Could Gun Insurance Be the Solution?

There have been two major topics of conversation that popped up after the tragedy that happened in Newtown, Connecticut. One idea is to require owners of firearms to purchase gun insurance. What do you think about that? What can we do to prevent a tragedy (like what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School) from ever happening again? One idea that is floating around online involves the requirement that owners of firearms purchase gun insurance. John Wasik is a contributor at Forbes. He writes about investments, financial planning, and personal ecology. He wrote a blog post called “Newtown’s New Reality: Using … Continue reading →

Insurance Woes for Police Responders at Newtown

Once can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the police officers that responded to the tragedy that happened at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Some are so affected by what they saw that they cannot work. Their insurance company is not covering the care they require. By now, you have undoubtedly heard about the tragedy that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. A gunman (whose name we have all heard many times over), shot and killed 26 people at the school. Twenty of them were young children. The entire nation was shocked by, … Continue reading →

Millions About to Lose Unemployment Insurance Benefits

You have probably heard at least some news regarding the “fiscal cliff”. In this blog, I will focus on just one part of that. If Congress doesn’t extend emergency unemployment insurance programs, it will result in 2.1 million Americans losing their jobless benefits on January 1, 2013. That’s an incredibly stressful way to start off the new year! Unemployment insurance benefits are incredibly important. This is what a family survives on after a “breadwinner” has been laid off, or has had their company close due to the economy. A person who loses a job, through no fault of his or … Continue reading →

Keep Pets Safe from Outdoor Seasonal Dangers

Oh, the weather outside is frightful! People who have one or more pets that primarily live outdoors need to take extra precautions to keep them safe as the weather gets cold and miserable. VPI has created a helpful list of 10 seasonal dangers to outdoor pets. When you go out into the snowy, Winter, weather, you probably bundle up. Most of us wear warm coats, gloves, hats, and scarves if we are expecting to be outside for more than a minute or two. Your pets can’t do that. This could lead to a very serious, and tragic, situation. You might … Continue reading →

My Insurer Mentioned a Weight Loss App

Does your health insurance company send you helpful little newsletters? Mine does. This time, the newsletter included information about a weight loss app. Health insurance companies have an intrinsic interest in helping their customers be as healthy as possible. My health insurance company sends me newsletters from time to time. The purpose of the newsletters is so the insurer can send customers information and advice that they can use to improve their health and to stay healthy. Insurance companies have an intrinsic interest in helping their customers to have good health. People who are healthy don’t need to visit a … Continue reading →

Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pills?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has proposed a new idea. They say oral contraceptives should be made available over-the-counter without the need for a prescription. How would this affect your health insurance coverage? In August of 2011, the Affordable Care Act was expanded to include the coverage of women’s preventative health services. This means that all health insurance plans must cover the cost of those services, including all FDA approved forms of contraception, without charging a co-pay or deductible. All health plans, whether they are individual or an employer sponsored health plan, must cover birth control in this … Continue reading →

Don’t Feed Your Pets Leftovers from Thanksgiving

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. Today, many of us have lots of delicious leftovers to eat. Don’t feed the leftovers to your pets! People food can make pets really sick. VPI has a list of holiday-related medical conditions that you definitely don’t want your pet to suffer with! It can be very tempting to feed your dog or cat some leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. Many pets will beg for food every time your family eat dinner, (even when it isn’t Thanksgiving). Some pet owners do give in and will toss their dog or cat some people food to eat. Got more leftovers … Continue reading →

Before You Deep Fry that Turkey…

There are some safety tips that you should know about before you deep fry that Thanksgiving turkey. It could be the difference between a happy Thanksgiving and a trip to the emergency room. Here is some advice to help you prevent having to file a health insurance claim, or a homeowners insurance claim, on Thanksgiving day. Stacey Fleming is the public information officer with the FWFD (Fort Wayne Fire Department) in Indiana. She says: “Fires are three times more likely to occur on Thanksgiving and around Thanksgiving more than any other time of the year, so inevitably we probably will … Continue reading →

The Affordable Care Act is Here to Stay

President Obama has been elected to a second term, and the Affordable Care Act is here to stay. This is wonderful news for all Americans! The ACA has already provided benefits that many families have experienced. Those will continue, and more are coming up between now and 2014. The Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010. The Supreme Court ruled, in June of 2012, that the Affordable Care Act will stand and will continue. As you are probably aware, the Republican party platform for the 2012 election emphasized their interest in repealing the Affordable Care Act. President Obama won the … Continue reading →

Illinois Moves Forward on Insurance Exchange

The state of Illinois is taking steps to move forward on its health insurance exchange. The state sees the value in doing this no matter which candidate wins the 2012 Presidential election. A coalition of concerned groups in Illinois urged Governor Pat Quinn to set up Illinois’ exchange. Part of the Affordable Care Act requires every state to set up their own health insurance exchange. The exchanges will allow people to find an affordable health insurance plan. All exchanges are expected to be up and running by January 1, 2014. States that choose not to create their own state-run exchange … Continue reading →