Hospital Health Care

Insurance company data and online brokers reveal that women pay much more than men even at the same age for identical individual health insurance policies the New York Times reports.  During an interview with insurers, the NY Times discovered that women ages 19 to 55 tend to cost insurers more than men because they typically use more health care services, especially during the childbearing years.  Women will visit their MD’s, take prescription medications, get regular check-ups and have certain chronic illnesses than men.  This results in paying thousands of dollars more annually than men for equivalent coverage.  If you want more information and options visit hospitalhealthinsurancetoday.com.

During our current economic conditions and the turmoil of the credit market, small businesses are feeling the added pressure of increasing cost of health insurance premiums as reported in the Wall Street Journal.  The Journal reports that the rate at which the collective premiums have increased had slowed in recent years.  Some employers premiums are being quoted by insurers are double what they were just a few months ago.  High deductible plans offered with health savings accounts which insurers a few years ago offered to small businesses at low premiums in an effort to win new business are among the plans being hit with high increases in Florida.

There is a recent report that was released from the PricewaterhouseCooper’s Health Research Institute called- What employers want from health insurers-now which examines the wants, needs and satisfaction levels of employers regarding health insurance benefits.  Some of the main points outlined in the report are:

Employers are recognizing that wellness programs linked with employee monetary incentives such as gift cards or premium reductions are very effective.  Employers want better data from their health benefit programs and want to be able to measure and manage the cost of these programs.  They also want to work with fewer vendors to manage the health related benefits.

American Well’s Online Healthcare Marketplace platform serves both members of the Hawaii Medical Service Association and non-members who will be able to access online care services.  This service is available to all 1.3 million residents of Hawaii, which provides a sound business model to deliver healthcare to the unisured.

The Uninsured can go to the public healthsite and have access to healthcare services as long as they can use computer technology.  A benefit is that the category of unisured individuals between 18-34 years of age who do not want to buy health insurance but are willing to pay on a service by service basis will have a means to possibly save money buy not paying monthly health insurance premiums.