HSA Benefits Consulting

I was quoted in a few articles recently:

“Health care cards carry same credit risks” by Sally Herigstad (CreditCards.com)

“Utah Overhauls Health Care” by Sarah McIntosh and Joe Emanuel (Health Care News)

“Skepticism of health reform effort crosses industry lines” by Clarissa French (Springfield Business Journal)

Americans are concerned about the growing national budget deficit, and, in particular, how the cost of the pending health care reform legislation will add to the astronomical debt. Clarissa French interviewed Beverly and others about this concern in her article “Skepticism of health reform effort crosses industry lines” in the Springfield Business Journal.  

We are wondering what Edward S. Kornreich and Herschel Goldfield think now after reading our post “Which health insurance carrier denies the most claims?” You see these gentlemen posted an op ed  “Medicare’s lesson for health insurance reform”  at  The Hill.com in September. Here is a quote from the piece, “ Missing from the healthcare debate is any serious discussion about a critical flaw built into our system: Insurers have an incentive to deny claims, because the more they pay out, the less they profit. Patients and doctors have the opposite incentive…….There is an alternative. In fact, it is already in place for the millions covered by Medicare.”

Kornreich and Goldfield should be pleased. Denials are no longer missing from the debate. You’re welcome.

 Medicare denied coverage for  ambulance rides, which had been pre-approved, for a 90-year-old double amputee. After multiple resubmissions of paperwork, trips to the hospital patient services department, and two-hour-long phone calls (reaching different Medicare representatives each time), this elderly man has not been able to resolve his nightmare.

The next time that you hear that National health care would save money because of the bulk buying power, consider this report from Fox News.  Medicare overpays for items purchased for the elderly.

Here’s an example:

“– $7,215 to rent an oxygen concentrator, when the purchase price is $600.”

Last month, Congressman Dennis Kucinich grilled private insurance carriers about the insurance claims they denied in an attempt to demonize them. Meanwhile, it turns out that Medicare actually denies a larger percentage of claims than any of the private insurers. See the report here.

Patrick Tuohey of Big Goverment picked up our post about Medicare being the largest denier of insurance claims. They also mentioned our findings on Sean Hannity Discussion, Fox Nation,  NewsBusters, the Mark Levin Show, Pirate’s Cove, Conservative Thoughts, Wake Up America,  MIHealthfacts, Stoptheaclu, moreaboutpolitics, bizzyblog, Healthcare Horserace, the News Factor, Liberty Republican Forum, Insignificant Thoughts, Beltway Blips, Freedom’s Zone, American Daughter, Scared Monkeys, This Board Rocks,Conservative Black Woman, Qando, Outloud Opinion, pharmphun, Free Republic, Shrinkwrap, No Quarter, Prolifeblogs, News Factor, Missouri Record, Free Public, Canada Free Press, Poynter Online, No Oil for Pacifists, A Disgruntled Republican, Brookfield 7, FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog, myspace forum, Stupica, CoacheP, WOWOWOW, Jeremiah Films, Collecting my Thoughts, Dana Show, Bellingham Tea Party, Widgetbox, Truckingboard, Live Journal, Argue with Everyone, Liberty’s Army, Google Groups, All Nurses.com, reddit.com, FOX Winknewsradio, Askmen.com, MacDoctor, Community.comcast, insureblog, westandfirm.com, Investors.com, Economistblog, Dailymarkets, Freemarketmojo, mjperry, NCPA, Politics Alabama, 1800blogger, fundmasteryblog, Healthcare Economist, benzinga.com, valuesvoternews, wallstreetblips, Yahoo Answers, prolifeblogs, This Blue Marble, Finheaven.com, Businessweek, topix, 2secondsfaster, macresource, sprintusers, Mrswing,

Hear from the doctors who chose not to meet with the President even if invited.

Posted by Kathryn Serkes, AAPS  at the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons

DOCS AS PROPS

OOPS! President Obama mistakenly invites OPPONENT to stand up for him at White House today

AAPS doctors ask, Is he having trouble finding supporters? Read the rest of this entry »

According to page 5 of the  2008 Health Insurance Report Card released by the American Medical Association, the “carrier” with the highest percentage of denials is…..Medicare. Does it still sound like we need to put the government in control of (or develop a public option to compete with) health insurance companies to prevent them from denying claims?

DENIALS

The eligibility rules for COBRA subsidy say “an employee who is terminated involuntarily (unless for gross misconduct)” is eligible. A client called to inform me that their company had two people who walked off the job who haven’t come back for days. Basically, “take this job and….” My client asked me if the company would have to offer COBRA and if these employees would receive the subsidy. When I called the Department of Labor office today to clarify what they meant by “gross misconduct” and “involuntary,” I was told that an employee would have to commit a felony to be considered gross misconduct and that an employee walking off the job and not coming back for days is not involuntary termination since the employer would have to make the decision to “take him off the books” for this behavior. So our tax payer dollars are going to subsidize COBRA premiums for pretty much everyone, not just those who were laid off due to the economy, as we were told.