Valley Forward Association
Wants to thank Dennis Morris with Morris Associates, LLC a for donating a projector to Valley Forward! They work with low cost insurance carriers including all of the top rated companies and a wide variety of products to service virtually any insurance need at the most affordable rates.
Valley Forward Association brings business and civic leaders together to convene thoughtful public dialogue on regional issues and to promote cooperative efforts to improve the environment and livability of Valley communities.
Our metropolitan region will be among the best places in America to live, work, learn and recreate. This non-profit organization dedicates its resources to enhancing environmental sustainability in Arizona.
http://www.valleyforward.org
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Health Care Changes For 2011
So much confusion has swirled around the new Health Care legistlation that was passed last year that I thought it best to highlight exactly what it means to the average policy holder.
Insurers must allow parents to keep an adult child up to age 26 on their health plan and those young adults can't be charged more than any other dependent. BUT, if your child has an offer of coverage from an employer, he/she might not be able to be added to your plan.
Insurers can't charge co-pays or deductibles for preventive services such as breast cancer screening and cholesterol tests. But: "Grandfathered" plans - those that don't make major changes from the previous plan year -- don't have to follow this requirement.
Insurers must cover children up to age 19 with a preexisting medical condition. New individual plans and all group plans can't refuse to cover a child. But: they can charge a higher premium for a child with preexisting conditions.
No additional payments can be required for out-of-network emergency room care. Insurers cannot require higher co-payments or deductibles if you have a medical emergency and seek treatment at an emergency room that's not in your health insurance plan.
But: Once again, "grandfathered" plans are exempted.
Annual limits on coverage will be going away.
But: First, they'll be raised to $750,000 for all employer plans and new individual plans, rising to $1.25 million after Sept. 23 of 2011 and then to $2 million the following September. Your existing plan may already have a high dollar limit.
Insurers cannot cancel coverage once you get sick, a practice known as "rescission."
But: If you committed outright fraud and intentionally hid something, your insurer can refuse to pay.
Consumers get direct access to physicians: You - not your insurance company - decide which primary physician, gynecologist, obstetrician and pediatrician you see among your plan's list of approved providers.
But: The usual obstacles remain, like whether the doctor is taking new patients or has an appointment available.
All plans, even "grandfathered" plans, will be prohibited from setting dollar limits on lifetime coverage. No "But" on this one.
I hope you have found this helpful. If you have specific questions regarding your current coverage, please call or email me.
Insurers must allow parents to keep an adult child up to age 26 on their health plan and those young adults can't be charged more than any other dependent. BUT, if your child has an offer of coverage from an employer, he/she might not be able to be added to your plan.
Insurers can't charge co-pays or deductibles for preventive services such as breast cancer screening and cholesterol tests. But: "Grandfathered" plans - those that don't make major changes from the previous plan year -- don't have to follow this requirement.
Insurers must cover children up to age 19 with a preexisting medical condition. New individual plans and all group plans can't refuse to cover a child. But: they can charge a higher premium for a child with preexisting conditions.
No additional payments can be required for out-of-network emergency room care. Insurers cannot require higher co-payments or deductibles if you have a medical emergency and seek treatment at an emergency room that's not in your health insurance plan.
But: Once again, "grandfathered" plans are exempted.
Annual limits on coverage will be going away.
But: First, they'll be raised to $750,000 for all employer plans and new individual plans, rising to $1.25 million after Sept. 23 of 2011 and then to $2 million the following September. Your existing plan may already have a high dollar limit.
Insurers cannot cancel coverage once you get sick, a practice known as "rescission."
But: If you committed outright fraud and intentionally hid something, your insurer can refuse to pay.
Consumers get direct access to physicians: You - not your insurance company - decide which primary physician, gynecologist, obstetrician and pediatrician you see among your plan's list of approved providers.
But: The usual obstacles remain, like whether the doctor is taking new patients or has an appointment available.
All plans, even "grandfathered" plans, will be prohibited from setting dollar limits on lifetime coverage. No "But" on this one.
I hope you have found this helpful. If you have specific questions regarding your current coverage, please call or email me.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Florida District Court Ruling On Obamacare
A Florida district court ruling on Monday generated nationwide headlines by deeming the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) unconstitutional.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, ruled that PPACA violated the Commerce Clause by forcing individuals to purchase insurance.
However, there has been no injunction that would effect implementation and at this point there have been two rulings sating that the individual mandate does not violate the Constitution and two that say that it does.
If the Supreme Court affirms Judge Vinson’s decision, the entire Act will be void. If President Obama wants to retain any of the PPACA provisions, Congress will have to pass new legislation, which may be difficult considering the hit Democrats took in the 2010 election.
At this point it remains a waiting game until we finally have the matter ruled upon by the Supreme Court.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, ruled that PPACA violated the Commerce Clause by forcing individuals to purchase insurance.
However, there has been no injunction that would effect implementation and at this point there have been two rulings sating that the individual mandate does not violate the Constitution and two that say that it does.
If the Supreme Court affirms Judge Vinson’s decision, the entire Act will be void. If President Obama wants to retain any of the PPACA provisions, Congress will have to pass new legislation, which may be difficult considering the hit Democrats took in the 2010 election.
At this point it remains a waiting game until we finally have the matter ruled upon by the Supreme Court.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
House Passes Repeal of Obamacare
On January 19, 2011, members of the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill to repeal the Obama Administration’s nearly $900 billion health care reform legislation.
Three Democrats joined the House’s 242 Republicans in supporting the bill.
The White House warns that reversing the bill poses a severe threat to the nation’s economy. In a formal statement they say that repeal would lead to "higher costs and skyrocketing premiums, less competition, and fewer consumer protections against industry abuses.”
Since then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) has said he would not introduce the measure for a vote on the Senate floor, and since President Obama has said he would veto the bill it looks like it may be simply an effort to fulfill campaign promises and little more.
House Republicans have stated they are intent on finding ways to block the law, including a measure on January 20 instructing three House committees to create a new health care bill.
No one knows for sure how this will all play out but I for one think it is the first step in a serious effort to scale back the most onerous parts of the bill and repeal whatever parts can be repealed.
Three Democrats joined the House’s 242 Republicans in supporting the bill.
The White House warns that reversing the bill poses a severe threat to the nation’s economy. In a formal statement they say that repeal would lead to "higher costs and skyrocketing premiums, less competition, and fewer consumer protections against industry abuses.”
Since then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) has said he would not introduce the measure for a vote on the Senate floor, and since President Obama has said he would veto the bill it looks like it may be simply an effort to fulfill campaign promises and little more.
House Republicans have stated they are intent on finding ways to block the law, including a measure on January 20 instructing three House committees to create a new health care bill.
No one knows for sure how this will all play out but I for one think it is the first step in a serious effort to scale back the most onerous parts of the bill and repeal whatever parts can be repealed.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Repealing ObamaCare
The Speaker's office is about to announce that the House Rules Committee will meet on Thursday and a rule to consider repeal of ObamaCare will be brought to the House floor on Friday. The house will then vote on January 12. Is there really a chance of repeal or is it just posturing by the Republicans? In my opinion it's the latter because even if the House approves repeal it will be a real uphill challenge in the Senate and finally it would eventually die with a Presidential veto. It will however, bring the matter back into the public eye at a time when the majority of Americans are beginning to doubt whether the Democrat's "rush to get it done" was a wise choice. Any bill that totals over 2,000 pages has to result in unintended consequences that can only be speculated upon until the full affect of the legistlation becomes reality in 2014. The best we can hope for is repeal or reworking of some of the more drastic provisions.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Time To Review
If you haven't taken the time to review your plans, evaluate your coverage and compare your rates you could be spending too much for too little. Call us today for a no obligation review.
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