Category Archives: health insurance

Requirements to Change Marketplace Health Insurance in California | JT Insurance Services

Requirements to Change Marketplace Health Insurance in California

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Now that the open enrollment period for the Marketplace has ended, it is important to be aware of your rights if you need to make a change in your health insurance in California. You can enroll in Covered California private coverage only if you have a life event that qualifies you to do so, or are the victim of a complex situation related to errors within the Marketplace.

The life events that qualify you to purchase private health insurance in California through the marketplace are marriage, divorce, adding a child to your family through birth or adoption, giving a child up for adoption or foster care, becoming a citizen, moving to a new home, and leaving prison.

You can also qualify if you have lost other health coverage for one of the following reasons: coverage was through your employer and you lost your job, your policy was an individual one and it ended in 2014, your COBRA benefits expired, you become too old to be covered on your parents’ plan, or you become ineligible for Medicaid. You do not qualify if you voluntarily give up your coverage by health insurance in California.

If you are already enrolled in Covered California you can make a change to your policy if you have a change in household income or status that affects your ability to be eligible for cost-sharing reductions or premium tax credits. In addition, if you are Native American, and a member of a federally registered tribe, you can change plans or enroll once per month for every month of the year.

Individuals can apply for Medicaid and CHIP coverage at any time. There is no limited enrollment period for those programs. If you qualify, you will be enrolled. If you have one of the above qualifying life events, you can enroll or change your private health insurance. If not, you can always try to appeal the denial of a special enrollment timeframe.

If you are reading this on any other blog than JT Insurance Services or via my RSS Feed, it is stolen content without credit.
You can find me on Twitter via @Obamacare_Guru
Come and visit our blog at http://healthplansforyou.com/blog/

The Future of Obamacare in the November Election | JT Insurance Services

The Future of Obamacare in the November Election

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With the November elections only six months away, many are beginning to discuss the future of Obamacare and whether or not it will be repealed. While Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are not particularly popular, with 52% of Americans polled still opposed to the law, many against it would prefer improvement of the current law over a full repeal. Regardless of party line or opinion on the healthcare system, it will be very interesting to track the future of Obamacare and what changes, if any, are made to the current system in place.

Click here to read the full article by Robert Laszewski for Healthy Policy and Marketplace Review.

Free Health Insurance | JT Insurance Services

Do People Overuse Free Health Insurance?

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With the Obamacare’s moves toward a more centralized healthcare system, some have raised the question of whether or not free health insurance would be exploited as a resource. There is fear that that such access and no need for payment would lead people to overconsume resources. However, it seems that this myth may be debunked– there is no proof that countries that provide low-cost or even free healthcare spend more. The United States as a country spends the most per-capita on healthcare in the world, and other countries with free or low-cost healthcare options spend much less.

Click here to read the full article by Michael Hiltzik for the Los Angeles Times.

Individual Health Insurance | JT Insurance Services

Individual Healthcare and Cost-Sharing

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With family and individual health insurance costs on the rise, the concept of cost-sharing has been discussed on a variety of levels. It has been seen that charging consumers directly for part of their health care costs might put poor and sick people in harm’s way, as they may avoid seeking treatment to avoid paying for part of the cost. Many argue that for the healthy, though, cost-sharing is a good option. Recent studies suggest that moving toward even more cost-sharing will not, however, lead to very significant savings for group or individual health insurance.

Click here to read the full article by Austin Frakt for the New York Times.

What is Critical Illness Insurance? | JT Insurance Services

What is Critical Illness Insurance?

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Co-pays have steadily crept upward over the past ten years as insurers seek ways to mitigate the rising cost of health care. Now, some insurers and employers are adding a new product called critical illness insurance to their offerings in an attempt to fill in gaps in coverage for individuals with certain costly illnesses. Does it make good financial sense to purchase this extra coverage?

Inflation has not kept pace with skyrocketing health care costs, and, as a result, employers have passed some of those costs along to their workers. According to a new study by the National Business Group on Health, when you factor in premiums and other uncovered costs, the total worker share of health care costs is currently around 37%. That works out to $370 employees have to pay in premiums and other costs for every $1000 in 2013 health care expenses.

In addition, there is a rising fear that the tiered insurance coverage individuals are able to receive under the Affordable Care Act may move over to the workplace, which would only increase employees’ costs even more. Those plans include out-of-pocket costs as high as 40%, up to a maximum for individuals of $6,350 and $12,700 for families in 2014. These trends could be the reason that a growing number of businesses are offering their employees critical illness insurance.

If a policyholder is diagnosed with serious, specific ailment such as cancer, stroke, or heart attack, they will receive a lump sum payout. This money can help pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses as well as other costs associated with their treatment such as transportation, child care, or living expenses. These expenses otherwise could be very difficult for a sick person who cannot work to pay. This coverage is usually voluntary and paid for entirely by the employee.

The medical expenses that come along with a serious illness can be financially devastating. Protect your financial future by adding a critical illness insurance policy to your existing health care plan right now.

If you are reading this on any other blog than JT Insurance Services or via my RSS Feed, it is stolen content without credit.
You can find me on Twitter via @Obamacare_Guru
Come and visit our blog at http://healthplansforyou.com/blog/

Getting an Over 65 Insurance Policy

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If you are looking into an over 65 insurance policy, the rules change dramatically. With the implementation of Medicare, there are a few options to consider when focusing on your health coverage. While you may think that Medicare has you covered, you may want to think about acquiring some additional insurance to help supplement your plan.

There are a few situations in which Medicare does not protect you from potentially large medical expenses:

Medicare does not cover co-payments, deductibles, or any health care that you receive if traveling outside of the United States.

If you find yourself needing a supplement to Medicare, Medigap insurance policies can help finance additional health expenses.

In order to apply for Medigap or any supplemental insurance to Medicare, it is important that you are a part of both Medicare Parts A and B. If you and your spouse would both like to add Medigap coverage, it is possible that you need to apply separately as most plans only apply to one individual.

If you are an immigrant without American citizenship, Medicare may not cover you.

In order to take advantage of the nation-wide insurance program, you need to retain permanent residence in the country for at least five years. While this may allow for some individuals with green card status to apply for Medicare, this leaves many people uncovered by the government program.

Fortunately, as of January 1, 2014, new healthcare laws have come into effect that prevent insurers from turning away individuals based on age or pre-existing conditions. This is great news for people seeking over 65 insurance policies, as they will be able to purchase health insurance from any provider without any questions asked. This new law also prevents insurance companies from charging an exorbitant amount for its older subscribers, which makes coverage within reach for many more deserving individuals.

Acquiring an over 65 insurance policy from a private company may be the best way for you to save money on your health expenses. Whether you are supplementing Medicare or getting an entirely new plan, start by comparing the benefits of several insurance providers to get the best policy that meets your healthcare goals.

If you are reading this on any other blog than JT Insurance Services or via my RSS Feed, it is stolen content without credit.
You can find me on Twitter via @Obamacare_Guru
Come and visit our blog at http://healthplansforyou.com/blog/

Obamacare: The Next Big Benefit Change | JT Insurance Services

Obamacare: The Next Big Benefit Change

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Under the Obama administration, another new change has been approved that will go into effect as soon as this month. The new switch to what is called “reference pricing” may slow healthcare spending, while making health insurance even more complex. Employers have the opportunity to cap what they will spend on certain medical costs, leaving employees to pay the extra cost. Will this have a great effect on how Obamacare moves forward in our nation?

Click here to read the full article by Julie Appleby for Washington Post.

Individual and Family Health Insurance | JT Insurance Services

Ensuring Greater Peace of Mind With Individual and Family Health Insurance

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It is impossible to know what life is going to throw at you. One day you may be perfectly healthy, but by the next it is possible to be totally incapacitated. People get into car accidents, break their necks slipping in the shower, and discover that they have some type of cancer every day. While it is not fun to dwell on all of the negative possibilities, there is no reason that you should not prepare for them. Having individual and family health insurance is a necessity. With the right insurance company, it is possible to get great coverage for an affordable monthly premium. It just takes a little research.

Even if you are lucky enough to never have something terrible happen to you, such as receiving an injury in a car accident, it is important to have individual and family health insurance. A simple trip to the doctor because you or your child gets strep throat or pneumonia can be extremely costly if you do not have any coverage. With recent legislation, those who do not have health insurance also receive tax penalties. In the long run, paying an affordable monthly premium for health insurance is actually going to save a lot of money. This is especially true if you suddenly find yourself in a situation in which you need substantial medical care.

Do not live your life with a dark cloud over your head. There is no reason to wake up in the morning hoping against hope that nothing bad will happen to you or a family member because you do not have the means to pay for unexpected medical care. Do a little research and find a health insurance company that will give you coverage at a monthly premium that you can afford. Hopefully, you and your family will remain in excellent health throughout your lives. If you do get sick however, having great individual and family health insurance can save your life. This way, you can hope for the best but be prepared if the worst should happen.

If you are reading this on any other blog than JT Insurance Services or via my RSS Feed, it is stolen content without credit.
You can find Paul Oliver on Twitter via @Obamacare_Guru
Come and visit our blog at http://healthplansforyou.com/blog/

Obamacare and Health Reform

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Obamacare and Health Reform | JT Insurance ServicesShould health reform be top down or bottom up? While there are many questions  being asked in regards to health reform and Obamacare, Forbes Online addresses an interesting concern. Chris Conover suggests that Americans should become more educated about the way to go about reforming our health care system and debate whether it should begin with Congress and the President or consumers learning and understanding the intricate aspects of our system.

Click the link to read the full article >>>

Health insurance Quote In Calabasas | JT Insurance

Receive a Free Health Insurance Quotes to Pick the Best Insurance Plan Available

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There are many people in Calabasas and the surrounding areas who are in desperate need of health insurance. They worry about the well being of their family should something terrible happen. These people want to know that their children will be taken care of if they break a bone, or come down with a life threatening illness. Many insurance companies require a monthly premium that some people can just not afford. This is why it is important to do a little research, and find affordable health insurance for both individuals and families. It may require looking at many health insurance quotes in Calabasas before one can find the best coverage at an affordable cost, but it is possible to do so. Continue reading Receive a Free Health Insurance Quotes to Pick the Best Insurance Plan Available →