Buying Individual Health Insurance

Posts Tagged ‘bill’

Advocates help insurance customers get fair deals
MIAMI — When Nelly Gonzalez’s primary doctor referred her to a specialist, she figured he too would be part of the same Cigna network and require only a small co-payment. But the bill was a shock: $3,000. She complained and found the specialist was in a Cigna network — but not for her particular insurance plan.

Read more on The Wenatchee World

A wary take on health care bill
Every time I write about the new federal health care legislation, I seem to get tossed into a debate about politics. Politics and the Obama administration’s efforts to reform health care are closely intertwined, so that’s no surprise.

Read more on Everett Herald

A Bill Moyers essay on the health industry lobby.

Calif. advances bill for health insurance exchange
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The state Assembly has approved legislation that will begin the process of establishing a health insurance exchange in California.

Read more on KMIR 6 Palm Springs

Calif. advances bill for health insurance exchange
Associated Press – August 20, 2010 3:34 PM ET SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The state Assembly has approved legislation that will begin the process of establishing a health insurance exchange in…

Read more on FOX 11 Santa Maria

BILL MOYERS: You know from the news that early next week the Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote on its version of health care reform. And therein lies another story of money and politics. Polls show the overwhelming majority of Americans favor a non-profit alternative — like Medicare — that would give the private health insurance industry some competition. But if so many Americans and the President himself want that public option, how come we’re not getting one? Because, the medicine has been poisoned from day one, in part because of that same revolving door that Congresswoman Kaptur and Simon Johnson were just talking about. Movers and shakers rotate between government and the lucrative private sector at a speed so dizzying they forget who they’re working for.

www.pbs.org insurance companies vs. Michael Moore. Bill Moyers interviews former health insurance industry executive Wendell Potter, who left the field after almost 20 years to become a health reform advocate. Check out Potters take on the campaign against Michael Moores film Sicko and tune in to Bill Moyers Journal, Friday, July 10, 2009 at 9PM on PBS (check local listings www.pbs.org for his experiences inside the health insurance industry, their work fighting a public option, and the insurance companies close ties to Washington. The entire interview will be available after broadcast at www.pbs.org

Health Insurance Mandate To Appear On Missouri Ballot in August
Missouri may be the first state in the nation to vote on whether Americans should be required to purchase health insurance. This comes in response to President Obama’s mandate in his health care reform law.

Read more on FOX 4 Kansas City

School health insurance pool bill vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty
Plans for a health insurance pool for school employees around the state were killed when Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the bill this week.

Read more on MinnPost

As I understand it, the bill forces all Americans to have health insurance. However, I think that the fine for having no health insurance is around $750. But after the year 2014, health insurance companies will not be able to turn customers away for preexisting conditions. Why wouldnt someone pay the fine or buy low end coverage until they got ill and supplement the coverage or buy an extensive plan?