News For: Maternity health Insurance PlansAustralian Senate defeats health insurance changes CANBERRA, Sept 24 Reuters - The upper house of Australia's parliament voted down government plans to make it easier for people to abandon private health insurance on Wednesday, in a move that could bring relief to some listed health insurers. Manatee school health plans up for vote The Manatee County school board today is scheduled to vote on changing health insurance plans for all employees. Health insurance premiums up 5 percent, study finds Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose a modest 5 percent this year, according to a nationwide survey released Wednesday morning -- numbers that are close to what South Florida employers are reporting. New Bedford area lags in health insurance enrollments BOSTON ��� SouthCoast is seeing some gains under Massachusetts' new health insurance mandate, but the poorest parts of the region are lagging behind the state average, according to health care officials. The number: 63#x25 Government-guaranteed health insurance Nearly two-thirds of Americans 63% favor a government guarantee of universal health insurance, even if it means raising taxes; 34% are opposed. Democrats continue to be the most supportive of government-guaranteed health insurance ��� 79% of Democrats, including 85% of liberal Democrats, favor it. What should I consider when picking a health plan? Q: My company will offer some new choices for health benefit plans during its open-enrollment period. What are the most important things to consider when picking a plan? A: Health insurance easily grows confusing, especially when a human resources... Health-care costs to rise in '09 Get ready to add ''health care'' to the list of things that probably will cost you more next year. A national survey released Wednesday reveals that 40 percent of companies say they're ''very likely'' or ''somewhat likely'' to increase the amount employees pay for their health insurance in 2009. Health care pinches workers Premiums are up 5 percent this year, and employees at small firms get less coverage WASHINGTON -- Premiums for job-based health insurance are up 5 percent in 2008 and have more than doubled since 1999, a growth rate that far outpaces inflation and the increase in workers' wages over the same period, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation annual survey of employers.Meanwhile, a growing ... Experts debate shape of health reform Use tax credits to pay for health insurance policies? Cover everyone one way or another, including through insurance that federal employees get? Can there be any common agreement about how to reform healthcare in America? Congress Backs Parity in Coverage of Illnesses Congress moved close to approving a bill that would require health insurance plans to provide treatment of mental illnesses comparable to what they already provide for physical illnesses. |

