Debbie Perlman Blog

Is long-term care insurance a wise purchase? You'll need to look at both the pros and cons of long-term care insurance to decide. Here are five questions you can ask to help determine if this type of insurance will benefit you. Do You Lead a Healthy Lifestyle? Believe it or not, healthy may mean you are more likely to need care! The healthiest people are often the ones that end up needing long-term care assistance later in life, whereas heart problems or cancer may take the unhealthy ones sooner. One of the benefits of long-term care insurance for a healthy person is it can allow you to stay in your home and maintain your independence longer. You are able to stay in the home because most policies issued today cover the cost of in-home care, which can provide someone to help with many of the activities of daily living, such as cooking and cleaning. Usually, you must require assistance with two out of the six activities of daily ...

Physician practices are seeing more of their pay and bonuses based on “value-based metrics such as patient satisfaction and outcome measures,”  a new analysis shows. The shift away from fee-for-service reimbursement that has historically paid doctors based on the volume of care they deliver is a trend escalating as health insurance companies and the federal government shift to value-based models like bundled payments and accountable care organizations. “Of the 70% of searches offering a production bonus, 56% featured a bonus based in whole or in part on quality metrics such as patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment protocols, etc.,” according to Merritt Hawkins’ 2019Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives. “This is up from 43% in 2018 Review and is the highest percent of contracts offering a quality-based production bonus that Merritt Hawkins has tracked.” It’s a trend that is expected to only intensify with health insurers including...

Divorce can be a complex and lengthy process with a variety of emotional, practical, and financial implications for both spouses, and any children that may be impacted. During such a stressful time, it can be easy to overlook basic items like the family’s insurance coverage. Nevertheless, it’s important to review all insurance policies to determine how your coverage may change once the divorce is final and, more importantly, how you can prepare. The two primary types of insurance that typically come into play during a divorce are health insurance and life insurance. Health Insurance It’s common for one spouse to be covered under the other, often higher-earning, spouse’s employer-sponsored health plan. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) was passed in 1986 to help non-income-earning spouses after divorce, allowing them to continue their coverage under their ex-spouse’s employer plan for up to three years. While COBRA can be a convenient bridge in cov...

Retiring early is very difficult, but it can be within reach, especially for diligent savers with low expenses, individuals with a strong pension, and high-earning executives with substantial assets. Figuring out when you can retire at any age is driven predominantly by your expenses–not savings–so determining how much income you will require each year to support your lifestyle is the key component of the equation. Particularly for investors who wish to retire early (before Medicare coverage begins at age 65), estimating your health care costs and insurance options is a pivotal factor in determining whether your retirement dreams can become a reality. Currently, there are five main options for retirees to obtain health insurance coverage before they reach age 65 and can enroll in Medicare: Employer-sponsored retiree health plans COBRA coverage Public exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA or ‘Obamacare’) Private insurance exchanges A spouse’s health plan if...

If you're enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), here are some things to know about coverage and care. Using your coverage For most questions, contact your state Medicaid or CHIP agency. If you’re enrolled in a health plan through Medicaid or CHIP, contact the member services phone number on your eligibility letter or the back of your enrollment card. This information should also be on the websites of your health plan or Medicaid or CHIP agency. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to answer questions about what services are covered. Using emergency services:  In an emergency, you should get care from the closest hospital that can help you. The law requires providers offering emergency services to examine you to determine if your medical condition is life threatening and provide medical care until your life is no longer in danger. When to contact your state Medicaid or CHIP agency Issues to take to your state Medica...

In a finding that brings bad news as America struggles with an opioid epidemic, a new report shows that only four states provide adequate insurance coverage for addiction treatment. "We are calling on states to ensure health plans cover the full range of effective addiction treatments and address the serious gaps identified in this report," said report author Lindsey Vuolo. She is director of health law and policy at Center on Addiction, in New York City. "Improving insurance coverage for addiction treatment is essential to resolving the opioid crisis," Vuolo stressed. In the report, the researchers analyzed addiction treatment benefits in health insurance plans sold across the United States in 2017. The investigators found that more than half of states offered a plan that did not comply with the Affordable Care Act's requirements to cover addiction treatment. In addition, 20 percent of states offered a plan that violated a federal law that...

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Thursday requiring hospitals to report their spending annually, in a move to increase transparency and lower health care costs. Hospitals will have to provide reports, which will be made public, showing both what they are charging customers and what they are spending that money on, The Denver Post reported. Lawmakers can then use that data to guide policy decisions. The law, which will take effect in 2020, will require hospitals to submit data regarding payrolls, inpatient, outpatient and emergency visits and capital expenditures, according to The News and Observer. "This is not price transparency; it's not going to help consumers know what they're going to spend at a particular hospital," Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement for the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative told the Post. "But it will help provide a clear picture of how hospitals are spending their resources and what kinds of care th...