 |
||||||
|
||||||
 |
||||||
 |
|
|
 |
The Quarterly ReCall Newsletter October/Fall 2008
October/Fall 2008 Health Insurance and the Upcoming Elections As we head into the election season, health insurance and health care will be hot topics. Granted, they’ll take a back seat to the economy, but health care financing issues have been on the back burner far too long and are bound to get some attention. In a nutshell, the plan set forth by Sen. John McCain is market driven. He wants to give people tax credits which would be paid directly to an insurance company to purchase a policy. McCain figures that the more people that are driven to buy insurance, the lower the premiums will become. Sen. Barack Obama’s plan has the government participating to a greater extent, requiring health insurance for all children, subsidies for families who can’t afford health insurance and a national insurance plan based upon the federal employees plan that would be accessible to private employers. You can see that the two plans fall directly along party lines. Market driven reform offered by the Republicans and national health care offered by the Democrats. We believe that what is more likely to happen is that the responsibility will fall on each state to resolve their market’s problems. Recently, at the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Association of Health Underwriters, it was announced that Gov. Jim Doyle wants an expansion of BadgerCare and BadgerCare Plus for small employers, from two to one hundred in size. The plan, called Badger Connect is roughly based upon the plan that has failed miserably in Massachusetts. In this plan, small employers would have access to the same plan as State employees. The concern here is that the first employers to apply would be those with the worst health histories. The plan would go broke before it begins. We have a lot to watch for after the upcoming elections. Stay in touch with your legislators, give them your opinions, and, by all means, keep big government out of the health insurance business. In all sincerity, Thomas A. Witkowski back to top IRA-TO-HSA rollovers The Internal Revenue Service recently issued guidance on subsidizing HSAs with money from individual retirement accounts. In Notice 2008-51, which implements provisions under the Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006, the IRS outlines 10 scenarios on how the rules would apply. Individuals covered by a high-deductible health plan that also own a traditional or Roth IRA can make a one-time IRA-to-HSA funding transfer without facing federal income taxes or penalties. The transfer amount, however, cannot exceed the individual’s maximum HSA contribution limit. Also, money will have to go directly from the IRA trustee to the HSA trustee. Please seek your Accountant’s advice before taking action! back to top LEGAL Q&A by: BY: ATTORNEY W. PATRICK SULLIVAN Q: I received a letter at the office recently from an attorney who apparently represents a former patient and he is requesting a ¡§certified copy¡¨ of the patient¡¦s records and x-rays. Enclosed with his letter was an authorization signed by the patient for the release of the records and x-rays. It is my understanding that only the patient herself can request copies of her records and, therefore, technically the letter from the lawyer does not require me to send him the copies. Am I right about this? A: No, you are not. Here is the law in a nutshell. Under ¡± 146.83 of the Wisconsin Statutes a patient may do all of the following: „± Inspect her healthcare records at your office during reasonable business hours, upon reasonable notice. „± Request and receive a copy of her healthcare records upon payment of a fee as established in the Wisconsin Administrative Code. „± Request and receive copies of her x-rays, also after the payment of an established fee. Moreover, under ¡± 146.82(1) of the statutes, the patient¡¦s records may be released to a person authorized by the patient as long as an authorization signed by the patient accompanies the request. In this case the authorized person is her lawyer and you need to do three things: 1. Make sure the authorization signed by the patient identifies the attorney who sent you the letter as the person to whom her records are to be sent; 2. Make a complete copy of the chart and all x-rays; and 3. Mail them to the requesting attorney, noting in the patient¡¦s chart the date that the records and x-rays were sent out. To review the appropriate fees you can charge for copying and sending out the records, see HFS 117.05 at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/hfs/hfs117.pdf With respect to the ¡§certification¡¨ request, you or your office manager should sign a cover letter when you send those records indicating that you have compared the copies to the original records and certifying that they are copies of that original set of records for that patient. In any case in which you have questions about a records request, it is strongly recommended that you call an attorney for advice. back to top The Question Is: Not If But When Will Alzheimer’s Affect You by: Submitted By: M. Roberts, VP WDA Insurance Programs, Inc. The number of Americans surviving into their 80s and 90s is expected to grow because of advances in medicine, medical technology and social and environmental conditions. Since the incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia increase with age, the number of people with these conditions will also grow rapidly. In Wisconsin, there is a projected 10% increase in the number of people age 65+ with Alzheimer’s disease between 2000 and 2010. • In 2000, there were an estimated 411,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease nationwide. That number is expected to increase to 454,000 new cases a year by 2010, 615,000 new cases a year by 2030, and 959,000 new cases a year by 2050. • The number of people age 65 and over with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.7 million in 2030, a greater than 50 percent increase from the 5 million age 65 and over who are currently affected. • By 2050, the number of individuals age 65 and over with Alzheimer’s could range from 11 million to 16 million unless science finds a way to prevent or effectively treat the disease. By that date, more than 60 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease will be age 85 or older. Who Are the Caregivers? Family and other unpaid caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias are more likely to be women than men. About 60 percent of unpaid caregivers are wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters and other female relatives, friends and neighbors. The remaining 40 percent are husbands, sons, sons-in-law, grandsons and other male relatives, friends and neighbors. Caregivers range in age from very young to very Old: among caregivers age 18 and older, 19 percent were under age 35; 29 percent were ages 35-49; 37 percent were ages 50-64; 14 percent were age 65 and over.22 Their average age was 48. Costs to Individuals and Their Families Although Medicaid covers some long-term care costs, families coping with dementia often incur considerable costs in caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. Costs are high for care at home or in an adult day center, assisted living residence or nursing home. • The average hourly rate for home health aides in 2007 was $19 or $152 for an eight-hour day. For homemaker or companion services, costs ran $18 an hour. • Adult day center services cost an average of $61 per day in 2007. • The average monthly cost for a private, one bedroom unit in an assisted living residence was $2,969 or $35,628 a year in 2007. Assisted living residences that provide specialized dementia care often charge additional monthly fees averaging $1,110 for that care. • The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home was $213 in 2007 or $77,745 a year. • Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older paid 37 percent of the cost of their nursing home care out of pocket in 2002. • U.S. National Health Expenditure Accounts show that consumers’ out-of-pocket payments funded 26 percent of all spending on nursing homes in 2006. For additional information, the 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures is a comprehensive statistical abstract of United States data on Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia and is available via the Alzheimer’s Associaiton at www.alz.org. For information on long term care insurance, please contact our Long Term Care Specialist-Melissa Coppage-at 262-784-8400 ext 143. back to top Marquette Corner by: By: Laura Barrette This year, the American Student Dental Association Annual Session was held in Scottsdale, AZ. Every dental school in the United States had representation in the House of Delegates. The Marquette ASDA Chapter was able to send ten representatives to the Annual Session. ASDA updated the strategic plan and its main priorities this year are dental education issues and student advocacy. The Marquette ASDA Chapter will be working even harder this year to continue to improve its local chapter. At the Annual Session, the Marquette ASDA Chapter was recognized for its improvement over this past year and received an honorable mention award for the most improved ASDA Chapter. The Marquette ASDA Chapter is very motivated this year. The chapter has received approval to have automatic admissions to ASDA for all MUSoD students. The ASDA chapter has several events planned for the year including a vendor fair, fiesta luncheons, and pizza & politics. The chapter is also looking forward to participate in the Mission of Mercy (MOM) program in June 2009. back to top Save Money On Vision Care, Hearing Care, Chiropractic Care, and Prescription Drugs! WDA Insurance Programs, Inc. (WDAIP) is proud to announce a new discount program that makes it easier to afford important life enhancing services through Benessential. Now you can choose up to four of the Benessential programs in any combination you wish with no waiting periods, no claims to fill, no annual maximums and no deductibles! Monthly Rates: Any one plan: $8.50 per head of household Any two plans: $9.00 per head of household Any three plans: $9.50 per head of household Any four plans: $10.00 per head of household For more information about this exclusive discount card program, call 866-539-1068. You can also download enrollment forms directly from the WDAIP website at www.insuranceformembers.com in the DOCUMENTS section. Start saving money today! back to top Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) Have Hit Their Stride As A Viable And Valuable Employee Benefit Option An HRA, in general, is a benefit plan that allows an employer to create a pool of funds which participating employees draw upon as reimbursement for eligible medical expenses that are not covered by the underlying insurance plan. From deductible and coinsurance expenses to co-payments, employers can chose the expenses that they’d like to be eligible for reimbursement under their HRA. After a participant incurs an eligible expense, they request a reimbursement from their potion of the employer-funded account. Employers can offer an HRA alongside a flexible spending account (FSA) and employees can participate in both. However, if the HRA and FSA have an overlap in the types of eligible expenses, the same expense can only be reimbursed by one of the two accounts. For more information, contact your WDAIP representative today at 4414-277-7727 or 800-242-9077. back to top WDAIP Offers A Stand Alone Personal Umbrella Policy to WDA Members How many of the following risk exposures do you have? „Ñ Owning an auto „Ñ Youthful driver in your house „Ñ Frequent driving with other adults or children in your car „Ñ Owning a home or a condo „Ñ Owning a watercraft „Ñ Owning a snowmobile and/or an all terrain vehicle „Ñ Owning a recreational vehicle „Ñ Owning a swimming pool „Ñ Owning a pet It is all too common these days for highly paid professionals and their families to be targets for lawsuits. Judgments can be in the millions, often well beyond the limits of a primary personal liability policy. An umbrella policy offers you extra liability insurance that pays for a loss when the limits of your underlying homeowners or auto policy are exhausted. If you have at least one of the exposures listed, a personal umbrella policy may protect you and your family from an unfortunate incident. WDAIP is proud to offer a stand alone Personal Umbrella Policy, underwritten by C.N.A. insurance company, which provides WDA members up to $5 million of liability coverage at affordable group rates. For additional information and underlying coverage requirements, please contact Nicole Cutraro at 414-755-4182 or ncutraro@insuranceformembers.net. back to top WPS Corner: ORGANize to Save Lives by: Presented by Kim Waisanen Today, there are nearly 100,000 Americans on waiting lists for organ transplants. And 18 die waiting every day. Each new organ donor has the potential to save or enhance the lives of 50 other people. Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) has launched their statewide organ/tissue donation campaign, ORGANize to Save Lives. With the leadership of Wisconsin businesses and the willingness of the public, we can truly make a difference in the lives of those in need. WPS’ goal is to sign up one million new donors by 2010. If you are interested in becoming a donor and you would like more information, please visit WPS’ website at www.wpsic.com. back to top What is the ESGR? The ESGR is the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency that seeks to promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees. The ESGR provides information regarding the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) , recognition for employers who support employee participation in the National Guard and Reserve and mediation for USERA compliance issues. Visit www.esgr.mil for additional information back to top Past Issues January/Winter 2008 April/Spring 2008 October/Fall 2007 July/Summer 07 April/Spring 2007 Oct/Fall 2006 July/Summer 2006 April/Spring 2006 Oct/Fall 2005 April05QR July 05 QR 4th Quarter 2004 3rd Quarter 2004 2nd Quarter 2004 3rd Quarter 2003 1st Quarter 2004 4th Quarter 2003 1st Quarter 2003 2nd Quarter 2003 4th Quarter 3rd Quarter 2002 1st Quarter 2002 2nd Quarter 2002 Spring 2001 Jan/Winter 2006 |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
