With the continuous increase of health insurance rates, it is just vital to learn the different factors that affect this change. You must know that one of the major determinants of health plan cost is prescription drugs. While medications are improved for more conditions, patients and doctors, pharmaceutical companies earn billions of dollars in profit each year at the expense of access to cost-effective health insurance plans.

The United States is one of two countries in the world which lets direct-to-consumer marketing of prescription drugs. Medications are advertised like any other products on TV, in magazines, and online. Their publicity campaigns are based on branding and other marketing strategies in addition…

Earlier this month, Sen. Blanche Lincoln became the center of attention in Washington when she was the last Democratic to say that she would support advancing the debate on the Senate health care bill. For that reason, some issues were raise whether the attention has been good for Lincoln or not.

“It was a colossal political blunder to put herself in that position,” said Republican political consultant Bill Vickery of Little Rock. “All the polling data points to Arkansans understanding this as an economic issue and not favoring it, and she put herself to be in position to be the deciding vote putting it forward.”

Lincoln’s vote has given the Democrats the…

If you are just about to purchase health insurance plan, lucky you as there is a recent ranking released by U.S. News & World Report and National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) regarding “America’s Best Health Plans”. Make sure you check it out to have an overview about the industry; find out which companies can you trust and which plans can possibly suit your needs.

Based on the report, two of Highmark Inc.’s health insurance products are among “America’s Best Health Insurance Plans 2009-10”. SecurityBlue, Highmark’s Medicare Advantage HMO, ranked 32nd on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best Medicare plans while Keystone Blue, offered under Highmark’s subsidiary Keystone…

Rankings regarding which company provides the best health care and good customer service certainly help the consumers make a knowledgeable decision. That’s why certain organizations religiously conduct studies to be able to discern unfailing insurance companies and those who are not.

“America’s Best Health Insurance Plans is a practical tool that helps consumers make informed decisions when choosing a health plan,” said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. “It lets consumers know which plans have demonstrated they can deliver the highest levels of care and service.”

According to U.S. News & World Report (U.S. News) and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Cigna health plans are listed among the highest ranked commercial plans…