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Medicare Advantage plans are one of the various ways to get Medicare coverage. Advantage plans are often referred to as “Part C” or “MA Plans.” Only Medicare-approved private companies are allowed to offer these types of plans, and this is only accepted if they follow the set of rules provided by Medicare. If you decide to get a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will still have Medicare, but a majority of your Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (general medical insurance) coverage will be covered by the Medicare Advantage Plan and not traditional Medicare.  

How Do Medicare Advantage Plans Work? 

Medicare will pay a fixed amount for your coverage each month to a company if you join a Medicare Advantage Plan. As mentioned earlier, these companies must follow the guidelines set forth by Medicare in order for the coverage to be authentically offered. The plan must notify you about any potential upcoming changes before the start of the next enrollment year (traditionally this is on December 7th). No matter what, if you do join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will have all the same rights and protections that you would have with original Medicare.  

What Are the Costs? 

Much like any other type of insurance, things change. Every year, plans will set the payment amounts charged for premiums, deductibles, and services. The Medicare Advantage Plan will decide how much you pay for the covered services you get. There will be an out-of-pocket cost with the Medicare Advantage Plan that is in addition to the premium, deductible, copayments, and co insurance costs. Other things to consider when looking at the cost of a Medicare Advantage Plan: 

• What type of health care services you need and how often. 
• Do you go to a doctor or supplier for medication? 
• Does the plan offer additional benefits that require an increased premium? 
• If you currently have Medicaid or are getting help from your state with current health care costs. 

Who Can Get a Medicare Advantage Plan? 

You can join a Medicare Advantage Plan if: 

•  You have Medicare Part A and Part B 
•  You live in the plan’s service area 
•  You’re a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or lawfully present in the U.S. 
•  You don’t have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) 

Interesting in learning more about Medicare Advantage Plans? Contact your local agent today.  

Life insurance policies can be confusing. There seem to be endless different options, plans, and policies to choose from. You might have simply selected the cheapest life insurance policy because you didn’t fully understand your options. Maybe you selected a pricier policy because “You pay for what you get!” If these describe you, you might not be getting the most out of your life insurance policy. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering your current life insurance policy. 

Do I Need Term or Permanent Life Insurance? 

Although this seems like a tricky question, it can really be boiled down to a few simple assessments. What is your budget? What are your family’s needs? If you’re young and single with no kids, you could save money by choosing a short term life insurance policy. On the other hand, permanent life insurance offers an added amount of safety and security. Higher incomes, larger families, and greater expenses require deeply rooted insurance plans. With permanent life insurance, you can rest assured that you won’t need to worry about renewing, re-assessing, or dealing with insurance agents.

How Much Coverage Do I Realistically Need? 

In order to accurately assess how much financial protection your family needs from your life insurance policy, you must know how much money would be required for your family to continue on after your death. This means estimating your current expenses, understanding funeral costs, and accounting for your income. Make certain that your life insurance policy meets or exceeds this assessment. Knowing that your family is covered if something were to happen to you will bring you and your loved ones peace.

Can I Make an Annual Payment Rather Than Monthly? 

Finally, you could save yourself money by paying for your life insurance annually rather than monthly. Most insurance agencies are charging you a small fee for making monthly payments. If you can’t afford to pay an annual fee, you may still be able to pay larger fractured payments every few months instead. If your provider allows, make as few payments as possible throughout the year; ideally, one annual payment. This way, you will ultimately pay less money in total. 

Discovering that you’re going to be a parent can be the most exciting news you’ll receive in a lifetime! But underneath all that joy and excitement is another emotion just as strong: fear. There is a ton of responsibility that comes with bringing your child into the world and you want to make sure you are doing it the right way. Even though your baby won’t arrive for another nine months, planning ahead is imperative. A great starting point to be sure that you and your bundle of joy are taken care of is by letting your insurance company know the amazing news. When you do, you should expect the following areas to be covered through your insurance plan. 

Prenatal Care Visits 

For many parents, it feels as though over half of the pregnancy is spent constantly visiting the doctor’s office while the other small part is the actual birth. However, every visit is important and results in news about your baby’s development. Gender revealing ultrasounds, glucose testing, multiple screenings, and hearing your baby’s heartbeat are all included in your visits. As the trimesters continue, you will even see your doctor more frequently to track and make sure your baby remains healthy. Typically visits happen every two weeks, but once the baby reaches a certain size, you will instead start showing up weekly. That’s a lot of visits! Make sure you have an insurance plan that covers all of them. 

Outpatient/Inpatient Services 

Without a doubt, the most important part of your health insurance is to make sure the delivery of your baby is covered. No matter how you give birth–natural, cesarean section, water birth or otherwise–this will be very costly if you are not taken care of financially. And it isn’t just the birth that will rack up the bill; room and board also comes with a price along with your meals, medication, and more. Luckily, with the right coverage plan, you won’t have to worry and can instead focus on bonding with your newborn child.  

Newborn Screening Coverage 

Many have said that time stands still when their child is born, but unfortunately, it cannot remain that way. Once they are welcomed into the world, they immediately have to undergo several tests that weren’t possible when they were in the womb. This is all to make sure that your baby is healthy and ready to go home. Screenings include testing for congenital hypothyroidism, hearing problems, phenylketonuria (PKU), and sickle cell anemia. Although these screenings, as stated before, do help ensure your baby’s health, they are not going to be free. At least not without insurance. If you are unsure about whether or not this is included in your plan, make sure you have a conversation with your agent as soon as possible.  

Newborn Baby Care 

Delivering a baby is by no means a simple task. It can take a serious toll on you both physically and emotionally. As a new parent, you will need a lot of rest to combat the unbelievable amount of exhaustion you will feel. However, having a crying newborn baby in the room may not help in this situation, regardless of how badly you want to see them. Nurses offer to take your child back to the nursery to tend to them throughout the night while you catch up on your much needed sleep. Luckily, newborn care is also covered through health insurance. 

Lactation Counseling and Breast Pump Rental 

For mothers who choose to breastfeed their baby, lactation counseling is available at the hospital to teach new mothers how to perform the task properly. Many see this as a great benefit, especially since it is one of the first of many bonding moments between mother and child. Even after the mother has left the hospital, breast pump rentals are made available to help you further and, as you may have guessed, are covered under your health insurance. 

As soon as your baby is brought into this world, you want to be sure to inform your insurance agency so that your son or daughter can be added onto your current plan. This way, they will continue to be covered throughout the rest of their life. To get started on the right insurance plan, give us a call today and let us insure all your major life moments.  

 Medicare is the federal government that provides coverage to those who are 65+, under 65 and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for a certain period of time, or under 65 and with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The Medicare program is funded in part by the Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on income, in part through premiums that those with Medicare pay, and additionally in part by the federal budget. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs Medicare. 

How Does It Work? 

The availability of Medicare does not factor in income. Once you’ve become Medicare-eligible and enroll you can choose to get your Medicare benefits from Original Medicare (the traditional fee-for-service program offered directly through the federal government) or from a Medicare Advantage Plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan is a type of private insurance offered by companies that contract with Medicare. Original Medicare consists of Part A and Part B when it comes to providing coverages.  

It’s important to understand all of your choices for Medicare options and to pick your coverages carefully. How you choose to get your benefits and who you are getting them from can greatly affect your out-of-pocket costs and where you will receive your care. Medicare consists of four parts: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Each part covers a specific type of coverage. Below is a list of what each part of Medicare covers.  

• Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage
   
• Part B provides outpatient/medical coverage
   
• Part C provides Medicare Advantage
   
• Part D provides prescription drug coverage 
   

Medicare and Medicaid Are Not the Same 

Both programs are similar but they are serving different purposes. Medicare is a government-run program that provides health insurance. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid is run by the federal government in partnership with states to help cover those with limited income. Depending on the state, Medicaid can become available for those who are below a certain income level while meeting other criteria (such as age, disability status, pregnancy) or it will become available for all people below a certain income level.  

The federal government set up an online insurance marketplace called healthcare.gov. This website was launched in 2013 as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unless the state creates its own marketplace, citizens will default to using the federal exchange. These marketplaces are the most used by consumers searching for health insurance, but this is not the only option for them. It’s time to answer the leading question: which is right for you? Going through the health insurance marketplace or outside of it?

What Is The Marketplace?

The Marketplace allows you to compare and apply for private health insurance policies. Did you know that health insurance companies can only provide policies through healthcare.gov if they have a plan available for each of the four metal tiers? Individual plans are separated into metal tiers – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These metal tiers allow for people to make a fair comparison between all of these benefits and costs. All health plans offered on the marketplace must include these 10 benefit coverages:

• Outpatient care (officially called ambulatory patient services)
• Prescription drug coverage
• Pediatric services, including dental and vision coverage for children
• Preventive care
• Laboratory services
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization for surgery, overnight stays, and other conditions
• Mental health coverage and substance use disorder services
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services
• Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care

In addition to this, plans on the federal marketplace must also include birth control coverage, breastfeeding coverage, and coverage for pre-existing conditions. It’s important to note that state marketplaces, depending on which state, may require all insurers to offer further coverage.

Why Look Outside the Marketplace?

The government marketplace requires that all participating insurers provide a plan in each of the four metal tiers. However, an insurer may only want to provide a single plan and they can do this by looking outside the marketplace. Did you know that outside the marketplace plans also have to offer coverages for the ten essential benefits? When you go with outside of the marketplace you get four major choices:

• Choice of a different carrier
• Choice of a different network
• Choice of different drug coverage
• Different plan coverage

Non-marketplace plans, which don’t follow these rules, can be structured differently and can potentially offer a lower price on similar coverage. As a reminder, this will all depend on which state you are looking for coverage.

Many American families consume sugary drinks like soda, energy drinks, sweetened coffee, or fruit juice on a daily basis but do not fully realize the effects these beverages have on their health. In addition to contributing to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and increasing the risk of heart disease, drinking sugary drinks also has detrimental consequences for your dental health. 

What Makes Sugary Drinks So Harmful? 

Beverages like soda—considered the most harmful of sugary drinks—include acids such as phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, and citric acid among their top ingredients. Your mouth naturally contains harmful bacteria that interact with the sugars you consume and produce acid as a result. This acid is harmful to your teeth on its own, but once you add to that the acids found in sugary drinks, the result is an even greater risk of dental damage like enamel erosion and cavities. 

You might think diet or sugar-free drinks are a better choice since they contain little to no sugar. However acid is the key factor here, and diet drinks are still high in acids that can have damaging effects on your teeth.

It’s not just soft drinks that are harmful to teeth. Beverages with high sugar content such as fruit juice or sports drinks still interact with the mouth’s bacteria to produce damaging acids. This means that even if they don’t drink soda, your children can still be at risk for dental damage caused by acid. 

What Can Happen to Your Teeth?

Many people are aware of the negative health effects of regularly drinking sugary beverages, but even casual consumption of these drinks can cause lasting damage to your teeth. Two of the most common dental issues that arise from this habit are enamel erosion and cavities. 

Enamel Erosion

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but it can still be damaged. Remember those acids we just talked about? Here’s where they come into play. Both the acid created by your mouth’s bacteria and the acid found in sugar-filled drinks erode the enamel on your teeth. Enamel is the protective layer on the outside of your teeth, so the loss of it leads them to become weaker, thinner, and more susceptible to tooth decay. Some symptoms of enamel erosion include sensitivity to hot or cold foods and discoloration on the teeth. Once it is damaged, tooth enamel cannot be restored.

Cavities

As the enamel erodes it can expose the inner layer of the teeth, called dentin. While this exposure is painful on its own, it also leads to the creation of cavities. Cavities are often difficult to detect in their early stages but once they progress, signs include pain or sensitivity, dark stains, and even holes in the teeth. 

Dental Insurance Offers Protection

If you are concerned that your consumption of sugary drinks has caused conditions like enamel erosion or tooth decay, you need to visit your dentist immediately before the problem progresses – and put down the soda! With great dental insurance, you don’t have to worry about the effect that going to the dentist will have on your bank account. Many people’s employers offer dental coverage, but if yours does not, a private plan is an excellent option. Reach out to your agent today to learn more.

Millennials (young people born between 1981 and 1996) are now reaching a place in their lives where they have to start making important financial decisions, such as when to buy a house or have children. With the average amount of millennial debt rising, it is becoming more difficult for young people to build up savings. That is why it is incredibly important that millennials make the investment in insurance. If the unexpected occurs, many uninsured or underinsured millennials will be without any safety net to help them recover.

Part of the problem with people of this age being uninsured or underinsured is simply a lack of information. So, for any millennials reading, here are 4 practical insurance tips for you.

Work with an Independent Agent – Not Google

What do you do when you need to do something difficult for the first time? You go to an expert! For many people, this expert is Google. But there is a lot of misinformation out there, and millennials know more than anyone that you can’t trust everything you read online. Millennials are smart – there is no doubt about that. However, many do not realize what kind of insurance they may need, or just how important it is, so they don’t have all the coverage they should. This is a big mistake, especially for those who are starting families or building a business. An independent insurance agent is a friend in the business who can guide you in the best course of action. Sure, you could buy insurance online, but you may not get the best rates. The job of an independent agent is to do the hard work of finding the best possible coverage for the lowest possible price tag. This means less stress on you and more time to spend doing the things you love!

Stop Worrying So Much About the Price Tag 

We get it. Many millennials have a lot of expenses, and it can sometimes feel like you are living paycheck to paycheck. How much do you think insurance costs per month? Whatever number you are holding in your head, there’s a good chance the true number is lower. There are also a lot of discounts that are available if you perform certain behaviors. Yes, this often means “adulting” things. Your agent is your resource for this kind of information, so don’t be shy about asking what kind of discounts are available.

Cover Your Gaps to Protect Your Valuables 

Again, this is where the advice and expertise of an independent insurance agent is invaluable. While it’s true that your possessions are covered under your homeowners or renters insurance, you may have items that require higher limits to be properly covered. This could be an engagement ring or other high-value jewelry, musical instruments or equipment, sporting equipment, expensive electronics, or other items of value. Your agent can advise you on adding additional coverage for these type of items.

Don’t Shoot Down Life Insurance 

You may think you are too young to purchase life insurance at this age, but that simply is not true. Your 20s and 30s is actually the ideal age to buy a life insurance policy, because you will likely receive much better rates now when you are young and healthy than you will later in life. Life insurance is designed to provide a financial net for expenses you leave in the event of your death. We know it’s probably crazy to think about, but life insurance is designed to protect against the unthinkable, and just because it’s difficult to think about does not mean it isn’t necessary.

If you are a millennial who needs a guide in purchasing your own insurance for the first time, we can help! As independent agents, we will be on your side – not the side of the insurance companies. This means you can trust us to act in your best interest. Get in touch today!

Medicare is the federal government that provides coverage to those who are 65+, under 65 and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for a certain period of time, or under 65 and with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The Medicare program is funded in part by the Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on income, in part through premiums that those with Medicare pay, and additionally in part by the federal budget. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs Medicare. 

How Does It Work?

The availability of Medicare does not factor in income. Once you’ve become Medicare-eligible and enroll you can choose to get your Medicare benefits from Original Medicare (the traditional fee-for-service program offered directly through the federal government) or from a Medicare Advantage Plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan is a type of private insurance offered by companies that contract with Medicare. Original Medicare consists of Part A and Part B when it comes to providing coverages. 

It’s important to understand all of your choices for Medicare options and to pick your coverages carefully. How you choose to get your benefits and who you are getting them from can greatly affect your out-of-pocket costs and where you will receive your care. Medicare consists of four parts: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Each part covers a specific type of coverage. Below is a list of what each part of Medicare covers. 

• Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage
  
• Part B provides outpatient/medical coverage
  
• Part C provides Medicare Advantage
  
• Part D provides prescription drug coverage 
  

Medicare and Medicaid Are Not The Same

Both programs are similar but they are serving different purposes. Medicare is a government-run program that provides health insurance. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid is run by the federal government in partnership with states to help cover those with limited income. Depending on the state, Medicaid can become available for those who are below a certain income level while meeting other criteria (such as age, disability status, pregnancy) or it will become available for all people below a certain income level.

You are probably aware of how smoking can affect your health, but do you know how it changes your health insurance premiums? 

Determining Factors

Health insurance premiums are determined based on five factors: age, location, plan category, number of dependents, and tobacco use. Insurance companies define tobacco use as the use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco) on an average of four times a week and within the last six months. 

Tobacco Rating

Health insurers cannot outright deny coverage to smokers, but they can charge them higher premiums than non-smokers. The Affordable Care Act allows insurance companies to charge smokers up to 50% more for premiums. The explanation for this is simply that smokers are more likely to develop health concerns in the future, and therefore represent a greater risk for insurance companies. This surcharge is also known as tobacco rating, and states may opt out or charge below 50%. At this point most states charge the maximum 50% rate, but there are a handful that have taken the other options. 

Honor System

It is important to point out that when applying for health insurance, lying about your smoking habits in order to receive lower premiums is considered a form of insurance fraud. In effect, by lying about tobacco use you are misrepresenting your health risks. Even if you use a smoking cessation device such as a vaporizer or an e-cigarette, many insurance companies will still consider you a smoker and raise your premiums in the same they will for tobacco product users. 

Uninsured Dangers

Because of the higher premiums, some smokers may opt out of health or life insurance altogether. This can be a costly mistake due to the increased risk of diseases that commonly arise from long term tobacco use. If an uninsured smoker does become diagnosed with something like cancer or heart disease, they will surely wish they had insurance coverage to assist with treatment. 

Preventative Care

There is some disagreement over whether higher insurance premiums actually help people stop smoking, but there are some providers that offer coverage for smoking cessation programs as preventative care. 

Having healthy habits is not only beneficial to your wallet; it is also beneficial to you and those who love you the most. Health insurance can help ensure that you’ll be there for family and friends for many more years to come. Reach out to one of our agents today to learn more about what you can be doing to take precautions for the future of your health. 

Ray Silverstein, president of small business advisory group President’s Resource Organization, has said that there are specific benefits that good employees expect out of a job. Entrepreneur published his perspective that while medical insurance is at the top of that list of expectations, business owners should also be intentional about offering employees retirement plans, disability insurance, and life insurance as well. The reality is, only some benefit packages are required by law. These include withholding FICA taxes for the sake of retirement and disability; complying with FMLA; aligning with worker’s compensation requirements; and giving your employees time off for jury duty, military duties, or voting. However, it’s important to see why a great benefits package–including less traditional benefits like flex time–is key to showing your employees they have value. Here’s why.

Employee attainment and retention. 

Randstand US Research has noted that 61 percent of employees would consider accepting a lower salary if the company making the offer had a great benefits package. Forty-two percent of employees would actually consider quitting their current job and accepting a new one elsewhere because they are unhappy with current benefits. An attractive benefits package is basically viewed as a part of a salary offer and can, at times, make up for an annual wage that could be topped elsewhere.

Focus and attention. 

Employees who aren’t worried about finances are employees whose minds won’t wander as much at work. When it comes to long-term financial planning, the difference between feeling focused and committed to the job you have (instead of daydreaming for what position you should pursue next) can be rooted in a healthy 401(k) match, life insurance, or college debt assistance.

Loyalty. 

You want loyalty not just from your customers but also from your employees. Employees who feel seen and understood seem to know that their employer recognizes the number of hours they are putting in, not just in the office but on the telephone at home and during what was supposed to be a lunch break as well. At times, this recognition looks like the benefit of flex time. This may mean permission to head home early on a Friday, or permission to work some days remotely from home. Flex time also recognizes the pull of family circumstances on full time employees. 74 percent of employees say they have missed work due to a family circumstance. Employers who offer benefits communicate that they understand employees are also parents, children of aging parents, and simply “doing life” with people they love who have unexpected needs. 

Overall general health. 

Employees who have a strong health insurance package are more likely to see a physician when health issues arise. Instead of avoiding astronomical bills and giving a potentially treatable problem a chance to snowball, employees with health care plans, co-pays, and reasonable deductibles are less likely to put off important procedures and more likely to seek care when needed. This is where dental and vision insurance also steps in. If the numbers are doable for you as a business owner, you want to communicate to your employees that you fully value their physical and mental well-being.