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Show Approach to health insurance changes as nation's baby boomers grow up by DENNIS HINKAMP ! consumer information writer Utah State University ."The graying of America", and "the senior boom" are becoming the catch phrases for a changing population popula-tion in the United States. The combination com-bination of the baby boom generation genera-tion growing up, life expectancies lengthening and a general trend toward smaller families adds up to an older population. This has hundreds of implications for the future of our sociaety. One of the most prominent concerns in the minds of consumers is "What will this do to health care costs?" Both consumers and health insurance in-surance providers will have to reevaluate re-evaluate their approach to health care, said Helen Leonard, consumer spokeswoman for the American Council of Life Insurance and the Health Insurance Association of America. She spoke at this year's Adult Leaders School on the campus of Utah State University Oct. 1, 2 and 3. She said consumers have con- tradictory attitudes about health care. "We complain about the high cost of health care, but when it comes down to our personal health, we think money should be no ob ject." Another problem has been that health insurance providers have taken a long time to come around to accepting the notion of paying for preventive medicine, Leonard said. Some of the old health insurance stipulations encouraged overspending overspend-ing because providers would not pay for care unless it took place in the hospital. This forced people to go to the emergency room for even minor problems, she said. Health insurance providers now are doing all they can to reduce hospitalization time, she said. Outpatient Out-patient surgery is encouraged and second and third opinions are being paid for by insurance companies. She said the biggest area of change in the near future will be an increase in wellness programs. Worksite wellness programs will strive to reduce health risk factors such as high blood pressure, overweight, smoking and lack of exercise. ex-ercise. "It is a simple matter of statistics that as people live longer, their need for health care increases. "Many health problems can be headed off, though, if the health insurance in-surance providers start teaching people now how to be healthier when they get older," Leonard said. . |
