New Jersey Governor Christie signed a bill that will phase-out the cosmetic procedures tax. The first reduction in the cosmetic procedures tax (2%) will take place on July 1, 2012.
NJ Cosmetic Tax to Be Phased Out
January 20th, 2012A Sad Business is Emerging
November 22nd, 2011Selling human organs to pay for food and other items is not new. People in third world countries have been doing it for decades but with email and the Internet so prevalent, people are now sending spam emails offering to sell their organs. Below is a spam email that we received from a man offering to sell part of his liver.
Hello.
I found your e-mail address on medical site of transplant and liver problems. My name is [name redacted], I am from Ukraine, I am 31 years old man, I do not drink alcohol and do not smoke cigarettes, my blood is O+ and I have a good health. If you need liver transplant I am ready to give part of my liver, but I want to receive a big compensation for that…
If you do not need liver transplant, but you know somebody who need it, please send my message to this person or keep it just in case.
[email address redacted]
[name redacted]
P.S. If I was mistaken, I am sorry, I will not disturb you any more.
While this practice is illegal, and scams are abundant, there are many other issues that arise with such deviant practices. And while people who are near the end of life often investigate such offers, we cannot stress enough to stay within medical protocol and a transplant network.
The Insurance Trick
September 26th, 2011If a man goes in for a preventative colonoscopy and the doctor performs a biopsy or another procedure, the insurance company will determine the procedure as “not preventative.” It would then be subject to decreased benefit levels. The good news, we can fight for coverage if you fall victim.
Nursing Home Payment Reductions
August 16th, 2011The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is reducing payouts to skilled nursing facilities by 11.1% in 2012. This will result in a reduction of payments to nursing homes totaling $3.8 billion. The effect is that nursing homes will be cutting costs and ultimately, the patient will suffer as a result of this.
Doctors Charging for Prescriptions – A New Trend
June 9th, 2011An emerging trend is patients are going to the doctor and being charged $10 – $50 for the doctor to give them a prescription and still having to pay their $30 copay. This seems particularly unfair because the patients then have to pay the $10, $25 or $60 copay to fill the prescription.
How should you, the patient, deal with this? Simply explain to the doctor the office visit includes the writing of prescriptions and by charging a fee to write the prescription, you [the doctor] are unbundling.
Coverage for Dependant Children
April 12th, 2011The recent healthcare reform law states that dependant children may remain on their parent’s coverage until age 26. While many are obtaining coverage, there are many still experiencing problems:
“… Since BCBS can’t cite pre-existing conditions any longer, they are now using the excuse that his applications are too confusing or being very nit-picky over things like a date on the application not being exact to something in his medical record, etc.”
New Survey – Retirees
March 7th, 2011A new survey of pre-retirees ages 50-64 found that 62 percent are not at all confident they are saving enough to handle health care costs in retirement according to a new survey from the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Additionally, only seven percent of participants said they are very confident about having enough savings.
Tax Season
February 3rd, 2011Tax season is here: HealthCare Advocates wanted to remind you that your medical expenses may be tax deductible, applied to your FSA or paid by your HSA.
THE GOP – REPEALING THE HEALTHCARE REFORM BILL
November 4th, 2010Days after the Republicans took control of the House and added seats in the Senate, Americans are wondering what is going to happen to Obama’s Healthcare Reform Bill. The Republicans have long stated that they would seek to repeal the bill but because they do not control both the House and the Senate, it is not likely that they will be able to successfully achieve that goal.
A more likely goal, or tactic, would be the Republicans making changes to the Healthcare Reform Bill. It is not clear at this time what changes would be made – though one possible change would be addressing malpractice reform – but be sure there would be changes of a moderate nature. Another possible tactic that has been widely reported is the GOP blocking funds to carry out the law; but if not implemented correctly, this tactic could result in voter anger toward the GOP.
Whichever strategy the GOP uses, it is likely that the Healthcare Reform Bill will be changed, not repealed.
Healthcare Reform – The Costs From an Employer’s Perspective
October 11th, 2010Six (6) months after the implementation of the Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act costs for healthcare are shifting:
What is causing healthcare costs to decrease?
• High deductible health plans. This is shifting more of the cost of healthcare onto the employee/patient.
• Coinsurance in increasingly replacing copays. This is shifting more of the cost of healthcare onto the employee/patient. Studies indicate that 40% of employers intend to shift more of the costs to the employee/patient.
• Generic drugs are replacing name brand medications.
What is causing healthcare costs to increase?
• The requirement to keep children on their parent’s health plans up to age 26 is resulting in a 1% premium increase for employers.
• Physician practices are merging with health systems. This is providing increased bargaining power with private insurers.
• Hospitals are shifting costs to private insurers as Medicare reimbursement rates are lowered.
• Providers are now being forced to incorporate electronic medical records. While it is anticipated that this will decrease costs over time, currently it translates into an expense driver for providers.
• The abolishment a lifetime maximum on coverage and pre-existing conditions clauses is predicted to increase insurers’ costs. Because of this insurers have instituted large premium increases in an effort to safeguard against future losses as a result of the new legislation. Estimates are that insures will increase premiums 9% for HMOs and 11% for PPO plans.