“Next time you run into someone who minimizes the problems with Obamacare, I want you to introduce them to Fay. She’s a reasonably healthy 60 year old grandmother living in Fayette County, Illinois and earns about 450% of the federal poverty level ($53,460) working for a small employer that does not provide her with health insurance. Right now, if she wants the second lowest silver plan in her area, she needs to pay 28% of her pre-tax income in order to get it — $1,247 per month. Fay just doesn’t have that kind of money and thus lives in fear of medical bankruptcy should something go wrong.
Posts Tagged ‘Long Grove’
Where Obamacare Has Become Unaffordable, Short Term Health Insurance Can Help
Friday, August 18th, 2017Tags: deductibles, Health insurance exchange, health insurance premiums, Individuals, Kaneville, Kendall, Kendall County, Kildeer, Lafox, Lake, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Lakemoor, Lakewood, Lincoln Park, Lincolnwood, Long Grove, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation
Posted in Obamacare | Comments Off on Where Obamacare Has Become Unaffordable, Short Term Health Insurance Can Help
Is Medicare Tax-Deductible?
Friday, March 24th, 2017“Medicare provides critical health benefits to countless senior citizens, and while Part A, which covers hospital visits, typically does not impose a premium, Parts B and D, which cover preventative services and prescription drugs, respectively, come at a cost.
Tags: deductibles, dental, Hospital, insurance, Lincolnwood, Lisle, Logan Square, Lombard, Long Grove, Maple Park, Marengo, medical expenses, premiums, seniors
Posted in Medicare | Comments Off on Is Medicare Tax-Deductible?
The Federal Government’s $146 Billion Obamacare Boo-Boo
Thursday, April 28th, 2016According to The Motley Fool:
” Bad things can happen when a government forecast proves to be way off.
There are mistakes, and then there are big mistakes. What the Congressional Budget Office’s latest report on federal subsidies revealed was a mistake of monstrousproportions on the part of the federal government.
Here’s what a forecasting error looks like
The Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, has been making projections on the future of Obamacare, and healthcare in general, for years. Initially, the CBO had projected that up to 21 million people would sign up for private health insurance using Obamacare’s transparent marketplace exchanges by 2016. However, that estimate has been substantially reduced to just 12 million. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Obamacare enrollment totaled “about 12.7 million” as of the end of third enrollment period (Jan. 31, 2016). Ultimately, the CBO foresees private health enrollment via Obamacare topping out at between 18 million and 19 million people between 2018 and 2026.
Why such a huge difference in actual enrollment versus initial projections? To begin with, the government appears to have overestimated just how many people would sign up on private exchanges versus being enrolled via their employer. The data has thus far shown that nowhere near as many people as expected dropped out of employer-sponsored insurance to sign up on Obamacare’s marketplace exchanges, meaning there was a considerably smaller uninsured pool than initially anticipated. (more…)
Tags: 60008, 60013, 60068, 60074, 60116, 60172, 60180, 60195, 60517, 60522, 60610, ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, aurora, barack obama, Barrington, buy health insurance, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, DuPage, DuPage County, Elgin, enrollment, Fox River Grove, government regulations, health care law, health care system, health insurance costs, Health insurance exchange, Huntley, Illinois Department of Insurance, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake County, Long Grove, Marketplace, Maywood, McHenery, McHenry County, Mr. Obama, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, Prairie Grove, revenue measures, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Woodridge
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Cost | Comments Off on The Federal Government’s $146 Billion Obamacare Boo-Boo
Obamacare Encounters Another Bump in the Road
Thursday, April 28th, 2016According to News Max Finance:
” Well, the hammer has fallen: The largest health insurer in the U.S. has started pulling out of select Obamacare exchanges.
Five months ago UnitedHealth, which had been singing sunny songs to investors about its bright future on the exchanges, abruptly began crooning the blues. In an earnings call barely a month after executives assured investors that all was going swimmingly, they confessed that they were losing a ton of money on their Obamacare policies and described a pattern that sounded as if consumers were gaming the system — signing up for a few months, using a ton of services, and then canceling their policies. If this continued, they said, they would have no choice but to pull out of the exchange business. (more…)
Tags: ACA, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, Albany Park, Andersonville, aurora, Bartlett, Batavia, Bucktown, budget cuts, buying insurance, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Downers Grove, East Dundee, Elgin, Elmwood Park, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, Fox River Grove, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance reform, health plan, health reform, healthcare reform, Huntley, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kaneville, Lake County, Lake View, Lisle, Long Grove, Marketplace, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Mr. Obama, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Oakbrook Terrace, Oswego, Park Ridge, Ringwood, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, Schaumburg, state health insurance, the affordable care act, UHC, United Health Care, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Villa Park, Wasco, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Exchange, Health Insurance News, Insurance Reform | Comments Off on Obamacare Encounters Another Bump in the Road
IRS Grants Extension for 6055 and 6056 Reporting
Tuesday, January 26th, 2016According to United Healthcare, Broker Connection Special Edition:
“On Dec. 28, 2015, the IRS announced that it is granting an automatic extension for the 2015 information returns required of insurers, employers and certain other providers of Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) under Section 6055 and 6056 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).
Coverage providers that need more time now have until March 31 to get Form 1095 to individuals and until June 30 to electronically file with the IRS. For providers not filing electronically, the deadline is May 31, 2016. (more…)
Tags: 2015, 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Andersonville, barack obama, Barrington, Bartlett, Broker, Bucktown, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Contact Us, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Deerfield, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Dundee, DuPage, DuPage County, East Dundee, Elgin, Employers, enroll, enrollment, Fox Valley, Geneva, Glendale Heights, Government, government regulations, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, Health Marketplace, health plan, health programs, health reform, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Hinsdale, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, individual health insurance, individual insurance, Individual Mandate, Individual Shared Responsibility, Individuals, insurance, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, IRS, Johnsburg, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Key Findings ACA, Lake, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Logan Square, Long Grove, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Minimum Essential Coverage, Mount Prospect, Naperville, Navigator, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Aurora, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Penalty, PPO, pre existing conditions, Richmond, Riverwoods, Rolling Meadows, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, self-insurance, single payer health care system, South Barrington, special enrollment, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, Tax, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, timeline, UHC, United Health Care, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Villa Park, Warrenville, Wasco, Wayne, West Chicago, Wheaton, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Wood Dale, Woodstock
Posted in Individual Health Insurance, Open Enrollment | Comments Off on IRS Grants Extension for 6055 and 6056 Reporting
CMS Proposes Health Insurance Exchange Changes for 2017
Monday, January 11th, 2016California Healthline Reports:
“On Friday, CMS released a proposed rule that would require minimum network standards for health plans sold through the federal exchange in 2017, Modern Healthcare reports.
Proposed Rule’s Network Standards
Under the rule, states would be required to implement CMS-approved quantitative measures to ensure that individuals with exchange plans have adequate access to health care providers. States could either:
- Adopt default network adequacy standards set by CMS; or
- Draft their own network adequacy standards and submit them for HHS approval.
Such standards could measure a plan’s network adequacy based on policyholders’ maximum travel distances and times to access providers. According to CMS, minimum adequacy standards for the plans will be determined at a later date. HHS would then notify insurers of the standards in each state (Herman/Dickson, Modern Healthcare, 11/20). (more…)
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, Advisor, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, Andersonville, Arlington Heights, aurora, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, bronze plan, Bucktown, buy health insurance, buying insurance, California healthline, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cicero, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, Darien, DeKalb, DeKalb County, departments of health and human services, Des Plaines, Desplaines, Downers Grove, DuPage County, East Dundee, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, Forest Park, Fox River Grove, Franklin Park, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, government regulations, Hampshire, health, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, health plan, health programs, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, IL, individual, Individuals, insurance broker, insurance industry, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County, Lake View, Lakewood, Lincoln Park, Long Grove, Marengo, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Medicare, Montgomery, Naperville, Navigator, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, Niles, North Barrington, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northlake, Northwest Suburbs, notices, Oakwood Hills, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prairie Grove, Roselle, Schaumburg, Schiller Park, Self Employed, self-insurance, SHOP, Skokie, small businesses, Spring Grove, St. Charles, state health insurance, state legislatures, Streamwood, the affordable care act, Tower Lakes, Village of Lakewood, Wasco, West Chicago, Wheeling, Wicker Park, Winfield, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Open Enrollment | Comments Off on CMS Proposes Health Insurance Exchange Changes for 2017
With Michigan Closure, More Than Half of Obamacare CO-OPs Have Now Failed
Monday, January 11th, 2016“WASHINGTON, DC – The number of failed Obamacare CO-OPs grew to one dozen today as Michigan became the latest to announce it was closing. To date, 12 of the original 23 CO-OPs have closed, bringing the total cost to taxpayers at more than $1.23 billion. This Thursday, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing on “Examining the Costly Failures of Obamacare’s CO-OP Insurance Loans.” (more…)
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Algonquin, barack obama, Barrington, Bartlett, Bensenville, Bull Valley, buy health insurance, buying insurance, Carol Stream, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, Costs, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, Des Plaines, Desplaines, Downers Grove, DuPage County, enroll, Government, government regulations, health, Health and Human Services, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, health programs, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual health insurance, insurance news, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Kendall County, Lake County, Lake View, Logan Square, Long Grove, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North Barrington, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Park Ridge, Prairie Grove, revenue measures, Riverwoods, Saint Charles, Schiller Park, Skokie, Spring Grove, state health insurance, state legislatures, Tax, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, Village of Lakewood, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Wilmette, Wood Dale, Woodstock
Posted in Health Insurance Cost, Health Insurance News, Heath Care Costs | Comments Off on With Michigan Closure, More Than Half of Obamacare CO-OPs Have Now Failed
Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare return to Illinois Obamacare exchange
Monday, January 11th, 2016Crain’s Chicago Business Reports:
“Aetna is returning to sell plans on the Illinois health insurance exchange after taking a year off.
Also returning are giants Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois, the dominant insurer in the state; UnitedHealthcare, which is affiliated with Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group, and Chicago-based Land of Lincoln Health.
Mostly familiar faces are returning to the exchange for enrollment that begins Nov. 1, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance. Other companies that received federal approval to sell plans include:
—Health Alliance, based in downstate Urbana.
—Celtic Insurance, which is part of St. Louis-based Centene Corp.
—Coventry Health, part of Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna.
—Harken Health, of which UnitedHealth Group is an investor.
—Humana, based in Louisville, Ky.
Tags: 2015, 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, Advocate Heath Care, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, Andersonville, Atena, aurora, Barrington, Bartlett, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Bucktown, buffalo grove, Burlington, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, DeKalb County, departments of health and human services, Dundee, DuPage County, Elgin, employer health insurance, enrollment, exchange, Forest Park, Fox River Grove, Fox Valley, Glenview, government regulations, group health plan, Harwood Heights, Health and Human Services, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health exemption, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, health plan, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Humana, Huntley, IL, Illinois, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, insurance industry, IRS, Kane, Kane County, Kendall, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Long Grove, Marengo, Marketplace, McCullen Lake, McHenry, McHenry County, Naperville, North Barrington, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northwest Suburbs, Oakwood Hills, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, Palatine, Park Ridge, Pingree Grove, Prairie Grove, Ringwood, Rolling Meadows, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, Skokie, small businesses, South Barrington, South Elgin, the affordable care act, United Health Care, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Village of Lakewood, Wasco, West Chicago, West Dundee, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Wood Dale, Woodridge, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance News, Small Business | Comments Off on Blue Cross, UnitedHealthcare return to Illinois Obamacare exchange
Blue Cross, Advocate team up on new health insurance plan
Monday, January 11th, 2016Crains Chicago Business Reports:
“Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois and Advocate Health Care are teaming up to offer a health plan that will be one of the cheapest options the insurer offers on and off the Obamacare exchange.
The plan, called BlueCare Direct, is a marriage of two giants. Blue Cross is the largest health insurer in the state, and Downers Grove-based Advocate is the largest health care system, with 12 hospitals and more than 4,000 doctors.
The BlueCare Direct network will include 250 of Advocate’s sites of care in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will counties, including nine of its hospitals and a children’s hospital with two campuses. Enrollees can stick with their primary care doctor outside of Advocate’s system, but the plan will not cover it, said Dr. Lee Sacks, chief medical officer for Advocate.
Tags: 2015, 2016, ACA, ACA requirements, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Andersonville, barack obama, Barrington Hills, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, Carpentersville, Cary, Changeing Health Care, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cook, Cook County, coverage plan, Crystal Lake, Deerfield, DeKalb County, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Dundee, DuPage, DuPage County, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, Forest Park, Glenview, Government, health, Health and Human Services, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance premiums, health insurance reform, health plan, health programs, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, Hebron, Highland Park, Hospital, IL, Illinois Department of Insurance, Illinois health insurance exchange, insurance plan, Insurance Reform, Kane, Kane County, Kaneville, Lake, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Lakewood, Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Long Grove, McHenry County, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, North West Suburbs, Northern Illinois, Northlake, Northwest Suburbs, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, PPO, premiums, Prospect Heights, Riverwoods, Rolling Meadows, Saint Charles, Schiller Park, Skokie, Stone Park, Streamwood, Sugar Grove, the affordable care act, Village of Lakewood, West Chicago, Wicker Park, Will, Will County, Woodstock
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Health Insurance News | Comments Off on Blue Cross, Advocate team up on new health insurance plan
Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents
Monday, January 11th, 2016“The Affordable Care Act is confusing and complicated, which means that health insurance agents and brokers are needed to help consumers pick the best plans for them, Kevin Counihan, chief executive officer of Healthcare.gov, said Monday.
“It’s got plenty of opportunity to be made a little bit better,” Counihan said. “And I’m very hopeful and confident that as we get more adults in Congress that they’re all going to sit down, the two sides together, and they’re going to address some of these issues.”
Counihan spoke to about 20 brokers and agents at an event hosted in Baton Rouge by the Louisiana Association of Health Underwriters. (more…)
Tags: ACA, ACA requirements, Advocate Heath Care, affordable care, Affordable Care Act, affordable health insurance, Albany Park, Algonquin, Andersonville, barack obama, Barrington, Barrington Hills, Bartlett, BCBS, BCBSIL, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, budget cuts, buffalo grove, buy health insurance, buying insurance, care reform legislation, Carol Stream, Carpentersville, Cary, Chicago, Chicagoland, Cicero, COBRA, Consultant, Cook, Cook County, Costs, Crystal Lake, deductibles, DeKalb, DeKalb County, departments of health and human services, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Dundee, DuPage County, East Dundee, Elgin, employer health insurance, enroll, enrollment, exchange, family plan, Fox River Grove, Fox Valley, Geneva, Gilberts, Glendale Heights, Government, government regulations, group health plan, group health plans, Hampshire, Health and Human Services, health care benefits, health care costs, health care law, health care reform, health care system, health insurance, health insurance costs, health insurance coverage, Health insurance exchange, health insurance marketplace, health insurance reform, health plan, health programs, health reform, health savings account, healthcare reform, healthcare.gov, High deductible health plan, human resources, Humana, Huntley, IL, Illinois health insurance exchange, individual, Insurance benefit consultant, insurance broker, Kane, Kane County, Kendall County, Key Findings ACA, Lake County, Lake in the Hills, Lake View, Lakewood, Long Grove, Marengo, Marketplace, McHenery, McHenry, McHenry County, Morton Grove, Naperville, new health care, New health insurance law ACA, Northlake, Oak Park, Obama care, ObamaCare, Obamacare regulation, open enrollment, Palatine, Prairie Grove, Riverwoods, Saint Charles, Schaumburg, South Barrington, Streamwood, taxpayer dollars, the affordable care act, U.S. Senate, unemployment, United Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare, Wasco, West Chicago, Wheaton, Will County
Posted in Affordable Care Act, Health Care .gov, Health Insurance News | Comments Off on Healthcare.gov CEO says insurance marketplace’s complexity argues for agents