It’s been a pretty crazy week. Just since I last wrote to you, Donald Trump came to town, President Obama came to town. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Red Cross and lots of other organizations are here distributing money and supplies and food. Relief has been pouring in from far and wide. We’re so grateful!
I just can’t wrap my brain around these numbers (even after 55 years of living in South Louisiana).
In January 2010, just a few months before healthcare reform law passed, I got a study by a national actuarial firm that measured the impact of state regulations on health insurance plan pricing. This study showed WIDE variation in the definition of an individual health insurance policy, and how plans were priced, from state to state.
Medicaid has expanded in Louisiana. In previous posts, we’ve talked a bit about what that means, but as enrollment has already eclipsed 250,000 people, this is a good time to review what is happening and what it means for our state.
I often teach classes in what I call “Health Insurance 101” here at Blue Cross. I want to make sure our employees have a good understanding of what insurance companies like us do and why we are here.
The BAD NEWS was right there in the headline: “Louisiana loses 19,600 jobs over a 12 month period through May 2016.” (The Advocate, June 17, 2016) Not counted in the headlines are the thousands of hourly employees whose hours are being cut to less than full time, thanks to oil sector slowdowns. It is vitally important during these times of crisis that those most affected do not lose track of their most valuable asset – their health.
