Forgoing Illinois Medical Insurance Heightens Risk of Death

February 22, 2010 at 1:32 pm • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

Forgoing Illinois medical insurance heightens death toll potential. As the health insurance reform bill remains unsettled, several research studies depict the risk of a higher mortality rate among the uninsured. From developing cardiovascular disease or cancer, to suffering from a traumatic injury, data indicates that being without Illinois medical insurance is merely a detrimental prospect.

A recent publication, regarding the study of 1231 patients recovering from head or neck cancers from 1998 through 2007 at the Pittsburgh Medical Center, compared the survival rate of patients who were insured to the uninsured. Fifty percent of the 128 patients, who were on Medicaid or were without health insurance perished. In comparison, fewer than 23 percent of the patients with medical coverage passed away.

Among traumatic injury sufferers, similar death discrepancies were notable. A group of researchers of Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School compiled statistics from the National Trauma Data Bank, which has a database of 2.7 million patients admitted to trauma centers throughout the United States. Evaluating patient admissions from 2002 and 2006, researchers reviewed 687,091 adult medical records.

The study correlated a significant link between the mortality rates of the uninsured patient versus the insured. Researchers tried to rework the data to eliminate any findings associated with age, race and gender; nonetheless, the statistics showed the same high mortality rate amongst individuals without insurance. Even more perplexing, Medicare members had a survival rate comparable to the insured patients.

Researchers compared the mortality rate of 29,829 patients admitted at the Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from 1998 to 2005. Uninsured patients accounted for 68 percent of the patients. Again, the data among the non-insured younger, less severely injured had a higher death rate than the insured counterparts.

Although hospitals provide treatment, it is undetermined whether the difference in medical care occurs during hospitalization. Even without any specific clinical trials comparing the death toll of the uninsured to individuals with Illinois medical insurance, the Centers for Disease Control has data suggesting that the rate of Illinoisans not having Illinois medical insurance has been spiking for the last decade.

In the interim, cardiovascular disease maintains its status as a leading killer United States. The American Heart Association made note of a 33 percent escalation of cardiovascular inpatient operations from 1996 to 2006. Given the emerging rate of cancer, heart disease diagnoses, a lack of health coverage foretells a fatal outcome.

Illinois medical insurance consultant, Michael Novelli “Despite the fact that cancer and cardiovascular diseases are not completely preventable, individuals with medical coverage are more apt to have early detection, assuring better medical care. An abundance of managed care Illinois medical insurance plans are economical enough to impede additional medical casualties.

Bookmark or visit Illinois Life and Health.com for more information regarding Illinois medical insurance. The site maintains the latest resources, news, and free health insurance quotes, online.

Some Michigan Health Plans Lack Proper Coverage

February 3, 2010 at 7:03 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

With a variation of policy exclusions, premiums and overall out of pocket, costs, it’s no wonder that all Michigan health plans are inequitable. Then tack on the numerous plans offered by major insurance providers, and the confounding jargon; hence, selecting a Michigan health plan without getting burned with an astronomical medical bill is a daunting task for most Michiganites.

Since, consumers are unaware of the terms of the insurance policies, market research surveys for the health care sectors, gathered from national agencies, indicate a high propensity of Americans purchase policies with inadequate coverage. Add to the mix, the uninsured consumer, who has a checkered medical history, buying a Michigan health plan-and there’s a high possibility that the policyholder will be subjected to paying off a hospital bill for the rest of their life.

President and publisher, Michael Novelli of Michigan Health and Life.com traces the Michigan health plan quandary on the fact that ‘the vast majority of laymen are not educated about what they are buying and with an unreliable insurance agent, trying to close a deal, the consumer is the victim.” The online publication, Michigan Health and Life.com features information about current news events, the health insurance reform bill, Michigan health plans, and complimentary medical quotes, serving as a concise resource for Michiganites in quest of viable health insurance.

A number of red flags highlight serve as caveat to the worthless Michigan health plan. These include:

* Miniscule – Insufficient benefits. “No major medical” and “limited benefit” insurance are two terms, indicating the potential composite of an insufficient Michigan health plan. These policies typically exclude the cost of a major illness, such as a heart attack, cancer, or diabetes. With the average treatment for colon cancer costing $250,000, it is quite obvious that health care expenses are outrageous. Michigan health plans with a $250,000 lifetime are substantially deficient in medical coverage benefits.

* Excluded medical services. Assume that any medical benefit not mentioned in a policy is not covered in the plan. Make sure that the plan accounts for in-hospital stay, physician’s visits as well as any outpatient medical treatments. Also, analyze whether the medical policy has adequate per-day benefits. Certain Michigan health plans impose ceilings for specific benefits. For instance, $800 per day is inadequate sufficient

* Ceaseless out-of-pocket costs. Depending on the Michigan health plan, the policy may not delineate a cap or maximum amount of the out-of-pocket costs. In other words, any co-payments, including doctor’s visits, medications and diagnostic procedures are not credited toward the out-of-pocket expense.

* Amazingly economical premiums. Anytime the premiums for a Michigan health plan seem abnormally low to be accurate, be sure to assess the cost of other plans (i.e. comprehensive and managed care plans. For example, Michigan Health and Life.com supplies several quotes to analyze the best-sized Michigan health plan.

Bookmark or visit Michigan Health and Life.com for additional information pertaining to Michigan medical insurance coverage. The site maintains the latest news, resources and free Michigan medical insurance quotes, online.

Cost Comparing Illinois Health Plans

November 16, 2009 at 12:14 pm • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

With so many unanswered details of the health care reform plan, predicting the cost of Illinois Health insurance quotes proves to be an enigma. While there’s no set price on the cost of health insurance, consumers shopping for an affordable policy have a modicum of ammunition.

Calculate health plan costs, itemizing the following list of products and services. Bear in mind that Illinois health insurance plans are calculated based on the various health costs (age, prescriptions, types of medical care, number of covered members and other options. For instance, cancer screening, MRIs, mammograms and other diagnostic tests contribute to health care costs. Also, itemize eye examinations, vaccinations and any other medical expenses.

Prioritize medical services and products. Next, compare the cost of having these services covered under your Illinois health plan. For example, if your current, medical care includes an annual eye examination, then compare the cost of premiums versus having to pay for the medical service out-of-pocket.

Organize medical products and services in the order of importance. Then, calculate how much could be saved with or without such health services of the Illinois health insurance. Let’s say that your current medical program covers the cost of eye examinations, your next step would be to compare the medical service expense to the cost of the insurance premium.

Search for an insurance representative, who is licensed and can provide different Illinois Health Insurance quotes. Obtain at least three health plans quotes to compare costs. In Illinois, the licensed insurance consultant company, Illinois Life and Health.com offers Illinois health insurance quotes for Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Health Care and Anthem.

Review each quote provided by your insurance agent, comparing benefits versus costs. Evaluate each quote according to the following questions: What are the annual limitations for each medical service? What is the maximum you will have to pay for out-of-pocket expenses each year?

For each health plan policy, compare family and individual premium costs, coinsurance and deductibles.

The due diligence, required to select an affordable Illinois health insurance quote, necessitates comparing all expenditures according to your discerning health requirements.

For additional information about health insurance coverage in Illinois Bookmark or visit: IllinoisLifeandHealth.com. The site is a one-stop shop for latest news, and Illinois health insurance quotes.

Illinois Health Insurance is Non-Negotiable When It Comes To The H1N1 Virus

October 30, 2009 at 8:05 am • Posted in PoliticsComments Off

This year’s flu concerns should heed caution for individuals, who do not have Illinois health insurance. At present date, the H1NI has assumed 20 lives and hospitalized 476. [Source: Illinois Department of Health http://www.idph.state.il.us/h1n1_flu/sf_statistics.htm] Between the sick days, doctor’s visits and other medical necessities, the uncertainties of the H1N1 virus are too ominous to chance until the Obama health plan is finalized.

It is estimated that some 250,000 children in the state of Illinois do not have medical coverage. With the death of a Naperville high school student, uninsured families have a few affordable health care plans. [Source: http://www.allkidscovered.com/]

The Kronishs’ experience with H1N1 was a sickeningly expensive fiasco. When Mr. Kronish lost his job, the cobra benefits for a family of six was too expensive to maintain on a $57,000 annual income. Not to mention, all four children aged eight, 11, 13 and 14 had been a pillar of good health.

After their 11-year old son complained of all the symptoms associated with H1N1, an emergency room visit turned into a 23-hour observation; and, thus a $3500 bill for all the tests and overnight stay. In an effort to prevent more of the same, the remaining Kronish family members were vaccinated, costing an additional $375.

The cost of a doctor’s office visit or clinic consultation ranges from $60 to $150 if one does not have insurance. Vaccinations are $75 to $85. In Illinois all medical providers are required to dole out H1N1 vaccinations to insured patients, directly billing the insurance company. Additionally, various big box stores, such as Osco Drugs, Walgreens and CVS are providing vaccinations in coordination with the insurance companies.

The H1N1 virus exemplifies how a simple emergency room visit and an overnight observation can add up to an expensive incident that a normal Illinois health insurance policy would cover.

Bookmark or visit Illinois Life & Health for more information pertaining to Illinois medical insurance. The site maintains the latest news, resources and a no obligation Illinois medical insurance quote, online.