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� What if you could add collision coverage to your car after hitting that tree? Well, thanks to FoIB Holly R, we learn that health insurance startup Bind offers pretty much that for its self-insured corporate clients: " Technology has made on-demand services a reality for everything from food deliveries to gym classes and car-sharing. What if you could have on-demand health coverage for big-ticket procedures like knee surgery? " It does sound kind of ' too good to be true ,' but it's apparently a legit service available to companies willing to take the leap. Bind in't actually an insurance company, but a third party administrator for some of UHC's self-funded groups. Interesting. � Thanks to the folks at United Healthcare, we're privy to next year's new IRS limits for group and HSA-compliant plans: " Maximum out-of-pocket limit for 2019 group plans: �$7,900 for self-only coverage ($7,350 in 2018) �$15,800 for family coverage ($14,700 in 2018...

It can be difficult to pay for healthcare services not covered by insurance. #OnJuly1inTN a new law allows physicians to accept a barter of goods and services in exchange for healthcare services. � TN Senate GOP Caucus (@tnsenategop) June 26, 2018

Despite ample evidence to the contrary, I really don't relish playing the role of naysayer. But when  folks who should know better deceptively suggest that a particular "solution" is having a major impact on health care delivery and financing, well, I think it's important to offer perspective. What in the heck are you babbling on about, Henry? Glad you asked. This: " Why health care sharing ministry memberships now top 1 million " I beg your pardon? In a country of about 326 million , this is barely a rounding error. So why is this "news?" Look, I'm a fan of sharing ministries (up to a point): they're a low cost, ACA-compliant alternative to ObamaPlans, and they encourage lifestyles and behaviors that promote good health. And I like that they're not network-driven, meaning pretty much complete freedom to actually " keep your doctor ." But there's also no backstop: that is, there's nothing to force the organization t...

Last time we looked, we saw that Britain's Much Vaunted National Health System� was delighted to spend prodigious pounds to enforce its death sentence on an innocent toddler: " NHS spent almost a quarter of a million dollars asserting its right to let this child die instead of allowing his family to take him to Italy at no cost to the British taxpayerWhen they say it's time to die they mean it " Indeed. And as if further proof was necessary [ ed: no, it's not, really! ], the folks at LifeNews tell us that " at least 450, and probably more than 650, people�s lives were ended as a result of being given dangerous amounts of unnecessary opiates ." And to what purpose? Well, it certainly wasn't for their recreational enjoyment. Rather, it was to make darned sure that they knew their place. Which was, as it turns out, * 6 feet 1.8288 meters under: " Hospital Staff Caught Euthanizing Hundreds of Patients: �If a Nurse Didn�t Like You, You Were a Goner ...

� First up, the joys of Government-run health "care," wherein the VA continues its #Winning ways: " Secret data: Most VA nursing homes have more residents with bed sores, pain, than private facilities " Sad and frustrating: " More than 100 VA nursing homes scored worse than private nursing homes on a majority of key quality indicators ." Shanda. [Hat Tip: ginny j ] � Second, a report on one of the 58-state laboratory models (the concept of which I'm a big fan): " Instead of starting with the hospital�s list price and negotiating down for discounts, [Montana] began telling these facilities how much it was willing to pay � a �reference price� � for each type of hospitalization ." In a kind of "reverse transparency," the state is using Medicare pricing as its benchmark, and so far it seems to be working: " Two years in, the state calls the effort a success, saving $15.6 million this year over the estimate of what it would have ...

I get this question a lot. "Does Medicare pay for routine physical exams? I hear they are not covered". I don't know who started this rumor but I wish they would stop. Original Medicare includes a " Welcome to Medicare " physical exam. As long as you have the exam within the first 12 months of going on Medicare Part B there should be no charge. Thereafter you are entitled to what Medicare calls the Annual Wellness Visit . At this time your doctor will update your records, check your blood pressure, height and weight. There may also be a cognitive impairment test and / or a balance and mobility test. Rather than making you read all this, sit back and watch this 3 minute video. Additional reading here. https://www.georgia-medicareplans.com/welcome-to-medicare-sort-of/ Medicare.  You have questions. We have answers. Never any charge. #WelcomeToMedicareExam #MedicareRoutinePhysical #AnnualWellnessVisit

Px as in pre-ex, as in Pre-existing conditions. We generally define these as health issues for which we are currently being treated , or have been in the recent past. As we know, ObamaCare requires health insurance plans to cover these immediately (subject to one's eligibility to buy a plan), and also forbids carriers from charging those with these conditions a different (ie higher) premium for the privilege. Kind of like how auto insurers can't decline someone with 4 DUI's and 3 at-fault accidents, or charge them more than someone with a pristine driving record. But what if the ObamaTax was itself a pre-existing condition? That's the premise of this article in The Hill, tipped to us by a regular reader: " As a physician whose career in medicine was dedicated to preserving and improving my patients� health, I know firsthand how important it is for everyone to have access to care ... Before the ACA, having pre-existing conditions did raise the cost of health in...