Health Insurance

• Association Health Plans — AHPs, which allow small businesses to purchase affordable health insurance plans for their employees, may become a reality.
• Buyouts and Lifetime Health Insurance — Over the next several years,---no matter who's in the White House---tens of thousands of federal workers will get buyout offers. Buyouts (VSIPs) are important to two groups of feds: Those who will walk away with $25,000 and those who won't.
• Consumer-Driven Health Insurance Catching On Slowly — Most of the 75 employees hadn't heard of the consumer-driven health plan the company signed up for with BlueCross BlueShield of Florida, office manager/partner Elizabeth Butler said. Now, almost half the staff has signed up.
• Entrepreneurs Beware — Entrepreneurs and small business owners should take care when dealing with health insurance promoters; many such promoters have been found to be illegitimate and could leave you with large, unpaid medical bills.
• Health Insurance Choices — Sheds some light on the differences between HMO and PPO health insurance programs and provides insight into which might be best for you.
• Health Insurance: Small Biz Is In a Bind — As the insurance bill for her Laramie (Wyo.) company climbed 10% this year, to more than $5,000 a month -- the latest in a series of double-digit hikes -- she decided to stop offering coverage to her 15 eligible employees.
• Medical Insurance — Analyzes health insurance choices in terms of the different kinds available (basic, major, comprehensive, Medicare) to help you make a more informed decision on the type of coverage you might need.
• Should You Buy Private Health Insurance? — Eliza Greene has done the unthinkable. The 50-year-old retired CPA, who lives in Oakland, Calif., recently opted out of her husband's employer-sponsored health-insurance plan. She was determined to find something more affordable. And she did.
• Some Health Insurance Options for the Self-Employed — Finding and paying for health insurance is one of the most pressing concerns for self-employed workers. Although the cost of medical coverage is climbing, there is some good news.
• The Headaches of Health Insurance — In America there is an increasingly hostile relationship between those who have medical insurance and the companies that provide it. What do you do if you're one of the millions each year who's denied coverage for a procedure or a specific doctor?