Posted on Friday, November 21, 2014

Helpful Health Care Links: November 21, 2014

This week, our helpful health care links focus on a variety of topics- a breakdown of what you need to know when signing up for ObamaCare this Open Enrollment period. We also included an eye-opening article from NPR discussing the level of privacy your smart phone apps provide you. All are worth your time. And, as always, if you ever come across a healthcare story that you think merits more attention, please send it our way!

Obamacare Open Enrollment Period: What You Need to Know

The second annual enrollment period for health plans through federal and state exchanges has started. If you need to buy health insurance or make changes to your current plan, you have until Feb. 15 to get it done.

Metro Detroit Employers Projected to Save in 2015 with Lower-Cost, High-Deductible Health Plans

Southeast Michigan’s total health benefit costs for active employees are projected to increase only 2.9 percent in 2015 as employers continue to make changes in benefit plans, primarily going to lower-cost, high-deductible plans.

How Well Do Your Apps Protect Your Privacy?

PrivacyGrade is a site for people to figure out what information their apps might be collecting. You’ll be surprised how much personall information is tracked by your phone activity.

New ‘Hutch’ Director Aims to Push Toward Cancer Cures Based on The Immune System

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle is announcing that it has hired former Merck cancer research boss Gary Gilliland as its next director.

As California Expands Medicaid to New Beneficiaries, Many Others Are Dropped

Even as the state celebrates its enrollment of more than 2.7 million low-income Californians in Medi-Cal in 2014, it may drop an unusually high number of beneficiaries from its rolls by year’s end.

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Healthcare has changed radically. Gone are the days when the only medical professional a patient saw was their trusted local doctor. MyHealthSpin’s Easy Healthcare: Healthcare Privacy walks you through the practical steps you can take to safeguard your healthcare privacy as a patient.

Available for download NOW!

Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2014

Will Patients Have More Choices in ObamaCare Insurance?

The answer is YES. Insurance companies are flocking to the ObamaCare exchanges as they now see it as a money-making opportunity.

In 10 states, there are 27 new insurance companies that will offer ObamaCare plans. This is a significant improvement from 2014. Major insurers simply cannot afford to sit on the sidelines when 8 million Americans signed up for ObamaCare.

What does that mean for patients?

More choices in where they can get their healthcare.

In the past, patients got referrals from their primary care doctors or their local hospitals. They often just went to the closest physician or hospital. OR the doctor who was referred to them. Patients did very little research in selecting their doctor or hospital.

With more insurance options, patients will have more choices. Additionally, patients are getting more tools to research their doctors to determine which one is best for them.

With healthcare reform, doctors and other healthcare providers must “win” the patient and “keep them.” As a patient, make sure your healthcare provider is offering the following:

Great customer service
Convenient evening and weekend hours
Availability for questions via new forms of technology
A patient portal where patients can get information about their care; and
Compliance with current laws and regulations!

If your doctor doesn’t meet your standards, it’s never too late to find another provider who will better suit your needs.

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Available for download NOW!

Posted on Monday, November 17, 2014

Obamacare Annual Enrollment – Should I Care?

ObamaCare enrollment started November 15th. The question is, who should care?

ObamaCare is mainly for people and small groups who purchase their own health insurance. If you are uninsured and do not have an employer-sponsored health plan, Medicare, or Medicaid, ObamaCare is for you.

But, the fact is that most people will never apply for ObamaCare.

Forty-Eight (48%) percent of people in the US have employer-sponsored health insurance. Medicare, government health insurance for the elderly, covers another 15 percent of the US population. Medicaid, government health insurance for the poor, covers an additional 15 percent. Other government health insurance programs cover 2 percent of the population. Another 5 percent of the population is covered by non-group plans. So, only 15 percent of the US population is currently uninsured. Therefore, most people will never need the insurance plans created as a result of ObamaCare.

Often, people with Medicare are confused about the Medicare enrollment period v. the ObamaCare enrollment period.

The Medicare enrollment period is from October 15 to December 7, 2014. This enrollment period is different than ObamaCare. If you have Medicare, remember that the ObamaCare enrollment period does not affect Medicare. Also, if you have Medicare Advantage, you do not need to do anything related to ObamaCare. Medicare Advantage is not the same as ObamaCare.

The cost of coverage for an ObamaCare health plan will vary widely depending on three major factors: your age, your income and where you live. ObamaCare allows health insurance companies to charge significantly more for an older shopper compared to a young shopper. For example, a health plan for a 58-year-old can cost three times more then the same health plan for a 23-year-old. The reason for this is that the health insurance company expects to pay far more for the 58-year-old’s healthcare then for a young, healthy 23-year-old. It’s also true that in certain parts of the country healthcare costs more than in other parts of the country. Additionally, for people who earn less than four times the poverty level (about $45,000 for an individual or $96,000 for a family of 4), they will be entitled to subsidies, which may pay for the entire cost of the monthly premium.

Also, if you do not have health insurance you will have to pay a penalty. So, if you are uninsured, check out healthcare.gov and enroll in your plan of choice. You have until February 15, 2015 to apply.

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Are you looking to cut through all the noise and find out what ObamaCare really is, what it does, and, most importantly, what it means to you? MyHealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: ObamaCare” ebook guide leaves the politics behind and gives you a straightforward, timely rundown of the changes the law made and whether or not they impact YOU.

Available for download NOW!