Nebraska Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Nebraska?

In 2007, Nebraska broke into the top ten of the healthiest states to live in, as rated by a well-known health care foundation. It's #10 ranking is two positions higher than it enjoyed in 2006.

Nebraska leads the nation in number of incoming 9th graders that graduate within four years with a 87.6 percent graduation rate. It ranks in the top 10 in two other of the 20 criteria ranked -- those being the low number of poor physical and mental health days taken.

Nebraska dips into the bottom ten in only one category, as only six other states have a bigger problem with binge drinking. This seems to be mostly a midwestern problem, with seven of the ten worst states located there.

Smoking and deaths from cardiovascular disease are on the decline. On the flip side, obesity is on the increase and the ranks of Nebraska's uninsured are growing.

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Nebraska.

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Does Nebraska have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

Nebraska Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool
(402) 343-3574 or toll-free 1-877-348-4304 (M-F 8am-4:30pm)

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state-to-state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the poolto keep it in the black. In the best cases they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Find more on risk pools here.

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Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Nebraska

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Nebraska.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in Nebraska.
• Materiales En Español -- Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

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Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Nebraska

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations contribute to funding its research. Find more on the Health Policy Institute.

• Georgetown's guide for Nebraska.

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News headlines on Nebraska health insurance

Find the most recent headlines on health insurance in Nebraska at Google News or Yahoo News.

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Want single-payer health care? Concerned about the uninsured?
Contact your elected officials about health care issues

Contact your federal officials. Phone calls are best. Faxes are good, too. Since 9-11 postal mail creates long delays, and many members of Congress simply do not take e-mail seriously -- however, since e-mail is so easy it doesn't hurt to do that, too. Members of the Senate and Congress will usually ignore any correspondence that is not from their district, so its not desirable to blanket e-mail them (this type of abuse is why many do not view it favorably). The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a guide on how to contact your elected officials, including a valuable list of dos and dont's.

• Contact the White House
  Phone: toll free 1-800-671-7887 (ask for the Comment Line)
  FAX: 1 202-456-2461 (fax)
  E-mail:comments@whitehouse.gov
  
  
• Find contact information on your U.S. Representative
  Locate by using your ZIP Code
  Or if you know who your representative is, simply call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-800-962-3524

• Senator Chuck Hagel
  PHONE: 202-224-4224 (DC office)
  FAX: 202-224-5213 (DC office)
  Local offices
  Contact by E-mail

• Senator Ben Nelson
  PHONE: 202-224-6551 (DC office)
  FAX: 202-224-224-0012 (DC office)
  Local offices
  Contact by E-mail
  
  

Contact your state officials:

• Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman
  P.O. Box 94848
  Lincoln, NE 68509-4848
  PHONE: 402-471-2244
  FAX: 402-471-6031
  Contact by e-mail
  
  
  
• Contact your Nebraska State Senator

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USNews health insurance rankings for Nebraska

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Nebraska.

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Official State Goverment Sites with Nebraska Health Insurance Information

Nebraska Medicaid -- providing health care services to eligible elderly and disabled individuals and eligible low-income pregnant women, children and parents.

Nebraska Kids Connection -- health care coverage for qualified children developed by the State of Nebraska. It includes both the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Nebraska Medical Assistance Program (also known as Medicaid).