The group enjoyed their trip and remarked at the unique experience.  “I can’t believe how I watch it on TV, and I never thought I would be here standing on it but now I am,” said Juan Garcia.  As part of the trip, the kids enjoyed kicking field goals and touring the inside of the Cowboy’s locker room, which featured the players’ jerseys up close.

“[The children's families] don’t have cars, a lot of them, so they walk to the grocery store, to the schools and then home and that’s pretty much all they see…so when we get to come to somewhere like this, it’s really exciting for the kids. It’s an experience they’ll remember for the rest of their lives,” said Shawn Ainsworth, Executive Director of Neighborhood Service Council.

“Helping to provide positive experiences for this group of kids has been very rewarding,” said Richard Monello, President and CEO of Custom Health Plans.  “We’re proud to support the generous efforts performed every day by the NSC.”

Click below to view a video of the NSC’s tour of Cowboys Stadium.

According to the Dallas Morning News, North Texas 3-Share Plan wants to help uninsured employees in Dallas County by providing a relatively inexpensive and subsidized health care option.  The plan launched its first initiative, TexHealth Dallas County, last week in Irving.  The organization is led by Don Spies, who was formerly a Dallas County director of health initiatives.  “We want to focus on preventive care,” Spies said. “There are so many who will forgo care until something gets worse,” and then costs can quickly escalate.

Living without a Texas health insurance plan is particularly troublesome for Texans who work for companies with fewer than 50 employees because more than 60 percent of small businesses do not offer health insurance.  In a multi-share plan like the North Texas 3-Share Plan, the cost burden is partially lifted from the employer without being placed directly on the employee, as a public fund also contributes to create a more affordable Texas health insurance plan. According to the Dallas Morning News:

The 2010 cost is $260 per employee per month, with the employer paying half, the employee liable for $50 and the subsidy paying the remaining $80…The program will be available to small businesses that have not offered group health insurance in the past 12 months. Employees are eligible if they have a pre-tax income of $16 an hour or less, which is about 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

This dramatic cut in health care costs for employees comes at a fortuitous time, as federal health care reform is leading many companies to drop their Texas health insurance plans in order to save money.  If multi-share plans take off and see early success, they may play a big role in providing low-cost Texas health insurance to employees and small businesses affected by such reforms.

According to the Dallas Morning News:

The 1 percent trim to provider fees that starts Sept. 1 sounds modest. But doctors, insurance industry officials and health care experts widely see it as the first of many hits coming to doctors’ wallets as Texas’ fiscal woes deepen.  State leaders’ instructions for agencies to identify additional 10 percent budget cuts in the next two-year budget cycle mean more fee cuts may come next summer.

Industry experts believe that further budget reductions could drive doctors from the state and result in more patients seeking emergency room care.  This would be an inauspicious beginning to federal health care reform, which, starting in 2014 will create huge new demands for care by putting more poor adults and children on Medicaid.  This bit of legislation is conservatively estimated to add 1.5 million Texans to Medicaid by 2015.  The number currently stands at about three million.

Expanding the rolls of Medicaid while reducing doctor reimbursements simply won’t work, as fewer doctors will accept these patients.  At the same time, health care reform will expand Texas health insurance rosters in general without expanding the amount of medical professionals to service the newly insured.

Medicaid is a great resource for people who can’t afford traditional Texas health insurance plans, but without the necessary medical network to support these patients, expansion may overburden our already weakened state.

We find that emergency room costs will increase for two reasons: 1) about half the newly insured will enroll in Medicaid, and Medicaid patients seek emergency room care more often than the uninsured, and 2) while the newly insured will try to increase their consumption of care, the absence of any program to create more providers will force patients to turn to emergency rooms as the outlet for increased demand.

The recently enacted reforms will eventually add more than 30 million people to health insurance rosters, but no measures are being taken to expand the amount of doctors, nurses and medical support staff.  Naturally, this will lead to a severe imbalance in the demand for health care and the available supply.  Since it will be difficult for newly insured patients to see overworked doctors, emergency rooms will be the only place they can receive care.  Another consideration is that approximately half of the newly insured are expected to enroll in Medicaid.  Since many private practitioners do not accept Medicaid patients, the patients will again be forced to seek care at emergency rooms.

So rather than decrease our nation’s dependence on costly emergency room care, health reform legislation is likely to have the opposite effect.  The NCPA projects that “insuring between 32 million and 34 million additional people will generate between 848,000 and 901,000 additional emergency room visits every year.”  This is just another example of the negative impact ObamaCare may have on our already-overburdened health care system and economy.

Don’t pay for it

There are so many options for obtaining free Texas health insurance quotes that there’s no reason to pay for one.  If a company wants your money before giving you a quote, then move onto the next company.

Shop around

These days it’s very easy to obtain a Texas health insurance quote.  Simply go online and companies are eager to provide you with what you need, but make sure your quote is coming from a health insurance provider licensed to operate in your state, or from a reputable, certified broker.

The Lowest Price Isn’t Always the Best

While a low cost quote is very attractive on the surface, it’s important to consider value, rather than just price.  If the plan doesn’t cover the services you require, like prescriptions or maternity care, or if it doesn’t cover your preexisting condition, then you’ll end up paying much more money in the long run.  Anyone can give you an inexpensive quote, but unless it’s for a Texas health insurance plan than offers the benefits and services you need, keep on looking.

And a High Price Doesn’t Mean it’s Good

Similar to how a low cost quote isn’t always a good bargain, a high priced quote doesn’t mean you’re getting the best coverage. An expensive health insurance plan can offer comprehensive services and benefits, but unless you’re going to use those benefits, you’re wasting your money.  Make sure the Texas health insurance plan you select isn’t stuffed with services you’ll never use, or you’re just throwing money away.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, said in a letter to state insurance commissioners:

“Unfortunately, scam artists and criminals may be using the passage of these historic reforms as an opportunity to confuse and defraud the public…Media accounts indicate that fraudsters have gone door to door selling phony insurance policies,” she wrote. “Some have attempted to make dishonest profits by urging consumers to obtain coverage in a nonexistent ‘limited enrollment’ period that they falsely claim was made possible by the new legislation.”

Since these fake Texas health insurance plans are not backed by financial reserves, the insurers in question likely have no ability or desire to pay claims.  Consumers swindled by these scams may be left without insurance in a time of need.  To protect yourself from fraudulent insurance schemes, regulators have warned people to be wary of anyone claiming to be with the federal government and trying to sell you insurance.  Texas health insurance policies are sold and issued by companies, not government officials.  And be alert to sophisticated sales pitches. The Morning News notes that in some states, fraudulent sales representatives are attempting to sell a bogus product called an “ObamaCare Insurance Policy.”

Unfortunately, scam artists will always attempt to make a buck at the expense of confused consumers, so do what you can to protect your health and keep your finances secure.  If you have questions about health care reform, or need to obtain insurance, work with a licensed Texas health insurance broker, or contact a reputable, well-known health insurance carrier in your state.

There are three main types of Texas health insurance plans: managed care, preferred provider and fee-for-service.  Each plan can offer good benefits to your employees and is likely an available option with most major health carriers.  Talk to your employees about their health needs, and whether they’ll require coverage for specific conditions or for family members.  Coverage options, costs and flexibility to choose preferred doctors and hospitals will help determine which plan is best.

When choosing a Texas health insurance carrier, select a company that receives positive feedback from customers and exhibits good customer service as you inquire about its plans.  A sound financial rating is also important.  Financial evaluations by third parties like A.M. Best can help you determine the ability of an insurer to fulfill its obligations to your company.  If overwhelmed by the search for the right insurance provider, consider using a Texas health insurance broker to help you navigate the maze of plans and options.

Once you’ve selected a health insurance provider and plan for your small business, educate your employees on ways to keep costs down.  Plans with higher deductibles and no copayments will generally boast lower premiums, but that means more out of pocket expenses for employees.  This is a great option for healthy workers that don’t require regular doctor visits and prescriptions.  Also, creating a health-conscious work environment is a terrific preventative measure.  If possible, provide healthy snacks and lunches, or offer incentives for joining a gym.  Healthy living can go a long way to reducing health care costs for individuals and, in turn, the company.

Health savings accounts are the fastest growing health insurance option in the country, swelling in number from one million accounts in 2005 to nearly 10 million today.  Their appeal is obvious.  Paired with a high deductible health plan, a Texas HSA allows consumers to save money tax-free for use toward medical expenses, giving consumers greater control over their health care spending and more flexibility to pursue the treatment options they prefer.  But recent legislation may be the death knell for these consumer-friendly health insurance plans.  According to The Heritage Foundation:

On January 1, 2011, insurers will be required to maintain an 80 percent medical loss ratio (MLR) in the individual market.  This means that 80 percent of revenue from premiums must be spent on medical claims, not on administrative costs or profits.  The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recently held a teleconference on the MLR’s impact, as several insurers begin to consider exiting the individual market in certain states where meeting the new MLR requirement would be not be viable…According to Dowling and Partners, an insurance research firm, major players such as Aetna, Assurant, Mega Life, and United Health are likely to bail out of the individual market in at least some states.  As a result, 1 to 2 million Americans could lose their current coverage.

So much for promises.  ObamaCare will so severely restrict health carriers’ operations that many won’t be able to offer individual plans, like HSAs.  In fact, some carriers may fold entirely.  The Heritage Foundation notes that nHealth, a Richmond, Virginia insurance provider specializing in high deductible plans and HSAs, “recently announced it will close its doors due to the combination of stringent new regulations and future uncertainty—both the product of the new health care law…and many other insurers are expected to follow suit due to new regulations created by Obamacare, especially its federally-imposed medical loss ratio.”

So contrary to presidential promises, you can’t always keep the health insurance you like, especially when your favorite provider ceases to exist.

Employer-sponsored health insurance plans operate under group rates and maintain a one-size-fits-all dynamic.  This blanket coverage results in certain individuals paying for coverage they don’t need in order to subsidize those employees who require more extensive health care.  Since these extra costs are absorbed by all employees, group plans are unnecessarily expensive for certain workers.  Such workers may benefit from an individual health insurance plan, which can be tailored to fit one’s particular needs and budget.

Another benefit of an individual Texas health insurance plan is that it’s portable.  When an employee loses his job, changes his job or branches out on his own, his benefits will lapse, leaving him and his family defenseless against a major medical emergency.  An individual health insurance plan, however, stays in place regardless of a change in employment status, ensuring coverage during tumultuous times.

Since money is tight, the job market jobs remains uncertain and increases in health care costs continue to outpace wages, there’s no better time to consider an individual Texas health insurance plan for personalized, affordable and portable health coverage.

Alternative medicine and therapies, like chiropractic care, acupuncture, reflexology and massage are, at best, considered specialist services by health insurance companies.  This means that if they’re covered at all, they’ll cost more than “traditional” services, like visiting a primary care physician.  But those with a health savings account can use their funds to pay for almost any type of health service, as long as it’s meant to treat or prevent of a specific health condition.

Traditional Texas health insurance plans are great for many consumers, but not everyone has the same health history, needs and beliefs when it comes to medicine.  With traditional plans, consumers interested in alternative therapies are forced to pay more for the health services they want.  And as alternative therapies are becoming more and more mainstream, the amount of people turning to acupuncture or therapeutic massage is increasing.  Given this interest in alternative medicine, it doesn’t make sense for some people to pay for conventional health plans that don’t cover their therapies of choice, especially when HSAs allow for this flexibility.

A Texas health savings account paired with a high deductible health plan is a great way to keep costs down while paying for the health therapies you want.  Rather than paying a health insurance carrier a costly premium each month for coverage that may go unused, you can keep more of your money and only withdraw funds from your Texas HSA when necessary.  A health savings account puts you in the drivers’ seat.  By empowering people to manage their own health care, HSAs encourage personal choice and fiscal responsibility, putting spending control back into the hands of consumers.