Many people immediately balk at the mention of insurance plans with high deductibles of $5,000 or more.

Why do I need insurance if I have to pay $5,000 out of my own pocket before anything is covered?

Common misconception, and many people are simply uneducated about the higher deductible plans, and how they may actually benefit them.

• These plans are ideal for the healthy, self-employed, and active individuals who don’t frequent the doctor more than once a year.
• Most high deductible plans feature at least one annual doctor’s visit per year without dipping into the deductible, and also discount prescriptions if you do happen to need them.
• The higher deductible makes the monthly premiums much more affordable, and in many cases allows you to save more money using an HSA (Health Savings Account).
• They offer protection against major illnesses and accidents, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are protected.

I personally view high deductible plans as an opportunity for people to take their health more seriously, and to take ownership and responsibility for their lifestyles.

Stop smoking, lose that weight, check your skin for suspicious moles, do self-breast exams, run that race you have been putting off.

Do your part to insure that you do not need to dip into that high deductible, and take ownership of your health.

What are your thoughts on high deductible insurance plans?  Is it something that you have considered?

Originally posted 2011-02-10 15:04:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

An undetermined number of employees are expected to be laid off in the wake of the rehabilitation order by state of Michigan’s OFIR for the insurer American Community Medical.

Based out of Livonia, American Community is one of Michigan’s’ oldest insurance companies.

Due to ongoing financial problems, the company was placed on rehabilitation on April 8th, 2010.

Rehabilitation is corporate reorganization under Chapter 81 of the Michigan Insurance Code.

There are at least 280 people were employed there in 2009.

If you are an American Community policyholder you do have options.  If you would like to review your options please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Related Posts:

American Community Medical Rehabilitation Michigan

Originally posted 2010-04-25 18:03:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Paging Dr. House

Every decade or so, another hospital or medical-based television drama becomes popular. Now, the medical show is House. In these episodes, now attracting biology degree students to prepare for medical school, the reality of the art and practice isn’t remotely portrayed. Somehow, all the messy blood and the frankly disgusting odors of injury and illness are lost. Dr. House’s hospital is especially remarkable for the complete absence of nurses and its staffing ability to assign 6 to 8 physicians to care for a patient under his sarcastic supervision. It’s no surprise to any doctor or nurse that patients and families become angry and frustrated when admitted into a real hospital. All of their expectations are crushed. The only time a family member is going to see five to seven doctors is not over their loved ones bed, but in the hospital cafeteria. Likewise, the medical school student who has worked so many years to accomplish his or her position is going to look around for that table of helpful colleagues and find a lot of empty chairs.

Tip 1: Carefully Consider Even Beginning

Aside from being the fall back answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” this career path is extraordinarily long and arduous. In some cases, a student’s efforts need to begin in high school with the twin goals of gaining admission to an undergraduate college known for its successful rate of medical school placements and earning the awarding of as many financial scholarships as possible. Very few teenagers at the age of 15 or 16 can even begin to understand that their education might be completed when they are twice as old as their current age. In addition to outstanding grades, the student must perform very well on the SAT test to demonstrate a certain degree of knowledge and to help gain admission to the necessary college for a pre-med major.

Tip 2: Fully Consider the Financial Costs to Become a Doctor

A second but extremely important consideration is financial. Prospective doctors rarely grasp is the amount of money that the necessary education will cost them, even with student loans. It is not unheard of for a newly minted doctor to find herself $250,000 or more in debt. As amply illustrated by President Obama’s recent admission that he and the First Lady just finished paying off student loans only eight years ago, these are not insignificant considerations. The aging Boomer population will provide ample patients for graduating physicians, but it may still require decades of payments to pay off all student loans.

Tip 3: Take the Pre-Med Core Classes in College

A pre-medical student’s job in college is to accrue the highest GPA possible while learning how to study well, memorize material intensively and operate on as little sleep as possible. While medical schools used to basically require an undergraduate degree in biology, they now accept students from many majors. Nonetheless, these students need to have successfully accomplished two years of biology, two years of chemistry and other sciences, such as anatomy and physiology.

Tip 4: Ace the MCAT

As an undergraduate studies as intently as she is able for her ongoing classes and projects, she must study for and take the MCAT evaluation. This is the med school version of the high school SAT and is relied upon heavily by medical schools. Some undergraduate find the preparation too intense to devote enough time to as undergraduates and take a year “off” to study for the exam.

Tip 5: The Last Hurdles

Making formal and expensive written applications to appropriate medical schools is the nascent doctor’s first task. Schools that are interested enough in a student’s background might invite her for a formal interview. This evaluation will not only assess the student’s personality and motivation, but also technical standards that include overall character and the ability to physical and emotionally complete the training.

A career in medicine can be a satisfying and lucrative one. Population demographics assure an adequate patient base for graduating doctors. The journey, however, is challenging.

The future is looking a bit brighter for the first responders at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Those that are still alive, that is.  Many have passed away due to what they claim are various illnesses resulting from the dust and debris that they inhaled while trying to help victims in the horrendous attack.

The bill is named for James Zadroga, a 34 year old police detective who died supposedly from respiratory disease contacted from the debris.

Doctors and researchers say that inhaling large amounts of dust and pulverized materials can cause severe asthma and sinus issues.

The problem is, they admit that they cannot be sure.  This is basically an uncharted case, simply because the magnitude of those who fell ill has never been experienced in this arena before.

By trimming the bill about 1.2 billion dollars, the Republicans came closer to supporting the bill which needs just a few more votes in order to pass.

What are your thoughts?  Do support spending billions of dollars on a theory?  Or do you actually need to see proof when our self-less heroes are dying in such terrible ways?

Originally posted 2010-12-20 12:46:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Originally posted 2009-08-27 05:06:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Area Agency on Aging

800-852-7795   800-803-7174

Macomb County Deptartment of Senior Services

586-469-6313

Recipients of Medicare from Social Security can enroll  Medicare Part D (prescription benefit) which began January 1, 2006.    Low income persons below 150% of poverty (currently $1197 per month income for one, $1604 for two) can receive “extra help” from Social Security (800-772-1213), at reduced or no premium.  For advice about which provider to choose call the Area Agency on Aging’s Medicare/Medicaid Assistance  Program (800-852-7795 or 800-803-7174) or the Dept of Senior Services (586-469-6313) or Social Security (1-800-MEDICARE 800-633-4227), or see http://www.medicare.gov

Originally posted 2009-07-28 07:00:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The simplest answer to this question is NO.  According to Privacy Rights Clearinghouse you need to know the following:

Insurance companies. MediCal and Medicare are government health plans and can require a Social Security number. Most insurers providing individual health insurance policies cannot require your Social Security number. However, they might refuse to issue a policy if you don’t provide your Social Security number.

A new Mandatory Insurer Reporting Law (Section 111 of Public Law 110-173) requires group health plan insurers to report SSNs in order for Medicare to coordinate payments with other insurance benefits. The law was enacted in late 2007 but became effective on January 1, 2009. As a subscriber (or spouse or family member of a subscriber) to a group health plan arrangement, your SSN will likely be requested in order to meet the requirements of this law if this information is not already on file with your insurer. Similarly, individuals who receive ongoing reimbursement for medical care through no-fault insurance or workers’ compensation or who receive a settlement, judgment or award from liability insurance (including self-insurance), no-fault insurance, or workers’ compensation will be asked to furnish information concerning their SSN.

For more information about this law see:

• http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MandatoryInsRep/

Originally posted 2010-03-31 05:48:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

A co-payment is a fixed-dollar amount that you are responsible for paying for a particular medical service. For example, many plans have $35 co-payments for doctor’s visits. This means it only costs you $35 to see a doctor. Most individual Michigan health insurance plans offer doctor co-pays between $35-$50

Originally posted 2009-07-31 18:36:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Frequently Asked Questions

A short-term extension of COBRA health insurance premium subsidies for involuntarily terminated employees has been approved.

Now, employees terminated from April 1 through May 31, 2010, will receive the 15-month, 65% federal premium subsidy. Prior to this extension, March 31, 2010 was the cut-off date.

President Obama is urging lawmakers to extend the COBRA premium subsidy through the end of the year. The Senate is currently working on this new extension.

The Focus Group will keep you posted of any upcoming changes to the COBRA subsidy as they become present.

UPDATE:
The latest extension applies to anyone who involuntarily lost a job between April 1 and May 31 of this year. The subsidy lasts for 15 months from when coverage begins. (COBRA coverage typically lasts 18 months; in some cases it can be extended to 36 months.) To qualify for the subsidy, you must apply for coverage within 60 days of losing benefits, not be eligible for Medicare and not be eligible for any other group health plan, such as one offered by a new job or by a spouse’s employer.

You can get additional information at http://www.dol.gov/COBRA or by calling a Department of Labor benefits advisor toll-free at (866) 444-3272.

NOTE: There is a possibility that the COBRA extension could be opened up to those who lose their jobs after June.  We’ll keep you posted.

UPDATE 5/27/2010

It looks as if House Democrat leaders have released a scaled-down version of the H.R. 4213 bill.  Under the revised bill health benefits and COBRA subsidies will now be extended through November 30, 2010 instead of December 31, 2010.

The reasons for the scale down is an effort by Democratic leaders to get the measure approved before Congress breaks for the Memorial Day weekend.

The estimates from the Congressional Budget Office puts the price tag at around $144 billion.  This includes cuts on unemployment benefits and COBRA subsidies.  It was nearly $200 billion.

So, with opposition coming from fiscal conservatives, both Democrat and Republican, the measure will be difficult to pass by Memorial Day.

If you may lose your COBRA benefits on May 31, remember, in certain states insurance companies can impose a waiting period for pre-existing conditions if there is a lapse in coverage greater than one day.  Be sure to check with your local broker to confirm.

UPDATE 6/2/2010

It seems that the Dems were concerned about getting enough votes to get the Jobs bill passed.  In order to garner the votes, they had to drop the COBRA Subsidy or 65% discount over concerns about short term deficits and political considerations.

The same Democrats who claimed to take the moral high ground when it came to Health Care Reform are the same ones now leaving thousands of Americans without health insurance.  Was it not these Democrats who claimed the reason for reform was to insure all Americans had affordable Health Care Insurance?

What does this mean for me?

It means that if you lose your job starting now, you will no longer qualify for the 65% discount COBRA subsidy.  You would be required to pay the full price of your COBRA Health Insurance.

Is there a chance that the 65% discount will go longer than 15 months?

No.  That is a common misunderstanding.  The extension was only for those who recently lost their jobs.  Not those who were coming to the end of their 15 months.

What Next?

The most prudent thing to do is to find a new family health insurance plan immediately.  Depending on your state, you do not want a lapse in coverage.  Especially if you have pre-exisiting conditions.  Insurance carriers can exclude pre-exisiting conditions if there is a lapse in coverage.

If you have questions about your options, please don’t hesitate to comment below or contact The Focus Group at 888.320.5388.

RELATED INFO

• FAQs On The COBRA Premium Reduction Extension Provisions
• COBRA Fact Sheet
• COBRA Subsidy Extension Beyond 15 months
• Alternative to COBRA Insurance
• When should I take COBRA

Originally posted 2010-05-04 07:04:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The holiday season is always filled with stress, typically because our schedules are on overload.  It seems that every single day, especially the weekends, are filled to the brim with shopping, parties, food, lack of sleep.

Here are some random tips to help cut down on seasonal stress:

1)  If you are entertaining guests in your home, your freezer is your best friend.  Bake your cookies or dough ahead of time and freeze them for up to three months.  Make sure that they are completely cooled before storing them between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container.

2)  Do the same with meals such as lasanga and chili.  These will easily freeze well for about a month and can take the pressure off when hunger strikes.  Keep simple appetizers such as cheese and crackers on hand.

3) Maintain your regular sleep schedule as much as possible.

4)  Park as far as you can from the mall enterance and walk an extra loop around the interior after you finish your shopping.

5)  Just say no!  To that extra party, another cocktail, another relative wanting to crash your already bursting house for the week, another piece of cheesecake.

6)  Be in the moment.  Really look around you and enjoy every moment that you are with family, friends, or co-workers, whether you like them or not.  Be a bit kinder than necessary.  It will make them, and you feel better.

Originally posted 2010-12-09 07:27:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter