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Canada’s health insurance industry has a fossil fuel contradiction

Canada is home to two of the largest life and health insurance companies in the world – Sun Life and Manulife. Now expanding into Asia, these are Canadian success stories. Yet both have a contradiction at the heart of their business model. They are also two of Canada’s largest investors in fossil fuels, including dirty coal, investments that adversely affect the health of the clients they’re insuring. The German NGO Urgewald just published a global database of fossil fuel investors, companies that own the most stocks and bonds in oil and gas and coal companies. The top five for Canada…
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Attorney general, DOH commissioner issue alert on health insurance renewal scams

Fri, May 12th 2023 04:50 pm Submitted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office New York Attorney General Letitia James and Acting Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald warned New Yorkers about a new scam targeting New Yorkers enrolled in public health insurance programs and provided important tips to protect consumers. For the first time since March 2020, people enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan will have to renew their health insurance coverage. James and McDonald are urging New Yorkers to be vigilantes in light of reports of scammers deceptively calling people and asking…
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NC Senate budget revives Medicaid expansion debate, putting law in ‘conflict’ with House

The Senate budget unveiled Monday cuts state laws that regulate hospital competition, placing Medicaid expansion, and health coverage for thousands of low-income North Carolinaians, in conflict. During last year’s Medicaid expansion negotiations, a key agreement between the House and the Senate was Certificate of Need laws, which limit where hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities can be built. The Senate wanted to pass expansion with Certificate of Need changes but the House did not. But this year, there was a breakthrough, and in early March, the Senate and House announced that they had reached a compromise deal: Medicaid expansion…
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CLHIA says health insurers will support Albertans displaced by wildfires

CLHIA says health insurers will support Albertans displaced by wildfires | Insurance Business Canada Catastrophe & Flood CLHIA says health insurers will support Albertans displaced by wildfires Over 19,000 residents have evacuated their homes Catastrophe & Flood By Mika Pangilinan Health insurers have taken special measures to support those who have been displaced by the recent wildfires in Alberta. The wildfire situation in the province has continued to escalate as fire officials declared more fire evacuation orders over the weekend. More than 19,000 residents have been ordered to flee their homes as of Sunday afternoon, according to a report by…
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Op-Ed: PurpleCARE mental health coverage must be increased to meet the urgent needs of students | opinion

A group of students walk by the Weldon Library, Sept. 18, 2017. Max Mao / GAZETTE Access to mental health resources is key to ensuring students receive a quality experience, achieve academic success and improve their overall well-being. The USC’s PurpleCARE health benefits plan strives to provide these necessary resources for undergraduate students. Every Western University undergraduate student is automatically enrolled in PurpleCARE, which offers insurance coverage for various health-related needs. This includes $750 insured for mental health-related expenses such as seeing a therapist or social worker. However, as elected University Students’ Council Councilors, we have heard from students repeatedly…
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Harvard Pilgrim Health Care owner targeted by ransomware cyberattack

The company that owns Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and other major health insurance plans is responding to a ransomware attack. Point32Health released a statement stating that their staff identified a cybersecurity breach on April 17, impacting the systems used to connect to members, accounts, brokers and providers.According to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, cybercriminals will hold systems or data hostage until a ransom is paid for a decryption key, denying access and sometimes threatening to publish or sell the data. While the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care system is offline, Point32Health says medical care services will be covered as…
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Does My Health Insurance Cover International Travel?

Planning an international trip can be downright exhilarating, and that’s especially true if you’re traveling to far-flung locations you’ve never visited before. Whether you plan to relax the day away on a tropical beach, visit archeological sites and ruins you’ve read about in school, or splurge on a culinary-themed getaway for foodies, there’s so much to look forward to – and to prepare for. But there’s more to trip planning than putting together a packing list and an itinerary. You should also make sure you’re adequately covered for a range of emergencies and health issues that could occur, as well…
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Singapore hikes claim limit for migrant workers’ medical insurance

Meanwhile, starting July 2025, other enhancements will be applied to the minimum medical insurance provided to migrant workers, including: Standardization of allowable exclusion clauses. This will provide employers and employees with greater clarity on their coverage and available claims for them. Introduction of age-differentiated premiums for those aged 50 and below, and those aged above 50. Insurers need to have differentiated premiums for workers below 50 and those above 50. Requirement for insurers to reimburse hospitals directly upon the admissibility of the claim. With this change, employers will no longer have to pay for their workers’ hospital…