A simple solution for one of ACA's many problems...
Everybody that I've led through a CoveredCA application stumbles when they get to the subsidy section. The problem lies in the estimation of next year's income. The law asks you to predict the future and that's not possible to any degree of accuracy. California addresses the issue by requiring enrollees to login and update their information every time their income changes...a requirement that'll be forgotten (or ignored) by most people. I assume other states have a similar requirement.My suggestion...Change the law to base next year's subsidy on the current year's income. If someone is signing...
Source: InsureBlog - November 25, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
$58, same as in town
In which we offer these two ObamaTax stories. Any perceived relationship is purely coincidental:"Dana Howard, the deputy director of California’s Healthcare Exchange program ... revealed that enrollment counselors are paid $58 for each individual they successfully enroll in the California’s insurance exchanges."And:"The Affordable Care Act has been touted as a boon to America's self-employed ... That includes the independent contractors at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch, otherwise known as prostitutes."Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 24, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
My new article is up...
At Answers.com:"As with any insurance policy, a Critical Illness plan is a risk management tool. In this case, the risk is that one may suffer a major, life-threatening illness or condition and need additional funds to pay for unexpected costs associated with it."Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 23, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
An Early Gift From The Obamacare Clan
After (or in spite of) all the "fumbling" and "glitches" the citizens of Obamanation have been granted a gift in the form of an extra 8 days to sign up for your new Obamapolicy.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the parent of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight — said it will push the individual coverage enrollment deadline to Dec. 23, from Dec. 15.Benefits ProThat is 8 more days to try and sign on to healthcare.gov, hopefully without getting booted off or having your personal data compromised.Or if you are like all...
Source: InsureBlog - November 22, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Cavalcade of Risk #197: Call for submissions
Jay Norris hosts next week's Cav. Entries are due by Monday (the 25th).To submit your risk-related post, just click here to email it.You'll need to provide:■ Your post's url and title■ Your blog's url and name■ Your name and email■ A (brief) summary of the postPLEASE remember: ONLY posts that relate to risk (not personal finance tips and the like). And please only submit if you are willing to link back to the carnival if your submission is accepted.Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 22, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
What's the rush?
Or to put it another way, "if you like your accounting rules, you can keep your accounting rules."Or maybe not.As we've been saying, the HC.gov train-wreck and the "Keep Your Policy" debacle are only the two most visible manifestations of the ObamaTax. Here's another (or three) to keep you up at night.Remember the other day, when we noted that Ms Shecantbeserious and her crew still hadn't finished building the website? Well, they also haven't quite gotten around to figuring out the various ObamaTax accounting rules:"Insurance regulators are just starting to figure out the accounting rules for a core Patient Protection and ...
Source: InsureBlog - November 22, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
A Modest Increase...
I was just looking over the list of my Anthem ACA plan replacements and came across this gem...Current Plan - Clear Protection Plus 5000 $548/mo.Replacement Plan - Anthem Core DirectAccess - CAAE $1563.63/mo.That's right. Their family premiums are going up by almost 300%...over $1000 per month. They'll be uninsured after the first of the year. But if they could afford coverage, at least it wouldn't be "substandard". Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 22, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
What's in a name?
So he was for ObamaCare before he was agin' it?Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 21, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Health Wonk Review: Pre-Thanksgivukkah edition
Here's an interesting fact about this particular edition of the venerable HWR: it won't happen again for 78,000 years (at which time Julie will still be looking great, BTW).How's that, you ask?This year (2013/5774), the first night of Chanukah falls on Thanksgiving, and that happy (if confusing) confluence of events won't happen again for another 78,000 years. At which time, I certainly hope that the host of that 'Review will be kind enough to link back to this one (hey, traffic is traffic, right?).So the theme of this edition will be freedom and gratitude, which also turns out to be the theme of both Chanukah and Thanksgi...
Source: InsureBlog - November 21, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
ObamaTax goes to the dogs (Literally!)
From the "You Can't Make This Up Department:"Fort Collins resident Shane Smith told KDVR he received a letter last week informing his dog,Baxter, that a health insurance account had been opened for the pup through Connect for Health Colorado."It seems that Mr Smith used his pet's name for one of the "security" questions at the site, which then applied this information on his behalf.The good news is that the canine now has "Affordable" Health Care.The bad news is that his owner doesn't.When reached for comment, HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious acknowledged "woof!"Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 21, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Unclear on the Concept
From the official Exchange Certification curriculum:Protecting InformationThere are three key elements to protecting information:Confidentiality: Protecting information from unauthorized disclosure to people or processes.In addition to protecting your computer and related systems, it is critical that you protect various media forms as well ... Protect Your Area - Recognize, politely challenge, and assist people who do not belong in the work area to avoid potential security attacks, such as "Shoulder Surfing" or "Social Engineering".Arrange Workstations so that the computer screen is not visible to individuals standin...
Source: InsureBlog - November 20, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
One step forward, one step back [UPDATED]
For a certain value of "forward," of course:Thanks to FoIB Jeff M, we learn that the Tar Heel State Blues are willing to extend an olive branch to current policyholders:"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has fiIed the necessary documents with the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) to allow most of its non-grandfathered individual customers to keep their current health plans for another year."After all, what could possibly go wrong?UPDATE: That extension comes with a price, however:"Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina said Tuesday that it will raise rates as much as 24 percent on 201...
Source: InsureBlog - November 20, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Got Cancer?
Got cancer? You may not want #Obamacare.
Much has been said about "If you like your health insurance plan, you can keep it. Period".
Not so much about "If you like your doctor, you can keep them. Period."
Until now . . .
Since March 2007 United Healthcare has paid $1.2 million to help keep me alive, and it has never once questioned any treatment or procedure recommended by my medical team. The company pays a fair price to the doctors and hospitals, on time, and is responsive to the emergency treatment requirements of late-stage cancer. Its caring people in the claims office have been readily available to t...
Source: InsureBlog - November 20, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
My new article is up...
At Answers.com:"Annuities can be an effective cash accumulation tool, and offer tax advantages during both the accumulation and payout stages. They also offer the unique ability to provide a lifetime income stream."
Original content copyright © InsureBlog (Source: InsureBlog)
Source: InsureBlog - November 20, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Sugar Daddy
With all the talk about high #Obamacare health insurance premiums (and subsidies offered
then taken away), what if you had a sugar daddy to pay your premiums.
Not the grand wealth redistribution taxpayer scheme dreamed up by DC, but a twist in the usual premium payer system.
You may or may not know it, but hospitals that rely on government funding are hurting. In the infinite wisdom of the creators of Obamacare it was decided that hospitals will no longer have uncompensated care so they won't need those federal dollars. As a result of these Democrat cutbacks, several rural hospitals are closing. Metro hospitals like G...
Source: InsureBlog - November 19, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
