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Posts Tagged ‘health insurance reform’

Don’t confuse HIPAA laws with true protection. It is quite common for many of us to read quickly through or barely skim the authorization form before signing it. But it is important to know that these laws are in place to protect you from identity theft. It was once thought to protect from being denied care or being denied health insurance coverage, but that no longer holds true.

In 1996 passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These laws enacted a new standard for the protection of your health information. When you go to various physicians or hospitals, your health information must follow, for your protection. These laws help to continually protect your health information while it passes from venue to venue. As transactions are more prone to be completed electronically, HIPAA laws are your protection of your personal information through these specific channels.

So what does HIPAA protect? It protects personally identifiable information, such as your Social Security number, birth date, address, etc., as well as current, past, or even future physical and/or mental conditions or treatment. Such information may not be disclosed except for specific uses. Information that it does not cover must specifically be personally non-identifiable. In protecting this sort of information, there is more protection against identity theft and more recourse if such a thing should happen.

HIPAA laws also define how health insurance providers can use your information. They may only use your information without your permission if it is necessary to provide the best health care, sending information to you and, of course, collection on medical expenses. Any other reasons to transfer this information must be authorized by you, in writing. In addition, any authorization must be in plain English so it is understood that you know exactly what you are signing.

It was once believed that these health information laws covered customers from being denied access to medical insurance. This is only true in some cases. For example, it may protect you from being denied health coverage through an employer. But as insurance companies continuously work on being more profitable by denying more coverage, you are more likely to not be protected.

Since the Insurance Portability section of HIPAA falls short these days, it is important that we find more protection so we are not denied health insurance coverage for any reason. Learn more about the laws in your state from your local, state government. Then seriously consider if privatization is in the best interest of America or the insurance companies.

Learn more about real personal health protection and personal health insurance thoughts for personal accountability

As the health insurance reform bill has been a conflagrant topic for the past year, more Americans are seeing the shortcomings of a nationalized medical program. For the uninsured, without medical coverage, the advantages of shopping around for a low cost health plan or medical quote outweigh passing an immensely problematic health insurance reform bill.

If Obama’s health plan reform bill is passed, a series of issues will encumber our nation. Fewer people will be compelled to enter a health and medical profession operated by the government. With fewer medical professionals to serve a higher demand of healthcare, rationed medical care and negative economic implications will be the ultimate outcomes. These serious issues enforce the importance for Americans to shop around for a low cost health plan, exercising one’s choice to select their own health care.

During the recent great recession, the health care sector’s employment growth added 631,000 new jobs, at a time when other industries have been shedding employees. From an economic standpoint, the health sector accounts for some 14.3 millions jobs. (Source: BLS.gov). Health insurance reform, in the way of nationalizing medical care health care in America, will result in an exorbitant job loss rate, lower quality healthcare and inevitably raise taxes.

Other countries, such as Canada, have demonstrated how socialized healthcare plans are prone hinder more than health issues. A study, published by the American Medical Student Association, analyzing Canada’s socialized health care system, illustrates that waiting list discrepancies amongst medical facilities and Canadian provinces are the norm.

Although, Canadians have access to medical coverage, a study published in the 2009 Lancet Oncology showed that five-year cancer survival is higher in the United States (Wall Street Journal.com). Since the socialized plan is unable to accommodate all the preventative screenings, a high percentage of conditions go undiagnosed. The findings suggest that rather then overtly ration health care Canada’ health system uses waiting lists.

Another study, released by the Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health, shows that Canadians, who have socialized health care, are not any healthier than their uninsured, American counterparts.

Tremendous data suggests that Americans are better off opting for a low cost health plan than endorsing a health insurance reform bill that will ultimately hobble our nation’s economic infrastructure.

Rather then mandate a national health insurance reform bill, resembling a socialized system, where medical care will inevitably be rationed for financial and practicality reasons, Americans have to decide between a health insurance reform, which is a euphemism for nationalized health care or shopping around for a low cost health plan.

Review additional information about buying Illinois health insurance or to obtain a hassle free Illinois health insurance quote, visit Illinois Life and Health.com