Category: Cost of Healthcare

It’s been my job to watch the health insurance market since I joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana in 2004, and it sure has changed a lot. A LOT! Read more

When I was in high school, I went on a school field trip. I grew up in a small town and went to a small Catholic school, so anytime we got to get on a bus and go somewhere OTHER than school was a pretty huge deal. On this particular day, we boarded a bus very early in the morning and went to the Big City, all the way to New Orleans to see the brand-new Superdome! Read more

With apologies to Steve Miller Band, time keeps on slipping into the future… at least when it comes to signing up for an individual health insurance plan on healthcare.gov during a RARE special enrollment period that only lasts through Aug. 15, 2021. Read more

The federal government has been tossing changes toward our industry at a rapid pace during 2021. So rapid that even I, your friendly healthcare economist who keeps up with changes for a living, sometimes struggle to do so.

So, this latest change, which is VERY powerful, has flown a bit under the radar. Read more

It’s a pretty common refrain from our members, brokers and stakeholders of all stripes here at Blue Cross (and I don’t blame them):

“Mike, why do my deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance go up every single year?! It’s ridiculous!” Read more

Big news this week in Louisiana’s medical marijuana world!

On Tuesday, June 22, Gov. Edwards signed a bill into law that will let patients in our state’s medical cannabis program legally buy smokable marijuana from the state’s licensed marijuana dispensaries. Read more