HEALTH INSURANCE
The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) can be very frustrating and confusing! With the ‘open enrollment’ beginning on October 1, 2013, many individuals and employer groups are wondering what their options will be moving forward.
We can help! Our Director of Benefits, Kris Aufmann, has been staying informed on all the changes and procedures, is certified to provide information to you on the “Exchanges” and can guide you through the maze of plans, premiums and potential subsidies available to you. As soon as the details are released by the Federal Government and the State of Illinois (we anticipate in the next few days), we will have a ‘link’ on our website for you to use if you decide to research the plans/premiums before speaking with us.
There are 2 very important items you need to know:
n Open enrollment begins October 1, 2013 and continues through March 31, 2014. The FIRST AVAILABLE effective date for coverage is January 1, 2014.
n The ONLY reason to evaluate the plans/premiums in the ‘Exchange’ is to determine if you will be eligible for a premium subsidy. If you have employer coverage or your household earns more than 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (a household of 1 would be more than $45,960; a household of 4 would be $94,200), you more than likely will NOT be eligible for a premium subsidy.
Please give us a call or send us an email and we will be happy to help you determine which plan provides the best value to you for YOUR specific needs!
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS/MEDICARE ADVANTAGE/PART D
We are also licensed and trained in providing Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and/or Part D Prescription drug coverage. The open enrollment period for the Medicare Advantage/Part D plans begins on October 15th and continues through December 7th of each year, again with the effective date of January 1st.
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE
Long term care helps people live the way they did prior to an illness or injury. It provides help with bathing, eating, dressing, or perhaps respite/hospice care, adult daycare or care in a nursing home. It is NOT only for nursing homes and more individuals are staying in their homes and receiving care. Medicare does NOT cover custodial type care and Medicaid is available only to low income individuals who have depleted their assets. Purchasing long term care insurance provides you and your family CHOICE – to determine where you receive the care provided (at home or in a nursing facility), when you receive the care needed (daily, hourly) and will not drain the assets you have worked your whole life to accumulate.