Recent Articles
Illinois Division of Insurance Publishes Revised Information for small groups subject to Illinois State Continuation regarding the Recovery and Reinvestment Act
On March 9th, the Illinois Division of Insurance published revised information regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and how it affects groups that are subject to Illinois state continuation, but not subject to federal COBRA continuation....
Poll: Three Quarters of Americans worry about Health Care Costs
More than three-quarters of adult Americans who have health insurance say they still worry about paying more for their medical care, and nearly 50 percent say they're "very" or "extremely" worried about the issue, a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll shows. More...
Study Finds U.S. Health Care System has Competitive Disadvantage
Original Article from Businessweek U.S. workers and employers get 23% less value from their health-care spending than those in Britain, Canada, France, Germany, or Japan, and 46% less value than in Brazil, China, or India, according to a Business Roundtable study that...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois membership declining for 1st time in 25 years
In an ominous sign for the health industry, Illinois' largest insurer said its business may not grow for the first time in 25 years. The top executive at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois said the recession and rising number of unemployed consumers will lead to...
Rush Limbaugh rants on health care legistlation, slams Ted Kennedy
I used to respect Rush Limbaugh, but he's turned into a babbling shock jock that will say anything for ratings.
COBRA Subsidy Guidance, Labor Department says more coming
The Department of Labor says it is working on guidance regarding the newly created subsidy for COBRA premiums. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides for a 65 percent subsidy for COBRA continuation premiums for up to 9 months for workers...
What the COBRA Subsidy Means for Employers
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law February 17 expands COBRA in ways that will certainly impact employers. Most significantly, the act offers assistance-eligible individuals a 65 percent subsidy of their required COBRA premiums and an...
Consumer Driven Health Plans gaining wide appeal
Health care consumerism continues to grow through both consumer-directed health plans and tools that provide all health care consumers with more information about their health care choices and costs. Here are some examples of their growth: The number of employers with...
Maternity Rider now available for Assurant RighStart and CoreMed plans in Illinois
The maternity rider is now available for RightStart and SaveRight plans with the following deductible options in Illinois: $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 $10,000
TelaDoc Medical Services now includes with Assurant Short Term Medical Plans
New Assurant Short Term Medical clients now receive around-the-clock access to non-emergency medical care by telephone, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with TelaDoc Medical Services. TelaDoc board-certified, licensed physicians provide quick treatment for routine...