Health insurance in the United States

The term health insurance is commonly used in the United States to describe any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a social welfare program funded by the government. Synonyms for this usage include "health coverage," "health care coverage" and "health benefits."

In a more technical sense, the term is used to describe any form of insurance that provides protection against the costs of medical services. This usage includes private insurance and social insurance programs such as Medicare, which pools resources and spreads the financial risk associated with major medical expenses across the entire population to protect everyone, as well as social welfare programs such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provide assistance to people who cannot afford health coverage.

In addition to medical expense insurance, "health insurance" may also refer to insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial careneeds. Different health insurance provides different levels of financial protection and the scope of coverage can vary widely, with more than 40 percent of insured individuals reporting that their plans do not adequately meet their needs as of 2007.

The share of Americans with health insurance has been steadily declining since at least 2000. As of 2010 just under 84% of Americans had some form of health insurance, which meant that more than 49 million people went without coverage for at least part of the year. Declining rates of coverage and underinsurance are largely attributable to rising insurance costs and high unemployment. As the pool of people with private health insurance has shrunk, Americans are increasingly reliant on public insurance. Public programs now cover 31% of the population and are responsible for 44% of health care spending. Public insurance programs tend to cover more vulnerable people with greater health care needs. Many of the reforms instituted by theAffordable Care Act of 2010 were designed to extend health care coverage to those without it.      

                                                                        

Prepaid customers: Telenor launches life insurance scheme to widen user base

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SLAMABAD: 

In a bid to attract low-end mobile service users, Telenor Pakistan launched on Thursday life insurance for its prepaid customers, offering their heirs up to Rs100,000 in case of death amid increasing competition among industry players to expand their customer base.

Telenor, which according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is the second largest player after Mobilink, announced the Telenor Talkshawk Mohafiz Zindagi Beema for its prepaid customers consuming a minimum monthly balance of Rs200.

Telenor’s customer base at the end of May stood at 31.7 million, capturing one-fourth of total subscribers, according to the PTA.

The scheme has been launched in collaboration with Jubilee Life Insurance Company and MicroEnsurer Pakistan. It is the first such free life insurance policy launched by a telecom company to lure lower-end prepaid customers.

Prepaid customers can opt for the service without paying any fee and will be entitled to it as long as they are consuming monthly credit of Rs200, said Usman Javaid, Director Marketing of Telenor Pakistan.

In case of death, the policyholder will be entitled to a minimum insurance of Rs20,000 to a maximum of Rs100,000, depending on his monthly mobile usage, he added.

Post-paid customers have been excluded from the scheme, which has been launched with commercial objectives and is not part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

Telecom companies are struggling to enhance their base, as the industry is reaching the saturation point due to absence of advanced third generation telecom services.

They are also facing the problem of dormant customers. On an average, every telecom customer is spending Rs210 to Rs215 per month on mobile services, which is considered low compared to international standards.

Telenor has linked the insurance facility with consumption of a minimum credit of Rs200 in a month. However, the Competition Commission of Pakistan Act 2010 bars enterprises from bundling their products and services.

Replying to a question, Javaid said Telenor has taken care of legal aspects of the policy and it is legally covered.

He said the service will be free of charge and is distinct from all other life insurance services on three accounts. In addition to having no premium, life insurance is without any exclusion policy and is paper-free.

However, the company has not covered post-paid customers in the insurance scheme.

Javaid said unlike Telenor life insurance, other life insurance facilities are not available in case of death due to bomb blasts or suicide attacks. But terrorists and extremists who die in sabotage activities will not be entitled to the life insurance.

Don’t cheat on your travel medical insurance application

I’ve always thought of November as the bleakest month. The skies are leaden most days, there’s a damp chill in the air, and the trees are stark and bare.

No wonder so many of us start thinking about a winter get-away around this time. Sunshine, crystal water, sandy beaches, pina coladas – what’s not to like?

The cost of medical care if something happens, that’s what.

Every year millions of Canadians head south for some part of the winter. Florida’s official tourism agency reported that a record 3.6 million of us spent time in the Sunshine State in 2012. That’s more than 10 per cent of our entire population!

What’s worrisome is that about one-quarter of Canadians going abroad will have no medical insurance, says Isabelle Forget, Head of Travel Insurance for RBC Insurance.

“If something were to happen, it could cost you $50,000 or $100,000 if you don’t have protection,” she warns. “The cost of U.S. health care is one of the highest in the world.”

I can confirm that. A few years ago, my late wife took ill in Florida and spent several days in hospital. It was a terrific facility, more like a luxury hotel with MRIs and operating theatres, and the staff were friendly, attentive, and highly competent. The bill was consistent with the quality – something in the vicinity of $40,000 when all the costs were added. Fortunately, we had coverage and paid nothing.

So why do people run the risk of financial ruin if something goes wrong? There appear to be two main reasons.

The first is that they think they have coverage through a credit card, workplace benefits plan, or retirement health care program. Ms. Forget’s advice is to check it out.

“Credit card policies may limit the number of coverage days for older people,” she warns.

The same may be true of workplace benefits and retirement programs. She suggests calling the employer’s human resources department or the company that underwrites the policy for clarification.

“The older you are, the more likely it is you’ll need extra protection,” she says.

Related: 10 things to know about travel insurance

While you’re on the phone, ask how the bills will be paid in the event of a medical emergency. The best insurance plans have all costs billed directly to the underwriting company – you pay nothing up-front. But some policies require you to pay the expenses yourself and then submit a claim for reimbursement. That can create a huge financial burden if the cost runs into the tens of thousands of dollars, which it easily can. A U.S.-resident friend told me he recently spent four hours in his local emergency department with heart attack symptoms. Fortunately, it was a false alarm but the tab was $10,000 nonetheless.

The second reason for failing to obtain coverage is cost. Let’s face it, travel medical insurance is expensive and the older you get the more pricey it becomes. There are cut-rate policies out there but be careful. Low-cost providers may limit the amount of coverage and/or take a harder line than usual on prior medical conditions.

Unless you are willing to pay through the nose, most policies specify that no claims will be approved if they relate to a pre-existing condition. This is why it is so important to complete the application form fully and accurately. If a claim is made, the insurer will often go to great lengths to verify all the information on the form. Even if you have made an honest mistake, your claim could end up being denied.

Ms. Forget advises going over the form in detail with your physician or an insurance company adviser. “If the doctor is resistant because of the time involved, be insistent,” she says. “It’s your right.”

Be aware that any changes in your medical condition can also affect coverage. This can include things people might not even think of as a “change”, such as a modification in an existing prescription. Even if the dosage is reduced because your doctor believes the condition is improving, the insurer may require 90 to 180 days of “stability” before approving a policy.

Ms. Forget contends that the denial rate on health insurance claims is “very low” despite some highly publicized cases in recent years and a controversial report on CBC’s Marketplace that zeroed in on the plight of some people who had seen their claims rejected because of technicalities and were struggling with the financial fall-out.

“If you don’t complete the questionnaire properly, yes the claim could be denied,” she agrees.

The bottom line is that if you are going to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for travel medical coverage, don’t cheat on the form. It could come back to bite you.

Aviation insurance to emerge as growing segment in General Insurance sector

MUMBAI: Aviation insurance is likely to emerge as a key growth area in the coming years with new airlines starting operations and existing players expanding fleet size, industry officials said. 

Though the current market size of aviation insurance stands at around Rs 500 crore, growth of airlines industry will push the premium growth in the near future, they said. 

"Aviation insurance is an emerging segment in the general insurance industry. We expect much growth coming from addition of new aviation players in the market and expansion of fleet by existing players," Manik Nehra, Senior Manager - Aviation Insurance, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, told PTI. 

According to the general insurer, domestic aviation industry is growing at an average growth rate of around 15 per cent per annum and is likely to add around 450 aircraft in the next five years. 

Even the number of corporate jets are growing in domestic skies as more and more business houses are acquiring own aircraft for business travel needs, industry experts said. 

"Currently, around 30 jets belonging to various corporates are insured by us. We are also the lead insurer of the recently launched regional carrier Air Costa. We aim to be a significant player in this segment," Nehra said. 

He added the company is working with re-insurers like Allianz, which is one of the leaders in this segment, and GIC Re to provide re-insurance cover to aviation assets as it is a highly reinsurance driven business. 

"Claims are not much from the aviation insurance segment. The portfolio is profitable," a public sector insurer said. 

Country's largest insurer New India Assurance is a major player in this segment. 

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Reliance General Insurance Rakesh Jain said the aviation insurance is largely reinsurance driven and a niche product. 

"Currently, the segment contributes less than one per cent of the total industry. But, the pie is growing," Jain said. 

Fleet expansion apart, among the new players Tata SIA Airlines is expected to be the first major companies to start operations next year.

Melbourne Cup: Favorite Fiorente gives Gai Waterhouse a landmark win

Gai Waterhouse made history on Tuesday by becoming the first female Australian trainer to win the Melbourne Cup, the country's most prestigious horse race.

                                                                                     Waterhouse saw her pre-race favorite Fiorente fend off competition from 2011 runner-up Red Cadeaux to win "the race that stops a nation."

"Everyone wants to win the majors and the Melbourne Cup is the biggest one of them all," said Waterhouse, who was born in Scotland, raised in Sydney and once appeared in British sci-fi television show Doctor Who during her earlier career as an actress after returning to the UK.

"It's a burning desire so today was fantastic ... His (Fiorente's) preparation was in Melbourne and I knew he was primed for the occasion.

"It's the first time I've had the favorite in the 20 years I've trained."

Read: Meet the horse that upstaged Kylie

Victorious jockey Damien Oliver won the Flemington race for the third time in his career, despite only recently returning from a 10-month ban imposed for betting on a rival horse in 2010.

"It's amazing, a dream come true. It's really hard to believe," said Oliver. "I'm so rapt right now that I've been part of Gai's first win -- she's done so much for racing and it's a great honor for me to help her bring up the first one.

"Gai was one of the first people to really get behind me when I came back and I can't thank her enough for helping me get going again."

Read: The legs that stopped a nation

After her historic win, Waterhouse was asked about the possibility of taking both Fiorente and her other horse Tres Blue, which finished in 22nd place, across to Britain for Royal Ascot in August 2014.

"I'd like to go," she replied. "Both horses could easily come back to Europe. Tres Blue was just a bit new to it all."

Retired English football star Michael Owen saw Brown Panther, a horse he bred and co-owns, finish the race in eighth position.

Brown Panther was hampered by a gash it sustained during the race after a coming together with another horse, but Owen confirmed the animal had suffered no serious injuries.

Read: Bronze Black Caviar statue unveiled

"Eighth out of 24 pretty respectable," Owen said via his official Twitter account. "Proud of him. Just hope he is OK as he has been struck into during the race."

                                                          "Scan has come back clear," Owen added later. "Only superficial gash that requires stitches. We live to fight another day!"

CNN

Bodies of French journalists abducted in Mali returned

The bodies of two French journalists, who were killed in Mali, arrived in France Tuesday, Radio France International reported.

Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon worked for Radio France International and were kidnapped Saturday morning.

                           The abduction occurred after the journalists were interviewing a Tuareg rebel near the northern town of Kidal, a local governor said, according to RFI sister network France Info.

Both were kidnapped by four men in a Toyota, said Gov. Adama Kamissoko of Kidal.

Kidal was one of the strongholds of the Islamic militant Tuareg uprising last year that plunged Mali into chaos after a military-led coup. Following the coup, Tuareg rebels occupied the northern half of the country.

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As part of France's intervention this year to flush out militants in Mali, the French military secured the area around Kidal.

The two reporters were abducted in front of the home of a member of the Tuareg rebels' National Movement of a Liberation of Azawad, RFI reported.

                                                                          The two journalists could be heard resisting their abduction, according to their driver, who was forced by the gunmen to lay on the ground, RFI said.

French President Francois Hollande called an emergency meeting with ministers Sunday about the incident.

Hollande condemned the killings, calling them "despicable."

                                                                                           The kidnappings and deaths came the same week four French hostages were released. They were abducted in 2010 by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in neighboring Niger.

Italian journalist held captive in Syria is headed home

CNN

New Jersey mall gunman found dead hours after shooting

 

A gunman who opened fire at a New Jersey mall Monday night later holed up in a back room and shot himself in the head, authorities say.

No one else was injured in the mall shooting.

Richard Shoop's body was found at 3:20 a.m. Tuesday in an obscure part of Westfield Garden State Plaza mall, hours after he fired at least six bullets without striking anyone in the massive shopping center.

He acted alone, authorities say.

"We know that his intent was either suicide or to do something that would cause police to shoot him, which we call 'suicide by cop,' " Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told CNN's "New Day."

"He had more than enough opportunity to be able to shoot other people," including a group adjacent to him, but he didn't, Molinelli said. "Instead, he shot randomly at different locations."

Shots hit the ceiling, an escalator, an elevator and a storefront, the prosecutor said.

The reasons for the shooting remain unclear. Shoop used narcotic drugs and sold drugs as well, Molinelli said.

And he left behind a note referring to the idea that the "end was coming," Molinelli said. "That could mean going to jail, getting arrested, or it could mean suicide." Authorities don't know whether Shoop left the note immediately before going to the mall.

Shoop's brother, Kevin, called authorities after hearing about the shooting and said he thought Shoop might be the gunman, Molinelli said. Police did not confirm the shooter's identity until they found his body.

"My brother intended to harm nobody else but himself," Kevin Shoop said Tuesday. "He just, sadly, decided to make ... an act of self-indulgence by taking his own life publicly. And it's a tragedy to us all."

Pandemonium

The melee started about 9:20 p.m. ET Monday night, just as the shopping center was about to close. Thousands of people were still in the mall, Molinelli said.

Shoop, dressed all in black and wearing a motorcycle helmet, walked through the mall with a rifle modified to look like an AK-47. The rifle was taken from Shoop's brother, Molinelli said.

Allie Cozic, who works in the mall, said everyone was "running to wherever they could."

"It was almost like when you're watching a horror movie and the killer is walking slowly. That's what it seemed like," she said. "He was wearing all black. It almost looked like body armor of some kind. As soon as I saw the gun, I just turned and ran."

Eddie Kahmann, another mall employee, said he heard six or seven gunshots.

"There was just people running like crazy, so I quickly just closed my doors, ran to the back, turned off all the lights, music and everything, just to stay hidden," he said.

The shooting sent panic through the mall and set off a frenzied hunt for the gunman. In the early hours of the search, officials weren't sure whether the shooter was still inside or outside the 2 million-square-foot building.

Officers did not fire any shots, Molinelli said, and there was only slight damage to the mall.

Even as Shoop's body lay in a remote room in a construction area, fear still permeated the mall.

More than 100 shoppers were still hiding inside stores early Tuesday morning, unsure of whether they could safely come out. Officers worked to evacuate each store.

Signs of trouble

Shoop, 20, was known by local law enforcement. He had a history of drug use and abuse, Molinelli said.

"He at least thought that he was reaching a point where there was no recourse but to take his own life," Molinelli said.

The owner of a pizza shop where Shoop has been working for about a year said the young man has been a good, trustworthy worker. Dod Geges, owner of Victor's Pizza Shop, describes Shoop as a nice, quiet guy.

But in the last two weeks, "something was off" about Shoop, Geges said, adding that he "wasn't his usual self."

Geges' brother Robert Gega, who manages the restaurant, said Shoop was working 60 hours a week and "sobering up."

"He wasn't drinking or drugging," Gega said, adding that Shoop had good friends and never gave an indication of contemplating suicide. "He would never hurt anyone."

LAX shooting: Latest on the suspect, victims and warning that may have come too late

CNN

Syria peace conference won't happen before December

December would be the earliest that any conference on brokering an end to the Syrian civil war would happen, Russian state news agency Itar-Tass reported Tuesday, citing a source close to talks among the United Nations, Russia and the United States.

A proposed "Geneva II" conference in Geneva, Switzerland, was tentatively scheduled for the end of November. It had been delayed several times previously.

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                                                                     Representatives from the United Nations, Russia and the United States were meeting Tuesday in Geneva in hopes of ironing out a plan for the talks, which have been held up in part because many branches of the Syrian opposition have said they wouldn't attend, or wouldn't participate without preconditions.

Nineteen largely Islamist rebel groups, for example, last month flatly rejected participating. Some groups want Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down before talks. And the Syrian National Coalition, a rebel umbrella group, said it wouldn't participate if Iran -- an ally of the Syrian regime -- is invited.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there will be no preconditions for the talks, Itar-Tass reported Tuesday, adding that preconditions would run counter to plans that the United States and Russia previously drew up for the conference.

The United States and Russia announced in May that they would try to bring the warring parties to a second conference in Geneva to implement the peace plan they endorsed at Geneva I in 2012, which left open the question of whether al-Assad must leave power.

The Syrian conflict began in March 2011 after government forces cracked down on peaceful protesters during the Arab Spring movement and is now a full-blown civil war. The United Nations estimates that more than 100,000 people have died in the conflict.

International inspectors, meanwhile, are trying to ensure that Syria eliminates its chemical weapons stockpile by the middle of 2014. Syria agreed to do so under international pressure earlier this year.

CNN

Pot tax, secession top Tuesday ballot measures

Voters headed to the polls in six states on Tuesday will consider 31 ballot measures, including questions about marijuana taxes and requiring labels for genetically modified food. The question of secession also made it on the ballot in several Colorado counties. Here are a few highlights:

Colorado: marijuana taxes

                                            Last year, voters in sharply divided Colorado decided to legalize recreational marijuana. This year, they're being asked to impose a special 15% excise tax on the drug to help fund school construction, along with a 10% sales tax to bolster marijuana-related law enforcement efforts. While opponents argue it's unfair to single out marijuana for higher taxation than products such as beer, the measure is expected to pass.

The non-partisan Colorado Legislative Council projects that the measure, if approved, will generate nearly $70 million in additional state tax revenue next year.

Colorado: secessione

                                     Voters in 11 counties in northern Colorado are being asked if they want to secede from the state. Ten counties in conservative, rural northeastern Colorado would theoretically form a 51st state known as North Colorado. Moffat County, located in the northwest corner of the state, would become a panhandle for neighboring Wyoming.

The plan has no chance of becoming reality. Among other things, it would also require statewide and congressional approval. But approval or even a close vote at the county level would send a loud message of growing grassroots conservative anger toward a more liberal Denver-based Democratic establishment that has taken up controversial measures related to gun control, gay rights, and green energy.

         Similar secession measures have been floated in a number of other states in recent years -- a reflection of the country's growing ideological and partisan divide.

Washington: labeling genetically modified food

                                                                            Voters in Washington State are considering a hotly contested initiative that would require labeling all foods containing genetically-modified ingredients. The measure pits local consumer advocates, who argue that the measure is needed for consumers to make better informed choices, against large agribusinesses such as Monsanto, which argue that such a law would spook potential customers and unfairly imply that such products are unsafe.

Washington is the second state to consider such a ballot measure. A similar proposal was narrowly rejected by California voters last year.

According to the non-partisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 95 bills relating to the issue have been introduced in state legislatures so far this year -- a reflection of growing public interest in the controversy surrounding genetically modified foods.

Other noteworthy measures

                                             

                                                 Voters in New Jersey are considering whether to amend their constitution to raise the state minimum wage from the federal level of $7.25 to $8.25 per hour. Future annual increases would be tied to changes in the cost of living. Eighteen states currently have a minimum wage that exceeds the federal requirement, according to the NCSL.

                                                                                                                      New York voters are being asked to revise their constitution to allow the legislature in Albany to authorize seven casinos, with the goal of generating new revenue for public schools and potentially cutting local property taxes.

Source - CNN