States are preparing to remove millions of people from Medicaid as protections put in place early in the covid-19 pandemic expire. The upheaval, which begins in April, will put millions of low-income Americans at risk of losing health coverage, threatening their access to care and potentially exposing them to large medical bills. In California, where about 15.2 million people are … Read More
How To Switch Medicare Advantage Plans or Switch From Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare
from our friends at: Medicare Interactive Typically, you can only enroll in a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage during specific times each year. Make sure to enroll in a timely manner to avoid gaps in coverage when using these enrollment periods. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period If you have: You can switch to: … Read More
How To Know If Your Workplace Group Disability Insurance Is Enough
‘There may be a false sense of security.’ from our friends at: CNBC If you’ve opted into your company’s group disability insurance plan, you may assume there’s sufficient income protection if you can’t work due to illness or injury. But experts say your workplace coverage may not be enough. John Ryan, founder and CEO of Ryan Insurance Strategy Consultants, urges … Read More
Biden Administration Plans To End Covid Public Health Emergency In May
from our friends at: CNBC Kevin Lamarque | Reuters The Biden administration plans to end the Covid public health emergency this spring, as the U.S. shifts away from responding to the pandemic as a national crisis and instead manages the virus more like a seasonal respiratory disease. The White House, in a statement on Monday, said it would terminate on … Read More
Can I Draw Social Security At 62 and Still Work Full Time?
All financial plans are important, but Social Security benefits play a profound role in preventing elderly poverty and are paid out at an important stage in a worker’s life. With that in mind, it pays to know when you can start receiving your monthly payments and how continuing to work while collecting Social Security will impact your benefits. As the … Read More
Covered California: 2023 Renewals, Open Enrollment, Dependents Update
Each year Covered California begins the renewal process for the upcoming plan year, which typically begins October 1 and runs through December 31. During this process Covered California redetermines the eligibility of each enrollee and qualified individual for coverage effective January 1 of the following year. Covered California is required to send renewal notices no earlier than the first day … Read More
Mandatory Recordings for ALL Medicare Advantage/Medicare PDP Calls
Beginning October 01, 2022 Medicare brokers/agents will be required by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) to record ALL ingoing and outgoing phone calls (or Zoom, etc calls) under the following circumstances: Calling medicare sales leads Scheduling appointments Collecting Scope of Appointments Collecting medication and pharmacy information Discussions about your providers Telephonic (and web based) enrollments If a client … Read More
Biden Administration Releases Proposed Rule To Fix Longtime ACA “Family Glitch”
The Biden administration has proposed fixing a longtime “family glitch” in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that has led to an estimated more than 5 million people not getting vital cost assistance. The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued a proposed rule Tuesday that creates a minimum value for family members of employees who are eligible for tax … Read More
The Essential Guide to Group Long-Term Care Insurance
From our good friends at: www.ltcipartners.com Introduction Most employees planning for retirement have three major concerns – an unexpected health event, outliving their income, and passing away financially unprepared. Life Insurance programs and retirement savings programs such as 401(k)’s can address two of these major concerns. Many serious health events are covered by Medicare or supplemental private health insurance policies. … Read More
Rising Tide Lifts All Boats for Surging Voluntary Benefits
From our friends at: www.benefitspro.com Unless you’ve been underwater holding your breath for the past several months, you know by now the voluntary benefits industry made a big splash last year. The industry woke from its pandemic-induced slumber to produce an overall growth rate of 11.3% and $8.307 billion in sales. The “basics” — voluntary life and disability insurance — … Read More