what is insurance

Entirely preventable: This 55-year old dad died from a #stroke in the U.K. because the surgery he needed wasn't available on #weekends . On the #brightside , if he'd had the #surgery , at least it would have been free, right? #SinglePayer kills #MedicareForAll is #MedicaidForAll https://t.co/YPdUs8pEbp pic.twitter.com/zvt8lNzVQt � Scott A. Olson, CLTC (@LTCShop) April 30, 2019

We've previously discussed how one is prohibited from collecting life insurance proceeds on folks one has murdered: " California dad charged with insurance fraud after he drove off cliff, killing autistic sons " But what about a person who's a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, who then goes on to murder someone else ? In other words, two completely different circumstances, connected only by the person in the middle? The facts: The mother of the monster responsible for last year's Parkland shootings passed away a few months prior to the tragedy. It then took about a year and a half for her life insurance claim to be processed [ ed: it's unclear why the long delay ]. After her death, but before the claim was paid, her son murdered his classmates and teachers. And here's where it gets, well, murky (and we're only going to discuss the life insurance issues here): The murderer is due approximately $430,000 from his mother's policy, and so he...

I am not sure why, but Twitter seems to be filled lately with complaints or comments about service at their Doctor�s. To an outsider, I suppose some of the things that are done in a Doctor�s office seem inappropriate, but there really are reasons for everything that is done. I will try to answer some of the more basic questions. Twitter Post : �Does anyone else feel like they give a full history every time you go to the doctor? I asked the girl today �maybe try writing some of this shit down.� Reason : The Government (this will become a recurring theme) has mandated many, many questions that have to be asked once a year to ensure that you as a person are following the rules of society: Questions such as, �Do you have a gun in the house?� My favorite answer to this one was �What does a gun have to do with a vagina?� Or, �Do you feel safe in your house?� or �Do you have fall risks?� Sometimes the questions change based on societal changes, such as �Have you traveled to an area that had t...

Several weeks ago, I mentioned that I would now be routinely breaking so-called "embargoes" foisted upon us by self-important PR flacks: " We occasionally get "Embargoed" news releases from various sources, none of which are very interesting, but all of which apparently presume that we are obligated to honor the "embargo ." So here's the second in this presumably on-going series: " I�m reaching out with the embargoed news that Limelight Health, the most efficient and compelling quoting, underwriting, and proposal platform for the employee benefits industry, is announcing a unique integration with [a] global financial services provider ." Well good for them! In the unlikely event that readers might be interested, here's the link to Limelight Health . [Caveat clicker]

� Despite the fact that there are currently no true catastrophic health insurance plans available, Health Savings Accounts remain popular: HSAs march ever higher, expected to continue https://t.co/I8dYOS9UOa � Employee Benefit Adviser (@EBAadvisernews) April 24, 2019 Very interesting. � The other day, we noted that " Canadians spend less on health care than Americans mostly because they are not allowed to use as much � not because they are getting a better deal ." Seems like things will have to get worse before (if?) they get better: This makes me so sad and angry. Please demand more doctors for patients in ????. Your life or the life of someone you love will depend on it. Vote for policies that help keep and attract doctors. #BeAHealthcareVoter #ONpoli #cdnpoli #cdnhealth https://t.co/COsOU7vgYV � Mary Fernando (@MaryFernando_) April 24, 2019 #Medicaid4All � Some time ago, we posted on a unique service that helped facilitate end-of-life care decisions: " Imag...

About eight years ago, we noted that one of RomneyCare's explicit promises was to reduce ER visits. RomneyCare being, of course, a precursor to ObamaCare, and the ER one of the most expensive pieces of the health care pie. Of course, that's not what happened: "... according to a report from the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, expanded coverage may have contributed to the rise in emergency room visits " Why's that, you ask? Well, because " newly insured residents entered the health care system and could not find a primary care doctor or get a last-minute appointment with their physician ." Hunh. But that was then, and this is now, and surely the ACA has tamped down on ER (over-)utilization, right? Right?? Well, you may want to sit down for this: Heard in the halls of Congress by me, February 2009: "But Olympia, if we just give these people Medicaid cards then they'll stop going to the emergency room and the program will pay for itsel...

Here we go again. Another year, another Trustee report, stating Medicare and Social Security will be insolvent in a few more years. The solution? Increase Medicare premiums and cut Social Security benefits. Solving the Medicare Problem Medicare Part B premiums are paid by Medicare beneficiaries. Most are retired. A few (like me) still work because we enjoy what we do. But many of those age 65 and older work because they HAVE TO. There are 160 million people in the U.S. labor force. Currently 44 million are on Medicare. Rather than raising premiums and cutting benefits on the 44 million on Medicare, why not RAISE TAXES on those still working? Just saying . . . read more -  https://www.gamedicarenews.com/2019/04/23/medicare-social-security-unsustainable/ #GAMedicareExpert #GAMedicareNews

� The good news is that we're starting to see real progress in the world of 3-D printed medical items, from prosthetics to tissue to actual working organs. But that latter may pose some interesting (and, perhaps unexpected ) concerns. As FoIB Holly R alerts us: " Within a decade, manufactured hearts could obviate the need for organ donations; ethicists highlight potential pitfalls along the way ... But not everybody is gung-ho about the heart breakthrough, citing ethical implications � like whether it will widen the gap between rich and poor, and whether superhuman hearts or other mutations can also be manufactured ." So far, this is all hypothetical (the 3 -D printed heart is not yet functional), but that day may be fast approaching. After all, just because we can ... � As we've often pointed out, coverage ? care, and one of the most significant challenges facing the Medicaid4All folks is the question of just who will provide that care: " The CMS saw a sharp...

I doubt there is nary a soul anywhere that is not aware that "Our Lady" of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, suffered a terrible tragedy this week. One does not need to be Catholic to feel at least some sense of loss. Even those who are not religious seem to at least share a sense of loss in this building that has stood for over 800 years . The Cathedral averages over 30,000 visitors per day. More than even the Eiffel Tower. While this is a great loss, some view it as a symbol of rebirth for the building, Catholics worldwide and many others with no affiliation with the church. Donations to rebuild the structure exceed $1 billion in just a few days. Last week fund raising efforts for restoration hovered around $50 million. Unexpected loss has an unusual impact on people. "There is something about the brick and mortar stones, placed there by believing people , that can communicate to people. They know they are on holy ground , and it's not because the place is holy, but be...