August 26, 2016

TeleMedicine: There’s An App For That!

TeleMedicine has the potential to shave $4.28 billion annually from America’s healthcare bill. But there are still more reasons to look for a plan that covers TeleMedicine services.

What Is Telemedicine?

As the name implies, TeleMedicine encompasses any medical activity involving distance. Today TeleMedicine uses electronic information and telecommunications, but the practice goes back to the days when sea captains would use ship-to-shore radio to obtain medical advice. TeleMedicine includes such technologies as telephones, teleconferencing, electronic mail systems, and remote patient monitoring devices, which collect and transmit patient data for monitoring and interpretation. read more …

August 25, 2016

Republicans’ Alternative to Obamacare

Six years after the Democrat-supported Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law, Republicans submitted their recommendations for changing the law.

 

Democrats wrote the law, commonly known as Obamacare, to expand health insurance and benefits to individuals and reduce health care costs. The law mandated that all Americans have health insurance and that large employers provide coverage. It imposed regulations on insurance companies, expanded Medicaid and opened Marketplaces where individuals could buy coverage, often at a subsidized cost.

Since its implementation, more Americans reportedly have health insurance, but critics say that health insurance costs rose, coverage choices are fewer, and employers and healthcare providers have more rules and regulations to follow.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives formed the House Republican Task Force on Health Care Reform. Their 37-page proposal, which they released in June, is not a law, but a template for a future law. read more …

July 26, 2016

Transgender Employees: The Latest Discrimination Frontier

With the rights of same-sex couples to marry protected by federal law, transgender rights have become the latest frontier in nondiscrimination law. What laws pertain to transgender employees in the workplace, and what happens to employers that violate them?

The Transgender Law Center estimates that between 2 and 5 percent of the population is transgender, although little verifiable data exist. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, read more …

July 20, 2016

Credit Insurance: Should You Buy It?

Credit protection

You call your credit card issuer, and the customer service representative tells you about a “special offer” for a “payment protection plan.” What do these plans cover, and do you need one?

“Payment protection plan” is another name for credit insurance. read more …

July 12, 2016

Should You Buy Rental Car Coverage?

Travel Insurance

If your vacation plans require a rental car, knowing what your existing insurance policies cover could save you money.

 

The next time you rent a car and the agent asks whether you want the optional coverages, should you say yes or no? Buying them will add substantially to your car rental costs—if you buy all the additional coverages offered, you’ll add at least $18 to the rental charges per day. Are these coverages worth it? Read on for more information.

CDW or LDW

The collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW) cost the most of any of the optional coverages, about $10-$25 a day. Although the CDW and LDW are not insurance, they will waive your financial responsibility if a car you rent is damaged or stolen.

When you sign a rental car agreement, you agree to become responsible for any damage to the car. read more …