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
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
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
Health Insurance Changes Coming Your Way Under the Affordable Care Act
Check out this helpful video about the Affordable Care Act. Then give us a call if you have any questions about how the new law will impact you! Remember, Virginia Medical Plans can help you purchase your health insurance — on or off the exchange — at no extra cost to you! [youtube=http://youtu.be/JZkk6ueZt-U] SOURCE: “The YouToons Get Ready for Obamacare: Health Insurance Changes Coming Your Way Under the Affordable Care Act,”
What Happens if I Do Not Have Health Insurance after January 1 2014?
The individual responsibility clause of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as the individual mandate, requires all Americans to have health insurance by January 1, 2014, or pay a penalty tax. How will the Penalty Tax be Collected? The penalty tax will be collected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). When you file your taxes, if you have a gap in health coverage for a continuous three-months or more
Early Renewal for Health Insurance Plans
Why Renew Early? With the next phase of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) going into effect in just under six months, many small businesses that currently provide group insurance for their workers are concerned about the law’s impact on the cost of doing so. Individuals, too, are wondering if their costs will increase under ACA. Under the law, new health plans must cover the essential health benefits, but at the