Health Insurance for All Incomes and Ages

Health care reform intends to ensure everyone has some form of affordable health insurance, but until then companies are stuggling to find a way to ensure everyone. Charter Oak Health Plan is a unique example of a health insurer working for the people.

One of the big debates going on in Washington currently is whether or not health insurance is believed to be a privilege or a right. It's definitely a necessity and Charter Oak recognizes this for the people of Connecticut. Many residents, including small businesses, people in between jobs, recent graduates, and early retirees felt affordable health insurance was unattainable. Charter Oak Health Plan is hoping to change that through offering health insurance to all incomes and ages.

Since 2008, Charter Oak has been working hard to serve the people of Connecticut. Those who struggle to find affordable health insurance, or any health coverage at all can turn to Charter Oak for help. They offer coverage to many adults struggling with financial hardships and cannot afford to pay for non-group premiums on their own. This is refreshing in an economic environment leaving many Americans feeling stressed and lacking proper health care coverage.

Understanding a Used Car's History

It is critical in today's economic environment to ensure you are not getting scammed, and purchasing a car should be no different. Many consumers are looking to used cars for many reasons such as they are generally cheaper, used car insurance is often less expensive and with cars being made so well today, used cars can run great and for a long period of time. But there are sellers out there trying to sell lemons to do your homework.

Larry Gamache of CARFAX says there are millions of cars on the road today with open recalls that have not been attended to. According to the article "Learn A Used Car's History Before You Buy" by Stephanie Wilson on WUSA9.com, consumers should insist that a mechanical inspection be completed before purchasing a car. In addition, they should order a car report from a trusted company such as CARFAX and get information on the VIN number. If there is an open recall on a car, the manufacturer must repair it at no cost to you so it's definitely worth your time to ensure the car is safe.

Jack Gillis from Consumer Federation of America and the author of The Car Book, says the best way to find a deal on a used car and know for sure what it has been through is to buy it from a trusted friend. Since this isn't always an option following the few steps mentioned above will hopefully prevent you from buying a car that may be unsafe.

Individual Health Insurance for Genders

Health insurance companies have always used gender as a factor when determining rates for individual health insurance. This was justified by the statistical data gathered over years which showed women spent more on healthcare than men. California has recently passed a new state law which will forbid health insurance companies in the state from using gender as a factor for pricing according to the article "State Law Levels Premiums" on DailyBulletin.com.

This law may have a huge impact on the way health insurers are conducting business. Many experts believe that gender rating negatively affects women and causes them to pay more for health insurance over a lifetime. The new national health care reform bill passed in 2010 will also prohibit gender pricing, but this will not take effect until 2014, so California is ahead of the game and it's possible other states follow suit and implement this practice before it's law in 2014.

The new California law will affect over 1 million women in the state purchasing individual health insurance policies according to Beth McGovern who is the legislative director for the California Commission on the Status of Women. It is going to apply to new and existing policies. Although this is a fairer way of pricing, health insurance companies will have to reevaluate how to make up for the differences in health care costs between men and women.

Geisinger Health Plan Ranks High

According to the Geisinger health plan website, Geisinger Health System has been named to the 2011 SDI IHN 100, which is a list of the most integrated healthcare networks in the US. Modern Healthcare Magazine recognizes the 100 top ranked health plans in their January issue and Geisinger makes the list.

Glenn Steele Jr, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Geisinger Health System says how gratifying it's been to be recognized. He is proud of their high level of performance and integration for healthcare systems. It's a testament to their ongoing efforts to increase quality of patient care over time. There are eight categories measured including integration, outpatient utilization, hospital utilization, integrated technology, financial stability, services & access, physicians and contract capabilities.

The rankings are completed by SDI Health LLC, which happens to be a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm located in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. These rankings are very useful to providers and consumers when comparing the sustainability of a healthcare company.