By Michael Bertaut, Healthcare Economist
Perhaps the saddest tale of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the saga of the co-ops. These plans were asked to do the absolute impossible and it’s no surprise that they haven’t accomplished it.
By Michael Bertaut, Healthcare Economist
Anyone who has put together a home budget can tell you that the simplest (in theory) way to save money is to spend less. That applies to healthcare as well. At Blue Cross, we spend 84% of your premiums on actual healthcare, so we can make the biggest impact in controlling premium costs by actually keeping healthcare spending lower.
By Michael Bertaut, Healthcare Economist
The debate is lively and nationwide. Why does the U.S. healthcare system cost so much? Why invest so many of our tax dollars into our healthcare system? And how do we stack up to other countries?
By Michael Bertaut, Healthcare Economist
In Part 1 of this Blog on Hepatitis C, we looked at recent advancements in treatments and their costs, as well as the studies underway to determine how widespread the disease is. We learned that millions are infected, new prescription drugs are very effective and their costs sky-high.
© Jason Cohen Photography
By Michael Bertaut, Healthcare Economist
It is very important to us here at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana that our members are well informed as to the nature of healthcare costs, and the things that drive their premiums. Understanding how we price our products and spend their money are two rights every Blue Cross member has. This will be the first in a series of blog posts designed to bring more transparency to the things that happen in today’s healthcare world that affect how much you pay for your premium and for medical services in general. Today’s topic: Hepatitis C (Part 1).
