Family insurance costs skyrocket 14%

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- American workers are taking yet another blow to their wallets this year -- a whopping 14% jump in costs to insure their families. The spike comes even as premiums for family coverage rose only 3%. This discrepancy is a result of cost-conscious companies shifting more of the insurance burden onto employees. Employees are paying about $4,000 to buy family insurance in 2010, $482 more than they did last year, the Kaiser Family Foundation said Thursday. Companies still pay the bulk -- nearly $9,800 for a family of four -- but that was down a little from...

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The End Of Our Company-Paid Health Insurance

For 15 years, I have taken pride in paying the full cost of health insurance for every full-time Palisades Hudson employee who wanted it. This month marks the last time I will do that. Beginning in October, our 20 employees will make their own decisions, and their own arrangements, regarding health coverage.[...]When they wrote this year’s legislation, policymakers had a choice: They could emphasize near-universal coverage, or they could emphasize controlling costs. They opted for near-universal coverage. As a result, business owners and higher income Americans (many of whom, like me, are one and the same) will soon pay an...

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Ky. court rules Christian-only health plan is insurance

(No story. Link only. Interesting thought.)

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Dog who ate beehive wins unusual pet insurance award

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A Labrador that ate a beehive containing pesticides and thousands of dead bees won an award on Monday that recognized the most unusual pet health insurance claim in the United States. Ellie, who fully recovered from her encounter with the beehive in southern California, beat a border collie that ran through a window to get at a mailman, and a terrier that bit a chainsaw. She won a bronze trophy in the shape of a ham, and basket of toys and doggie treats. The winner was announced on Monday by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI)...

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Stacy, the EIB Insurance Expert (under 35, preexisting condition, free Commiecare costs $12,340/yr)

Stacy, the EIB Insurance ExpertAugust 20, 2010 BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Here's Stacy from somewhere in Georgia. She is our semi-regular caller keeping us up to speed on health care and health insurance. She's our insurance analyst. Stacy, as always, welcome back. Great to have you here. CALLER: Hey, Rush. Great to talk to you. RUSH: Thank you. CALLER: And for the NAGs out there, the problem is you. RUSH: (laughing) CALLER: I solved that real quick and they didn't even have to rent a conference room. But, listen, I have found some truly delicious information. RUSH: On? CALLER: On these...

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UNC Changes Health Insurance Over Abortion (You may opt out - but you still pay for Commiecare™)

UNC Changes Health Insurance Over AbortionPosted: 7:36 AM Aug 13, 2010 The University of North Carolina will let students remove coverage for elective abortions from their university-sponsored health insurance after a national group complained about the coverage. UNC system President Erskine Bowles on Thursday directed a student insurance company to contact students who have bought a policy this fall and give them the chance to opt out of that coverage. Students for Life of America started a petition drive this week demanding the UNC Board of Governors remove the abortion provision. Group President Kristan Hawkins said students shouldn't be required...

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University of North Carolina to Force Students to Pay for Abortion-Providing Insurance

Tuesday August 10, 2010 University of North Carolina to Force Students to Pay for Abortion-Providing Insurance By James TillmanCHAPEL HILL, North Carolina, August 10, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - This coming school year, students at the University of North Carolina who do not have or cannot afford their own private health insurance will be required to buy into a state-selected health insurance plan that funds abortions.“The fact that North Carolina students are going to be forced to pay for elective abortions is appalling," said Kristan Hawkins, Executive Director of Students for Life of America, which discovered the abortion mandate. "Students should...

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