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Aging & Retirement Resources
Consumer
Information
Disability Resources
Government Agencies &
Information
Federal
States & Territories
Insurance Advocacy
Organizations
Insurance Purchasing
Planning Professionals & Support
Other Resources
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 These links are
designed to assist individuals with their insurance planning. These
links as designed as an adjunct to
Laura D. Cooper, Esq.'s
book. These links are organized alphabetically by subject.
An organizational table of contents appears on the left. If you find
a missing or broken link, please report it to the
webmaster. If you have
additional links you would like to suggest, please feel free to contact
the webmaster.
Here are some general links you may find useful:
Health Insurance Overview: an overview of health insurance in
the Unites States.
Checkup on Health Insurance Choices: a description of different
choices in health insurance.
U.S. State
Statutes On The Internet: (organized by topic)
Aging & Retirement Resources
Consumer Information
General
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Consumers Union:
(Publisher of Consumer Reports)
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People’s Medical Society:
this is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the consumer about health
care and medical rights.
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United Seniors Health
Council:
this organization offers a Long-Term Care Insurance Guide and operates a
seniors’ health insurance counseling project, as well as providing other
senior consumer information.
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Health
Insurance, COBRA
Health
Insurance, Consumer Information & Alerts, HIPAA Info
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HealthMetrix Research, Inc.:
This site
offers independent Medicare HMO cost comparisons combined with a tool that
allows a consumer to request information about Medicare HMOs available by
area.
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Medical Information Bureau:
This is the notorious "great computer in the sky;" functioning as a
consortium, it gathers medical information for insurance companies.
You may request your records and find out what they have about you in
their files.
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Disability Resources
Disability Advocacy
Organizations
Caregiver Advocacy & Support
Organizations
Assistive Devices
Information/Databank
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AbleData: an independent (not
commercially affiliated) national database of assistive devices, how
they work, and
where to get them.
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Project
LINK: connects people
to assistive technology product information; this site is independent
(not commercially affiliated).
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Government Agencies &
Information
Federal
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Healthfinder:
Health Information from the Department of Health & Human Services
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MEDLINE
(Health Information from the National Library of Medicine at the
National Institutes of Health)
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Understanding
Medicaid Home and Community Services: A
Primer:
Available
as a web page or as an Adobe
Acrobat (.pdf) file, this publication is for policymakers and others who
wish to understand how Medicaid can expand access to home and
community services and supports to promote consumer choice and
control.
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Official Medicare Information Website:
This is the official U.S. government site
for Medicare information. Sponsored by the Health Care Financing
Administration, the federal agency administering Medicare and Medicaid,
this Web site outlines Medicare basics and offers tools to compare and choose Medicare health plans, nursing homes, and Medigap
policies.
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Virgin Islands
Department of Licensing & Consumer Affairs
[Insurance Regulation is
contained within the Division of Banking & Insurance; the agency does
not maintain its own website, but the information about the department
is contained on a private website maintained by MYSTIC Insurance
Intermediaries] |
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Consumer Advocacy
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Families USA:
Families USA
Foundation is a national nonprofit organization. Its site includes
companion sites on Medicaid and managed care with extensive materials
from a wide range of similar organizations, and both national and
state-specific information. Families
USA offers free subscriptions to e-mail
newsletters and policy alerts in four areas - Medicaid, managed care,
children’s health, and general health care issues. The site is
searchable. This is a valuable site for those involved in advocacy at
the legislative and regulatory arenas and for those with legal problems
with managed care or Medicaid.
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Families USA
has guides that focus on obtaining publicly available information on
managed care from a number of sources, including state and federal
agencies and private organizations like NCQA and large employers. Their
guides also contain lists of questions that attempt to discover whether
managed care policies and procedures adequately protect consumers. The
Families USA guides focus on Medicare and Medicaid information:
Families USA Publications |
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Center for Medicare Advocacy: A private,
not-for-profit organization staffed by attorneys, paralegals, a nurse,
and computer specialists. The organization provides direct
representation for residents of Connecticut and legal advice,
information, and advocacy for Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. In
addition, the Center is involved in education, policy making, and
litigation of importance to Medicare beneficiaries throughout the
country. The Center produces a wide array of written material to assist
Medicare beneficiaries and their advocates – including self-help
packets, brochures, and a quarterly newsletter. Much of this
information, various updates, and important primary resource material is
available on the Center’s website.
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Medicare Rights Center:
A national,
not-for-profit organization located in New York City, works to ensuring
that seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare have access to
quality, affordable health care. The site offers direct assistance for
Medicare beneficiaries and on-line versions of 1997 brochures. More
current brochures may be purchased.
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Health Insurance Industry
Association Finder Tools
Groups that Offer Insurance
Alternative Health
Insurance Models
A List of
Groups That Offer Various type of Insurance Products has been moved to a
separate page: "A Little Birdie Told Me"
Alumni or Education-Related
Groups
Trade or Profession Groups
Insurance Agents & Brokers
General Sources:
Life Insurance Quotes:
Long Term Care
Insurance Quotes:
Medicare Supplements:
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HealthMetrix Research, Inc.:
This site offers independent Medicare HMO cost comparisons combined with
a tool that allows a consumer to request information about Medicare HMOs
available by area
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Certified
Financial Planners
Housing & Mortgage Info |
