Tag Archives: affordable-care-act

posts about health care reform

What is short-term health insurance?

Frugal Nurse Posted on by 1

short-term health insuranceShort-term health insurance plans are coming back

Is there anything about our healthcare system, especially the insurance market, that isn’t confusing?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) finally phased out most short-term health insurance plans last year, but last week the current administration changed the rules to bring them back.

The cost of health insurance is really expensive for anyone who doesn’t have an employer-provided plan or doesn’t qualify for … read on

Premium increases for 2019. Here we go again.

Frugal Nurse Posted on by 1

premium increases 2019When will these double-digit increases stop?

OK, it’s June and that means it’s time for my annual rant about ever-increasing health insurance premiums.

In my state, Washington, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner just posted the proposed rate increases.

Not in Washington? Use this interactive map to find the insurance commissioner in your state and search for rate increases.

By law these requests have to be made public and … read on

Tips to handle or avoid surprise medical bills

Frugal Nurse Posted on by  

surprise medical billsSurprise medical bills can catch you by, well, surprise

Bottom line on top: If you’re the victim of a surprise medical bill, there are resources to help you.

After several years of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many of us are resigned to high premiums, high deductibles and small provider networks.

We try to be good healthcare “consumers” (as if we really want to buy healthcare!) by reading the fine … read on

3 advocates for a better healthcare system

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

better healthcare systemIf you are one of the millions of people suffering under our broken healthcare system, take heart.

Industry leaders who recognize your pain actually exist, and are trying to help.

Changing the system is a huge and thankless task, because the bulk of the industry is profit-driven and resistant to giving up the status quo.

But these individuals and groups are using different ways to connect with increasing numbers of … read on

Take time to understand your new health insurance policy

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

Happy New (Calendar) Year!

It’s a new calendar year, and that means many people will have a new health insurance plan. Or last year’s insurance will have been tweaked with a slightly higher deductible or copays, or an updated list of “in-network” providers.

This is a good time to sit down and become familiar with your health insurance benefits, so you aren’t taken by surprise when you actually need to … read on

Alternatives to traditional health insurance

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

alternatives to traditional health insuranceTraditional and expensive

This week I received a letter from my health insurance company. My plan’s benefits will remain the same, but the monthly premium will be 21% higher.

That means health insurance for me and my husband now officially costs more than our mortgage. And it’s just a bronze-level plan with a $7,000 deductible (each)!

I really feel for other families receiving similar letters about similar rate hikes. Some … read on

Is health care a right or a privilege?

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

The health care debate rages on.

Atul Gawande, one of my favorite physician-authors, wrote an article on this topic last week in The New Yorker magazine.

He spoke to residents in his home state of Ohio and posed the question, “Is health care a right or a privilege?” He listened to their stories of unexpected illness, lost jobs and medical bankruptcy. Yet none of them thought their health insurance should … read on

Premium increases for 2018. Ouch.

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

My peek into the future

Health insurance companies in my state finally submitted their requests for 2018 rate hikes.

Usually I can look up this info online by mid-May, but all the partisan and intra-party bickering over the future of healthcare in this country has left insurance companies scratching their figurative heads over how to price next year’s policies.

I remember a time when I never gave my health insurance … read on

Annual exams vs. annual wellness visits

Frugal Nurse Posted on by

Happy New (Calendar) Year!

It’s the start of a new year or, in health insurance lingo, the start of a new calendar year deductible. I’m reposting this from last January, because this month is the best time to start trying to schedule that annual exam or annual wellness visit (it could take weeks, after all, to get an appointment!).

I usually advise people to get any screening tests or annual … read on

Choosing Wisely – Use less healthcare

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My goal for 2017? Use as little healthcare as possible

How will healthcare change under a new president and political party?

That’s a question I can’t answer. As I wrote in my last post, both candidates had multiple-point plans to tweak/improve/repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act, aka the ACA or Obamacare.

But I don’t know what will change or when.

What I know for sure is that for 2017 my … read on