Our individual health benefits consultants connect our clients with customized individual health policies that best support each person’s stage of life and keep family members protected.
Whether you recently experienced a major life change (divorce, job change, graduation) or you find yourself no longer eligible under your spouse’s health plan, we can provide you with options for your health care protection. We can also assist you with questions about the Affordable Care Act and how it impacts individual medical insurance.
In addition, we can help you understand and determine your eligibility for the two types of federal subsidies to help lower health care costs beginning in 2014. If you are eligible, we can assist you in applying for a subsidy on the Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as the Exchange.
Top 6 things you need to know about Health Care Reform:
- Guarantee Issue & Pre-Existing Condition
Insurance companies will be required to offer coverage to any applicant, regardless of health. Companies can no longer charge you more due to a
pre-existing condition or exclude coverage for those conditions from their plans. - Individual Mandate
Individuals will be required to maintain health insurance or pay a penalty. It’s possible to be exempt from having to maintain coverage such as those who may qualify due to a financial hardship. - Enrollment Periods
The first day of open enrollment in a 2016 Marketplace plan is November 1, 2015, with coverage starting January 1, 2016. If you miss the enrollment period for 2016, you may be able to qualify for a SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD. - COBRA Alternatives
If you and your family are relatively healthy, you may be able to purchase a comparable individual and family health insurance plan for a lot less money than COBRA will cost. We can help you determine if COBRA is right for you, or if there’s a better way to get the coverage you need. - Subsidies
Subsidies were designed to help make health insurance more affordable. There will be two types of subsidies: one will help cover a portion of the monthly premium and the other will help reduce out of pocket expenses for care. Individuals must meet ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS to qualify for subsidies. - Preventative Care
Health Care Reform does a lot to increase access to preventive care services and encourage consumers to use them. Any new plans offered by an insurer are required to offer a range of preventive services and cover them at 100% with no cost share to the consumer.