Getting benefits from insurers
A local company explains their business of making sure employees get what they deserve from insurance benefits.
Abbie Leibowitz and Marty Rosen are co-founders of Health Advocate, a company that helps employees navigate the labyrinth of the healthcare system. They say business is booming — even though their service is an added expense employers have to pay on top of an already expensive benefit. Health and science reporter Kerry Grens asked them about their industry.
Q: Can you give an overview of what Health Advocate does?
Abbie Leibowitz: (0:35)
[audio:091013kgleibowitz 1.mp3]
Q: You were an executive at Aetna. What did you see was wanting in the market for employers that was the impetus for starting the company?
Abbie Leibowitz: (0:32)
Q: Why isn’t this service available at Aetna or other insurance companies?
Marty Rosen: (1:31)
[audio:091013kgrosen 1.mp3]
Q: What is driving the growth in this insurance-help industry?
Abbie Leibowitz: (0:21)
[audio:091013kgleibowitz 3.mp3]
Q: Do you ever run into difficulties with insurance companies denying benefits or does it come to a point where you end up in court?
Abbie Leibowitz: (1:00)
[audio:091013kgleibowitz 4.mp3]
Q: How can employers afford this type of service when premiums for insurance are rising significantly?
Abbie Leibowitz: (0:31)
[audio:091013kgleibowitz 5.mp3]
Q: Insurance companies have been vilified during the discussions of healthcare reform in Congress. Do they deserve this?
Abbie Leibowitz: (1:32)
[audio:091013kgleibowitz 6.mp3]
More info:
Free or cheap medical care
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