Arizona Health News Blog  

Arizona health insurance companies are earning billions of dollars with excessive rate hikes that consumers pay for annually.  Insurance companies have imposed double-digit rate increases even while pocketing record-setting profits. Since 1999, consumers have been hit with a shocking 131% increase in the cost of Arizona health insurance plans.  That’s twice the rate of medical inflation over the past 12 years.  What’s driving up the rates?  As you’ve probably noticed, health insurance | Continue reading this entry »

According to The Office on Women’s Health, there had been a decline in the number of women seeking preventive care such as mammograms and Pap Tests despite having health coverage. This problem is attributed to the current economic state and the rising cost of medical care services. Older plans may not cover preventive services, but any plan purchased after health care reform must cover many preventive services like mammograms and Pap Tests. If you don’t have Arizona health insurance, there | Continue reading this entry »

Generally, I recommend Arizona health insurance plans with a high deductible to keep premiums low.  However, you may be able to do even better by choosing a specific type of high-deductible plan. Certain policies will allow you to start a Health Savings Account.  This kind of coverage has been found to keep premium rate hikes to a minimum. Health Savings Account plans or HSA plans have been raising rates only about half as much as other forms of AZ health insurance. Not only do these plans start | Continue reading this entry »

If your Arizona health insurance plan premiums are increasing next year, are you just going to take it? There are hundreds of AZ health insurance plans, which increase your odds of finding a lower rate. And, with a little “know how,” you can skip the pricey options and go straight for the jackpot. We’ve packed our website with educational resources to show you where to find the savings. For example, did you know that PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) Arizona health insurance plans offer | Continue reading this entry »

Full coverage Arizona health insurance plans may be your best option when you have a chronic medical condition.  We all know that having chronic health problems require seeing the doctor regularly and a lot of medical care.  Even low premiums may not offset your out-of-pocket costs when you have a high-deductible plan. Full coverage AZ health insurance plans have co-pays, such as $25 or $35 to see a doctor, in comparison to plans with deductibles.  If you have a deductible with your health | Continue reading this entry »

Every year, it is expected that insurance companies will increase plan rates.  If rate hikes are getting to be too much for your budget, the next step is to switch to a plan with a deductible. High-deductible Arizona health insurance plans routinely cost less than co-pay plans. Plans with bigger deductibles (a specific amount you have to pay every year before you can start receiving coverage), have some of the least expensive premiums. Pairing your high-deductible Arizona health insurance plan | Continue reading this entry »

Supplemental accident insurance may be just what you need to reduce your out-of-pocket medical expenses.  Accident plans work great with one of the high-deductible health plans that keep premiums low because accident plans cut that high deductible down to a low $100 deductible for accidents. A trip to the E.R can easily drain your savings.  Some consumers might even find themselves with huge medical debt because they still need to pay a high deductible before coverage kicks in.  Accident plans | Continue reading this entry »

Rep. Marsha Blackburn continues to push her bill before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on health.  According to Blackburn, this bill would mean a significant change in the cost of Arizona health insurance. She says her bill can help with the rising cost of health insurance because it would allow interstate health insurance for Arizona.  That means residents of Arizona would have the chance to shop for health insurance from out-of-state insurance companies. Once people | Continue reading this entry »

One of the things that consumers should look into before buying any Arizona health insurance plan is the financial soundness of AZ health insurance companies.  By looking into a company’s financial stability and history, you can assess if the company has the capacity to pay members' medical claims. It is best to look at the ratings from independent rating organizations (such as the A.M. Best Company) to ensure neutrality.  Such organizations use a grading system wherein A+ is the highest rating | Continue reading this entry »

Last April, the Arizona Senate passed a health insurance bill that allows out-of-state health insurance companies to issue Arizona health insurance policies to group and individual markets.  Recently though, Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed this proposal.  According to Brewer, this health insurance bill would only place Arizonians at risk. This AZ health insurance bill was vetoed by Brewer because it would allow out-of-state insurers to drop certain health insurance benefit mandates.  Some mandates in | Continue reading this entry »