The insurance companies know more about the variety of reasons for plan closures than they are telling the public. The CEO’s of major health plans should be brought before congress an asked about the real reasons they are closing plans.
Health Insurance
Posts related to health insurance for individuals, families, small groups, enrollment, eligibility in California, plans, coverage, benefits.
Monthly Household Income Estimator
The eligibility requirements to receive premium assistance for the new ACA health plans offered through either the federal or state websites is based on a household’s estimated income in 2014. Past federal tax returns are a great starting point and guide, but an individual or family’s wages may have significantly changed in 2013 and may change again in 2014.
Covered California individual versus small group rate comparisons
Many Californians are seeing their individual and family health insurance premiums jump with the inclusion of all the new Affordable Care Act benefits and regulations. A small sampling of the new ACA rates shows that Covered California individual health plans are comparably priced with current and future small group plans offered in California.
Registered Domestic Partnerships get a break under the ACA
Registered domestic partnerships are receiving a financial break under the Affordable Care Act not available to married couples. For married couples, if either one is offered employer sponsored health insurance that automatically excludes the spouse and children from receiving tax credits to lower monthly premiums on health plans purchased through the state health insurance exchange of the ACA*.
How impartial are insurance agents with Covered California health plans?
Agents that are certified to sell Covered California health insurance sign an agreement which in part states that the agent will fairly represent all the different plans. I have faith that all the agents will accurately represent all the plans, but they are under various incentives and realities that may distort some agent’s presentations to clients.
Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans offer Transportation, Hearing Aids, Dental and Interpreters
Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from chronic and debilitating illnesses such as cancer, dementia, HIV/AIDS or have suffered a stroke may be eligible for a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (SNP). These SNPs may offer transportation to and from doctor appointments, hearing aids and special language interpreters for doctor appointments.
How to Designate an Agent in Covered California.
Designating an agent to help you enroll in a new individual and family plan or a small group plan offered through Covered California is pretty simple. Not only can the agent help with the application when he or she is your designated agent, a health insurance agent also provides another level of customer service for future changes.
Covered California struggles with In-Person Assistance Program
Having problems finding someone to help you with you Covered California enrollment? You’re not alone. The second week into open enrollment shows that Covered California is struggling to get bodies trained and certified to help enroll Californians in the new health plans. After hoping to have an army of In-Person Assisters to help Californians, there were less than 300 Certified Enrollment Counselors (CEC) according to figures released by Covered California.
McClintock shuts down cancer treatment for Michelle Langbehn
A rally at Congressman McClintock’s (R-CA) Granite Bay office featured Michelle Langbehn, a constituent of Rep. McClintock, speaking on how the federal government has interrupted her potential life saving cancer treatment from the National Institute of Health. Representative McClintock has been an early and ardent supporter of shutting down the federal government in an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Qualifying Events allow for purchase of health plan outside of open enrollment
Under the Affordable Care Act, individual and family plans (IFPs) will have coverage benefits very much like an employer sponsored small group plan. Another way in which the new IFP plans will mirror a group plan are enrollment restrictions. Individuals and families will only be able to enroll into the new IFP plans outside of open enrollment if there is a “qualifying event”.
