Long-Term-Care Insurance: Here's Why You Should Get It- Article on the likes and dislikes of long term care.

American Medical Association Releases Report Card on Health Insurers' Claims-Payment Practices- American Medical Association has issued its first National Health Insurer Report Card based on how quickly and accurately insurers are processing and paying doctors' medical claims.

Study: Health Costs To Rise Nearly 10 Percent- Employer health care costs are poised to rise almost 10 percent in 2008, more than double the annual inflation rate

Social Security Statement Advises Seniors to Consider Private Long-Term Care Insurance, LTC Agency Reports; Medicare Won't Cover It- Social Security advises seniors to get Long Term Care Insurance

Education Needed for Long-term Care Insurance- Most adults are unfamiliar with Long Term Care and do not understand that Medicaid requires them to have basically no assets get the Medicaid Long Term Care.

Opinions Vary On Georgia Insurance Law's Impact On Drivers' Rates- New Georgia Auto Insurance Law should reduce Auto insurance rates due to the high level of competing companies. Allowing companies to compete rather than using state bureaucracy usually reduces costs.

Two Years After Enactment, Mass. Health Reform Faces Budgetary Strains, Cost Problems- Massachusetts Health Care Plan facing much higher costs than anticipated.

Despite Difficulties, States Advance Healthcare Reform- Outlines efforts to expand health insurance coverage and find new tools to address healthcare reform at the state level.

States Look to Rein In Private Medicare Plans- Seniors are abused by high pressure sales tactics from agents who represent private insurance plans.

For First Time, Participation in UnitedHealthcare Health Savings Accounts Exceeds Health Reimbursement Accounts- United Healthcare reports more participants are now enrolled in a HSA plan than the standard plan with doctor copays and prescription copays.

Return of Premium Term: Is it Still a Smart Buy?- Term Life insurance with a return of premium rider is still a good buy. It equals a 7% on average if the money were invested, a difficult guarantee to find in todays market.

Are Health Insurance Mandates Unlawful?- Are the plans proposed by Democratic presidential candidates considered constitutional?

What will Happen when Disability Strikes?- If you became disabled or unable to work how would your family pay the bills?

Health Care Experts Worry of Cost Boom- The rise is prices has recently slowed, but some say double digit growth may lie ahead.

AAA Analysis Finds Teen Crashes Cost Society More Than $34 Billion Annually- teen drivers ages 15 to 17 cost American society more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss, and other related costs in 2006.

SCHIP Covering More Kids In 2007, New CMS Data Show- More than seven million children were enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007-a 5.9 percent increase over the previous year

Washington Commissioner Poised to Regain Rate-Setting Authority- Washington State Insurance Commissioner to get Legislation reversing BCBS legislation that took away his power to oversee Individual Health Insurance.

Spitzer To Unveil Plan To Lower Malpractice Costs- Gov. Eliot Spitzer will unveil a plan in several weeks to overhaul the medical malpractice system as more doctors threaten to stop practicing because of soaring insurance rates.

Blue Cross Doles Out Millions In Bonuses- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the state's largest health insurer, paid $7.2 million in performance bonuses last year, leading to double-digit pay increases for about half of the company's top officers.

Deferred Annuity Acts As Longer-Lasting Nest Egg- Concerns are growing that savers in defined contribution retirement plans will outlive their retirement savings.

City Attorney Asks Blue Cross To Substantiate News Release Claims- The city attorney is asking the state's largest health care insurer to substantiate claims it made in a news release about the process of canceling a patient's coverage.

Oregon Holds Health Insurance Lottery- The state will start drawing names this week for the chance to enroll in a health care program designed for people not poor enough for Medicaid but too cash-strapped to buy their own insurance.

Baby Boomers Confused About Medicare, According To NAIC Survey- The NAIC’s national survey of 377 baby boomers — Americans born between 1946 and 1964 — found that only 36 percent correctly knew that Medicare eligibility begins at age 65

No Longer 'Acting,' Ross Named Michigan Insurance Commissioner- Gov. Jennifer Granholm dropped the word "acting" from Ken Ross' title, naming him commissioner of the Office of Financial and Insurance Services...

Smaller Insurers, More Options- As the big national insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Nationwide continue to pull up stakes in Florida, smaller unheard-of companies have stepped up to fill some of the void.

AIA Applauds Defeat Of Harmful Legislation In Wyoming And Oklahoma- The American Insurance Association (AIA), today praised legislators in Oklahoma and Wyoming for voting to defeat onerous insurance-regulatory legislation in those states.

Nest Eggs and Immediate Annuities - Perfect Together- Immediate Gratification: New Studies Show That Immediate Annuities Add Both Income And Stability To A Retirement Portfolio

State Insurance Regulator Testifies To Need For Greater Oversight Of Medicare Marketplace- Illinois Insurance Director Michael McRaith outlined several problem areas and urged cooperative federal-state oversight of the marketplace in order to better protect insurance consumers.

Minn. AG Swanson Settles 1 Annuities Case, Starts Another- American Equity Life Holding Company was accused of exploiting the elderly by selling them annuities they couldn't access for several years without significant penalty.

Examination of national health carrier reveals multiple problems- “Our examination stemmed from the volume, scope and nature of complaints made against the companies by consumers and policyholders in several different states,” said Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler

Health Plan faces fines of 1.33 billion- UnitedHealth Group's PacifiCare failed to make timely payments on thousands of claims, state regulators say..

LTC Insurance Sales Expected to Show Slow but Steady Growth in the Coming Years- Industry observers are optimistic that long-term insurance (LTCi) products will finally see increasing sales in 2008 and beyond. Although the growth is expected to be slow and moderate in general, some leading LTCi providers are predicted to generate double-digit sales growth.

Increased Life Expectancy, Lack of Preparation for Retirement Plaguing Businesses and Retirees, Say Actuaries- With increased life expectancy and rising healthcare costs, individuals are faced with growing challenges in maintaining their quality of health and lifestyle in living to older ages

Whole Life Insurance: 'The investment bomb shelter for scary times'- During one of the most unsettled periods in recent financial history, author and investment guru John E. Girouard is warning people to think twice before moving their money into bank CDs and money market funds.

Blue Cross Understates Tax Breaks, Study Says- One week before a Michigan Senate committee begins discussing rate-altering legislation backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a coalition favoring the bills has been created and a report by an opposition coalition to be released today estimates the insurer's state tax breaks at $130 million a year...

National Health Care cost growth since 1970- Health care accounts for a remarkably large slice of the U.S. economic pie. Each year health-related spending grows, often outpacing spending on other goods and services, meaning that the size of that slice also increases.

The Kaiser Family Foundation Employer Health Benefits - Summary of Findings- Between spring of 2006 and spring 2007, premiums increased an average of 6.1% for employer sponsored health insurance, a slower rate than the 7.7% increase in 2006.  This is the fourth consecutive year with a lower rate of growth than the previous year, and the lower rate of group since 1999, when premiums increase 5.3%.

Insurance Cheif wants to regulate: Kreidler Says Individual Coverage Costs Rising Since Power Lost- BCBS legislation in Washington passed 8 years ago is similar to Michigan proposal and has caused rates to increase dramatically for individuals. BCBS in Washington uses same argument that the program is working. BCBS has now become the dominant carrier in Washington as 33 other carriers have exited the state. Costs have increased 16 percent a year since the legislation was passed and there are more uninsured now then before. The legislation removed the power of the insurance commissioner to regulate individual policies and gave favorable treatment to BCBS plans while allowing them to move the highest risk individuals from their plan to a state plan.

Health Premiums Grew at a Slow Rate - Nationwide health premiums grew at 5.5 percent in 2006 vs. the 16 percent Washington rates after BCBS legislation was passed and Washington Insurance Commissioner was taken out of the picture.