October 1, 2013 marks the start of the Open Enrollment period for health insurance. From October 1 – March 31, 2014, Americans will be able to purchase health insurance with an effective date as early as January 1, 2014. And remember, everyone MUST have health insurance by the first of the year! Are you ready? Here are 7 easy steps you can follow: 1 Understand your options. You will be
How Much Will Health Insurance Cost Me in 2014?
With the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) front-and-center in the news these days, people naturally want to know how much it will cost them when health insurance becomes mandatory on January 1, 2014. The health insurance exchanges (or “marketplaces”) are slated to open on October 1, 2013 for plans with an effective date of January 1, 2014. Until exact figures are released, the Kaiser Family Foundation has a great tool
Employers Must Notify Employees about Health Insurance by October 1, 2013
Some employers may believe that because the employer mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been delayed until January 1, 2015, they face no new requirements under the law until that date. Not true! While large companies (over 50 full-time employees) have been given an extra year (until 1/1/15) to provide health insurance to their employees, employers are still required under ACA to notify employees about their options
Important Questions to Ask When Seeking Medical Care
When you visit a doctor or other medical provider, knowing the right questions to ask will make you a smarter consumer when it comes to your own health care. Here are some suggestions: Do you take my health insurance? If so, are you in my network? (Hint: this is becoming increasingly important as provider networks may be shrinking. Read more.) What are my health care options? (Hint: it’s best
Are You Eligible for a Health Insurance Subsidy?
Update October 2014 – Revised income figures for determining eligibility for 2015 coverage. Click here. Here is a chart to help you determine if you qualify for a health insurance subsidy. (Click here to view larger) Give us a call! We can tell you for sure AND help you obtain the subsidy when you buy your health insurance through the exchange.
Will My Health Insurance Need to Change in 2014?
This is a question we hear a lot. If you currently have health insurance, your plan fits into one of two categories: Grandfathered plans: policies purchased before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and still active. For more information on grandfathered plans click here. Non-grandfathered plans: policies purchased on or after March 23, 2010, with coverage active before January 1, 2014. Because these
Virginia Medical Plans Completes Training on Federal Health Insurance Exchange
As October 1 — the start of Open Enrollment for the new health insurance marketplace — gets closer and closer, here at Virginia Medical Plans, we are getting ready! Our own Jonathan Katz recently completed a 6-part online training module offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Successful completion of this training course means that Jon has demonstrated proficiency with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and
Anthem Letter – What Does it Mean?
Anthem recently mailed out letters to thousands of policyholders with non-grandfathered health insurance plans … and, in the process, may have inadvertently confused a lot of people! To read the letter, click here. What does the letter mean? In a nutshell, the letter informs Anthem’s policyholders that the way a policy year is defined is changing from the default of a calendar year (January 1 – December 31) to a
Understanding Health Insurance Premiums
States are beginning to release premium rates for policies that will be sold on their health insurance exchanges beginning on October 1. The news can be confusing, however, and subject to interpretation — and “spin”. On a single day in July, for example, the Washington Post ran this headline: “Maryland Issues Insurance Rates That Are Among the Lowest in U.S.” On the same day, the Baltimore Sun ran this: “Premiums
Anthem LemonAid Helps “Put the Squeeze” on Childhood Cancer in Virginia
Virginia Medical Plans’ own Jonathan Katz happened upon this roadside lemonade stand one warm July day in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. While it was the Anthem sign that caught his eye, it was supporting the cause that made Jon stop and buy some lemonade. The proceeds from this “LemonAid” stand, and many others sponsored by Anthem Virginia, went to pediatric cancer treatment and research at Children’s Hospital of
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