By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: AskBlue Tries to Explain Health Insurance and Obamacare
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > AskBlue Tries to Explain Health Insurance and Obamacare
Health ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

AskBlue Tries to Explain Health Insurance and Obamacare

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: September 2, 2013 8:11 am
DavidEWilliams
Share
3 Min Read
obamacare confusion
SHARE

obamacare confusionPolls show that few people understand health insurance or the Affordable Care Act. That’s especially so for those who have the most to gain from Obamacare: people who are uninsured and haven’t had health insurance for a while. It doesn’t help that so much of the political debate and news coverage is about the battle over Obamacare rather than education about how it works.

obamacare confusionPolls show that few people understand health insurance or the Affordable Care Act. That’s especially so for those who have the most to gain from Obamacare: people who are uninsured and haven’t had health insurance for a while. It doesn’t help that so much of the political debate and news coverage is about the battle over Obamacare rather than education about how it works.

Amidst all the noise, the BlueCross BlueShield Association has posted a new website, AskBlue to try to explain insurance in lay terms, educate the public on the impact of Obamacare, and point users to Blues plans in their area to buy insurance. All of this is happening in the run-up to the scheduled October opening of the health insurance marketplaces.

I had a look at the site. It does a good job of explaining “What Do I Get? What Do I Pay? How Do I Choose?” But let’s face it, the concepts are hard enough for even a well-educated consumer to understand. For example:

More Read

health reform
Can Downton Abbey “Health Plan” Replace Obamacare?
Fed Gov’t Approves Covert Study of Access to Primary Care
Frugal Medicine – What Indian Doctors Can Teach the US Healthcare System
Covering the Needs of Patients in Nizhny Novgorod
What distinguishes functional medicine from holistic medicine?
  • Premiums versus out-of-pocket costs. The differences between copays, deductibles, coinsurance and how they interact with one another and with out-of-pocket maximums
  • Types of plans: PPOs v. HDHPS v. HMOs, and the hybrid models like POS plans
  • “Metal” levels: Bronze, Gold, Silver, Platinum that are independent of the types of plans
  • Two terms for the new insurance shopping sites: “marketplaces” and “exchanges”

Despite all these topics, the site barely skims the surface on topics that matter such as: choosing a doctor, navigating the delivery system, evidence based care, pharmacy benefits, FSAs, patient portals.

Bottom line: Can we really expect people to understand all of this and act on it in an intelligent manner?

The site is a solid resource for those seeking to understand more. But all the complexities of the commercial insurance world will continue to make it pretty hard for most people to optimize their use of benefits, and will keep administrative costs high.

(confused by Obamacare / shutterstock)

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

Due Diligence in Community Health Screening

June 10, 2012
Health Reform

Keys To Proper Disposal Of Pharmaceutical Waste

October 16, 2019
NewsPublic Health

Cooling Centers Help Hide from the Heat

July 3, 2012

Are We Picking on VA Hospitals Too Much?

June 8, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?