I know I have discussed this before, but at the end of 2018 I experienced, again the new guidelines Medicare is now using regarding enrollment.
Category: Insurance
Silver Sneakers Offers Tuition Assistance
Silver Sneakers is a program that many of the Medicare Advantage plans offer. This additional benefit to the medical and prescription drug coverage offer a basic membership at many locations throughout the US as well as offering FLEX classes within the community or specific cardio, strength and range of motion or circuit training for all levels of ability. It’s an opportunity to workout and meet others that are working toward better health.
Are You Protecting Your Most Important Asset?
If you were asked what your most important asset is what would that be? Your home? Your car? Maybe your retirement savings? Think harder….what allows you to have those ‘things’?
What is the Farm Bureau Health Plan and Is it for Me?
Beginning January 1, 2019, there will be a new health pan option available for individuals, known as the Farm Bureau Health Plan. Here are a few facts about the plan.
Changes in Social Security and Medicare Premiums for 2019
As we ease into October cooler weather, falling leaves and pumpkins, Medicare clients anxiously await the federal government’s decision on Social Security increase, Medicare Part B premium and any additional changes related to these two. How about we dust off the crystal ball and take a look.
Have Wellmark BCBS of Iowa Health Coverage? Did you Know About Blue365?
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa covers more Iowans than any other health carrier in the state. If you are covered by Wellmark, did you know they have a health program called Blue365?
Insurance and Young Adults
One of the first articles of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 was allowing young adults to stay on their parents plan until age 26.
Are You Medicare Eligible and Confused about Sign up Dates and Rules? Here are the Basics
I recently had a mechanical engineer who builds bridges in my office. After we discussed Medicare he said, “I build bridges and I STILL don’t understand this stuff.”
Iowa will Allow an Extension for ‘Transitional’ Health Plans through 2019
The Affordable Care Act(ACA) is the law that has set the guidelines for individual and group health insurance benefits since 2010. One of the aspects of the law was that if an individual or group was enrolled in a health insurance plan prior to January 1, 2014, that plan could be kept – as long as there were NO changes to the plan design.
Supplemental Benefit Series, Critical Illness and Cancer Coverage
This is the third and final installment on the supplemental benefit series. The final two benefit designs to be discussed are Critical Illness and Cancer. Read More
Supplemental Benefit Series: Short Term Disability and Accident Policies
Often, I receive inquiries from individuals wanting to purchase Short Term Disability on an individual basis. Typically, carriers will not offer short term disability individually as it is not cost effective. Standard short-term disability benefits start either first day for injury or illness or often first day injury and seventh day illness. Can you guess who is traditionally most interested in this benefit? Read More
Series on Supplemental Benefits
As the new year started, I watched the AFLAC duck attempt yoga on a tv commercial. AFLAC has done a great job at marketing with the duck. But I wondered, do people REALLY know how supplemental benefits work. The next couple months I will do a series of articles on the different carriers, defining the types of benefits available on a voluntary basis, how the plans are implemented and how benefits are paid. This first month, will focus on supplemental benefit basics.
5 Tips for Employees at Benefit Open Enrollment
It is closing in on Open Enrollment for employers as many offer their benefits as of January 1 of each year. With new regulations in place because of health care reform as well as ever increasing costs, employees can use all the help they can get. Following are just a few tips to think about when going through Open Enrollment materials. Read More
State of Iowa Withdraws the Stop Gap Measure as a Health Insurance Options for 2018
Last month I wrote about the Stop Gap Measure that the State of Iowa had submitted to the federal government as a one year emergency plan to provide health insurance at a reasonable premium for individuals who do not have access to coverage through an employer. On October 20, the State of Iowa withdrew their request as there was not time to continue the conversation with CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) the department of the government that was overseeing the request. Read More