January 2014 is here! You purchased new health insurance and you’re ready to visit the doctor, pharmacy, etc. for the first time. The only problem is, you have no paperwork from your carrier to show you’re covered. You are not alone. The technical glitches that plagued the online federal and state health insurance marketplaces have resulted in bigger problems for many Americans who thought they had signed up for a
Impact of Obamacare on the Individual and Small Group Health Insurance Markets
Everywhere you turn these days, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — otherwise known as “Obamacare” — is in the news. From last month’s government shutdown, to the glitchy launch of healthcare.gov, to the results of last week’s elections, and now to President Obama’s recent apology for millions of policy cancellations despite his earlier statement that we’d all be able to keep our health insurance, the news can be contradictory, confusing,
In-network vs. Out-of-network Care
What is a network? A network (also called provider network or preferred providers) is a group of medical providers (hospitals, doctors, specialists, pharmacies, etc.) that have contracted with an insurance company to provide medical care at an agreed-upon rate. What is in-network vs. out-of-network care? In-network care is medical care obtained from a provider within your plan’s network. Out-of-network care is medical care obtained from providers outside of your plan’s
Will I Be OK Under Obamacare?
If you have somehow missed all recent headlines about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare, a quick peek at our Daily News page should convince you that news is coming in fast and furious. With less than a week until Open Enrollment begins, our phone has been ringing off its hook (as well as our email box filling up) with questions, the gist of which are: Will
What Types of Health Insurance are Out There?
How will you make the best choice for your health insurance? By understanding your options! Here is a high-level review of the different types of health insurance plans. The right fit is different for each individual. So please give our office a call to discuss which type of plan may be best for you! Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs) Coverage is limited to a certain list
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
