Forget The Company Plan-The Boss Wants You On Dad’s Insurance
Employers can encourage young adults to forego the office’s plan and take advantage of health law provision allowing them to join their parents’ policy.
Health Insurance Prices For Women Set To Drop
Any woman who has bought health insurance on her own probably didn’t find herself humming the old show tune, “I Enjoy Being a Girl.” That’s because more than 90 percent of individual plans charge women higher premiums than men for the same coverage, a practice known as gender rating. Women spend $1 billion more annually […]
Even After Changing Policies, Some Consumers May Get A Rebate
Readers ask for guidance on questions involving health insurance rebates, coverage for same-sex spouses and benefits for pregnancy.
New Guidelines On Obesity Treatment Herald Changes In Coverage
The recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that people who are obese get “intensive, multicomponent” intervention offers support for consumers, but it is not clear that employers and insurers welcome the change.
Rating Doctors Is Tricky, But Consumer Reports Does It In Mass.
Physicians are often nervous about patient reviews but they supported this effort.
Retail Health Clinics Expanding
President of MinuteClinic, the nation’s largest chain, says his facilities help fill the void caused by a shortage of primary care doctors. But they also help patients find physicians and coordinate care.
Workplace Clinics Are Expanding Focus Beyond Injuries, Preventive Care
Some big employers are beefing up their clinic offerings with a host of new services, including physical therapy, dental and vision exams, mental health counseling and even acupuncture and massage.
Biggest Mass. Insurer Tightens Rules On Some Painkillers
Blue Cross Blue Shield will require a review after 30 days to reduce addiction risks and keep the drugs from teenagers and others for whom they weren’t prescribed.
New Screening Tool Could Increase The Use Of Virtual Colonoscopies
Medical experts seek ways to raise the number of consumers who get tested, and a procedure that doesn’t include the normal preparation might be less troublesome.
Psychiatric Manual May Soon Include ‘Gambling Disorder’
Can someone actually be hooked on a behavior, like gambling? Problem gambling isn’t considered a true addiction in medical circles. But that may change as psychiatrists revise the diagnostic manual that spells out criteria for more than a dozen varieties of mental disorders. The proposed revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, […]
Proposed Changes To Psychiatric Manual Could Impact Addiction Diagnosis
Supporters say the new guidelines will make it easier to address drug or alcohol problems before they become serious. But others worry that one of the tools to evaluate such problems falsely suggests there is a natural escalation from non-use to occasional use to risky use to addiction.
Trained Interpreters For Patients With Limited English Can Help Avoid Medical Mishaps
Too often, however, hospitals and other providers are not reimbursed for such services and can’t afford to keep them.
Some States Mandate Better Coverage Of Oral Cancer Drugs
Patients complain that they can spend tens of thousands of dollars because pills are considered a pharmacy benefit by many insurers while traditional IV chemo generally has a a flat copayment and out-of-pocket costs are capped.
Patients Share Of Expensive Specialty Drugs Is Rising
Growth in spending on these prescriptions, used for complex conditions such as MS and Crohn’s disease, is far outpacing traditional drugs. Often they have no generic alternative.
Some Insurers Deny ER Coverage To People Who Have Been Drinking
Laws in about half the states allow plans to restrict payments for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. That can hamper hospital efforts to counsel patients on the dangers of their behavior.
Travel Insurance Can Protect Your Health Or Wallet On Vacation
For a few dollars you can buy travel health insurance coverage that protects you if you have to cancel or shorten a trip if you, your traveling companions or even a family member not traveling with you becomes ill and requires care.
Smart Shopping Can Relieve Pain From Dentists’ Charges
If you need dental work, chances are you’ll pay a big chunk of the bill out of your own pocket, even if you have dental insurance. Dental coverage often maxes out at just a few thousand dollars a year or less and typically covers only half of the cost of major procedures like crowns and […]
Out-Of Network Care Is Expensive But A Couple Of New Options Help
Seeking care from hospitals and doctors who haven’t agreed to negotiated rates with your insurer is costly but consumers can get help from a new database on pricing. The health law is also easing some out-of-network emergency expenses.
Say What? Most Insurance Covers Little Of The Cost Of Hearing Aids
These devices can easily run thousands of dollars but Medicare doesn’t pay anything and other policies generally have limited reimbursements. One insurer is offering a low-cost program to help.
Medicare Now Covers Annual Screening For Depression
The coverage change could help focus doctors and patients on mental health issues, which often go undiagnosed in the elderly, especially those who are dealing with multiple chronic physical problems.
