I am finally seeing a time frame for receiving answers and in doing so, the next few months will be crucial. July begins the certification process. As a licensed agent I will be getting certified to be able to advise you of your options in and out of the Marketplace/Exchange. Below is a breakdown of the information I received today. You will notice some differences between my original Healthcare Reform post.
-Open Enrollment begins October 1st-December 15th policies written during this time will have an effective date January 1st.
-Policies written between December 16th-March 31st will have an effective date of the 1st of the following month (for example: a policy written January 15th will have an effective date of February 1st).
-Enrollment ENDS March 31st. If you do not have a policy at this time you will NOT be able to enroll until open enrollment. You will be able to enroll at any time if there is a qualifying life event (for example: marriage, divorce, birth of child, loss of employment, etc).
You may be surprised at what can be saved after it has been damaged from water. The most important tip is to get rid of the water ASAP. The longer the water sits the more of an issue it becomes with mold and the harder it is to repair. Below are some tips to remediating your water damage.
*Remove important items that can be picked up and moved to another room. Once removed from the water dry with a fan.
*Find the source of the water. There may be leaves clogging a sewer or a faulty sump pump. If so, remove the leaves or replace the sump pump. If you need a referral I can provide you with one for immediate sump pump repair.
*Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to circulate the air and reduce moisture buildup in your basement.
*Confirm that your policy has sump pump/sewer back up coverage, the endorsement will provide coverage for water removal and damaged items.
I attended a seminar this past Tuesday about the Benefits of Juicing and Smoothies. The seminar was very informative AND I got to try a few recipes. I only had 3 shots and felt AMAZING afterwards. Below I broke down what I learned and listed a few recipes to try…ENJOY!
*Juicing and blending fruits and vegetables (smoothies) provide your body with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, live enzymes, phytonutrients, and amino acids (protein) for maximum health.
*Blending and juicing breaks through the cell walls, releasing more flavor and making the bounty of nutrients more readily available for your body.
JUST PEACHY SMOOTHIE
4 whole peaches
1-2 cups spinach
water/ice
TROPICAL SUN SMOOTHIE
2 bulbs bok choy
1 orange (peeled)
1 cup coconut water
1 cup pineapple
1 banana
APPLE RAZ SMOOTHIE
1 red apple
1 cup rasberries
1-2 slices honeydew melon
1 large kale leaf
1 handful baby greens
1 lemon
1 banana
water/ice
Last week I attended a Health Care Reform Seminar. Below is some of the information I obtained from the seminar. Please note that some of the kinks are still be worked out and we are still waiting for some answers. As I obtain more information I will pass it along. Feel free to call or email with any questions and I will do my best to get an answer if I don’t know it myself.
INDIVIDUALS
*Will be required to obtain a qualified healthcare plan starting in 1/2014.
*Health insurers must cover EVERYONE that applies for a plan (i.e. all plans are guaranteed issue, will not contain a waiting period, and will cover all pre-existing conditions).
*Individuals may qualify for a subsidy; which is based on income.
*All plans will offer the same benefits (maternity and newborn care, emergency, fertility, obesity, mental health and substance abuse, perscription drugs, rehabilitative services and devices, dental, and vision).
*Plans in the marketplace are Platnum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. You will be required to carry at least the Bronze plan to avoid the penalty.
*Platinum plan is 90% co-insurance, Gold is 80%, Silver is 70%, and Bronze is 60%.
*If you choose not to carry health insurance you will be required to pay a penalty of $95 for 2014, $325 in 2015, $695 in 2016. This penalty will be charged per person in the household. Chicldren under age 18 will be charged 1/2 of that amount (i.e. $47.50 for 2014).
*You may decide to carry no insurance for 1/2 the year. In that case the amount will be pro-rated to reflect the number of months without coverage.
*When you file your taxes for 2014 you will have to attach documentation from you health insurance carrier to show proof that you had purchased a qualified health plan.
*Coverage will be required to be maintained by all individuals, with exceptions; religious objections, financial hardship, undocumented immigrants, citizens not residing in the US, and those with short gaps in coverage.
*If you currently carry health insurance your plan MUST meet at least the Bronze plan benefits.
EMPLOYERS
*Under 50 full-time employees=no penalty
*Full time employees are considered 30 hours per week OR have a combination of full-time and part-time employees that is equivalent to at least 50 full-time employees
*The employer will need to make a decision on how they choose to handle covering their employees, especially employers with more than 50 employees.
*Employers will be required to offer at least the Bronze plan to their employees (assuming they are offering health insurance).
*Since 1997, the Homeowners insurance industry has suffered more than $50 billion in underwriting losses, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
*The industry estimate for 2012 is a $12 billion underwriting loss.
*A lot of this is due to increased natural catastrophes—there have been an average of 63 natural catastrophes a year since 1997 compared to an average of 32 a year for the previous 16 years (’81-’96).
*And, a lot of it is due to the severe nature of the claims—the severity of catastrophe-related claims is up 200 percent from ’97 to 2011.
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