here... Dr. William Hart of Upland, CA is the lead plaintiff in a new class action lawsuit against Senior Health Insurance Co of ...
Consumer Watchdog: Insurance Company Sued for Denying Elderly & Sick Their ...MarketWatch (press release)

all 20 news articles »


NY regulators press Citi unit on insurance probe
Reuters
NY regulators investigating force-placed insurance * Citimortgage is urged to comply with subpoena Feb 8 (Reuters) - New York regulators urged Citigroup Inc's mortgage unit on Wednesday to stop resisting and comply with a subpoena related to an ...
State probe of forced mortgage insurance heats upNew York Post

all 4 news articles »


AM Best Revises Outlook to Negative for Concord Group Insurance Pool and Its ...
MarketWatch (press release)
OLDWICK, NJ, Feb 08, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best Co. has revised the outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of "a" of Concord Group Insurance Pool (Concord) and its ...
A.M. Best Downgrades Ratings of Mountain States Insurance Group and Its ...Business Wire (press release)
A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Rating of Farmers Mutual Insurance Company (WV)Insurance News Net (press release)

all 53 news articles »


Pennsylvania Insurance Department to Liquidate First Sealord Surety
Sacramento Bee
By Pennsylvania Insurance Department HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 8, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Commonwealth Court has approved the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's petition to liquidate First Sealord Surety Insurance, state Insurance Commissioner ...

and more »


Insurance Mobile App Investment to Be Dominated by Distribution Capabilities
Insurance & Technology
By Anthony O'Donnell Insurance companies are investing in mobile apps for many reasons -- including billing, claims and policy service -- but the single greatest area for investment in mobile apps during 2012 will be distribution, according to new ...

and more »


MF Customers Protest 'Wrongful Act' Insurance
Wall Street Journal
By JOSEPH CHECKLER Customers of MF Global Holdings Ltd. say the failed brokerage shouldn't pay for a potential "wrongful act" legal defense of former Chief Executive Jon Corzine and others with money from MF Global's own insurance subsidiary.

and more »


American Family Launches Mobile Ad Campaign
Insurance Networking News
American Family Insurance is looking to the mobile space to snare the next generation of customers. The insurer is launching a three-pronged ad campaign with the assistance of mobile ad network Mojiva. One prong is an integrated in-app sponsorship ...
American Family Insurance Deploys Cutting-Edge Mobile Ad CampaignMarketWatch (press release)

all 4 news articles »


Christian Science Monitor

Social Security retirees can't ditch Medicare, court rules
Christian Science Monitor
Social Security recipients sued to opt out of Medicare, saying the benefit limits their private insurance coverage. But federal appeals court rules they can't reject Medicare if they receive Social Security. By Nedra Pickler, Associated Press ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map | contact | Partners
© 2006 - insurance-information.cliczoom.com