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Public health insurance for parents improves children’s reading skills, study finds

Analytic Sample Construction. Notes: Sample sizes are approximate (varies across model specifications); and rounded to the nearest 10 based on dataset guidelines. * The ECLS-K data manual recommends the use of sampling weights as appropriate to balance the trade-off between non-response bias and sample size considerations; therefore we chose the longitudinal weight – w9c29p_9a0 for our analyzes that provide appropriate adjustments for complex survey design and non-response bias in the survey waves we use in our sample. credits: Southern Economic Journal (2022). DOI: 10.1002/soej.12614 A recent series of three papers authored by Caitlin Lombardi demonstrates the effects of publicly funded…
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Opinions | Fixing Health Care Starts With the Already Insured

There is no shortage of proposals for health insurance reform, and they all miss the point. They invariably focus on the nearly 30 million Americans who lack insurance at any given time. But the coverage for the many more Americans who are fortunate enough to have insurance is deeply flawed. Health insurance is supposed to provide financial protection against the medical costs of poor health. Yet many insured people still face the risk of enormous medical bills for their “covered” care. A team of researchers estimated that as of mid-2020, collections agencies held $140 billion in unpaid medical bills, reflecting…
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Beyond cash: California repairs task force’s report stuffed with goodies

Paying cash to descendants of enslaved people is just the beginning of the California Reparations Task Force’s ambitious progressive vision. Embedded in the panel’s 1,100-page report is a veritable leftist to-do list that includes: universal health insurance for Black residents, a guaranteed basic income, free college tuition, “forgivable” interest-free loans to small businesses and erasing interest debt on unpaid child support. That’s not all. The report now before the state Legislature also recommends ending policing of nuisance violations such as public urination, allowing Black LGBTQ youth to receive confidential “mental health care” without parental permission, and adopting “rent caps” in…
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EverQuote Announces Decision To Exit Health Insurance

Health Exit Will Drive Greater Strategic Focus and Improved Capital Utilization Company Announces Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Call CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EverQuote, Inc. (Nasdaq: EVER), a leading online insurance marketplace, today announced that it will exit its health insurance vertical, beginning June 30, 2023. The health insurance vertical includes EverQuote’s marketplace and direct to consumer agency (DTCA) serving the Medicare and “Under 65” health insurance market, and represented approximately 10% of the Company’s revenue in fiscal year 2022. “We are making the strategic decision to exit an area that requires significant capital investment and scale…
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What is an Irrevocable Trust?

A trust is an estate planning tool that allows a person to control their assets during their lifetime and make provisions for incapacity and death. Many trusts are revocable, however, irrevocable trusts can be an incredibly useful way to plan for your future. We can help you stay on top of the latest news that affects your everyday life. Subscribe to stay up to date. (To subscribe to our blog click here). One thing you should know about irrevocable trusts is that, unlike revocable or living trusts, irrevocable trusts cannot be changed or amended. They are set in stone. A…
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Three Ways Health Plans Can Raise The Bar On Health Equity

Troy Jelinek, PhD, MHA Chief Commercial Officer at Icario. getty Effective communication builds stronger relationships, and that’s no different when it comes to health insurance plans and their members. Thoughtful and proactive engagement has always been a reliable way to get members to take action on their health and help close gaps in health equity, but it’s now a “must-have” instead of a “nice-to-have.” It’s clear that health equity has become a higher priority in recent years. For example, the National Committee for Quality Assurance introduced new quality measures, including the Social Need Screening and Intervention measure. These measures encourage…
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Does health insurance cover skin cancer screening? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

Does health insurance cover skin cancer screening? Does health insurance cover skin cancer screening? 00:59 BOSTON-Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter. Christine asks, “Is skin cancer screening covered under health insurance? I have light skin and want to protect myself from skin cancer.” Most insurance companies do cover skin cancer screenings as part of your annual wellness visit but if you’re not sure, call and ask. Even better, ask if they will cover a skin exam by a dermatologist. All adults should see a…
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The high cost of giving birth even with insurance

Qthe burden of high health care costs and medical debt in the US is no secret. Medical debt affects one in five adults in the US, with an average burden of more than $20,000 for each medical debtor. As primary care physicians, we frequently witness the effects of these financial burdens, particularly for our older or sicker patients with expensive medical conditions. However, new research we published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine shows that medical debt is also common in a younger and healthier population: women who have just had a baby. In a sample of more…