Salem-News.com Insurance articles Page 2

Time to Repeal the Health Insurance Industry`s Antitrust Exemption

Any comparative analysis of health care systems indicates that the greater the role of private, for-profit health insurance companies in the delivery of health care, the higher the cost.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - What happened to the "Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009" (S.1681)?

It passed the House in February with a bipartisan vote of 406 to 19. Now it is up to the Senate.

Bill Helping Small Businesses Provide Health Insurance Moves to Senate Floor

Senate committee makes progress on key agenda item, full vote expected Thursday.

(SALEM, Ore.) - On the second day of the February session, the Senate Health Care committee made progress on a key item on the Senate Democrats’ agenda, moving a bill that gives small businesses and their employees increased access to affordable health insurance.

“The recession has made providing health care much more difficult for small businesses,” said Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham), chief sponsor of the bill and chair of the Senate Health Care Committee.

American Healthcare is Becoming a Dangerous Practice

For many doctors, a quest for profits soon takes the focus off their dedication to the health of their patients.

(EUGENE, Ore.) - The study of medicine is a science. The practice of medicine is often sloppy and dangerous. We can no longer believe in our doctors with blind faith, but must educate ourselves and manage our own health.

More people in the US are killed by medical errors each year, than auto accidents. The cost of US healthcare exceeds that of any other country in the world, yet the quality of healthcare is rated lower than the forty some European Union countries.

Merkley Unveils Health Care Bill of Rights (VIDEO)

Includes a transcript of Senator Merkley’s comments and a video.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined other senators Monday in laying out how health care reform will directly benefit all Americans with health insurance.

Merkley says a new healthcare bill of rights puts patients first, protects Americans from being denied coverage, and end discrimination in the health care system.

Lack of Healthcare Kills Veterans at Much Higher Rate than Combat

Harvard study shows that for every American killed in Afghanistan in 2008, 14 military veterans died because they lacked healthcare coverage.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A report from Agence France Presse indicates that the number of veterans who died in 2008 because they didn't have healthcare, is 14 times higher than the military death toll in Afghanistan, for the entire year.

Two Harvard medical researchers analyzed data, comparing U.S. combat-related deaths in Afghanistan, with the number of veterans who died because they lacked the ability to seek out adequate healthcare and access medical services. All of the veterans surveyed were under the age of 65.

Big `I` Disappointed with House Democratic Health Care Bill

Insurance carriers claim "Bill includes ‘public option’ and adds billions of dollars in tax burdens to small business."

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”), today expressed their disappointment with the Democratic Health Care Reform bill that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Just last week, the House Democratic Leadership unveiled a 1,990 page bill that was touted as the byproduct of months of negotiations between House Democratic Leadership and members of the moderate and more liberal factions of their caucus yet the ‘revised’ bill closely resembles the original bill,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO.

Republicans Fail to Defeat Obama`s Healthcare Plan in Congress

The plan to reel in insurance practices and provide healthcare to all Americans now goes to the Senate for approval.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Saturday evening at 11:15 p.m., the House of Representatives voted to pass their health insurance reform bill. Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. It is a historic event.

The bill would expand coverage to most Americans and stop insurance practices like refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions. The bill passed by a narrow vote of 220-215.

Blue`s Views on Insurance

Over the past 15 to 20 years, our health insurance industry has contributed to, or flagrantly caused, the deaths of thousands of American citizens by denying them the treatment or the medicine that would have saved their lives.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - Years ago regulations were put into effect nationally to curtail the reported "bad practices" of property and casualty insurance companies. Admitted insurance carriers were no longer allowed to cancel personal or commercial policies at any time for any reason.

Further, if a policy was not going to be renewed, or if the rates were going to be increased sharply, the insurance companies had to notify the insured well in advance.