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Mental health care help is available

May is Mental Health awareness month and the past few years have been extremely difficult to navigate. It has never been more important to talk about stress and mental strain each one of us may be experiencing. Sustained higher levels of stress can lead to depression, anxiety, fatigue, and other triggers that cause a greater propensity for attempting suicide.

The perceived stigma of mental health can also make it difficult for people to feel that they can reach out for support. There are a number of helpful sources available for people in need and I will highlight those today.

• The National Suicide helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling or texting “988.” Support services are confidential and free of charge. This helpline is now a streamlined version of the suicide hotline and involves the ability to call and talk with someone, or text the number and use the text version if you do not want to talk.

• Local resources are also available. In the Great Bend area, the Center for Counseling and Consultation can be reached on their confidential crisis line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-875-2544 or 620-792-2544 as well as at their website https://thecentergb.org. In the Hays area, High Plains Mental Health is there to help. Contact them at 785-628-2871 or on their crisis line 24/7 at 800-432-0333. Their website is https://hpmhc.com.

• K-State Research and Extension also has available resources. The Stress and Resiliency team are trained in several programs including: Mental Health First Aid, Michigan State Farm Stress Training, and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer). The Team is available for on sight programs, contact them at https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/health/stress-management/trainings-programs.html, or by email torclews@ksu,.edu, [email protected], or [email protected].

• The Kansas Agriculture Mediations

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INSURANCE

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company stocks: Buy Star Health and Allied Insurance Company, target price Rs 650: ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct has buy call on Star Health and Allied Insurance Company with a target price of Rs 650. The current market price of Star Health and Allied Insurance Company is Rs 586.55.

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company, incorporated in the year 2005, is a Large Cap company (having a market cap of Rs 34124.10 Crore) operating in Financial Services sector.

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company key Products/Revenue Segments include Premiums Earned, Interest & Dividend and Income From Sale Of Share & Securities for the year ending 31-Mar-2022.

Financials

For the quarter ended 31-12-2022, the company has reported a Standalone Total Income of Rs 3074.37 Crore, up 2.39 % from last quarter Total Income of Rs 3002.62 Crore and up 13.40 % from last year same quarter Total Income of Rs 2711.01 Crore. Company has reported net profit after tax of Rs 210.47 Crore in latest quarter.

The company’s top management includes Mr.Venkatasamy Jagannathan, Mr.Utpal Hemendra Sheth, Mr.Deepak Ramineedi, Mr.Berjis Minoo Desai, Mr.Rajeev Krishnamuralilal Agarwal, Mr.Rajni Sekhri Sibal, PadmashriKaarthikeyan Devarayapuram Ramasamy, Ms.Anisha Motwani, Mr.Rohit Bhasin, Mr.Anand Shankar Roy, Dr.Subbarayan Prakash, Mr.Sumir Chadha. Company has V Sankar Aiyar & Co. as its auditors. As on 31-03-2023, the company has a total of 58 Crore shares outstanding.

Investment Rationale
Market leader in retail health insurance segment (~33% market share) with potential for sustained business growth and, thus, earnings trajectory.

Promoter/FII Holdings
Promoters held 58.28 per cent stake in the company as of 31-Mar-2023, while FIIs owned 35.24 per cent, DIIs 1.44 per cent.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations given in this section or any reports attached herein are authored by an external party. Views expressed are that of the respective authors/entities. These do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for, endorse any of its contents and … Read the rest

INSURANCE

Health Ministry Abolishes Taxes on Insurance for Select Kenyans

Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha Wafula on May 1, announced that the government had in the next budget provided tax exemption on medical insurance for retired employees.

In an interview on the sidelines of Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nakhumicha stated that the exemption would also apply to companies manufacturing vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.

The CS explained that the move was a significant step towards safeguarding the well-being of our retired workforce and promoting the production of life-saving healthcare products.

“We have put in the palace a tax exemption for payment of interest for those who have retired which means that their payment for medical insurance will be exempted from interest.

Health CS Susan Nakhumicha speaking during familiarisation engagement with the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health on Saturday, April 15, 2023.

Photo

Ministry of Health

“We have also exempted interest for companies that are going to manufacture vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Anybody who wants to manufacture the vaccines is exempted from some sort of interest on their royalties,” the CS stated

In addition, Nakhumicha revealed that the government had plans in place to operationalise an advisory council to address the concerns of healthcare workers in Kenya and submit recommendations.

“The president stated that he will not go back on the benefits of the devolution and will ensure that healthcare workers get their salaries.

“For now, as the Ministry of Health we are operationalising the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council that will deal with the issues affecting healthcare workers and submit recommendations,” the CS noted. 

On Friday, April 14, healthcare workers across the country announced that they would down their tools over delayed March salaries. 

They noted that their woes had become unbearable since they, too, had bills to pay and families to take care of.

“Occasional delays in

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INSURANCE

How employer-sponsored health insurance can widen economic inequality

What is behind the widening gap in the job market between those with college diplomas and those without them?

Scholars have offered several different explanations, including technological change, globalization, and the decline in private sector unions. A recent study looked at the role of health insurance that often comes with a job.

For more on this Marketplace’s David Brancaccio spoke with our senior economics contributor Chris Farrell. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

David Brancaccio: I mean the data are clear college grads, you know, get better jobs, tend to be paid more than those who have a high school diploma or less. Harder to prove cause and effect. But let’s first get this baseline, college degree does help you in the job market?

Chris Farrell: Oh, absolutely. I mean, the wages of college graduates, I mean, they’re nearly twice as high as non-college educated workers. And, you know, as you know, David, college educated workers they enjoy higher employment rates and they’re more likely to get jobs that come with benefits, such as health insurance.

Brancaccio: We do live at a time of enormously quick technological change. And it may be that to deal with that you need the skills that you tend to acquire in college. But you mentioned employer sponsored health insurance. How does that play out here?

Farrell: OK, let me give you three key pieces of information. First, about half the population and all those with private health insurance get it through their employer or a family member’s employer and that is unique to the U.S. Now second, any contributions employers make to their employees health insurance premiums, that’s excluded from employees taxable income, and by the way, the tax exclusion is the single largest federal tax expenditure,

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INSURANCE

Bright Health to sell Medicare Advantage arm, focus on NeueHealth

The last remnant of Bright Health Group’s health insurance operation is up for sale as the company negotiates with lenders to avoid bankruptcy, the company announced Friday.

The insurtech must find a buyer for its California Medicare Advantage business by the end of May to qualify for a credit extension through June, Bright Health notified investors in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the terms of the amended credit facility, the company would have to maintain $50 million in cash, down from $85 million under the current agreement.

Bright Health needs the credit to avoid bankruptcy: The company overdrew its $300 million line of credit last month and had until next Monday to reach the minimum threshold to maintain access to lenders.

Bright Health did not immediately respond to an interview request.

If the company sells its Medicare Advantage line in California, it would mark the end of the insurance company’s insurance business. Bright Health previously participated in the Medicare Advantage, health insurance exchange and employer-sponsored health plan markets in 15 states. The company has 125,000 Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligible members in the Golden State, where it lost $40.8 million last year, according to regulatory filings.

Going forward, Bright Health will focus solely on its NeueHealth primary care business, which comprises 74 clinics in Florida and Texas that serve 375,000 patients, the company said in a news release Friday.

The credit agreement announced Friday requires Bright Health executives to attend weekly meetings with creditors about the Medicare Advantage sale and biweekly meetings about its finances. Bright Health is barred from taking on new debt or investments.

If insurance regulators in Texas or Florida place the company under receivership or under additional supervision, lenders have the right to dissolve the credit agreement. Bright Health reported a $163 million

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INSURANCE

Importance of health insurance in today’s uncertain times


KARACHI:

Our health is undoubtedly our greatest asset! However, at times access to the things that contribute to a better quality of life can be challenging for most of us. Moreover, access to even basic healthcare is an issue for particular segments of society.

Pakistan is a developing nation economically but its population is growing at an average annual rate of 1.9% which is almost double the average global population growth rate.

On top of that, over 7% of the population is over the age of 60, which gives rise to an increasing need for medical care for age-related health issues. Also, given that the average woman in the country gives birth to nearly 3.6 children, there is also a significant demand for healthcare services related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Pakistan’s diverse demographic profile offers immense potential for insurance products due to the significant size of its Gen Z segment, comprising 60-65% of its populace, where the majority of individuals are under the age of 30.

This younger lot focuses on maintaining a healthy and secure lifestyle. As such, this segment requires wider access to modern infrastructure like fitness centres to sustain this lifestyle till they get to 60.

Similarly, they need awareness for accepting life insurance products as integral parts of their lives so that when the time comes, they have a support system that eases their worries.

Since a significant chunk of Pakistan’s population is young, therefore it is essential to understand how health insurance works and why it has become a crucial aspect from the early stages of life.

Insurance generally works on the principle of risk sharing, where individuals pay premiums to a service provider in return for providing them financial coverage in case of medical emergencies including hospitalisation, surgical, and outpatient coverage, alleviating the burden

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INSURANCE

Compare health insurance quotes | Uswitch

How do I choose the level of cover with my medical health plan?

There are usually two types of policies:

Limited health care cover – also known as underwriting moratorium. This won’t cover you for any pre-existing illnesses or any health problems you’ve had in the last five years.

However, if you suffer no symptoms, seek no medical advice and have no treatment or medication for these pre-existing conditions they can become covered again in the future. This period tends to be two years of symptoms, advice, treatment and medication free.

This tends to be the cheapest type of healthcare insurance.

Full healthcare cover – also known as full medical underwriting. In this case, you complete a medical questionnaire, and the insurer will give you a definitive answer as to what is covered before your policy begins.

Most insurers will only cover you for new conditions, and treatments that can be administered over the short term. As a result, long-term illnesses or regular care over a long period such as for a standard pregnancy or cosmetic treatments are not likely to be covered.

If you do have some specific areas of concern regarding your future health, then check with the insurer whether you will be covered for them and to what level.

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INSURANCE

Health insurance quotes – NerdWallet

About this tool

This tool provides an easy way to compare health insurance quotes for individual health plans. Individual health insurance plans are policies you buy on your own, rather than through work. This tool shows plans that are offered through state and federal health insurance marketplaces. If you qualify for tax subsidies to lower your monthly payments, you must buy one of these plans to receive a subsidy.

What to look for in a health insurance plan

There’s more to comparing health insurance quotes than looking at premiums. Deductibles, copays and coinsurance might all be different, so you’ll want to take a close look at those out-of-pocket costs while you compare.

Look at the plan’s deductible — how much you must pay out of pocket before the plan starts to pay a portion of the costs. This will appear next to the premium of any plan you look at. If someone on the plan goes to the emergency room or needs a lot of health care services, you’ll likely have to pay that amount toward care in the next year. For an emergency room visit or expensive treatment, you could be charged the deductible all at once, so there is a risk if you choose a plan with a high deductible.

Pay special attention to prescription coverage if someone in your family depends on a prescription medication. If that drug is an expensive one, you may have to pay full cost for it until the deductible is met, and a coinsurance percentage after that. Ask yourself: Would it be a better deal to pay a higher monthly premium in exchange for a flat copay each time you need to refill at the pharmacy?

Check the plan’s provider network to make sure there are doctors and hospitals near you who

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INSURANCE

Health insurance plans, How to claim, basics, policies, rules

health insurance cover costly? A Rs 50k voluntary deduction can reduce premium by up to 35%”/Finding Rs 1 crore health insurance cover costly? A Rs 50k voluntary deduction can reduce premium by up to 35%

If you have a health insurance policy with a low sum insured, you face a big risk. A few years from now, the cost of treatment will, in all probability, be many times higher than your policy coverage. In such cases, you will end up paying the extra cost from your own pocket. On the other hand, if you go for bigger sums insured the premium is high because of which only a few can afford. However, a voluntary deduction can bring down the premium. Here’s how it works and whether you should go for it.

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Sundaram Finance to offer Care Health Insurance products to customers

With this association, city-headquartered Sundaram Finance will offer Care Health’s innovative range of health insurance solutions to its loyal and increasing customer base. The products would be offered in the retail and group segments of Sundaram Finance customers who in addition to the company’s existing portfolio of technology driven and customized offerings can now have their diverse insurance needs under one roof.

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How to choose the best health insurance policy with restoration benefits

Whenever you make a claim against your health insurance, your remaining coverage, depending on the sum insured, comes down or gets completely exhausted. If you go for another claim under the policy, the remaining value of the sum insured might not be adequate. This is where a restoration benefit helps.

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Is buying a top-up health insurance plan a dependable solution for all your

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INSURANCE

Compare health insurance | No personal details required

What is private health insurance?

Private health insurance helps with the cost of healthcare not covered by Medicare. Not all policies are created equal, so it’s important to compare health insurance and find the best health cover for you. There are two main types of cover: hospital and extras.

How much does private health insurance cost?

The cost of private health insurance varies, but we crunched the numbers from 30+ Australian funds to see what you’ll have to pay for hospital and extras cover per month, depending on the level of cover you choose.

Tiers Average Treatments included
Basic $86
Bronze $100
  • 18 categories including joint reconstructions and ENT
Silver $150
  • 26 categories including dental and podiatric surgeries
gold $193
  • 38 categories including joint replacements and pregnancy
Extra cover Average Included benefits
Cores $32
  • At least General Dental and Ambulance Cover
Medium $67
  • At least Major Dental, Optical and Physio
Comprehensive $116
  • Treatments like Orthodontics and Hearing aids

Prices quoted are based on a single 30 year-old in Sydney, earning less than $90,000 with a $750 hospital excess from June 2022. Extras categories used the same methodology as the 2022 Finder Health Insurance awards.

Find out how much you could claim back

If you earn under $140,000 (single) or $280,000 (couples), you’re entitled to a rebate on your private health insurance policy.

Pop in a few of your details, including how much you’ve paid or expect to pay in premiums from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. Find out how much you can get back.

Public vs private health insurance comparison

Not sure if private health insurance is worth it? Here are some key differences between the public and private healthcare systems in Australia:

public system Private health insurance
Doctor A public hospital will allocate a doctor for you.
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