Posts Tagged ‘Health Insurance’
Posted by Admin Dec 26, 2011 No Comments »
When there is a need of insurance for anything, even car, you need to be aware of the many covers you get. After you learn more about individual medical insurance for yourself, you must find some time on researching vendors who sell the covers.
It’s a question, where to look for health insurance. First of all, you need to look through the list of insurance companies. Read more…
Posted by Dakota Levey Sep 22, 2011 No Comments »
Australia’s federal opposition is confident independent MPs will side with the coalition in parliament’s lower house to sink Labor’s proposed changes to private health insurance – for a third time.
The government wants to means-test the 30 per cent rebate and increase the Medicare levy surcharge for those without cover in order to save A$2.8 billion (US$2.94 billion) over four years.
But the coalition and industry claim the changes will force people to drop or downsize their cover, increase premiums and place an additional burden on public hospitals.
“We will continue our opposition to what is a very, very bad policy,” opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton told reporters in Canberra.
“(And) I think the independents ultimately will support the position of the coalition to stop bad health policy.”
Mr Dutton said he was holding discussions with the independents including Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.
Both previously have voted against the overhaul.
But even if Labor gets its legislation through the lower house it could hit a roadblock in the Senate in the form of the Australian Greens.
The minor party confirmed last week that while it would back means-testing the rebate it would vote against any hike in the levy surcharge because “we shouldn’t be penalising people for not taking out private health insurance”.
The government plans to means test the rebate for individuals earning more than $80,000 and families earning more than $160,000.
At the same time it wants to increase the surcharge for the wealthiest Australians without cover from one to 1.5 per cent of taxable income.
HBF managing director Rob Bransby on Wednesday said that all Australians with plans would be affected because as wealthier members dropped their cover or downsized “there’s no doubt that costs (premiums) will rise” for all.
Insurers argue the changes will result in 11 per cent of people dropping their hospital cover and a further 24 per cent downsizing.
But Health Minister Nicola Roxon is standing by Treasury estimates that only 0.3 per cent, or 27,000 people, will drop out of the private system.
She’s slammed the insurers’ figures as being based on “a biased survey”.
The so-called father of Medicare, John Deeble, on Wednesday said those industry claims were “wildly exaggerated”.
Writing in The Australian he argues the current system isn’t equitable because “the more you spend the larger public subsidy you get”.
“The proposed changes will make the distribution of taxpayer money fairer, but they will not threaten the private insurers or the private hospital industry.”
Labor’s draft laws will be debated in the lower house on Thursday.
The package was twice blocked by a hostile Senate in the previous parliament.
Posted by Kai Bavin Jun 24, 2011 No Comments »
Recent data from Gallup and Healthways revealed that the percentage of Americans getting health insurance from employers decreased thus far in 2011, marking the third straight year of declines.
From January through May 2011, 45.0 percent of American adults aged 18 or older reported having employer-based health insurance. This percentage is a decline slight from 2010, when 45.8 percent of adults reported getting health insurance from employers.
In 2009, the percentage of respondents with employer-based health insurance stood at 46.8 percent, while in 2008 the number was even higher – 49.2 percent of adults. T
Posted by Dakota Levey May 29, 2011 No Comments »
It’s a given to have international health insurance if you are traveling anywhere, especially outside of your country. If you insure your automobiles and property, then surely, your life is worth the investment.
However, you can keep your monthly or weekly payment for international medical insurance low by staying healthy. Here are some tips for travelers.
One, no matter what city you are in, find time to exercise. It could be jogging, going to the hotel gym, or swimming. There are less chances of getting sick if you have a good immune system from a physically fit body. W
Posted by Dakota Levey Apr 28, 2011 No Comments »
This is your child moving to a foreign country to study. Should your teenager travel without international student health insurance? That would be like allowing a toddler to swim without arm inflatable. The risks are just stacked up.
You can minimize your cost by getting a one year policy. If your child is planning to study in the US, there is a prerequisite for international student health insurance. Some schools offer their own plans, although generally they are more expensive. Shopping elsewhere will guarantee a better deal. You may pay the same amount, but you get more benefits.