From Health.gov  comes the following article concerning California Healthcare Reform repeal. Whether you are for or against the Federal Health Care Reform Bill we can all agree it is full of bugs that need to be fixed before (if) it  goes into full effect. It is a good idea poorly implemented and may do some real good if  it can be fixed correctly.

Without the Affordable Care Act:

• Critical Consumer Protections Would Be Lost:
  
  • 196,000 young adults would lose their insurance coverage through their parents’ health plans, sometimes just after they finish school and as they are looking for a job.  Families across California would lose the peace of mind the Affordable Care Act provides by making sure that young adults can stay on their parents plan to age 26 if they do not have coverage of their own.
  • More than 18.8 million residents of California with private insurance coverage would suddenly find themselves vulnerable again to having lifetime limits placed on how much insurance companies will spend on their health care.
  • Insurance companies would once again be allowed cut off someone’s coverage unexpectedly when they are in an accident or become sick because of a simple mistake on an application.   This would leave 2,705,000 people in California at risk of losing their insurance at the moment they need it most, as one of the worst abuses of the insurance industry would become legal again.
  • More than 18.8 million residents of California would not know if they are receiving value for their health insurance premium dollars, as insurers in state would no longer be required to spend at least 80 to 85 percent of premium dollars on health care rather than CEO salaries, bonuses, and corporate profits. 
  • New insurance plans would no longer be required to cover recommended preventive services, like mammograms and flu shots, without cost sharing, nor would they have to guarantee enrollees the right to choose any available primary care provider in the network or see an OB-GYN without a referral. 
  • Nearly 4.5 million seniors in California who have Medicare coveragewould be forced to pay a co-pay to receive important preventive services, like mammograms and colonoscopies.
  • Medicare would no longer pay for an annual check-up visit, so nearly 4.5 million seniors in California who have Medicare coverage would have to pay extra if they want to stay healthy by getting check-ups regularly. 

• 269,623 on Medicare Would See Significantly Higher Prescription Drug Costs: In California, 269,623 Medicare beneficiaries received a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate to help pay for prescription drugs in the “donut hole” coverage gap in 2010.  Medicare beneficiaries who fall into the “donut hole” in 2011 will be eligible for 50 percent discounts on covered brand name prescription drugs.  Without the law, the burden of high prescription drug costs would hurt millions of Medicare beneficiaries across the country.  
• California Would Not Receive Additional Resources to Crack Down on Unreasonable Insurance Premium Increases: States would not have new resources to review proposed health insurance premium increases and hold insurance companies accountable for unjustified premiums increases.
• California Would Not Receive Additional Funds to Plan for a Health Insurance Exchange: States would not have new resources to build a new, competitive, private health insurance marketplace for consumers that provides lower costs, one-stop insurance shopping, and greater benefits and protections.  
• California Would Not Receive Additional Funds to Support a Consumer Assistance Program: States would not have new resources to help protect consumers from some of the worst insurance industry practices. 
• 440 Employers Would Not Be Receiving Help from the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program: Businesses, schools and other educational institutions, unions, State and local governments, and non-profits would not be receiving much-needed financial relief to help early retirees and their families continue to have quality, affordable health coverage.  Find a list of organizations in your state that would not have been accepted into this program here.

Wow for those people who may have witnessed this unsolved phenomenon of what appears to be some kind of rocket or missle streaming through the California sky I can only imagine what went through your minds. A far as I’ve read the theories that it was just a plane sure don’t go with the video of  the incident. Is it just coinsidense that there is a naval facility nearby. Maybe it was just a plane but what a video!

Don’t forget we have some really great low cost plans being offered by Cigna health insurance right now so take 5 minutes and see how much you can save. Blue Shield is still the only carrier offering child only health plans so get a fast quote today.

 The National and California elections are over and we now have a new California governor and insurance commissioner at the helm.  As agents we have been asking questions ourselves about the new exchanges and what it means to both of us. What we believe will be the case is many more benefits and options available for the consumer and we will be there for you to help decipher all of the plans and options available to you and make sense of it. Whatever the case, we are there for you so no need to worry. Most of the changes won’t happen until 2014 and with a new republican house there are sure to be a few minor changes to the health reform bill before then. I will continue this subject as information becomes available.

If you have questions or need a low cost health insurance quote for you or a small group visit us at California Healthy Choice or call 800-260-9051

I really feel for anyone who develops a medical condition and doesn’t yet have health insurance. I deal with a lot of people who understandably are going through tough economic times and put off applying even for a basic low cost health insurance plan. Unfortunately in some cases during that time of deciding something happens and they need medical attention or discover something gone wrong health wise and call me saying I need a plan now because I have a problem. In most cases it’s then too late; the health insurance carriers deny them with a pre-existing condition. I do everything I can and sometimes but rarely get them pushed through on sheer determination or a small exception rule I find but not often. So please protect yourself with at a good health insurance plan or at least a catastrophic plan with a low premium and a reasonable deductable so you aren’t put in that position ever.