Kevin Knauss: Health, History, Travel, Insurance
Posts related to health insurance for individuals, families, small groups, enrollment, eligibility in California, plans, coverage, benefits.
After giving presentations in Oroville and Chico, it was apparent that I should offer the educational seminar to other communities in Northern California that want to learn more about this new health insurance market place call Covered California. I am now offering presentations on the features and benefits of Covered California to large and small groups.
Numerous Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be offered in 2014 throughout California. All MA are county specific and may have additional reduced availability by zip code within the designated county. Most of the MA plans also include the Part D Prescription Drug plan (MA-PD), but not all.
Medicare Advantage plans have been encouraged by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to include $0 copay prescription costs for medications that work to reduce heart attacks and strokes in the plans for 2014. Some plans will be including $0 copay drugs that fight high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
One of the biggest questions regarding eligibility for premium assistance or discounts under the new Affordable Care Act is what type of income must the applicant count? The Covered California CalHEERS enrollment website will have a drop down menu to prompt households on the type of income they should be entering for eligibility.
Provisions within the Affordable Care Act will reduce accidental pregnancies that are at a higher risk to be aborted. With the increased availability of no cost contraception to women, pregnancies will be planned and abortions reduced. In addition, the financial uncertainties of carrying a pregnancy to term will also be reduced as all health plans will cover maternity benefits.
KFF has develop this simple calculator to help people determine if they are eligible for a subsidy or advance premium tax credit for their health insurance costs. The calculator will work for all fifty states, but is not a replacement for the actual federal or state exchange where you reside.
Not too long ago the talk in conservative circles was how the cuts to Medicare Advantage plans under the Affordable Care Act would hurt seniors. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that more seniors now have access to higher quality Medicare Advantage plans as there has been a 28% increase in plans receiving four or more quality star ratings for the 2014 open enrollment period beginning on October 15th.
Numerous opinion polls have concluded that a majority of Americans don’t support Obamacare based on what they have heard about it. Of course, a majority of Americans are covered by either group health plans or Medicare and could really care less about learning the specifics of the Affordable Care Act. I dare say that if you polled people on select, specific elements of the ACA, you’ll find a majority of Americans approve of Obamacare.
The new Affordable Care Act health plans offered through Covered California will help many people move out of an expensive COBRA plan and into an insurance plan with lower premiums. However, COBRA is considered “employer offered” health insurance that meets minimum essential benefits and value. Because of this many people and families on, or offered, COBRA will NOT be eligible for tax credits to reduce the monthly premiums of Covered California plans.
Open enrollment for the new Covered California health plans launches October 1st. But you don’t have to rush into unknown waters and sign up for coverage that doesn’t start until January 1, 2014. Because these health plans are new, it would be prudent to avoid immediately enrolling until the health plans have been reviewed and all the details are known.
