Many of you have complained to me over the past few months about how tough it is to get solid, useful data about the latest COVID-19 variant, omicron. That’s the one causing this current wave in Louisiana. Read more
In August 1983, at the tender age of 22, I faced a team of doctors giving me VERY bad news” “We’re sorry, Mike, but you have a malignant form of bone cancer in your right femur. The tumor is sizeable (23 centimeters, almost 9 inches long!) and is consuming your bone. You have a few treatment options…” Read more
What an interesting two years it’s been (I said, with tongue firmly implanted in cheek). In October 2020, I caught COVID-19. It went through my household with EVERYBODY getting it and having different levels of symptoms. Some scarily severe, some not even noticeable. My personal experience was pretty mild. But that was what, four variants ago? Read more
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Health Care Economist Mike Bertaut appeared this week on WWL’s Great Day Louisiana. He was talking about the two biggest stories in health insurance this year. Read more
In the world I work in, there are two basic types of health care. One is CORRECTIVE care, where something has already gone wrong and you are trying to fix it. Read more
Part of my job as a health care economist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is to talk to people, explaining health care costs and what Blue Cross does to safeguard your health care premium. A very common question I get hit with is whether the money we’ve spent over the past 18 months or so treating COVID-19 patients has translated into higher health insurance rates for our customers. Read more
