Health insurance group plans are 97 percent more expensive than in 2002

Cost of health insurance rates

The price of medical coverage has been on a rapid climb throughout the last decade. A new national business survey has released its results this week, and it has shown that the cost of family health insurance through workplace plans has increased another 4 percent this year, while wages rose by only 1.7 percent. The survey was conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust. The gap between the coverage sponsored by employers, and the salaries paid to the employees is considered even more significant when the trend…

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Employer sponsored health insurance here to stay

employer sponsored Health Insurance

Study takes aim at employer-sponsored health insurance The Affordable Care Act has created a degree of uncertainty surrounding the issue of employer sponsored health insurance. The law is slated to make significant changes to the U.S. health care system, but the majority of these changes will not go into effect until 2014. The law was passed in 2010, providing ample time for worry and concern to take root in consumers and businesses alike. A recent study from Towers Watson, a leading professional services firm, takes aim at the issue of…

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Health care survey shows workers often make poor coverage decisions

open enrollment 2012

The open enrollment window is approaching, but many employees won’t make the right choices. According to a health care survey conducted by Aflac, many people either don’t understand the benefits that they have, or they’re not putting in the necessary effort to learn about their coverage in the first place, and this could lead them to make poor decisions when the open enrollment season begins. A significant amount of money is wasted every year due to this lack of attention. According to the Aflac vice president of corporate services, Audrey…

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Things you might not know about group health insurance

Though most people feel that group health insurance – such as the plans offered by many employers – are highly beneficial, it should be noted that they were not all created equal, and that there are many surprising things that consumers can learn about those policies that might change their opinions about their value. Consider the following often unknown issues regarding group health insurance: • Some group health plans don’t provide pregnancy coverage – as a result of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, the majority of health insurance plans…

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Gallup survey shows that employer provided health insurance is disappearing

A new survey from the Gallup Organization, a consultation and polling company, shows that employer sponsored health insurance is on the decline. The survey began on January 1 of 2011 and came to its conclusion on December 31 of the same year. Declines in insurance coverage are a persistent trend in the U.S. despite claims from the federal government. The Obama administration insists that the Affordable Care Act has brought coverage levels to an all time high. While this may be true for young adults, this is not the case…

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Report highlights the sluggish growth of health care spending due to U.S. recession

The worldwide recession has had a major impact on the health care system of the U.S. The effects are quite obvious in terms of insurance. As thousands of people throughout the country lost their jobs, they also lost their health insurance coverage. The recession, which lasted from late December 2007 to the middle of 2009, suppressed health care spending in the U.S. significantly, according to the federal government. The Obama administration released a report this week from the Department of Health and Human Services showing the impact of the recession…

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New task force launched in California to fight against insurance fraud and an underground economy

The California Department of Insurance has announced that it will be joining the Department of Industrial Relations to fight against the state’s emerging underground economy. The two agencies have formed the Labor Enforcement Task Force in order to crack down on the violations against the state’s insurance and labor regulations that are rampant in this offshoot economy. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones notes that this economy is mostly comprised of businesses who hire employees that are not fit for certain types of work. These businesses often fabricate documents concerning their employees…

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