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Seeking to save money on rising health insurance premiums, a growing number of Pennsylvania companies are squeezing out spouses who have access to insurance of their own.

The concept, known as a spousal exclusion, is viewed as a way for companies to rein in costs without directly costing their employees more money.

Under one version of a spousal exclusion policy, a wife wouldn't be able to get coverage on her husband's insurance plan if she were eligible for insurance through a job of her own. Another variation might allow a working husband to join his wife's employer's plan, but charge him a fee to do so.

A survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting released last year reported that 14 percent of Pennsylvania employers said they used a spousal exclusion provision, compared with 8 percent nationally.

What unions do

Union employees earn higher wages and are more likely to have employer-provided health insurance and retirement plans. The benefits of unions, however, extend far beyond the individual worker.Compared to states with few union members (like North Carolina), states with a high percentage of union members have higher average wages, fewer people in poverty, fewer people without health insurance, lower workplace fatality rates, higher public education spending per pupil and higher voter participation rates.The labor movement is responsible for the 40-hour work week, child labor laws and worker health and safety protections. In recent years, unions have organized against bad trade deals and the movement offshore of American jobs. Unions have fought to protect Social Security and increase access to affordable health care and prescription drugs.At a time when CEO pay, health-care costs and gas prices are skyrocketing while employees' wages remain stagnant, Americans need unions more than ever if we want the middle class to survive.Ajamu DillahuntOutreach coordinator, N.C.

High-Deductible Health Plans Cost More for Women, Study Finds

Women are more likely to pay more than men for health care when enrolled in high-deductible health plans -- which have low premiums and in some cases include health savings accounts and health reimbursement arrangements, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports. For the study, Harvard Medical School researchers led by Steffie Woolhandler examined data from the 2003 federal Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which included responses from almost 33,000 U.S. residents. Based on 2006 dollars, the study found that the median cost for men younger than age 45 enrolled in high-deductible health plans was less than $500, compared with more than $1,200 for women. The study also found that one-third of men younger than age 45 with health insurance had more than $1,050 in annual medical costs, compared with 55% of women.

Florida Group Health Insurance At Lower Costs

Florida Group Health Insurance is very difficult to compare with individual health insurance. Recent polls taken by the Washington Post said that "33% of the consumer population didn't realize that group and individual health plans are different". How do I get a group health insurance policy? And what are my options to get lower cost health insurance?

Do you qualify for one of these plans? Many employers think that, with just a few employees, their businesses are too small. To the contrary, even a two person company can qualify for a group health plan.

Online Health Insurance Quotes for Ohio Residents

View Health Insurance, a full service Ohio health insurance broker, is proud to announce its online quoting application, which provides Ohio health insurance quotes to the public. Ohio residents can now get free online quotes from multiple carriers including United Healthcare, Nationwide, Celtic and Humana.

The Ohio health insurance quotes are up to date, and provide visitors with a quick and easy way to compare multiple plans from multiple vendors in one spot.

Obama hears from Seacoast on health care

PORTSMOUTH - Illinois Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama made it very clear to the 200-plus people who attended what he called, "A Community Meeting on Health Care," held at Seacoast Media Groups new headquarters at Pease on Tuesday, that the universal health care plan he wants to develop for the country has to have the backing of its citizens.

He placed the blame for not finding a solution to the health care crisis that has left 47 million Americans uninsured and tens of millions under-insured on a lack of political will.

Two Minnesotans are at the White House Today, Representing ...

EAGAN, Minn., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- A car accident left Heidi Searle with 36 stitches in her head, cracked ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. Because she couldn't afford health insurance and as an 18-year old was no longer eligible for her mother's plan, it also left her with around $10,000 in medical bills. As an uninsured patient, she was forced to give up college plans and instead work the graveyard shift at a bar in Las Vegas to pay collection agencies. Searle, now insured through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), is at the White House today to share her story with President Bush. She is an example of the 4.5 million Americans and 129,000 Blue Cross members who now have HSA-compatible health plans. The announcement by President Bush is part of the release of a new study on HSAs released today by the America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP).

US New Health Plan covers uninsured Americans, reduces US health ...

Health is a unity and harmony within the mind, body and spirit which is unique to each person, and is as defined by that person. The level of wellness or health is, in part, determined by the ability to deal with and defend against stress. Health is determined by physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual, and developmental stage variables. .