Journalist Joe Hildebrand takes four Indians (Amer, Gurmeet, Mahima and Radhika) on a road trip around Australia to examine our worst stereotypes -- are we really beer-swilling, racist bogans, or are we simply misunderstood?
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Friday, 14 September 2012
Health Insurance- What a Scam?
Note from Dan: While I’m away with my family on vacation, I’m treating you to some columns from the past year.
This one appeared March 13. The health insurance industry is alive and doing very well. Once again, I’m pondering what to do after I get out of this writing business. I’ve decided to form a health insurance company. In my own increasingly jaded view, it’s the best racket going. Boiled down to its core, insurance is bookmaking.
When you buy auto insurance, you’re placing a bet you hope you don’t win, because that probably means you got into an accident. The same goes for life insurance. It’s a bet you will die. If an auto insurance company or a life insurance company fails to pay off, customers will flee and the company will go out of business. The same happens to a bookie who welshes on paying off sports bets.
But health insurance is different in a number of ways. First, most of us are captive customers, signed up with the insurer their employer chooses and subsidizes. We can’t easily or afford-ably jump to another company. Second, health insurers employ legions of desk-jockey goons.
Their goal is to find loopholes on how not to pay off on health insurance claims, and to deny coverage for procedures your doctors say are necessary. One of the ways they keep you confused is via those confounding Explanation of Benefits forms, which are hard for anyone who doesn't have a master’s degree in accounting to understand.
These are separate from your medical bills, mind you (which are always formatted differently than EOBs). Actually, that’s the point — to create a big ball of confusion so consumers will just give up trying to get their insurance company to pay. If you call the company and beg them to pay, you’ll get one of these desk jockeys.
Most of them have been trained never to give you their last name even though they insist on knowing yours. This is a great strategy for avoiding accountability for whatever they tell you on the phone. Third, the health insurance companies also employ another kind of goon. More or less, they blackmail doctors and hospitals into giving steep discounts on services to patients.
No discounts, no patients. So the docs and hospitals bend to the lower rate, at the same time your premiums are rising. It’s like a bookie charging losing bettors more while pressuring winners to accept less. Except no bookie would try to bill this as “cost control.” The effect of all this is that the bookies — I mean profit-motivated health insurance companies — are cutting themselves larger and larger slices of the health care spending pie.
They take some of those profits and invest part of them in Washington lobbyists who curry favor with politicians, who in turn vote against your interests — and in favor of the insurance companies. In that way, your hard-earned premiums help pass laws so they can screw you more down the road. Did you get that?
You’re paying for your own shellacking. Nowhere was this more evident than in Washington during the debate a while back over the Affordable Care Act. Thousands of lobbyists, a large proportion of them from health insurers, fought for months over that bill. The nation’s 535 senators and representatives, many of whom get campaign contributions from the health insurance industry, naturally rolled.
What emerged was better than nothing in certain ways. But despite what you have heard, it was not at all “government health care.” Instead, the law requires everyone to buy private health insurance. You could call it a full-employment act for private health insurance companies. “Government health care” exists, of course. It’s called Medicare, and it’s the most efficient health insurance out there.
It’s for old people the private insurance companies don’t want. Putting everyone on Medicare, however, would once and for all end the profits that the health insurance companies are earning on the backs of people who get sick. That would put those companies and their lobbyists out of business.
They will never let that happen. They will spend millions upon millions to convince you that would be un-American, and they will win that battle. This is why I’m thinking about getting into the business. I can’t beat them, so I’m going to join them. I’ll call my company ELEM Health Insurance. The acronym stands for “Everyone Loses Except Me.” Join me. We’ll make a mint. Otherwise, you can’t win.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Dane Cook Tells Theater Shooting Joke At Laugh Factory
PREVIOUSLY:
If you've ever gone to a comedy show in the days following a tragic event, one thing inevitably happens. After several acts perform sets that avoid the elephant in the room, one comic will, after breaking the ice, tentatively ask permission to try out their [recent tragic event] material. More often than not, the audience says yes.
This seems to have been the case at Los Angeles' Laugh Factory on Thursday, when Dane Cook performed a joke related to the tragic theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Caught on tape by an audience member who was committing one of the cardinal comedy-show sins -- taping a comedian's set without permission -- Cook joked that "The Dark Knight Rises" is such a bad movie that " ... if none of that would have happened, I'm pretty sure that somebody in that theater, about 25 minutes in, realizing it was a piece of crap, was probably like, ‘Ugh, fucking shoot me.’”
The joke was met with a few groans, but they quickly gave way to laughter and then applause.
While some may feel that any jokes related to a tragedy are inappropriate, the clip could be seen as illustrating a fundamental tenet of comedy: that laughter leads to catharsis, and catharsis leads to healing.
What do you think? Is Cook's joke too soon? Is any joke at any time about a violent act inappropriate? Or does Cook's joke serve a purpose? Is it even funny? Give us your take in the comments.
Album Review: Lewis Black – In God We Rust
Too many know Lewis Black for being loud. His followers, however, recognize him as a purveyor of fine truths. Influenced by Carlin’s reckless introspection and Hicks’ riotous demeanor, Black paved a scorched path with 2000′s The White Album and expanded it to four lanes under the Bush administration. As contributor for The Daily Show, specifically with his Back in Black segment, the eccentric Jewish comic offered a brusk mental escape for liberals and bitter conservatives everywhere. He exuded common sense in an era that had very little.
On his latest album, In God We Rust, Black acknowledges that the world’s still stupid, but this time around, his hyperboles and tantrums feel a tad crotchety. The majority of his material here digresses on society’s rampant use of technology, specifically apps, the iPhone, Facebook, and Farmville. “If you don’t know what an app or an application is,” he preaches, “when you get home tonight, I want you to get down on your hands and knees, and thank whatever god you pray to…” It’s all played out in his signature histrionic way — and he’s not always wrong, especially about Farmville — but there’s just something out of touch about it all.
“I am old,” he contends. “I used to think it had to do with the calendar — it doesn’t. It’s something you know, it’s something that happens.” It’s almost as if he’s too self-aware at this point in his life, which remarkably was always one of his strengths — after all, he essentially broke into the circuit amidst his fifties. Yet these diatribes and damning protests against something as necessary as technology feel pedantic, uninspiring, and borderline ignorant.
In some respects, that aging self-awareness still works to his advantage. When he storms through a tirade on the Tea Party, he’s as wise as he is insightful: “It’s amazing that they have convinced a group of people to bust out of their double wides, dressed as Ben Franklin, holding a kite in one hand and a key in the other, screaming, ‘Don’t tax the rich!’” He pauses, again keeping the theatrics up. Then, he punches hard: “If a group of people, leaders, can convince a group of folks, who barely have a pot to piss in, that the rich shouldn’t be taxed, that is leadership.”
In God We Rust wants to be a declaration on what’s wrong today. Instead, it innately represents the problem itself: the struggle between those for tomorrow and the few for yesterday. It’s no fault to Black, and again he’s not alone in his sentiments, but altogether it’s just not as sharp as it could be. When he’s on, he’s fiery and menacing with“truthiness,” but when he’s off, he almost becomes a parody of himself. In that light, the album’s title rings cautionary and that’s just a shame.
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Choosing the Right Life Insurance Policy
No two people look alike have the same interests or the same bank balances. Our financial profiles are different. Choosing the right insurance is unlike choosing a commodity. It is an individual choice based on personalized individual factors. The right policy for me may not be the right one for you.
This is why choosing the right policy will involve evaluating the different types of life insurance available and seeing which one fits your requirements. Life Insurance Whole Life or Permanent Life Insurance, as the name implies, this type of insurance is permanent.
You need to pay premiums for life, or up to the age of 100. To put it simply, this type of insurance policy combines a life policy with savings. Over the years, such a policy will accrue cash value which you can withdraw, as needs arise. Universal Life Insurance This type of policy is similar to a whole life insurance except that the holder has more control over the policy. The policy is divided into 3 principal elements:
- The cash element
- The expense element
- The protection element
The insurance company invests a third of the premiums into mutual funds, within company limits and interest from these accrues on the policy (cash element). Each month certain administrative expenses are deducted (expense element).This type of policy also offers more flexibility for the policy holder-premium amounts can be changed and the face value of the policy can be modified at any time.
Another type of Universal Life Insurance is Variable Universal Life Insurance. The policy holder plays a more active role in choosing stocks and shares, within company limits. This type of policy is heavily subject to market risks and therefore fluctuates frequently in gain or loss. Term Life this is the most popular type of policy.
As the name suggests, this policy is available for a specific term period-anywhere between 1 to 30 years. It is therefore not a permanent policy. It basically involves an annual payment of premiums during the term period against death benefits to the policy holder's beneficiary. This type of policy is popular because the premiums are cheap and the death benefits are high.
There are many options within a term life such as Return of Premiums (ROP) and level term life policy. You will need to study each type of policy further and the options available within each. There are several online sites that offer easy-to-understand information and articles that can guide you further so that you are able to choose the best policy for your requirements.
Most people prefer term insurance and see it as the best way to meet their insurance needs without having to pay heavy on premiums. Compare Multiple Quotes Life insurance is a competitive business. Rates can vary considerably from company to company. The best way to find the right policy at the most affordable rate is by requesting quotes from multiple insurance companies.
In order to gain a competitive advantage, companies may offer free riders, waivers, etc. Look for these when studying your options. There are several online life insurance providers which offer free quotes online for term life policies. Many of these represent hundreds of insurance companies and are able to use their huge database resources to process your application and offer you the best options
Be careful to use sites that are accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
Choose Insurance Company with a Good Rating Choosing the right policy also involves choosing the right insurance company. Check the ratings of insurance companies. A.M. Best is one of the most trusted services for insurance company ratings.
A good rating (above A) means that the company is financially strong and has a proven track record for paying off claims. Many online sites offer ratings of each company along with free term insurance quotes. The highest rating is A++. Ask Questions! If you are still in doubt, ask questions! Many online insurance providers have a support staff able to answer your queries and doubts. They can also help you with unbiased, professional recommendations of the best policy for you.
Monday, 10 September 2012
What to Do when Your Life Insurance Company Denies You Coverage?
Each life insurance company has its own underwriting system. Just because one life insurance company denied you coverage doesn't mean that you will never be able to get life insurance. While it is true that certain severe conditions may prevent you from getting life insurance from any company, there are other grayer areas for which the various the underwriting criteria that differ from company to company may be used to your advantage. This means you could get coverage simply by shopping around for life insurance.
Factors that Underwriters look at when assessing your risk of death
There are several factors that are used to calculate your life insurance premiums. These are common to all life insurance companies.
- A severe health condition. Factors may include a serious disease, being overweight, smoking, excessive drinking, taking mind-altering drugs.
- Family health history. If your family health history shows that a parent has died from a heart attack, or succumbed to cancer, these are negative
- Occupations that require you to be subject to hazardous or life-threatening situations.
- Engaging in adventurous hobbies or extreme sports such as bungee jumping, hang-gliding, race car driving, sky-diving, etc.
- Life insurance companies will also look at your driving record to check for traffic violations and DIUs as well as your credit card report. This gives underwriters an indication of how you are at managing other aspects of your life.
The "best preferred" rates are usually awarded to individuals who are in mint health condition, have the advantage of age, and have no family history of poor health. But most applicants fall in the "preferred" premium category. Underwriters classify such people as being a below average health risk. "Standard" classification is for those whose health profiles show they are riskier than average. Such policies are usually offered at a higher price.
How to decrease your chances of being denied coverage
Health concerns such as AIDS, cancer, asthma, major heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions, can either push your premium rates exorbitantly high or push you right off the market. This is also true if you are engaged in extreme sports or jobs that are highly hazardous.
However, despite such conditions, you can increase your chances of getting coverage. For instance, if you have had cancer and you are now in remission, and your condition requires no further treatment or medication, you will need to explain this clearly on the application form. If you can provide written corroboration from your doctor or any medical documentation that would support your present health condition, it could help underwriters assess your situation more accurately. Instead of being denied coverage completely, you could at least qualify for standard rates.
Preparing well in advance for your medical exam could help you to fall into a cheaper premium rating. Follow a heart healthy diet, lose a few pounds if you are overweight, and get a good night's sleep the night before the exam. This will increase your chances of getting the best premium rates for yourself.
There are life insurance companies that "favor" certain conditions and may look more closely at each individual situation and assess premiums accordingly. For instance, if you are a smoker, such niche life insurance companies will delve more deeply into how many cigarettes you smoke daily and compare that with your current health condition. Some even offer incentives to smokers who have quit smoking for more than a year. The same applies to non-insulin diabetic conditions, people with heart conditions, individuals who are overweight. Different underwriting processes will use different criteria to assess these conditions and therefore, you may find yourself with a very affordable premium rating by just comparing different life insurance quotes from different carriers.
Online life insurance quote providers will give you instant term life insurance quotes from top-rated life insurance companies. You can compare life insurance rates, products and the financial rating of each life insurance company. Choose a cheap life insurance policy from a life insurance company that has an A or A rating. A high rating will ensure that your life insurance has an excellent track record for paying off claims.
What if you are uninsurable through traditional life insurance policies?
In spite of all of the above, if you still cannot get a traditional life insurance policy, you can apply for no-medical life insurance. A no-medical life insurance policy, as the name implies, does not require you to go through a medical exam. You will be asked a few questions related to your health and lifestyle. If you are under the stipulated age, almost anyone can qualify for either permanent or term no-medical life, and once approved, coverage can begin the same day!
About AccuQuote:
AccuQuote is a leader in providing term life quotes to people across the United States. In 1986 it began operating with a single goal: to make the process of buying term life insurance as easy as possible for its customers. Their experienced professionals consistently deliver the most affordable term life insurance rates by comparing thousands of life insurance policies from dozens of top-rated carriers.
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