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Homepage | Health Insurance
New Bill Would Gut Women's Healthcare Coverage
The Media Cynic reports on the new HIMMAA bill that would allow health insurance companies to drop coverage for several women's health procedures and health needs. The Media Cynic says the bill will override state law protections that require health insurance companies to continue covering women's healthcare items and procedures including annual cervical cancer exams and contraception. The bill also requires women to go to a primary care doctor first and not directly to an ob/gyn. The Cynic explains why passing this bill would be a huge mistake.
The arrogance of these lawmakers is simply breathtaking. Women have fought for years for these protections, such as not being forced to change doctors mid-pregnancy just because her doctor is dropped from her insurance plan. If insurance doesn't cover screenings for routine cervical cancer exams, many women won't have them. Most women use their OB/GYN as their primary doctor, relying her to get the correct care and screenings for everything from cancer to osteoporosis: women will have to go to another gateway doctor first before they can get to their OB/GYN under most insurance plans. And the law is so broadly written that many more procedures won't be required to be covered.
The Senate should not pass this awful and unfair bill.
Posted on March 13, 2006
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Less Small Businesses Offering Health Insurance
EcommerceTimes.com reports that an annual survey has found that less small businesses are offering health insurance to workers. The study also found that health insurance costs have risen over 9% on average in 2005 and rose over 11% on average in 2004.
Released yesterday, the annual survey of employers' health benefits found that for the first time in nearly a decade, less than half of businesses with nine or fewer workers offer health insurance. Among those small firms, 47 percent provided coverage in 2005, down from 58 percent in 2002 and 53 percent in 1996.
"Small businesses have made the call that to stay alive, health care isn't something they can provide. I think it's a tragic calculation," said Peter Lee, president of Pacific Business Group on Health, which buys health insurance for large employers.
"The danger of that is that small business is the driver of the American economy," he said.
The survey also found that the cost of health insurance for working Americans grew by 9.2 percent this year, ending four consecutive years of double-digit increases but still far outpacing the rate of inflation. Premiums increased an average of 11.2 percent in 2004.
Clearly the high costs of health insurance is why less small businesses are offering coverage. The article also said the employers that do offer coverage are often opting for less attractive plans like health plans with higher deductibles.
Posted on September 19, 2005
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