This health insurance reform schedule is the official announced schedule from Easy To Insure ME to help citizens understand the future of health insurance in the United States.Health Insurance Reform Schedule2010New programs: * Temporary retiree reinsurance program. * National risk pool, small business tax credit. * $250 rebate for Medicare members who reach the “doughnut hole”.Health Insurance Reforms: * No lifetime benefit limits based on dollar amounts. * Allowed restricted yearly limits on the dollar value of certain benefits. * No coverage rescissions/cancellations (except for fraud or internal misrepresentation). * No cost-sharing obligations for preventive services. * Must have dependent coverage up to age 26. * New internal and external appeal process. * No pre-existing condition exclusions for dependent children (under 19 years of age). * New health plan disclosure and transparency requirements.2011Insurance Reforms: * New uniform coverage documents and standard definitions are developed. * Must have minimum medical loss ratios.Medicare Reforms: * Start of Medicare Advantage cost-sharing limits. * Medicare beneficiaries who reach the doughnut hole to get a 50% discount on brand name drugs. * Primary care doctors and general surgeons practicing in underserved areas, such as inner city and rural communities to get a 10% bonus. * Medicare Advantage plans begin having payments frozen.Other: * Yearly fee for brand-name drug manufacturers. * Start of voluntary long-term care insurance program giving a cash benefit to help those with disabilities stay in their homes or pay nursing home cost: benefit starts 5 years after paying coverage fee. * Increased funding for community health centers to provide care for many low-income and uninsured people.2012 * Hospitals, doctors and payers encouraged to join forces in “accountable care organizations”. * Hospitals with high rates of preventable readmissions facing reduced Medicare payments.2013 * Individuals making $200,000 a year or couples making $250,000 would have a higher Medicare payroll tax of 2.35% on earned income – up from the current 1.45%. A new 3.8% tax on unearned income, such as dividends and interest, also added. * Contributions to flexible spending accounts (FSAs) limited to $2,500 a year – indexed for inflation. And the threshold for deducting medical expenses on taxes goes from 7.5% to 10% income. * Medical device manufacturers have a 2.9% sales tax on medical devices; with exemptions for some, like eyeglasses, contact lens, and hearing aids. * No more deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare Part D subsidy for employers who maintain prescription drug plans for their Medicare Part D-eligible retirees.2014Coverage Mandates & Subsidies: * New Individual and employer coverage responsibilities. * New Individual affordability tax credit and expanded small business tax credits.Health Insurance Quotes Exchange & Insurance Reforms: * State individual and small group health insurance exchanges operational. * Guaranteed issue, guaranteed renewability, modified community rating and minimum benefit standards (“essential benefits” plan) effective. * No more lifetime and yearly dollar limits for essential benefits. * New taxes on health insurers.2018 * New tax (“Cadillac tax”) on employer-sponsored health plans that offer policies with generous coverage levels.2020 * Doughnut hole coverage gap in Medicare prescription benefits is fully phased out. Seniors continue to pay the standard 25% of their drug costs until they reach the threshold for Medicare catastrophic coverage.The mission of Easy To Insure ME is to help Americans find affordable health insurance in the easiest way possible. Licensed advisors do this by shopping all carriers available to the client and picking out four plans that will provide the best benefits at the lowest cost to the consumer. Then an easy to read side by side recommendation of these plans is sent through email to make the process as simplified as possible.Easy To Insure ME is not a lead generation website. Real licensed professionals are here to help clients make knowledgeable and affordable individual health insurance decisions. An advisor can be reached at 866-492-3905. “Nobody does what we do for our clients.” http://www.easytoinsureme.com/
Posts Tagged ‘Health’
Health Insurance Reform Schedule
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010Find The Best Texas Health Insurance Quotes
Friday, August 20th, 2010One cannot deny the importance of having a health insurance in today’s times where incidences of illnesses and diseases are constantly on the rise. This is applicable for all regions around the world and Texas is no exception. This need to have a health insurance becomes even more essential if you are forced to visit any doctor for an illness of any magnitude or nature and are unable to pay the medical bill. Once you realize the importance of procuring cheap health insurance Texas for you and your family, you must do some research in terms of the best Texas health insurance quotes that are provided by insurance companies in this region.It is true that every health insurance policy has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. It is quite difficult to find something that would be the ideal choice for you and your family. Yet it always better to make an informed decision rather than an ignorant one. If you are looking for the best Texas health insurance quotes in order to procure cheap health insurance Texas, you should first know that are two basic plans or policies for health care that you can consider opting for. These are broadly classified into the ‘Fee-for-Service’ plans and the ‘Managed Care Health’ plans.The plans falling under the category of Managed care essentially function through a network of reputed doctors. This entails that you will receive medical coverage if you visit any hospital or doctor that is mentioned in the list of this plan’s network. On the other hand, the plans belonging to the category of fee-for-service or indemnity plans, give you the liberty to visit any hospital or doctor of your individual choice or preference. These plans are more expensive but provide greater flexibility to the patients. Thus, before obtaining Texas health insurance quotes in order to locate cheap health insurance Texas, you should select the type of insurance that will suit you best.To obtain cheap health insurance Texas, you can also consider ordering Texas health insurance quotes online. If you do some research online, you will find countless websites that advertise prices and quotes of different heath plans that their company offers. You will not only find details about the various prices and plans, but also be provided with guidance in terms of the most feasible and suitable option for your individual requirements. You can consider ordering brochures of the best insurance companies and make a comparison between their co-payments, deductibles, coinsurance, premiums, preventive care, diseases they seek to cover and the coverage that they will provide in the case of prescription drugs.
Making The Right Decisions on Individual Health Insurance
Monday, August 9th, 2010Now that you realize how important it is to get a California individual health insurance, your next step is to shop around for one. There are a wide number of options for individual health insurance in CA; finding the right coverage for you is a big task. However, you should invest time and effort on making the right choice if you want to get the best value out of the investment you will spend for health insurance. What are some factors to considering when deciding on individual health insurance?First, before you start thinking about how much a California individual health insurance coverage will cost you, evaluate your needs first. Take note of your existing health conditions, evaluate your lifestyle, ask around for medical family history, and so on. Based on the information you collect, find out what type of insurance coverage you need. Predict what kind of medical attention you would most probably need in the future. Bear in mind though that the more expensive the medical bills needed for the medical coverage you want, the more expensive your premiums will be.Having said that, remember that when you get a California individual health insurance, you will pay premiums, usually on a monthly basis. This cost associated to getting a health insurance in CA is something you need to be ready for. The cost you pay to enjoy medical benefits will depend on your coverage. The more you are covered, the more you will pay. Some insurance policies require you to pay some additional costs for getting medical treatment. You may be responsible for a portion of the total cost, or for paying a fixed amount for your hospital visit. These terms vary greatly depending on your policy, the medical problem, whether or not the medical service provider is covered by the insurance network, among others. It is very important that your insurance quote provides information on these.A good way to lessen the financial burden in getting a California individual health insurance coverage is to specify a deductible cost. This is a fixed amount you pay before the benefit payments kick off. Closely related is the out of the pocket cost, wherein the insurance does not cover the entire claim so you have to pay minimal amount straight from your pocket. You need to decide how much deductible and out of the pocket costs you can take. Setting these two to a higher value will go a long way to lessening your monthly or annual payments.Moreover, another important point about health insurance in CA is the network of medical practitioners. You will make the most out of your health insurance if you see a doctor that is covered by the company you chose. If you are choosy with doctors, try to find a health plan that includes the doctor you want to keep seeing. Finally, choosing the right Californiaindividual health insurance is all about proper self evaluation and thorough research. Some effort and time will save you a fortune when a medical emergency happens. If you follow this guideline, you’re on your way to the health insurance plan that will work best for you.