December 13, 2013

By Ray Wilson+

Tonik health plans, which are popular with the younger crowd due to their relatively low monthly premiums, are seeing their final enrollment dates in Colorado, Georgia, and Nevada. The final day to enroll is December 30, 2013. For all other states enrollment for Tonik is closed.

Choosing a Tonik plan will provide coverage through 2014. Some people are opting to take off-Exchange plans, like Tonik, because of the larger network of doctors and hospitals rather than choosing one of the new ACA plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

If you live in CO, GA, or NV and want a new Tonik plan call 800-930-7956 or go to HealthApplication.com.

October 29, 2013

By Katie Banks+

Anthem is allowing residents of Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, and possibly Virginia to enroll in non-Obamacare plans until November 15th. This means that all current clients can renew their current plan for another year, as well as anyone can apply for a December 1, 2014 policy end date.

Anthem Facts for those who want to Enroll in non-ACA plans

There are few things you should know when applying for these plans:

• The premiums may be less expensive
• May have a larger network
• May have added benefits
• These plans do not necessarily cover the ACA essential health benefits
• Preexisting conditions may disqualify you (if enrolling for the first time)

If you live in one of these states and would like to learn about your options call 800-930-7956 or contact Medicoverage.

May 31, 2013

By Amy De Vore+

The Affordable Care Act helps the uninsured in a few ways. For instance, in the LA Times today there was an article about a woman making $12.68 an hour, mother of one child, lives in Los Angeles, and recently choose to forego surgery because she was uninsured. As of January 1st this woman would have options for health coverage.

How the Affordable Care Act Helps Uninsured

She isn’t qualified for Medicaid, however since she works she may qualify for job-based insurance as 2015. Until then and if her employer doesn’t offer insurance she would qualify for premium subsidies and cost-sharing subsidies, and her daughter would qualify for Medi-Cal.

Costs for Lower-Income Families

The article doesn’t state how old she is, but if she is 30, her Silver plan premium could be as low as $93 a month and her deductible would be reduced from $2000 to $500, and a reduced maximum out of pocket from $6,350 to $2,250. This would apply to any single parent to one child living in the Los Angeles area, making her salary.

How do Lower-Income Families and Individuals Get Insurance?

First, it’s important to remember for anyone purchasing a plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace you need your W2 paperwork and financial information handy like child support, alimony, assets. Then you can either go directly through your state’s newly established call center’s navigators or you can go through your insurance agent. Many don’t realize that agents can help with on and off-Exchange plans.

Lower Income Seniors

Seniors do not have to do anything as of January 1st. Seniors stay on Medicare and do not apply for the new metal plans. Make sure your friends and parents are aware that there is nothing for them to do, because states are vocally expressing their concerns about seniors being tricked by scammers into giving away personal information due to the lack of awareness in regards to the ACA.

To learn if you qualify for a subsidy call 800-930-7956 or contact Medicoverage.

August 21, 2010

By James Wilson Jones

Anthem Blue Cross announced today that it has begun the process to remove lifetime maximum payouts to its health insurance plans. The recent health care reform legislation states that insurance plans can no longer have lifetime and annual dollar limits on “essential health benefits” as soon as September 23, 2010. 

Since the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has yet to clarify its definition of “essential health benefits,”  Anthem Blue Cross has come up with the following list of the services they believe will be affected:

• Alcoholism-related services
• Ambulance services
• Asthma education
• Bariatric surgery
• Chiropractic manipulation and osteopathic manipulation services
• Diabetic supplies
• Diagnostic services
• Durable medical equipment
• Enteral formula and food products
• Hearing aids
• Home health care
• Hospice
• Infusion therapy
• Kidney disease treatment
• Mental health/substance abuse
• Ostomy supplies
• Outpatient occupational therapy
• Outpatient physical therapy
• Outpatient speech therapy
• Pharmacy
• Physician office visit (diagnostic services)
• Preventive services
• Prosthetic devices/limbs
• Skilled nursing services
• Prosthetic devices/limbs
• Skilled nursing services
• Transplant services
• Treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD or TMJ)

Anthem states that the listed services still may be subject to copays and other cost shares and will be phased in over time.  Annual dollar limits of at least $750,000 will be allowed for plan years from September 23, 2010, to September 23, 2011. Annual dollar limits of at least $1.25 million will be allowed for plan years from September 23, 2011, to September 23, 2012.Annual dollar limits of at least $2 million will be allowed for plan years from September 23, 2012, to January 1, 2014.  After January 2014 there will be no lifetime limits and annual dollar limits.

June 01, 2010

By Mike Rose

Without the Nevada Attorney General’s consent, Governor Jim Gibbons announced that the State of Nevada will join the federal lawsuit that states the recent health care reform act is unconstitutional.

Gibbons, who spearheaded the Silver State’s involvement in the lawsuit, said in a recent press release that the Health Care reform act is,  A>?,?_"a national disgrace,A>?,?A_ that A>?,?_"clearly exceeds constitutional authority.A>?,?A_

(Governor Jim Gibbons before he was defeated in the Nevada State Primary. Source: gov.state.nv.us)

The lawsuit follows a political tug of war with Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. When Cortez Masto refused to file the lawsuit, Gibbons sought outside lawyers who agreed to take the case for free and raised additional money for the litigation through donations.

With the lawsuit,  Nevada joins 19 states in the litigation stating that the new legislation would force all Nevada citizens to buy health insurance or face tax penalties. 

The governor went on to say that the act is A>?,?_”...patently unconstitutional for the federal government to break the backs of Nevadans by trampling the Constitution and then threaten to use IRS agents to enforce this ridiculous plan.A>?,?A_

Gibbons claimed that the act has already cost the state of Nevada $250,000 in tax money just “to pay for pre-planning for the Nationalized Health Care Plan.A>?,?A_