Is it Too Late To Enroll for 2018 Health Insurance

May 25, 2018

Is it Too Late To Enroll for 2018 Health Insurance

Many people are asking this very question. Is it too late to enroll for 2018 Health Insurance? Not exactly. There are certain circumstances where you qualify for a Special Election Period. This is defined on Healthcare.gov.

There are many websites that look like Healthcare.gov . 

Be careful when navigating to the official site since many sites try to sell you catastrophic coverage, and you think you’ve just singed up for Obamacare. Want to keep up to date on the latest happenings in Healthcare? Check out the video below which gives a decent spin on Trump’s plan.

Keep reading for more information on how to obtain health coverage for you or your family in 2017.

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Should I enroll in healthcare for 2018?

Go with what is in place today…there are still tax penalties if you have no insurance, you’re financial risk is greater than ever if you have no coverage and an illness or accident prevents you from working to pay the astronomical bills you could endure.

What does that mean for the Affordable Care Act? Should you still enroll in Obamacare for 2017?

This probably has you asking…”What the Health?!”

With the transition to Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States, come changes to policies with healthcare. And while we don’t yet know what those changes are, what we do know is replacing a health care system — if that’s the case — takes some time and work. For now, you will still need to sign up for health insurance before the deadline to avoid fines and keep you covered in the event of an illness or injury.

Don’t worry — you aren’t locked in! If the government changes anything about your plan after the beginning of the year, you have the right to cancel it at any time.

No matter what, it’s important to put your health first, calling (941) 809-2012, a licensed local agent. We’ll help you find a plan that’s best for you and help you explore your options, whether it’s Healthcare, Short-Term Medical or a combination of Supplementals that pay you directly. At the very least, you can explore all of the options and make an informed choice.

Simplified shopping. Professional advice. Thousands of plans. Get a free quote today.

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FEMA Disaster Assistance for Irma

October 1, 2017

Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief Sarasota

Sarasota, Fla. –  Are you looking for Disaster relief from Hurricane Irma? Many residents of Florida are looking for help from FEMA. You have 60 days to seek assistance and you can find out here how to file for relief. They are offering individual assistance to victims of Hurricane Irma in counties covered by the disaster declaration. The zone for individual assistance has expanded and may continue to expand. Individuals seeking assistance from FEMA have 60 days to register dating back to the date of the disaster declaration.

Link to FEMA’s disaster declaration for Florida: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4337

FEMA is still in the early phases of assessing damage, and has not completed the surveys in some counties that serve as a precursor to determining eligibility for individual assistance.

 

People can register for help through DisasterAssistance.Gov or through the FEMA App. Most if not all power is restored. You can call  1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

People can register for help through DisasterAssistance.Gov or through the FEMA App. A disaster inspector will schedule a visit to properties in areas covered by the declaration. FEMA urges applicants to note whether the home is safe to enter. A disaster inspector will schedule a visit to properties in areas covered by the declaration.

Link to FEMA updates on the declaration and eligibility for assistance: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4337/updates-blog-and-news

More information on FEMA Disaster Assistance from Hurricane Irma

There is assistance available for  those who lost food in their refrigerator and freezer. This may be on a case by case basis but you can apply for that assistance. FEMA helps people who do not have insurance, or helps fill gaps for what insurance does not cover. It offers low-interest disaster loans, grants for home repairs, temporary housing support and other assistance (including medical, dental, child care, funeral and burial, essential household items, storage and vehicle assistance) depending on the extent of damage and circumstances. Much of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Irma will be covered by private homeowner’s insurance or flood insurance.

Here is a list of questions and answers provided by FEMA: 

Q: What kinds of FEMA grants are available?
A: Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, along with other serious disaster-related expenses.

Q: What happens after I register?
A: You will receive a phone call from a FEMA inspector to arrange for a survey of the damages. This will come just days after you register. All FEMA inspectors will have official identification. They do not approve or deny claims or requests; those come after the inspection results are submitted. FEMA inspectors do not ask for money and do not recommend contractors to make repairs.

Q.  I’ve already cleaned up and made repairs to my property.  Am I still eligible to register with FEMA?
A.  Yes. You may be eligible for reimbursement of your clean-up and repair expenses. Before and after photos of the damaged property can help expedite your application for assistance.

Q: Does my income need to be under a certain dollar amount to qualify for disaster aid?
A: FEMA’s Housing Assistance program is available, regardless of income, to anyone who suffered damages or losses in disaster-declared counties. However, aid for other losses such as personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses is income-dependent and officials make decisions on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for a grant for these types of losses, the applicant must complete an application for an SBA loan.

Q.  I have flood insurance.  Should I still register with FEMA?
A.  Yes.  But please contact your insurance company first.

Q: Does the Small Business Administration (SBA) offer loans to homeowners and renters?
A: Yes. The SBA is the primary source of financial assistance following a disaster and provides low-interest disaster loans to homeowners and renters.

Q: Do I have to be turned down by my bank before I can apply for a disaster loan?
A: No. The SBA has its own criteria for determining each loan applicant’s eligibility.

Q: If I rent an apartment, can I get help to replace my damaged personal property?
A: Yes. Renters may qualify for a FEMA grant. Renters may also qualify for SBA disaster loans.

Q: Will FEMA pay for all home repairs or contract work?
A: No. FEMA does not pay to return your home to its pre-disaster condition. FEMA provides grants to qualified homeowners to repair damage not covered by insurance, but these grants may not pay for all the damage. However, an SBA disaster loan may return a home to its pre-disaster condition.

Q: Do I have to repay money I receive for disaster relief?
A: No. You do not have to repay grant money, however SBA disaster loans must be repaid.

Q: Do I have to be a legal U.S. resident to receive Individual Assistance?
A: No. If you have a child living at home who is a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien, you may apply for Individual Assistance on that child’s behalf and you may be eligible to receive Individual Assistance. FEMA may provide undocumented, eligible immigrants with short-term, non-cash emergency aid.

SCAMMER ALERT

Disaster Relief for Hurricane Irma

Beware of Scammers pretending to represent Fma and preying on victims looking for Disaster Assistance from Hurricane Irma.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has a warning to anyone who’s dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

According to the department’s Facebook page, callers are claiming to be from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are demanding a deposit for storm damages.

Florida’s CFO Jeff Atwater’s office is also investigating allegations of fraud. Reports suggest people posing as federal officials demanding cash. In some cases they’re asking storm victims to pay $150 to help residents fill out FEMA claims.

Comparison of Affordable Care Act

May 5, 2017

Comparison of Affordable Care Act

The following is a comparison of the Affordable Care Act in comparison to the American Health Care Act aka, The Marketplace aka Obamacare.

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A Comparison of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the American Health Care Act (AHCA)

May 4, 2017

ACA

AHCA

Employee Pre-Tax Treatment of Group Plan Premiums

Premiums for employer-sponsored coverage excluded from employees’ taxable income; employers required to report cost of coverage on Form W-2.

Does not cap the employee tax benefit for employer- sponsored coverage; retains the obligation that the employer report coverage amounts on Form W-2, and an additional W- 2 field is added: each month with respect to which an employee is eligible for a group health plan.

Insurance Subsidies

Federal income-based subsidies (available to eligible individuals with incomes between 100%-400% of the federal poverty level) for individual coverage purchased on the exchanges.

Replaces federal subsidies with a refundable tax credit that is tiered by age:

  •   $2,000 per year for anyone under 30;
  •   $2,500 per year for 30-39;
  •   $3,000 per year for 40-49;
  •   $3,500 for 50-59; and
  •   $4,000 for over 60.Reduces the credit amount for individuals with income over $75,000, or $150,000 for joint filers, by 10% of gross income over those threshold amounts; credits capped for family at $14,000 per year; no credit eligibility if coverage includes abortions.Limits the tax credit to individual market plans and unsubsidized COBRA coverage (on or off exchanges). Credits are not available to individuals who are eligible for a group health plan (including employer plans), Medicare, Medicaid or other government coverage. They also are not

ACA

AHCA

available for ACA grandfathered or grandmothered (i.e., grandfathered plans that received transition relief from CCIIO) plans.

Individual Mandate

Requires individuals (unless exempted) to obtain ACA- compliant health insurance or else pay a tax penalty.

Effectively eliminates the individual mandate by making penalty $0 as of 2016; incentivizes continuous coverage by imposing a 30% surcharge on otherwise-applicable premiums for individuals who go more than 2 months without coverage (subject to state waivers that permit health status underwriting in some circumstances).

Employer Mandate

Requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees to offer ACA-complaint health insurance; absent such an offering, imposes penalties on covered employers.

Effectively eliminates the employer mandate by making penalty $0 as of 2016.

Essential Health Benefits

Requires individual and small group plans to offer 10 essential health benefits; no dollar limits allowed on essential health benefits (including in large group market)

States may apply for waivers to establish their own essential health benefit requirements for individual and small group markets

Wellness

Permits employers to adopt wellness incentives, within certain nondiscrimination parameters, for group health plan participants to meet wellness targets.

Retains ACA wellness program structure.

HSAs

Leaves in place HSA rules authorized by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, including:

  •   Allows individuals to put $3,400 and families to put $6,750 into a tax-free health savings account;
  •   Non-qualified distributions are subject to a 20% tax penalty, though amounts withdrawn for qualified medical expenses are not subject to income tax; and
  •   Only prescribed medicines (non OTC) are considered qualifying medical expenses that get preferred tax treatment.

Modifies certain HAS rules, including:

  •   Increases annual tax free contribution limit to equalthe limit on out-of-pocket cost sharing under qualified high deductible health plans ($6,550 for self only coverage, $13,100 for family coverage in 2017);
  •   Allows spouses to make catch-up contributions to the same HSA;
  •   Reduces tax penalty for HSA withdrawals used for non-qualified expenses from 20% to 10% (retains provision that amounts withdrawn for qualified medical expenses are not subject to income tax);

ACA

AHCA

and
 Allows OTC drugs as qualified medical expenses.

Taxes and Fees

Levies various fees and taxes on, inter alia, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical device manufacturers; and taxes net investment income and high-cost, employer-sponsored coverage (“Cadillac tax”).

Eliminates the Cadillac tax for years 2020 through 2025 (leaving the possibility that the tax could be imposed beginning in 2026).

Repeals several other ACA taxes and fees beginning in 2017:

  •   Annual provider fee;
  •   Net investment income tax;
  •   Prescription drug tax; and
  •   Medical device tax.
    Medicare payroll tax increase repealed as of 2023.

Popular ACA Market Reforms

Preexisting Condition Coverage: Prohibits insurers from denying coverage to people who have preexisting medical conditions.

Dependent Coverage (Under 26): Allows individuals to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 26.

Annual/Lifetime Limits: Prohibits insurers from setting certain dollar limits on how much they will pay.

Retains ACA market reforms.

Regarding preexisting conditions – states may apply for waivers that allow health status underwriting, in certain circumstances, for individuals who do not maintain continuous coverage (in lieu of 30% surcharge).

Age Rating

Permits insurers to charge elderly customers no more than 3 times what they charge young adults.

Increases the ACA ratio, allowing insurers to charge elderly customers up to 5 times what they charge young adults.

State waivers also available to further increase the age rating ratio.

Medicaid Expansion

Allows states to expand Medicaid coverage for low-income individuals, and provides federal support for such expansion.

Discontinues the ACA’s Medicaid expansion in 2020 (but allows states to continue expansion with less federal support); allows states to impose a work requirement on

ACA

AHCA

nondisabled, nonelderly, non-pregnant adults as a condition of Medicaid coverage; and otherwise restructures the federal financing system for Medicaid into a per capita model (with per-enrollee caps on federal payments).

Finding The Best Short Term Medical Plans

January 4, 2017

Finding the best short term medical plans may at first appear a daunting exercise but it’s not as overwhelming as it seems. Short-term medical coverage has gained in popularity as Americans look to alternatives for health coverage of if they are in between jobs, have a life changing event or simply don’t qualify for health coverage for any number of reasons. Americans may use short-term medical insurance if they are uninsured, or if they are outside the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment season.

Before health-care reform, many people utilized short-term medical policies in between jobs or if they lost employer group health coverage and had two or three months with no insurance coverage. Short-term health coverage is also a great choice outside of open enrollment periods or if a new employer has a waiting period. It is not recommended to go without any insurance coverage. Short-term Medical Plans are the only option outside of the Affordable Care Act’s Open enrollment Period.The Affordable Care Act allows for Special Election Periods outside of open enrollment which starts on November 15 each year.

In order to gain health coverage outside of the open enrollment period, individuals need to have a change of life event such as getting married, having a child or getting divorced. Individuals may still get hit with a tax penalty for not complying to the new health care law, it can give some monetary relief if medical issues emerge.

Short-Term medical plans are typically low cost, easy to obtain and can provide coverage anywhere from 1-11 months. Due to the structure of the plans, not everyone can meet the requirements for it. The plans do not meet the minimum essential coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act as of February 2017 (the writing of this article). This can have financial implications according the Affordable Care Acre Act aka ObamCare.

Insurers such as United Healthcare’s Golden Rule Insurance Company do not cover pre-existing conditions but will write a policy on an individual and exclude their pre-existing conditions. There is considerable peace of mind, whether an individual or family to know that if a major health event occurs, outside of a pre-existing condition that it will be covered according to the terms of the short-term-medical plan and may very well save the policyholder from financial bankruptcy.

Short-term medical plans last from one to eleven months and can cost just over $100/month for an individual and about $275 for a family. Customers who benefit most would be the individuals who plan to buy medical coverage for their families before the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period, which starts Nov. 15.

 

See if you qualify for a low cost short-term medical plan.

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