Deekstar Free Insurance Information Image-click here for homepage Bookmark Page

Translate all Articles into 35 Languages!

Translate



Why Does Health Insurance Cost So Much?


Why does health insurance cost so much? Year after year, many of the articles that appear in print detail the specific factors driving the cost of healthcare.

These factors include: general inflation, advances in drugs and other medical devices, rising hospital and doctor expenses, government mandates, increased consumer demand, litigation, fraud, and cost shifting.

The basic answer is that a magic bullet to solve the cost of insurance does not exist because the real difficulty is controlling the cost of healthcare. A simple way to dramatically decrease the dollars spent on healthcare is to reduce the demand for healthcare.

I have seen estimates that up to 40% of all healthcare related expenses result from preventable conditions. These preventable conditions are caused by lifestyle choices such as tobacco, obesity, stress, lack of exercise and poor diet.

Most of us, myself included, make lifestyle choices everyday that eventually increase our demand for healthcare. We are never going to be able to totally eliminate all lifestyle related healthcare costs. However, improved lifestyle choices would cause a dramatic reduction in demand. This would then result in a similar reduction in the dollars spent on healthcare.

Lower demand for healthcare would result in lower health insurance costs, increased productivity, and reduced absenteeism. If your organization has not done so already, your organizational leaders need to seriously consider the benefits of health promotion and disease prevention programs. Your return on investment will most likely be as high as 2:1 in the first year.

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:

Boston Globe

Healthcare reform, objectively
Los Angeles Times
The government's role as a provider of health insurance would increase, however, as Medicaid would be extended to more low-income adults and new subsidies ...
Why We ReformNew York Times
The Perilous Public Health Insurance Debate In The United States24-7PressRelease.com (press release)
The truth about health insurance profitsSmall Gov Times
USA Today -Huffington Post (blog) -True/Slant
all 597 news articles »


Reuters

Workers paying more toward insurance premiums
San Francisco Chronicle
While workers are paying a greater share of their employer's insurance, premiums for family coverage in California increased 64.8 percent from 2000 to 2008. ...
Study: Middle class hardest hit by rising insurance costsBaltimore Sun (blog)
About 1 in 4 in California lack health insurance, a UCLA study findsLos Angeles Times (blog)
Survey shows how middle class hit by health-insurance crisisUSA Today
Capitol Weekly -Annapolis Capital -Montgomery Advertiser
all 173 news articles »


Brandon News and Tribune

Democrats add more plums to already huge healthcare bill
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Beginning in 2014, most would be required for the first time to purchase insurance and face penalties if they refused. Millions of families with incomes up ...
Health care bill adds senior rebate, insurance subsidiesNewsday (subscription)

all 221 news articles »


Health Insurance Tips For College Students
San Francisco Chronicle
While it's important to have health insurance in case of emergency, it's not good to spend money for something you already have. ...
Kreidler: In down economy, be wary of health insurance scamsAccess Washington
Co-pay rising: Five health insurance mythsSDNN (blog)

all 5 news articles »


A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Investors Heritage Life Insurance Company and ...
MarketWatch (press release)
... dedicated to serving the financial and health care service industries, including insurance companies, banks, hospitals and health care system providers. ...

and more »


Latest Hot Job: Life-Insurance Agent
Wall Street Journal
One of the most old-fashioned occupations in finance is back in favor: the life-insurance agent. Some big insurers are adding thousands of ...
New York Life to Pay Long-Term Care Insurance Dividend for the Sixth ...Insurance News Net (press release)

all 6 news articles »


CBS News

Missouri Senate approves bill for mandated autism insurance coverage
Kansas City Star
JEFFERSON CITY | Health insurance coverage of autism spectrum disorders would be required under legislation passed Thursday in the Missouri ...
New Autism Bill May Cause Changes in Insurance Coveragefox4kc.com
Mo. Senate passes autism insurance billKWMU
Senate autism coverage bill passesMissourinet.com

all 102 news articles »


New York Daily News

A look at the health care overhaul bill
Washington Post
INSURANCE MANDATE: Almost everyone is required to be insured or else pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people. Mandate takes effect in 2014. ...
AP sources: Insurance watchdog not in health billThe Associated Press
Insurance-rate regulation dropped from latest health billMiamiHerald.com
Democrats offer $940b health bill for final testBoston Globe
Reuters -eMaxHealth -Wall Street Journal
all 8,404 news articles »


Eastern Alliance Insurance Group Announces ParallelPay(R) Program Reaches $10M ...
MarketWatch (press release)
One of EAIG's agency partners, Bryan Beasley of Senn Dunn Insurance, adds, "The combination of EAIG and their ParallelPay program provides our clients with ...

and more »


ABC News

Insurance firm actually Aims to Ditch HIV Clients
TopNews United States
In accordance to the Reuters news agency the insurance giant formerly known as Fortis possessed a standard procedure of targeting its policyholders with HIV ...
Insurance firm aimed to ditch HIV clientsXinhua
Annals of outrageous health insurance evilSalon
Report: Insurance Company Had Policy Targeting HIV-Positive PolicyholdersDemocracy Now
Newser -Reuters -Los Angeles Times
all 77 news articles »

Google News

Tennis Ball Machines | Online Shopping Mall | Price Comparison UK | Beatles Box Set | ebay Auctions | Women's Shopping | Buy Movies Mp3's | Jewelry Shopping | Site Map
Google
 
© InsuranceProviderOnline Dot Info. Insurance Services Information 2006 - 2009