The ValChoice blog is the best source for independent, unbiased consumer insurance information. Our information is unbiased and trusted because we do not sell insurance. Our mission is to help consumers get good insurance at a good value.
ValChoice has been selected as one of eight finalists for the community track of the University of New Hampshire Social Venture Innovation Challenge for 2015. The 2015 New Hampshire Social Venture Innovation Challenge finalists were selected by a panel of 55 judges and will compete in the final round Friday, Nov. 20, beginning at […]
Competition drives down prices and improves service, usually. The proof is now in that for health insurance competition does not reduce prices. The proof comes in a study from Health and Human Services (HHS) titled “Premium Affordability, Competition, and Choice in the Health Insurance Marketplace, 2014.” Don’t let the headlines fool you. The headlines quote HHS Secretary […]
Giving your healthcare away to others explains why narrow healthcare networks have emerged under Obamacare. This week the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) published a three-year study based on a Massachusetts healthcare plan for state employees. The results of the study show that healthcare spending fell by 40% for employees enrolled in narrow healthcare networks. How Does […]
Healthcare changes are creating confusion. Are the changes helping? This roundup post covers three topics: What Federal, State and Private Health Insurance Exchanges will NOT accomplish. What are all The New Acronyms, and What do they Mean to Me? Is Universal Healthcare in our Future? Healthcare Changes – What Hasn’t Been Addressed? Lower Healthcare Costs—healthcare […]
Fads come and go and now another fad has passed. Skinny is no longer in. In fact, skinny is out, as in “out-of-your-pocket.” That’s the latest news on healthcare networks. This week Anthem, a unit of Wellpoint, Inc., was sued for the second time over accusations of switching people to skinny, or narrow, networks that have […]
Numerous polling services blame more than 60% of personal bankruptcy filings on healthcare costs. This is a staggering number. According to Nerdwallet Health, a division of the price comparison website, 1.7 million people would file for personal bankruptcy in 2013 due to health care costs. Let’s accept these numbers as correct and understand what this means. […]
Any business that operates across state lines is subject to federal regulation. Few people realize that the insurance industry is exempt from this requirement and is not subject to federal regulation. The insurance industries exemption from federal regulation also includes exemption from anti-trust laws. Anti-trust laws are the laws that protect consumers by not allowing […]
Rejected insurance claims are stressful, and can even be life altering. I know because an accident and the resulting medical bills were both stressful and life altering for me. After years of fighting with insurance companies to cover medical bills that had been pre-approved, I knew that our system for protecting people with insurance was badly […]
Would you be surprised to get a call from your doctor’s office because you bought a donut with your morning coffee or bought cigarettes at the gas station? With the amount of data being collected on consumers these days, it’s possible, and major users of this data are insurance companies. With the implementation of Obamacare, healthcare providers […]
Has your bank notified you they will be charging you for home insurance? Watch out. Oftentimes the charge is three or four times — or even more — more expensive than the home insurance you already have. If you are like me, you already provided proof that your home is insured. In fact, you may […]
