Heath Insurers use the web

Robert Nilson (25) could be considered a "young invincible," a term used in the insurance industry to describe healthy young people who find health insurance unnecessary.

Nielsen recently took it upon himself to find a health plan after being uninsured for more than a year. And when the time came, he turned to a place that many people would not think to go: the Internet.

The company he stumbled upon, eHealthinsurance, is the largest online provider of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses. On its Web site, the company offers 125 different plans in Utah, and each has been approved by the state's Department of Insurance.

While there are certainly people who just don't think they need health insurance, more and more people are seeking some kind of safety net to protect them against high medical bills if an emergency strikes.

Individual health insurance offers people the chance to tailor a plan to meet their needs, such as a high-deductible policy with a low monthly premium for someone with fewer medical needs or a slightly richer plan for those who frequently go to the doctor.

eHealth Innovation

Press Release

eHealth, parent company of eHealthInsurance, the nation's leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, announced the next generation of the Electronic Processing Interchange (EPI). EPI III will enable individual consumers in five states to receive an expedited response to their electronically submitted health insurance applications.

Humana Inc. one of the nation's largest health insurance companies, is the first insurer to participate. Humana will use EPI III to speed the processing of applications for its HumanaOne line of individual health insurance plans.

The States included in the initial roll-out are Texas, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina and South Carolina. Individuals shopping for health insurance online in these states can now receive a response to their health insurance application within one business day by choosing a Humana health plan.

The EPI technology enables individuals to complete the entire health insurance purchasing process online. While the traditional paper-intensive non-EPI application process requires approximately 43 days on average from submission to approval, the EPI application process requires approximately 17 days. EPI has been widely adopted by the more than 160 health insurance carriers that eHealth represents.

Affordable Health Insurance in Illinois

The Senate Public Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony from top healthcare officials from Illinois on the urgent need for Governor Rod R. Blagojevich's historic "Illinois Covered" plan to give every resident access to affordable Illinois health insurance.

The health plan will provide affordable coverage to the 1.4 milion uninsured adults in Illinois and will also help many middle-income families and small businesses that are currently enrolled in health insurance plans save thousands of dollars a year on healthcare costs.

The cost of health insurance coverage is rising dramatically nationwide, leaving more and more people uninsured, and forcing businesses to drop or significantly cut back health coverage. As a result of faster-than-inflation rate increases, the number of uninsured nationally has increased by 6 million since 2000. The cost of providing health services to uninsured people puts significant pressure on families, the healthcare system and the nation's economy:

• Lack of health insurance coverage is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

• Medical-related bankruptcies have jumped 2,200% since 1981.

• A FamiliesUSA study found that the health insurance premiums for families in Illinois increased by $1059 due to costs incurred by the uninsured.

• The HR Policy Association estimates the annual cost of reduced productivity due to uninsured workers in the nation's top 200 largest companies is between $87 billion and $126 billion.

Under Gov. Blagojevich, Illinois has expanded access to healthcare to over 560,000 more people, and became the first state in the nation to provide access to comprehensive health insurance to every uninsured child in the state through "All Kids." As a result, the Kaiser Family Foundation ranked Illinois #1 in the nation for adding working parents to healthcare for 3 years in a row, and credited Illinois for sparking a national movement to provide healthcare to all children.

Colorado Small Business Health Insurance

A Senate committee approved a controversial health insurance bill that would prohibit health insurance companies from using health status and claims history in determining rates for small businesses.

Supporters of the bill call it an important step toward reforming Colorado's health care system, saying it will make health insurance more affordable and accessible for businesses with 50 or fewer employees. Critics argued the bill would undermine efforts to stabilize rates that are encouraging major insurers to re-enter the small-company market.

Under a law passed in 2003, health insurance companies can offer discounts of up to 25 percent for healthy groups but can charge less healthy groups up to 10 percent more.

Small business health insurance

House Bill 1355

• What it does: Prohibits health insurers from using health status and claims history in determining rates for small businesses.

• Supporters say: It prevents insurance companies from penalizing small businesses if employees or their families have been sick.

• Opponents say: Since rating flexibility was implemented, rates have stabilized and more health insurers are doing business in the state. This bill would reverse that.

insurance.com gets larger digs

The largest online auto insurance agency in the country (insurance.com), has signed a lease to occupy the former Nestle building in Solon.

Attractive incentives from both the City of Solon and the State of Ohio to remain and expand in the local area were influential in making the final decision.

Occupying the majority of the building, Insurance.com will use approximately 80,000 square feet of space. Moving into the building will allow the company, which currently occupies a building on Solon Road in Solon Ohio to expand its operations.

Currently, Insurance.com is seeking new insurance agents, along with a variety of other positions, including opportunities in IT.

The hiring drive, and the move to the larger location, is a reaction to increased demand for online comparative auto insurance rates, and a clear indication that consumers are more comfortable with shopping online for financial products such as insurance.