
IMPORTANT INFORMATION Monday, March 19 2012
Bernanke's bucks Ever wonder how the Federal Reserve Chairman chooses to invest his own money. In fact its a matter of public record. The bulk of his assets are invested in several annuity products with some mutual funds tossed in for good measure and Canadian bonds. Makes you kinda wonder about our economy. Makes you wander why people like Bernanke invest heavily in more guraranteed products like Annuities and cash value whole life insurance. Tuesday, March 13 2012
Preventative Care - What this means for you!
Preventive Care Under the Affordable Care Act, you and your family may be eligible for some important preventive services — which can help you avoid illness and improve your health — at no additional cost to you.
What This Means for YouIf your plan is subject to these new requirements, you may not have to pay a copayment, co-insurance, or deductible to receive recommended preventive health services, such as screenings, vaccinations, and counseling. For example, depending on your age, you may have access — at no cost — to preventive services such as:
Some Important DetailsThis preventive services provision applies only to people enrolled in job-related health plans or individual health insurance policies created after March 23, 2010. If you are in such a health plan, this provision will affect you as soon as your plan begins its first new “plan year” or “policy year” on or after September 23, 2010. Top things to know about preventive care and services:
Tuesday, March 13 2012
Affordable Care Act Expands Prevention Coverage for Women’s Health and Well-BeingThe Affordable Care Act – the health insurance reform legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010 – helps make prevention affordable and accessible for all Americans by requiring health plans to cover recommended preventive services and by eliminating cost sharing. Preventive services that have strong scientific evidence of their health benefits must be covered and plans can no longer charge a patient a copayment, co-insurance or deductible for these services when they are delivered by a network provider. Learn more about the recommended preventive services available to Americans without cost sharing. Women’s Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage GuidelinesUnder the Affordable Care Act, women’s preventive health care services – such as mammograms, screenings for cervical cancer, and other services – are covered with no cost sharing for new health plans. However, the law recognizes and HHS understands the need to take into account the unique health needs of women throughout their lifespan. The Health Resources and Services Administration-supported health plan coverage guidelines for women’s preventive services below, developed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), will help ensure that women receive a comprehensive set of preventive services without having to pay a copayment, co-insurance, or a deductible. HHS commissioned an IOM study to review what preventive services are necessary for women’s health and well-being and should be considered in the development of comprehensive guidelines for preventive services for women. HRSA is supporting the IOM’s recommendations on preventive services that address health needs specific to women and fill gaps in existing guidelines. Share your comments on the Guidelines: womensguidelines@hrsa.gov. Learn more about the Affordable Care Act and the Guidelines for Women’s Preventive Services or find more information about the IOM’s July 2011 report titled Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps. Health Resources and Services Administration-Supported Women's Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage GuidelinesThese guidelines are effective August 1, 2011. Accordingly, non-grandfathered plans and issuers are required to provide coverage without cost sharing consistent with these guidelines in the first plan year (in the individual market, policy year) that begins on or after August 1, 2012.
* Refer to recommendations listed in the July 2011 IOM report titled Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps concerning individual preventive services that may be obtained during a well-woman preventive service visit. Tuesday, March 13 2012
Preventive Services Covered Under the Affordable Care Act - TexasIf you have a new health insurance plan or insurance policy beginning on or after September 23, 2010, the following preventive services must be covered without your having to pay a copayment or co-insurance or meet your deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider.
Covered Preventive Services for Adults
Covered Preventive Services for Women, Including Pregnant WomenNote: Services marked with an asterisk ( * ) must be covered with no cost-sharing in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. See Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women.
Note: Services marked with an asterisk ( * ) must be covered with no cost-sharing in plan years starting on or after August 1, 2012. See Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women. Covered Preventive Services for Children
Tuesday, March 13 2012
Grandfathered Health PlansThe Affordable Care Act exempts most plans that existed on March 23, 2010 — the day the law was enacted — from some of the law’s consumer protections. This preserves consumers’ rights to keep the coverage they already had before health reform. http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/rights/grandfathered-plans/index.html
Tuesday, March 13 2012
Did you purchase a plan before September 23, 2010?
Here is what you could be missing!
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act. The law puts in place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will roll out over four years and beyond, with most changes taking place by 2014.
· All new health insurance plans must provide coverage for preventative services with no out of pocket cost
· Young adults are allowed to stay on their parent’s plan until they turn 26 years old.
· Health insurance companies will be banned from excluding coverage for pre-existing conditions for children.
· Adults with pre-existing conditions will be eligible for coverage into high risk health insurance pools until future health care exchanges are up and running.
· Prohibiting Insurance Companies from Rescinding Coverage
· All new health insurance plans will have to comply with new regulations that lay out an appeals process for when health insurance claims are denied.
· Prohibiting Insurance Companies from Rescinding Coverage
· Prohibiting Insurance Companies from Rescinding Coverage
· Eliminating Lifetime Limits on Insurance Coverage
· Eliminating lifetime limits on insurance coverage
· Holding insurance companies accountable for Unreasonable rate hikes
· Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) - Consumer Rebates Estimates indicate that in 2012, as many as 9 million people could be eligible for the first round of rebates totaling $1.4 billion, and rebates in the individual market could average $164 per person. Rebates are to be paid by August 1 of each year in the form of reductions in premiums, rebate checks, or lump-sum reimbursements to the credit or debit card accounts used to pay the premiums. Each consumer owed a rebate will receive an amount that is proportional to the premium amount paid; therefore, in instances where an employer pays a portion (or all) of the premium, the employer would receive a portion (or all) of the rebate. |
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