Blake's Health Advising

07/27/2022

Something to consider when evaluating what type of health insurance is the best fit.

07/08/2022

Are health insurance subsidies through the marketplace helping fuel inflation?

More subsidies for Obamacare policies, like more subsidies for anything else, won't fight inflation.

07/07/2022

This article discusses several reasons to be cautious of health sharing plans.

“What I would say about health sharing ministries is they are a leap of faith, both literally and figuratively.” – Sabrina Corlette, Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute

07/06/2022

This article points out some key developments that will help the healthcare consumer save additional money. Things like MRI's, X-Rays etc. are often considerably cheaper at a stand alone imaging center, than they are at a hospital.

Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in healthcare prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long | New government rules force health insurers to publicly disclose what they pay for just about every s...

06/22/2022

Some companies are starting to apply a surcharge to unvaccinated employees.

https://www.ajmc.com/view/imposing-a-health-insurance-surcharge-on-the-unvaccinated

06/16/2022

I often come across people who are looking for dental insurance, and are needing work done ASAP. Many plans have a waiting period. Dental for Everyone is a site that might be able to help you find plans with immediate benefits, in your given area.

https://www.dentalforeveryone.com/

06/10/2022

As a follow up to yesterday's post, Atlanta's Northside Hospital becomes the first hospital in the country to be fined for lack of transparency regarding health care pricing.

The fine surrounds a rule that requires hospitals to post the prices of services on their websites.

06/09/2022

Very few hospitals are complying with the rule, which became affective January 1, 2021, to list the cash price for common services.

Hospitals must list the cash prices for services like X-rays or medical tests online, according to federal law. A new study finds the rule is largely ignored.

06/03/2022

If you, or anyone you know regularly take prescriptions, it's definitely worth utilizing GoodRx. It's a free service and will let you know where your medications are least expensive, within your zip code. There can often be a rather large price discrepancy from one pharmacy to another, for the exact same medication.

https://www.goodrx.com/

05/24/2022

For those who are on the ACA, August will be an important month, as that is when premiums will be locked in for 2023.

A couple of items worth noting from the attached article:

- ACA Marketplace signups reached a record high of 14.5 million people in 2022, including nearly 13 million people who received tax credits to lower their premiums.

- Net Premium Payments on Healthcare.gov Would be 53% Higher without the American Rescue Plan Act

- Even if unsubsidized premiums hold steady going into 2023, the expiration of ARPA subsidies would result in the steepest increase in out-of-pocket premium payments that most enrollees in this market have seen.

https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/for-aca-enrollees-how-much-premiums-rise-next-year-is-mostly-up-to-congress/

05/20/2022

This is another example of why you should stay away from health-sharing medical plans.

"I mean, it’s very obvious that money was coming in, and wherever it was going, it wasn’t going to pay medical bills."

01/24/2022

Are you looking to get yourself on a health insurance plan soon but don't know the ins and outs of how it works? Here's an article that discusses what is typically covered in a plan and when you can expect to receive care.

Health care in the United States can be very expensive. A single doctor’s office visit may cost several hundred dollars and an average three-day hospital stay can run tens of thousands of dollars (or even more) depending on the type of care provided. Most of us could not afford to pay such large s...