Health Insurance in Texas - Guide by Custom Health Plans » health care plan

Will Obamacare Abort Health Savings Accounts?

Brandi — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:36:31 +0000

Health savings accounts (HSA) were created in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, allowing individuals to combine a tax-free savings account with a high deductible health insurance plan. Research shows that most people (46%) who have HSAs are lower-middle class Americans who are trying to keep their medical costs down by having more control over their health care decisions while still being covered for unexpected, long term medical needs, should they arise.

A Manhattan Institute study conducted in February of 2009 concluded that most individuals with HSAs do not use all the money put aside for health care costs; therefore, their health care costs were less than originally expected. What is even better is that the money left in the HSA rolls over into the next year. The Manhattan Institute study also concluded that the health insurance plans approved to work with HSAs have extremely lower premiums compared to traditional health insurance plans, while still providing quality benefits.

Sounds like a great option, right?

Well, this relatively new health care option may no longer be able to survive if legislators abort HSAs! If our government really wants to provide a health care option that allows Americans to pay lower health insurance premiums by having more transparency, competition, and choice (as stated by our President); then HSAs are the answer. Yet, if HSAs are not accepted as a “qualified” health insurance choice, as decided by our government officials; then the flexibility and personal control offered by HSAs will cease to exist as a viable health insurance option. Legislators need to look closely at the health reform bill recently passed in the Senate to make sure that HSAs are not aborted in the fine print.

Does Employer-Provided Health Insurance Make Sense Anymore?

Brandi — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:06:01 +0000

Charles Krauthammer stated, in his article “Health-Care Reform: A Better Plan” on WashingtonPost.com, that the idea behind employer-provided health insurance benefits no longer makes sense due to the mobility of our world today. He recommends that individuals establish their own health insurance, as we do with our home and car insurance. Choosing from several different health insurance companies and plans, individuals and families can shop for the best Texas health insurance plan that meets the specific needs of that consumer. Allowing employees to establish their own Texas health insurance plan, regardless of where one is employed, reduces the stress experienced when one changes or loses employment. Imagine the amount of money that could be saved if business owners did not have to also be in the business of health insurance? Imagine, instead of paying out money for expensive, one-size-fits-all employee benefits; employers were able to put that money into providing more, better paid jobs?

Krauthammer’s proposal gives the individual more control over their health care benefits and more choices between Texas health insurance companies and plans. He goes on to say, if the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines was available, the competition fostered among health insurance providers would drive costs down for everyone. Trusting the economic phenomenon of supply and demand to provide the checks and balances for health insurance costs seems to be a sensible option. Unfortunately, the government would rather take more control over what is offered and mandate what is available to individuals, than allow free enterprise to work. How a government-mandated health care system will keep costs down, no one knows.

Health care reform is definitely needed. With the exuberant costs from duplicate testing in medical practice and from extravagant malpractice payouts, and with the effects of an economic recession that has caused many to become both unemployed and uninsured; health care reform is essential. However, how our nation goes about reforming health care is just as important an issue to consider.

How would you propose health care be reformed?

Health Insurance Reform Bill: Really?! With Trey & Brandi SNL Spoof

Brandi — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:18:51 +0000

Custom Health Plans has decided to share our thoughts about the current issues concerning the health reform bill and how it will affect Texas health insurance plans and benefits. This is our spoof on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update skit called “Really?! With Seth and Amy”. We call our spoof: “Really?! With Trey & Brandi”. Check it out on YouTube:

SNL spoof Really?! With Trey & Brandi

Spoof on SNL’s Really?! Skit: Health Care Reform Bill

This is the transcript of the video:

Tuesday night, President Obama addressed the nation concerning the current health reform bill and the current war strategies. This brings us to the news segment we like to call…

Really with Trey and Brandi?!

Trey: Really, Congress, really?! I mean first of all, who is going to read a bill that requires a fork lift to pick it up…I mean really?

Brandi: Really! And Republicans, I realize you think Obama is the anti-Christ and this bill will set up a one world order, but do you have an alternative plan? No…No you don’t …so really? What are we suppose to do here? Stand back and just watch a broken system continue to cost the government and taxpayers money while a majority of Americans loose jobs and healthcare benefits…I mean, Really?! I mean, I know you have health care that works for you and you are speaking for people you really can’t relate to and all, but I mean, Really?! Even a haiku explaining a better health care alternative would be helpful, at this point…Really!

Trey: And Democrats, really? What voodoo do you expect to employ to get us to believe this bill will provide health care to all Americans without spending a dime?! I mean really?! I mean I realize that the national deficit is so incredibly large now that…hey, what is another 800 billion dollars? But really…but don’t lie to us. I mean, really!

Brandi: Really! And why can’t the bill just be written in simple language and published on Facebook? I mean, really? How are we supposed to know if Palin’s accusations of Obama, being the next Hilter and exterminating the weak and infirm through the establishment of death panels, is true or not? Are we really supposed to think for ourselves?! I mean, really?

Trey: And why does it keep being announced that the health reform is near, really?! Near? So even though these changes will probably not be implemented until 2013, we are supposed to believe changes in the health care system are near?! I mean, really?! What is near is the fact that my government subsidy for my COBRA healthcare is about to end and I am going to still be unemployed…that’s what’s near…I mean really?! What is near is that I am going to soon have to choose between my mortgage and my health care benefits…that is what is near…I mean, really!?!

Brandi: Really! WOW!

Trey: Really!

Is the accountable-care system the answer to cutting health care spending?

Brandi — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:18:31 +0000

According to Jason Roberson and Jim Landers of The Dallas Morning News in an article entitled “Baylor embracing a new health care approach” announced that Baylor Health Care System would be converting to the accountable-care system within its “13 hospitals and 4,500 network physicians…by 2015” (2009).

What is an accountable-care system?

Within an accountable-care organization, the doctors and hospitals coordinate with each other to provide the most affordable care for their patients with the highest quality service. Currently, doctors and hospitals operate separately charging different fees for each service or treatment provided. This fee-for-service model “rewards volume rather than value” (Roberson & Landers, 2009). The more separate services provided; the more money to be made, regardless of the necessity of the treatment. Also, the accountable-care system allows better communication between health care providers so services are not duplicated or harmful to the patient due to some other prescription or diagnosis received from another physician.

Though some may criticize this as simple another attempt at controlled health care, I think many would rather accept the authority of a hospital system in determining health care regulations rather than accept the authority of the government on this very controversial issue. If a hospital system decides on specific prices or on a specific management method and I don’t like it; I will go to another hospital or use a different physician. Yet, if the government decides on specific health care regulations and fines me if I don’t comply, then where do I go?

Whether or not accountable-care systems are the answer to our current health care needs, it is for certain that health care reform needs to happen. “Dallas spends more for health care than almost any other big city in America…ranking 13^th in the nation, according to the Dartmouth Atlas on Health Care” (Roberson & Landers, 2009). This exponential growth of health care spending in Dallas has occurred simply over the past ten years. If this amount of spending continues, Dallas will easily become the biggest health care spender in America (Roberson & Landers, 2009).

Reference:

Roberson, J. and Landers, J. (2009, November 29). In The Dallas Morning News. Baylor embracing a new health care approach. Retrieved from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/healthscience/stories/112909dnbusbaylor.3d5ccc5.html

“Green Health”: Is education and initiative the answer to our health care problems?

Brandi — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:24:37 +0000

Pearson and Seifert, writers for the Austin American-Statesman, stated in an article “Want something to jump up and down about?” that 75% of the nation’s health care costs are primarily due to “three main preventative behaviors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and smoking” (2009). They mention that, if more people took responsibility for their health behavior, the costs of health care would decrease dramatically.

Just as non-profit organizations have rallied for Americans to take an initiative to become more environmentally conscientious, it can be argued a national campaign could be launched encouraging people to “go green” in their health behaviors, as well. Educating people on both the health and the cost benefits of creating better health habits may be how we could campaign for “green health”.

During a time when health care reform is at the center of national debate in Washington, many people feel that they no longer have a say in the decisions being made concerning their health care benefits. The best thing about “green health” is that it puts the control of health care back in the hands of the American people, taking it out of the hands of the government.

By simply becoming more active, eating better, and abstaining from tobacco consumption; individuals would ultimately become a part of the fight against this epidemic of chronic diseases plaguing the lives of millions and driving up the costs of health care in America today. So maybe instead of investing billions of dollars in arbitrary efforts to fund health care plans, that may or may not decrease health care costs; we can promote “green health” behaviors and take back control over the battle for health care control.

Reference:

Pearson, D. & Seifert, J. (2009, Nov. 27). Want something to jump up and down about? In Austin American-Statesman, Retrieved on November 28, 2009, at http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/2009/11/27/1127health_edit.html