Health Insurance Michigan | individual and group insurance solutions

COBRA Premium Subsidy Extended

On Dec. 19, 2009, Congress amended the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), approving an extension of the eligibility period and duration of the COBRA premium subsidy for assistance eligible individuals (AEIs).

The amendment extended the COBRA premium subsidy eligibility period for two months — until Feb. 28, 2010 — and increased the maximum period for receiving the subsidy for an additional six months (from the old guideline of nine months to the new guideline of 15 months). In addition, individuals who had reached the end of their subsidy period now have the opportunity to obtain the subsidy for an additional six months.

New Notification Requirements

Notice to Individuals. Employers must provide notice of the extension to those individuals who, at any time on or after Oct. 31, 2009, but no later than Dec. 19, 2009:

1. were assistance eligible individuals, or
2. experienced a qualifying event related to a voluntary or involuntary termination of employment.

Employers must provide this written notice by Feb. 17, 2010.

Notice Upon Conclusion of Nine-Month COBRA Subsidy Period. Employers must also provide notice to assistance eligible individuals whose continuation coverage was discontinued after the expiration of their nine-month subsidy period (and prior to the new law taking effect on Dec. 19, 2009) due to a failure to pay the COBRA premium. This notice is required to advise them of their right to receive the subsidy for an additional six months if they pay the back premiums. If payment is made, their continuation coverage will be retroactively reinstated. To qualify for this reinstatement, the individual must pay the back premiums by Feb. 17, 2010, or within 30 days from the date the employer provides the updated COBRA premium subsidy notice, whichever is later. Employers must provide this notice within 60 days of the individual dropping coverage or first overpaying for such coverage.

Notice Upon Future Qualifying Events. The COBRA premium subsidy notices should be updated to incorporate these changes and should be distributed in the normal manner for all qualifying events that occur after Dec. 19, 2009.

Individuals who maintained their continuation coverage by paying the full COBRA premium after their subsidy expired are to be reimbursed for the amount of retroactive subsidy to which they are entitled under the new law. They employer may issue a refund directly to the individual or apply the overpayment against future premiums.

For more information, go to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Web page on COBRA Continuation Coverage Assistance Under ARRA.

If your insurance company is giving you the run around regarding your Lap Band Surgery. You may still finance the surgery yourself. A good start is to contact Capital One Healthcare Finance. Visit their website to learn more about Lap Band financing. You can also call toll free 1-877-559-5050

For reference see the average cost below:

The Cost of Lap Band and Gastric Bypass Surgery

Lap-Band - $13,600.00
Gastric Bypass - $25,000.00
Sleeve Gastrectomy - $16,200.00

Today was interesting.  Called someone who had expressed interest in finding health insurance.  When he realized I was an insurance agent, he claimed that he was not the person I was looking for.  Must have had the wrong number.  Get’s better.  Another call was to a young lady who was also in the market.  Got upset that she was running out of minutes, so she would not be able to talk.  Click.  Then I got a message from a blocked number that us insurance agents need to get a life, to stop *expletive* calling, they don’t want any *expletive* insurance.  Still trying to figure out who not to call.  : )

The point is, I am not upset, angered, or annoyed by any of this.  It comes with the territory of being in sales.  What I have never understood, is why.  Why take the time to claim you aren’t really you?  Or go through the trouble to curse out my voicemail?

We are all busy.  Understandable.  The onslaught of phone calls that one gets while researching insurance is crazy.  There are agents that make it bad for the rest.  They focus more on getting their pitch in, rather than actually listening to the client.  Who wants 8 or 9 phone calls like that?  Surely not me.

There has to be a better way.  Maybe it comes from the insurance agent being less about them and more about the client.   Asking questions that helps the client understand that we are not wasting their time.  Then, just maybe, they won’t have to waste energy coming up with creative ways to not talk to you.

B

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Shopping for health insurance is not always fun. Online quotes can result in a ridiculous amount of phone calls. If it’s your first experience, it can be overwhelming. What can I do for you?

Find the most affordable option customized to you

Wish it were more complicated than that…doesn’t need to be. By working with licensed agents we can help you sort out the nonsense and have you on your way to doing the things you enjoy. Like living.

Contact us through twitter - twitter.com/michinsurance or mymichiganhealth.com

Health Insurance can be one of the most frustrating things to shop for.  Trying to understand deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance.  As if you didn’t have enough things to do in your day.  Now you have to try and navigate all this insurance jargon.

With the ever increasing precense of the internet, more and more people are taking the do-it-yourself route when it comes to shopping for insurance.  Whether it’s for their car, their home, or their medical coverage, they enjoy the ease of getting multiple quotes in one place.  I myself have shopped for insurance this way.

I own a small business unrelated.  I was without health insurance.  Prior to getting in to the insurance field, I experienced first hand the frustation of shopping for health insurance.  I would choose the cheapest plan that looked great, office visits, decent deductible.  Only to get a bill from my doctor later, going WTH?  I tried going through a broker.  Maybe my first clue should have been him requesting me to come to his house to discuss coverage.  That plan sucked too.  Of course I didn’t know it until I had to use it.

And there in lies the frustration with health insurance.  While it serves it’s purpose in keeping us financially secure.  My expection of what I was purchasing was not inline with what I was actually getting.

So when I say it’s up to you.  What I mean is that it’s important to ask the right questions.  What does the coverage do if X happens?  What about Y?  If I get cancer is that included in the coverage I purchased?  What about prescription coverage.  I see that it’s included, but do I need to get approval before I go to the pharmacist.

By asking all the right questions up front you can alleviate some of the frustration that you run into on the back end.  Of course when you shop online, who are you going to talk to?  Well, there is a reason why they have a talk to live support on most insurance websites.

Make sure you do you due diligence. If it seems confusing consult a licensed agent.  While most of the time your dealing with guys/gals who are hounding you because of a quote request.  It’s amazing how helpful they will be answer questions when you are calling them.  Agents know their stuff.  Thats why they have a license.  Good luck!

According to recent article by the Detroit Free Press, it seems that more and more diabetics are skipping healthcare due to the recession.  They are going without doctor visits, necessary medications, and blood sugar testing.  A dangerous proposition indeed.

Doctors are reporting a drop off in the number of patients that are seeking treatment, opting to go with charity or tax susidized care.  This trend means more diabetics are winding up in the emergency room.

As the numbers of diabetics continues to increase (1.6 million in 2007) these trips to the emergency room will surely put a tax on our healthcare system.

This trend is not limited to diabetics, the article goes on to state that more and more people with health problems are seeking alternatives or going without healthcare altogether due to the recession.  That may work for some, but for diabetics, missing out on crutial care can be life threating.

The Freep states “Patients’ frugality comes at a tremendous cost to the already-strained health care system. The typical monthly bill to treat diabetes runs $350 to $900 for those without insurance, a price tag that has risen as newer, more expensive medicines have hit the market.”

Per the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are 23.6 million children and adults in the United States, or 7.8% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 17.9 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.7 million people (or nearly one quarter) are unaware that they have the disease.

Diabetes often goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.

Some diabetes symptoms include:

* Frequent urination
* Excessive thirst
* Extreme hunger
* Unusual weight loss
* Increased fatigue
* Irritability
* Blurry vision

You may think that having diabetes may mean that if you are currenly uninsured that you won’t be able to find health insurance.  This is not the case.  There are health insurance providers that offer competitive, affordable options for those with pre-existing conditions. You may find that your premium is at or below the $350 - $900 dollar monthly cost of treating diabetes.

If you were recently laid off or fear a layoff in the upcoming days or weeks.  In addition to dusting off your resume, don’t forget about your healthcare.  

According to a recent article from the FREEP, here are some key things to remember:

Schedule necessary doctor appointments you may have been putting off.  Especially if you are still on a company sponsered healthcare plan.

Don’t get every test out there.  Why?  If something bad comes up, it goes into your medical file, and may make it difficult to get affordable health insurance due to a pre-existed condition.

Speak with your doctor.  Most people would be surprised at how willing your doctor may be to offer lower rates considering your current situation.

Get up to date on your immunizations.  This is just smart planning while you still have insurance.  You don’t want to get caught paying for these on your own.  

Remember this important note, if the company you currently work for has 20 plus employees, they are legally required to provide COBRA to pink slipped employees for 18 months at group rates.  Be sure to ask if will be covered for a period of time at no cost to you. 

Be sure to look into alternative insurance options.  These days there are plenty of companies offering affordable individual and family health insurance as an alternative to COBRA.  

To read the full article:

Visit the freep.com under the health section