Health Insurance Guide - Florida Individual Health Insurance Section

Welcome to Health Insurance Guide

Florida Individual Health Insurance Article

frank vanderlugt

About The Blue Cross Blue Cross was started in 1929 by Justin

Ford Kimball, at Baylor University in Dallas, Texas. It was

developed to guarantee teachers 21 days of hospital care for $6

a year. Later on the plan was enlarged to other people in the

Dallas area and then throughout the country.

In 1939 the term Blue Cross was used to include other plans as

well. Blue Cross is a name used by an association of health

insurance plans throughout the United States.

It was developed in 1929, by Justin Ford Kimball, at Baylor

University in Dallas, Texas. The first plan guaranteed teachers

The plan was extended to other employee groups in Dallas, and

then nationally. The American Hospital Association (AHA) adopted

the Blue Cross symbol in 1939 as the emblem for plans meeting

certain standards.

So as it stands today Blue Cross is an independent membership

association working on a service basis and providing protection

against the costs mainly of hospital care. Benefit payments are

made directly to the hospital. Benefits vary among various Blue

Cross associations.

And then there is Blue Shield which, rather than covering

hospital care, provides protection on a service basis against

the cost of surgical and medical care in a limited geographical

area. The actual Blue Cross, which was a blue Greek Cross, was

created by the artist Joseph Binder under the auspices of E A

van Steenwijk who was the Company secretary of Blue Cross and

Blue Shield of Minnesota.

The Blue Cross began now to be used in other parts of the

country as well. At present it is a national trade organization

linking 40 health insurance companies in the US, Canada and

Puerto Rico together.

Supposedly, Blue Cross operations are considered to happen as

franchises in specifically designated regions. At present these

services are available in every state wihin the United States

and every Canadian province

Blue Cross is very prevalent in providing coverage to State as

well as Federal government employees and they are also very

important in the administration of Social Security. There is a

problem with health insurance in the United States.

There is a conflict between the need for the insurance company

to make money versus the need of their clients to remain

healthy. This need to make money has become so uncontrolled that

one third of the population in the US can not afford medical

insurance and medical bills today are the major cause for

bankruptcies. This is why state and federal regulation of health

insurance companies is necessary. On the other hand medical

insurance companies could hypothetically face unforeseen events

such as the chicken flu where a large percentage of their

clients all of a sudden face horrendous hospital bills.

Theoretically this could bankrupt the insurance company within a

very short timeframe. So to prevent this situation medical

insurance companies use a variety of checks and balances to

limit payments to beneficiaries.

And of course it is a well-known fact that those seeking health

insurance are also those most likely to have medical problems

being present or future ones. It is also known that if the cost

of healthcare to the beneficiary is very low than the use of

medical benefits will be much greater than if the cost is

substantial.

So to find the balance where medical services are available when

needed but not abused to the extend that for every paper cut you

will make a visit to the doctor proper safeguards should be in

place.

So in theory, if people would exercise, would eat healthy food,

would avoid addictive substances, this would lower health

insurance prices because the insurance companies would pay fewer

doctor bills.

However, you could then also say that too much of the insurance

premiums would be paid out in executive salaries or kept as

profits by the company.

About the author:

Frank

Vanderlugt is interested in Blue Cross

Florida Individual Health Insurance News

Big leap in private health coverage predicted - Palm Beach Post

Smart Business Network

Big leap in private health coverage predicted Palm Beach Post Without health reform, the number of uninsured in the country would be 52 million, the simulation estimates. The individual insurance mandate, ... Insurers predict health-care reforms will increase costsAnderson Independent Mail The End Of Our Company-Paid Health InsurancePalisades Hudson Financial Group all 114 news articles »

Read more...

---

Employers Push Higher Health Insurance Costs Onto Workers - Kaiser Health News

Health Jackal

Employers Push Higher Health Insurance Costs Onto Workers Kaiser Health News ... it negotiated that down to 4 percent after agreeing to bundle the purchase of health and life insurance through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. ... Public Backing For Health Overhaul Wanes As Obama Administration Prepares For ...Medical News Today (press release) all 453 news articles »

Read more...

---

ALEC Condemns Florida Supreme Court's Decision to Reject Amendment 9 - PR Newswire (press release)

Christian Science Monitor

ALEC Condemns Florida Supreme Court's Decision to Reject Amendment 9 PR Newswire (press release) ... of Choice in Health Care Act, would position the state to wage additional challenges against the federal requirement to purchase health insurance, ... Florida voters can't strip down Obama health-care bill, judge rulesChristian Science Monitor Florida high court throws out healthcare ballot questionInternational Business Times 3 amendments kept off Florida ballotMiamiHerald.com Legal News Line -Leagle.com all 99 news articles »

Read more...

---

Early-Retiree Insurance: a Broken Bridge? - Sunshine State News

WHTC

Early-Retiree Insurance: a Broken Bridge? Sunshine State News Sixty-nine Florida businesses and government entities have been accepted into a new federal program designed to help employers and unions maintain health ... Some Florida employers get boost for early retireesMiamiHerald.com all 104 news articles »

Read more...

---

St. Petersburg poised to offer same-sex health benefits to police officers - Tampabay.com

St. Petersburg poised to offer same-sex health benefits to police officers Tampabay.com He said Baker kept his part-time job at Best Buy but hasn't gotten full-time there yet and can't afford the health insurance offered to part-timers anyway. ...

Read more...

---

SIR Anticipates Record-Breaking Annual Conference - PR Newswire (press release)

SIR Anticipates Record-Breaking Annual Conference PR Newswire (press release) "This year's event has elements to interest people from personal lines, commercial lines, and health insurance, across every experience level," notes ... and more »

Read more...

---

Florida Woman Denied Insurance Coverage For Removal of Ruptured Breast Implant - CaymanMama.com (press release)

Florida Woman Denied Insurance Coverage For Removal of Ruptured Breast Implant CaymanMama.com (press release) Serrano's doctor called her health insurance provider, Molina Healthcare, to see if they would cover the cost of implant removal surgery. ... and more »

Read more...

---