Insurance Information

Health Care and Health Insurance Costs Can Be Controlled Through Lifestyle Choices


As you probably know all to well, the cost of healthcare and health insurance premiums continue to increase at levels substantially above the general inflation rate. The reasons given for these extraordinary cost increases are numerous and include: technological advancements in the medical field, increased demand for medical services and prescription drugs, the aging of the population, cost shifting caused by the uninsured and governmental reimbursement rates, state and federal mandates, and costs associated with medical related lawsuits.

As individual consumers, we have very little control over some of the factors contributing to the cost of healthcare. However, all of us have control over lifestyle related health insurance claims. A simple formula of eating a balanced diet, getting the appropriate amount of daily exercise, participating in annual physicals and other recommended routine care, limiting alcohol consumption, and eliminating the use of tobacco products will no doubt reduce our personal healthcare costs. In addition to reducing medical costs, the other benefits of following such a formula include more energy, self confidence, less stress, and increased productivity. If you are not doing so already, I encourage you to consider practical ways to promote a healthy lifestyle for you and your family. For example, one of the individual health insurance companies my organization works with has an option that will offset 25% of the annual cost of a health club membership. Simple things such as taking a walk, bike ride, or going swimming promote both a healthy body and mind. If you have a sweet tooth, consider limiting yourself to eating desert once a week. You will enjoy it more and your body will thank you.

Health insurance premiums will continue to increase as long as the cost of healthcare continues to go up. The best way to reduce the overall cost of healthcare is to decrease our need for healthcare. Healthy lifestyle choices and prudent use of the healthcare system are the best and easiest ways to get a handle on our healthcare expenditures. Perhaps the greatest benefit of a healthy lifestyle is our ability to enjoy our precious time here on earth to the fullest.

Michael Ertel is the President of Ertel & Company, Inc. and has over 15 years of experience in the health insurance business. He is the founder of 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:


Health Jackal

Health Insurance Costs Rising
Coosa Valley News
According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust, employers are holding down their health insurance costs ...
Workers are paying more for health insuranceNorthJersey.com
Price of health insurance didn't rise much in 2009, but workers' burden didPhiladelphia Inquirer
Employees' insurance burden up more than ratesColumbus Dispatch
Kansas City Star -Florida Trend -Superior Telegram
all 555 news articles »


American Equity Announces Revised Presentation Time for Keefe, Bruyette ...
MarketWatch (press release)
... Bruyette & Woods Insurance Conference in New York, NY. John Matovina, Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman and Jeff Lorenzen, Senior Vice President ...
Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. to Present at the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods ...MarketWatch (press release)
Allied World to Present at the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 2010 Insurance ConferencePR Newswire (press release)
Tower Group, Inc. to Present at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Insurance ConferenceInsurance News Net (press release)
Insurance News Net (press release) -Centre Daily Times
all 79 news articles »


Providence Business News

Allstate report: Seattle is full of bad drivers
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
The Seattle Weekly reports the Allstate insurance company released its "Best Drivers" report for 2010, and Seattle ranks 128th on the list. ...
PhillyInc: Philadelphia near the bottom in Allstate's rankings of safe-driver ...Philadelphia Inquirer
Good Job to Boise driversKBOI
Report says local city has nation's safest drivers9NEWS.com
Tbo.com -Denver Business Journal
all 188 news articles »


The Standard

TPG Sells Stake in Ping An Insurance for $1.16 Billion
Wall Street Journal
HONG KONG—Private-equity firm TPG Inc. has sold its remaining stake in Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd. for $1.16 ...
PE Firm TPG Raises $1.16 Billion Through Ping An Insurance Stake SaleComtex Smartrend
Ping An Stock Offering Raises $1.2 BillionNew York Times (blog)
Newbridge Asia to sell stake in Ping An InsuranceChina Knowledge Online
Reuters -Insurance News Net (press release) -Chinavestor.com
all 64 news articles »


Insurance agent to refund $66500 to Miss. farmers
BusinessWeek
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says his office has reached an agreement with an agent to refund $66500 in policy fees to poultry farmers. ...

and more »


msnbc.com

Nationwide to sponsor Memorial Tournament
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Dublin, OH (Sports Network) - Nationwide Insurance has committed to a six-year deal to become the presenting sponsor of the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament ...
Nationwide will end golf tour sponsorship in 2012The Associated Press
Nationwide Insurance Introduced as Presenting Sponsor of the Memorial TournamentNewsBlaze
Nationwide will end golf tour sponsorship in 2012The Associated Press
Columbus Local News (registration) -Golf Channel -UPI.com
all 219 news articles »


MGIC added $1.2B in mortgage coverage in August
The Associated Press
MILWAUKEE — Private mortgage insurer Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. said Friday it added $1.2 billion in new primary insurance coverage in August and ...
Notable Insurance Stocks (ABK, PMI, RDN, MTG)Newsworthy Stocks (blog)
NYSE & AMEX Stocks of the DayTooNiceStocks (blog)
MGIC Releases Monthly Operating StatisticsPR Newswire (press release)

all 90 news articles »


Resolution Authority - Too Vague To Succeed
Wall Street Journal (blog)
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's new resolution authority can succeed only if all the stakeholders in the financial system believe it ...
FDIC loses closely watched Colonial Bank caseReuters
US Banks Post $21.6B Profit as `Problem' Lenders RiseBloomberg
FDIC focuses on financial crisis's too-big-to-fail bank problemWashington Post (blog)
Huffington Post (blog) -Mortgageorb -Consumer Affairs
all 592 news articles »


Reuters India

Utah ranks 50th in having kids insured
Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah ranks 50th in the nation when it comes to getting children into health insurance coverage programs, according to an Urban ...
Health care program aims to cover uninsured childrenDetroit Free Press
Participation In Children's Health Insurance Program Varies Widely Across CountryKaiser Health News
Public coverage programs miss millions of kids: reportModernHealthcare.com
USInsurance Online.com -California Healthline -Health Affairs (blog)
all 44 news articles »

Google News

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