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Health Insurance Advocate®, Cary Hall, Hosts Special Veterans Day Program to Salute America's Heroes
Cary Hall and Special Guest, Chief Master Sergeant, Bob Anderson, Share Stories of Sacrifice, Courtesy of the US Military, in Support of the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes
Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) November 7, 2008 -- Disabled and wounded troops have special needs as they return from their service to adjust to lives changed by their sacrifice.
Cary Hall
The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes (CSAH) was created to provide a way for individuals, corporations and others to help severely wounded and disabled Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families rebuild their lives. Many of these veterans are amputees and burn victims.
Anderson, who was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom with a 221-person squadron, joins Cary Hall to make a call-to-action to Americans for the support of these wounded and disabled veterans. To date, $22,000,526 has been donated in support of 10,950 veterans, their care-giving spouses and children.
Anderson's unique call-to-action includes reading letters of thanks from wounded and disabled veterans to CSAH for the vital support they have received as they transition from military service to lives with disabilities which often leave them unable to support their families.
Veterans all over the nation look to the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes to provide real help and real hope.
"I'm so pleased to be able to make this call-to-action to listeners," says Hall. "I know many Americans are very willing to give time and treasure to our veterans who have sacrificed life and limb for our nation. The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes is able to move 90% of its donated funds directly to the veterans, which makes an amazing difference for families of wounded and disabled veterans, who are having real difficulty surviving."
About Cary Hall -- Cary Hall is the president of Benefits By Design and the host of The Health Insurance Advocate® Show. Cary has focused his company to be a consumer advocate organization. Cary is a top producer for Coventry Health Care of Kansas, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Aetna, Assurant, Golden Rule, American Medical and UnitedHealthcare. Cary is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and The Greater Kansas City Benefit Professionals Association.
St. Luke's Hospital and United Healthcare – When No Means No, the Deal is Dead
The Health Insurance Advocate®, Cary Hall, interviews St. Luke's Senior Vice President, Bob Bonney, to discuss St. Luke's termination of United Health Care
Kansas City, Missouri – October 16, 2008 – Cary Hall's interview with Saint Luke's Health Systems' Senior Vice-President, Bob Bonney, will air this Saturday at 12 noon on 710 KCMO in Kansas City and will also be heard on Z101.7 in Trenton, Missouri, and 1050 KSIS in Sedalia, Missouri.
Hall and Bonney discuss the January termination of Saint Luke's contract with UnitedHealthcare.
Throughout 2007, Saint Luke's Health System provided UnitedHealthcare a rate proposal consistent with other payers according to network, product makeup, and volume to Saint Luke's Health System. United Healthcare declined the proposal.
After the lengthy negotiations process between the two organizations, the longstanding relationship was severed when Saint Luke's Hospital announced in January of this year that it will no longer accept UnitedHealthCare's lower than standard reimbursement rates.
During his interview with Hall, Bonney minces no words describing why Saint Luke's made this decision. Bonney notes in the interview that UnitedHealthcare has one of the worst ratings among national carriers for service and cooperation with providers.
During the program, Hall also interviews Mr. Levi Snow, Human Resources Director with Husch, Blackwell, and Sanders Law Firm of Kansas City. Snow addresses the reasons why Husch, Blackwell, Sanders decided to move from UnitedHealthcare to BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City in order to stay in the Saint Luke's Health System.
All Saint Luke's employed physicians will become out-of-network providers to UnitedHealthcare enrollees and the following Saint Luke's Health System facilities will no longer be UnitedHealthcare providers:
- Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City (Missouri)
- Saint Luke's Northland Hospital, Barry Road and Smithville campuses (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Saint Luke's South (Overland Park, Kansas)
- Saint Luke's East – Lee's Summit
- Saint Luke's Medical Group
- Saint Luke's Cancer Institute
- Saint Luke's Home Care and Hospice
Rural residents with UnitedHealthcare will lose access to the following community hospitals:
- Anderson County Hospital (Garnett, Kansas)
- Cushing Memorial Hospital (Leavenworth, Kansas)
- Hedrick Medical Center (Chillicothe, Missouri)
- Wright Memorial Hospital (Trenton, Missouri)
The contract termination also applies to all persons with a Golden Rule or American Medical individual insurance policy, as both companies were recently purchased by UnitedHealthcare.
Hall and Bonney discuss how UnitedHealthcare's commercial HMO, Point of Service, PPO networks, Medicare Supplement plan and the AARP Medicare tie-in plan will be affected by the contract termination.
Bonney also provides the termination date as well as how patients may continue to receive care in-network through Saint Luke's Health System contracted physicians and hospitals until that time.
The Health Insurance Advocate® Radio Show Expands to Springfield, Missouri, and Reaches a New All-Time Ratings High for Female Listenership
Arbitron Reports that Cary Hall's Health Insurance Program Gains Yet another Major Rise in Listeners. Affordable Health Insurance and Health Care Solutions Particularly Attractive to Women.
Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) August 28, 2008 -- The Health Insurance Advocate® Radio Show hits the airwaves of Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday, September 6th on 1260 AM and 104.1 FM KSGF. The weekly one-hour program will be heard live each Saturday at noon.
The Kansas City based program has also transitioned recently into the HIA Network broadcasting in Kansas City on Cumulus' 710 KCMO, KNSS 1330 AM in Wichita, Kansas, KGOZ 101.7 FM in Trenton, Missouri, and KSIS 1050 AM in Sedalia, Missouri.
The host of the program, Cary Hall, saw yet another significant rise in Arbitron ratings this year for his program which focuses on family and small business health insurance and health care issues. Spring 2008 Arbitron ratings show that women make up about seventy-five percent of Hall's Kansas City audience, a statistic which does not represent talk radio's typical male listenership.
Hall says he believes there is a connection between his consistent on-air opposition to National Health Care and a growing female listening audience for his radio show. In addition to providing an entertaining combination of commercial health insurance and expert health care advice with the help of special guests, Hall has relentlessly exposed National Health Care as an unworkable concept which cannot realistically provide the health care coverage Americans expect and need.
"I think it's fair to say that many if not most women these days don't settle for smooth political-speak when it comes to their health care needs," said Hall. "We are so pleased that The Health Insurance Advocate® Show is predominately listened to by women because National Health Care will absolutely take away many important aspects of the American health care system women have come to rely on. Let's see how many American women are willing to wait six months for a mammogram if Obama-care starts," said Hall.
Arbitron's Spring 2008 ratings also showed the program's Adult 35+ cumulative audience numbers are up 26% over the last ratings period (Winter 2008) and an 18% increase over the same ratings period last year (Spring 2007).
"Unique and compelling content is what makes great radio," says Jeremy Snider with Cumulus Radio in Kansas City. "There is no doubt that The Health Insurance Advocate® Radio Show is a compelling one of kind program."
Hall's hard hitting style has also earned him a 73% increase in listenership on Wichita, Kansas, station KNSS AM, according to Arbitron's Winter and Spring books 2008.
"Listeners are attracted to The Health Insurance Advocate® Show in part because with today's current political discussion surrounding National Health Care, they want to be informed by someone who knows the facts forward and backward, not someone who is hoping to gain votes," Snider says.
About Cary Hall -- Cary Hall is the president of Benefits By Design and the host of The Health Insurance Advocate® Show. Cary has focused his company to be a consumer advocate organization. Cary is a top producer for Coventry Health Care of Kansas, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Aetna, Assurant, Golden Rule, American Medical and UnitedHealthcare. Cary is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters and The Greater Kansas City Benefit Professionals Association.
The Health Insurance Advocate® Announces Arbitron Ratings and
New Radio Partner KGOZ AM
New Arbitron Winter Book ratings show continued growth in HIA program audience. Consistency in building awareness with a commitment to education is key.
Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) May 22, 2008 -- The Health Insurance Advocate®, Cary Hall, is pleased to announce new Arbitron Winter Book ratings for The Health Insurance Advocate® radio show, heard on 710 AM KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as 1330 AM KNSS in Wichita, Kansas. The first quarter 2008 numbers show yet another significant increase for the program -- growth that is consistent with the program's 4-year history.
In Kansas City, Hall's 18 years plus audience grew by 20 percent. The 45 years plus adult audience grew by 55 percent. In Wichita, the cumulative audience grew by 51%.
Cumulus Radio representative, Jeremy Snyder, said the company could not be more pleased with Hall's results. "For four straight years, Cary Hall has grown an audience based on consistent, timely and invaluable information for consumers. These days when many households are very budget wary, The Health Insurance Advocate® Show is an important guide that not only directly touches health needs and concerns it also helps families achieve a positive bottom line."
The Health Insurance Advocate® will now also air on an additional Missouri radio station. KGOZ FM in Trenton, Missouri, will begin airing the program at 10 a.m. on Saturdays starting June 7. KGOZ covers more than 16 counties in northern Missouri.
"We are really excited to have this new opportunity to teach listeners," says Cary Hall. "We strongly believe that people want to understand their health care coverage choices and cut through the typical government-speak that clouds the issues and manufactures crises. Health care coverage is not rocket science. It's just made to look that way by those who have political agendas," says Hall.
Hall has been a consistent opponent of national health care, specifically the plans proposed by the Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama presidential campaigns.
"Most of us are tired of being told national health care is a solution to a so-called health care crisis that doesn't exist. Enormously inflated numbers like 47 million uninsured are nothing less than scare tactic lies to confuse voters."
About Cary Hall -- Cary Hall is the president of Benefits By Design and the host of The Health Insurance Advocate® Show. Cary has focused his company to be a consumer advocate organization. Cary is a top producer for Coventry Health Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Golden Rule, American Medical and United Healthcare. Cary is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (http://www.nahu.org/) and The Greater Kansas City Benefit Professionals Association (ebpa-kc.org).
Health Insurance Radio Show Continues Climb in Arbitron Ratings
The Health Insurance Advocate® Show, with Cary Hall, sees another significant Arbitron ratings increase across multiple demographics -- attributed largely to Hall's no-nonsense assessment of 'National Healthcare' and unconventional style.
Cumulus Radio announced today that Cary Hall's The Health Insurance Advocate® Show, heard on Talk Radio 710 KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri, reached another all-time high in its fourth quarter 2007 Arbitron ratings among multiple demographics including Adults 18 years plus, Women 35 years plus, Men 35-64 years, Adults 25-54 years and Adults 35-64 years.
Hall says his radio program's growing popularity is the result of a motivated audience that wants to learn about and share healthcare related information and experiences in a stimulating and educational forum.
During a live discussion about national healthcare, an English woman, now living in Kansas, called The Health Insurance Advocate® Show to describe her father's battle with cancer within the context of the English socialized medical system. The man's wait for oncology treatment in England was more than 90 days.
"First, people are tired of not understanding health care coverage," says Hall. "When it reads like the tax code there is a disconnect. People are tired of the disconnect and I eliminate it."
"Second, many many people are tired of being told national healthcare is the solution as if the private sector isn't consistently creating innovative affordable solutions for individuals, families and groups," says Hall. "The liberal mumbo-jumbo has got to go because it's hurting people and it will only get worse with national healthcare, which will be delivered with the compassion of the IRS, the efficiency of the post office and if you think it's expensive now, wait until it's free."
Hall is also dismantling healthcare coverage myths such as the so-called 47 million Americans without health insurance.
"Countless numbers of people with family, individual, child only, temporary or COBRA policies and even transition plans like GAP plans, short term HIP, are not included as insured individuals in the US Census Bureau numbers and are therefore lumped in with the uninsured," says Hall.
"13 million illegal alien individuals, not American citizens, are included in the total number of individuals in the United States without health insurance coverage according to the United States Census Bureau. It's gotten to the point of the insane and people are just supposed to swallow the socialized medicine solution based on an incredible amount of misinformation."
Hall also cites the quality and professionalism of his guests as a leading factor for the program's growth. Guests include state insurance commissioners, doctors, industry executives, optometrists, chiropractors, emergency medical professionals and even controversial figures like Bobby Schindler, brother of the late Terri Schiavo.
"If we don't get into the tough issues and the important details that touch us at very deep levels, then the show is not worth listening to," says Hall. "The Health Insurance Advocate® program is there to break barriers, challenge conventional practices and most of all help people. It seems to be working."
Arbitron reports the following cumulative ratings increases for The Health Insurance Advocate®: Adults 18 years plus - 23.8%, Women 35 years plus - 150%, Men 50 years plus - 77.8%, Adults 25-54 years - 50%, Adults 35-64 years - 225%, Men 35-64 - 100%
Average quarter hour increases include: Audience 18 years plus - 53.8%, Women 35 years plus - 50%, Men 50 years plus - 100%, Adults 25-54 - 200%, Adults 35-64 years - 900%, Men 35-64 years - 900%.
The Health Insurance Advocate® Show, heard in Kansas City on Talk Radio 710 KCMO Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in Wichita on News Radio 1330 KNSS Talk Radio Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., is Kansas City's and Wichita's only source for the latest information on the health insurance industry.
An Appalling Gap in Health Care
The Editorial in the Kansas City Star on Sunday, Sept. 2nd, 2007 was “An appalling gap in health care.”
Below is a rebuttal letter sent to the Kansas City Star by BBDI’s Health Insurance Advocate®, Cary Hall.
Kansas City Star Lacks Facts
Let’s begin with the number that is always used to quantify the uninsured 47 million individuals. Did you know that all of us who have family, individual, child only, temporary or COBRA policies are counted in that number?
The article fails to mention that 8.3 million of uninsured individuals make between $50,000 and $74,999 a year, and 8.7 million earn more than $75,000. That is more than 17 million people who most certainly can afford health insurance, but elect not to buy it.
The Star states that 11.3 % of Kansas residents are uninsured. Did you know that 30 % of those are males between the ages of 18 & 35, and choose not to buy health insurance?
Regarding the Star’s statement of outlandish increases in insurance cost, the real facts are: according to Price Waterhouse Coopers, LLP report on health insurance, costs are predicted as decreasing in 2008. For example, PPO, HMO and POS will see increases of 9.9 % while consumer directed plans, such as HSA (Health Savings Accounts) and HRA (Health Reimbursement Accounts) will increase only 7.4 %.
There is a problem with the uninsured. However, turning 1/6th of our economy over to the Federal Government to mismanage is not the answer. Perhaps the American Medical Association, representing 250,000 doctors nationwide, has a better idea: use tax credits and vouchers to help people buy health insurance that would expand the health insurance pool, reduce costs and provide ALL Americans the opportunity to buy it.
What the public needs to make clear to the politicians in Washington is that we need a free market solution based in the private sector, like those recommended by the AMA. What we do not need is another Government run train wreck like FEMA. The Star needs to get off the Michael Moore bandwagon and heed the words of the Canadian Chief Supreme Court Justice, Beverly McLaughlin, “access to a waiting list is not access to healthcare.”
Cary F. Hall
President and CEO, Benefits By Design, Inc.
President, Health Insurance Advocate® Show Talk Radio 710 KCMO and 1330 KNSS Wichita
Cary Hall Luncheon Keynote Speaker at Savvy Self-Funded Health Conference and Expo
August 20th-22nd, 2007
The Westin Crown Center
Health Insurance, Health Care Issues Now Top Rated Topics for Radio Listeners According to Arbitron
The Health Insurance Advocate® Show, With Cary Hall, Achieves One Year Ratings Increase of 119 Percent in Western Missouri, Eastern Kansas Market and 576 Percent in Wichita, Kansas, Market By Delivering Clarity and Eliminating Confusion
 Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) August 16, 2007 -- Cary Hall announced today that the Health Insurance Advocate® Show, featured on Talk Radio 710 KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri, 9 a.m. Saturdays, has recently experienced a significant Arbitron ratings increase of 119 percent, more than doubling its listenership since this time last year. The program also airs on News Radio 1330 KNSS Talk Radio in Wichita, Kansas, noon on Saturdays, and has experienced an Arbitron ratings increase of 576 percent in the past year - an increase Hall says is a direct result of teaching listeners to feel confident in their understanding of healthcare coverage.
Listen to program podcast or live.
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"We teach our listeners by conversing with knowledgeable experts, healthcareprofessionals and community service organizations every week in order to puta human face on what we all face together -- the need to protect ourselves andour families and the need to conserve and protect our dollars."
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"With so much change in the industry and the relentless cost increases that can often drive consumers away from even having healthcare coverage, we believe we know why the show has had such incredible gains in popularity," Hall said. "Simply put, it's desperately needed."
Hall is host of the Saturday morning program as well as president of Benefits By Design, a health insurance and consumer advocate company. The radio program is now the number one rated Saturday talk show in the region according to Arbitron Winter Book Ratings for 2007.
"We're ending the myth that health insurance is not affordable with a cutting edge program designed to educate and raise awareness in the group and individual policy markets," said Hall. "We're helping everyone from sole proprietors who are trying to raise their families to HR executives at large corporations who are trying to make sense out of poorly performing group policies. The show teaches them to understand the market and how best to protect their employees and loved ones with incredible savings and coverage efficiency."
"People don't gain clarity on Medicare changes or child-only coverage or caring for elderly parents and so many other very personal issues by reading a boring conventional brochure, "Hall says. "We teach our listeners by conversing with knowledgeable experts, healthcare professionals and community service organizations every week in order to put a human face on what we all facetogether -- the need to protect ourselves and our families and the need toconserve and protect our dollars."
Hall cites the fact that the health insurance industry can be complex and oftenleads to confusion, frustration and even heartache in the market place.Breaking down industry terminology and government regulations,demonstrating cost efficiency and giving consumers confidence in the purchaseof healthcare coverage is what the Health Insurance Advocate® Show strives to deliver.
The new Arbitron ratings come at a crucial time as the Health InsuranceAdvocate Show reaches its fourth anniversary on the air in Kansas City,touching most of western Missouri and eastern Kansas. The program is in itssecond year in the Wichita market.
The Health Insurance Advocate® Show, heard in Kansas City on Talk Radio 710KCMO Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in Wichita on News Radio 1330KNSS Talk Radio Saturdays from Noon to 1 p.m., is Kansas City's and Wichita'sonly source for the latest information on the health insurance industry.
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