Consumerist
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health insurance
Health Care Reform Bill Passes House - What's In It?
The House version of the health care reform bill passed the House on Saturday night. Now it needs to be merged with some sort fo Senate version of the bill and signed by the President to become law. So how does this reform bill actually affect consumers? More » -
health insurance
Blue Shield: Bleeding From Your Breasts Is Not An Emergency
One day, a California woman woke up to discover her t-shirt soaked in blood. The source? Her breast. She immediately went to the emergency room, and the cause of the bleeding was eventually found to be a benign tumor. However, her health insurance denied the claim, stating that she "reasonably should have known that an emergency did not exist." Yes, copious amounts of blood flowing from your nipples is really something you want to wait out. More » -
choose your own adventure
How Would Health Care Reform Affect You?
Consumers Union has put together a breakdown of the health care bills in Congress to let you see how they would affect you, based on your age and what kind of insurance you currently have (if any). It's an interesting tool to see what the various proposed changes are. More » -
health insurance
Sorry, Sir, Firefighting Is A Pre-Existing Condition
According to internal insurance industry documents recently released to the press, the reasons health insurers cite to deny insurance to private individuals is limited only by one's imagination: cops. firefighters, construction workers, and war correspondents are among the occupations that some insurance companies have considered deal breakers. Similarly, acne, allergies, ADD, and even bunions have caused companies to deny customers coverage. More » -
health care reform
Health Insurance Companies Hope For Reform For Excuse To Sell Cut-Rate, Shoddy Insurance
Here's a dart to deflate the feel-good dreams of universal health care — those nefarious, profiteering insurance companies are actually hoping it passes. More » -
health
Free Health Care Receives Rock Star Reception In Los Angeles
The past few nights, thousands of people have lined up outside of the Forum in Los Angeles. a venue that usually hosts basketball games or big arena concerts. Who's in town to attract such a crowd? Metallica? Green Day? No, even better—doctors and dentists providing free care on a first-come, first-served basis. More » -
health care
Giving Birth And Covered By Health Insurance? $22,000, Please
The individual health insurance market can be a scary place for Americans who turn to it for health coverage. If they're accepted to a plan at all, patients often find that their coverage isn't quite what they were promised, and limits and restrictions lead to high medical bills for covered services that aren't really covered.
That's how Sarah Wildman ended up with a $22,000 bill from the hospital where her daughter was born, despite having what she thought was good health insurance with a maternity rider. More »
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money-saving tips
Cut Down On Medical Costs With These Tips
One way to cut down on all your medical costs is to go exclusively to Dr. Mario, an impersonator of whom is pictured. More » -
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health insurance
Ex-exec testifies against insurance giant for 'purging' customers
CNN reports on insurance industry whistle-blower Wendall Potter who, after working in the machine for 20 years, quit in order to right a few wrongs. Last week, Potter testified before the Senate about former employer Cigna's policy of "purging." In other words, Cigna would drive small businesses with expensive insurance claims to dump their Cigna policies. More » -
your claim is denied
Health Insurance Kids Stick It To Special Needs Kids And Their Parents
An InjuryBoard blog shines a light on one of the more nefarious practices of the ugly health insurance industry — the tendency of insurance companies to deny needed treatment to kids with special needs: More » -
babies
Four Financial Tools All New Parents Need
The baby's on the way! You've got a crib, toys, and a rapidly approaching delivery date. So what else you do need? Kiplinger shares the four must-have financial tools that no new parent should go without... More » -
health insurance
Man Gets $10,000 Back From Insurance Company Thanks To Metafilter
We readily admit that there are places on the Internet other than Consumerist where one can harness the Internet hive mind to solve consumer issues. Ask Metafilter user Jason sought help when his former insurance company wouldn't stop auto-billing him, and emerged victorious, collecting the $10,000 he was wrongly charged...plus interest! More » -
rescission watch
Insurance Industry Still Wants To Cancel Sick People's Coverage
As the federal government debates health care reform, the health insurance industry has some news for us. They're not going to stop canceling people's policies after they get sick. Nope. No way. More » -
No health insurance? The emergency room usually shouldn't be your first stop. Here's where you should go for help.
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survey says
Most Bankruptcies Caused By Health Problems Suffered By People With Health Insurance
A recent Harvard study tells us that health problems cause more than half of America's bankruptcies, and that the vast majority of people seeking bankruptcy protection have health insurance. The study paints a hauntingly familiar picture: people get sick, insurance covers nothing, so they're forced to mortgage their homes to stay alive. More » -
conflict of interest
Health Insurers Own Tobacco Stocks Worth Nearly $4.5 Billion
Major health insurance companies own nearly $4.5 billion worth of stock in tobacco companies, according to a Harvard University study. It kinda makes sense: health insurers know tobacco sickens people, and so as long as people are smoking, why not profit from the killer? It's what David Himmelstein, a co-author of the study, calls "the combined taxidermist and veterinarian approach: either way you get your dog back." More » -
health insurance
Reach Aetna's Executive Resolution Team
Having problems with an Aetna Health insurance claim? After you've exhausted all other options, call the Executive Resolutions Team. 800-872-3862 x15075 will get you team member Tara Sinclair. (Thanks, Matt!) -
National Health Care Association
Watch Out For Health Insurance Robocallers
Spammy "discount health care" pitches are hated by anyone who owns a fax machine, but now scammy health insurance vendors have taken to robocalling people, too. Reader Dustin was annoyed enough that he decided to track the calls to their source. More »
health insurance
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Sat Nov 14
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