Assurant Scales Back

 

Due to recent developments, as of January 10, 2014, Assurant Health will no longer be able to market their 12-month Short Term Medical option in Alaska, Florida and Georgia. They will remove this plan option from their systems on Friday, January 10. In the meantime, agents can no longer sell the 12-month option in these states. Assurant is evaluating when they will be able to re-launch a 12 month option in these states.

Customers who purchased and were issued 12-month Short Term Medical plans in these states can keep their plans.
Please note the 6-month Short Term Medical plan option is still available in all three affected states.

Just another fallout from the Affordable Care Act. 

 

Clean Slate

New Year’s is a time for what I call, “Wiping The Slate Clean”.  Whatever has happened, or not happened, is in the past.  Now is the time to take stock, begin anew, take it one step at a time, and take a deep breath.  How’s that for cramming in as many cliche’s as I can in to one sentence?

I once had a neighbor who kept her Christmas lights up all year ’round.  When asked “why?”, she simply responded, “Because I believe we should have the Christmas spirit all year long.”  What a wonderful idea.

What does all this have to do with Networking?

Each networking event you attend is another chance to “wipe the slate clean”.  In other words, you get another opportunity to meet new people, find out about them, and also grow the relationships with those you have already met.  Networking affords you the opportunity to broaden your horizons, and grow as an individual and a professional, while being around a supportive group.  It also brings about a new responsibility.

Simply talking about the weather every time you meet is not the way to build, and grow, your relationships with those you meet at networking meetings.  Nor is it a time to sit in the corner, and tell yourself, “This is no good. No one is talking to me.”  Networking is a time for asking new questions, and taking a new interest in what others do.  Everyone’s business goes through cycles, changes, peaks and valleys, as well as innovations.  Find out what’s new!

The explosion of the internet allows us the chance to read up on what is going on in other industries.  When you see someone at a networking event, ask them if what we read is actually true – because, if it’s on the internet is HAS to be true – or “how far off the reservation” the reports and articles are.  Social media, such as Twitter, allows us to “follow” each other.

As for me, I tweet, and re-tweet, what I feel is relevant in my industry.  Whether someone else does or not is entirely up to them.  You never know when you’ll get a “golden nugget” of information from what someone has tweeted.  While I am not a big believer in Open Networking, I am going to try following, and being followed more, on Twitter for the New Year.  It’s a great way to stay in touch.

Another way to stay connected to those you network with is to join Linked In groups, and participate in the discussions.  What a great way to find out how others are feeling about a topic, and what they have to add.

Finally, I suggest reading.

Yes, the lost art of looking at words, on either a Kindle or the pages of a book.  Don’t just read business books.  Read books that interest you.  You never know if someone else is a fan of an author you have just read, or if they share the same hobby.

I hope this sparks you to “wipe the slate clean” this year, and look at Networking in a new light from here on out.  Please feel free to leave any comments, gripes, complaints, other ideas, etc..

If you, or someone you know, has any questions regarding Obamacare, Medicare, Life Insurance, or Long Term Care, please feel free to contact me.  If you would like to follow me on Twitter, please do so at @TheBobLevine.  I am a licensed Life/Health independent agent, covering the state of Georgia.

Bob LevineLegacy Financial Partners, LLC
404-551-5339
bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com

Out of Time, Warner?

I got a call Thursday, December 5th, at 6:30 pm.  It was Warner, and he wanted to know about Prescription Drug Coverage for those on Medicare.  So, I explained to him the out-of-pocket costs, the donut hole, and how insurance companies “tier” their medications to save money.

I also explained that if he was interested in a Prescription Drug Plan I was offering, he had to make a decision soon.  You see, December 7th was fast approaching, and that was the end of the season for making changes to Medicare coverage.  What he said next I did NOT expect.

Warner was on 16 medications – which was not too far off the reservation for an 80 year old – and has never taken out a Prescription Drug Plan since he was eligible some 5 1/2 years ago.  It was at that point my jaw dropped and I believe I no longer had clean underwear.  You see, Warner was on a Prescription Assistance Plan, aka a PAP, and was only paying $500 per year for his medications.  The good news was that this had been in place for the past 15 years – Warner’s entire time on Medicare.

The bad news: Warner had never been told of the Late Penalty for not selecting a Prescription Drug Plan once he was eligible.

I then had to break it to Warner that the drug plan we had been discussing, which covered ALL of his medication, would have an additional $34.25 added to it, just because he never had a drug plan before.  That meant that every month he would pay, in premiums alone $135.75 just to have drug coverage.  This did not include his deductible, cost-sharing, donut hole amounts, etc.

To make matters worse, time to enroll, if that is what he wanted to do, was running out.  Oh, and the Pharmacy Assistance Plan notified him that, if he did get a Prescription Drug Plan, he would be kicked off the assistance.  They would be making their decision whether to keep him on the assistance or not January 1.

This put Warner between a rock and a hard place: 1. if he took the Prescription Drug Plan, and was still eligible for the assistance, he would incur all those additional costs, and not be eligible for the assistance again 2. if he doesn’t take the drug plan, and then loses the assistance January 1, he has NO coverage, and can not get the drug plan until next year.

How do you think the story ends?

I am an Independent Insurance Agent, licensed in the state of Georgia.  If you need guidance for Life Insurance, Medicare, or Long Term Care needs, please contact me at 404-551-5339 or email me at bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com

Bob Levine
Legacy Financial Partners, LLC
404-551-5339
bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com
http://www.equilife.com/boblevine
@TheBobLevine

How Can You Tell If Nancy Pelosi Is Lying?

The answer: Her lips are moving.

Once again, the former Speaker of the House lies to the general public, and they lap it up like milk from a bowl.  On all the Sunday News Programs, in defense of Obamacare – which she refuses to call ObamaCare, instead, she insists on calling it the “Affordable Care Act” – she stated that insurance companies can kick you off a plan if you develop a pre-existing condition.

Oh, Nancy! If it were only true.

In the past, insurance companies have cancelled coverage if you have not continued to pay the monthly premium.  They can, and have, rescinded coverage, if the applicant has misrepresented information, or intentionally deleted information, on the application.  They have never, however, accepted an application with correct information, then once that person has developed a condition, refused to continue coverage, simply because of that condition.  They might have – and this has been done – raised premiums so high that the person can no longer afford to keep the coverage.  Then, at that point, they are uninsureable for future coverage anywhere else.

The insurance companies will be vilified, and the liars in Washington will get away with this fiasco.

Now, to be fair, there are no other ideas coming from the other side of the aisle.  Republicans, rather than just clapping their hands, need to submit, solid, realistic, compassionate alternatives.  Thus far, it’s been nothing but double talk from the right as to what they propose.  Nothing detailed.  Nothing showing dollars and cents.

Here are some ideas:

1. condition specific coverage to add to High Deductible Plans
2. regional coverage across state lines
3. public/private partnerships for the frailest amongst us

And, for God sake, stop comparing this to Part D Medicare coverage.  Part D is not mandatory for everyone on Medicare.

Again, can someone tell me why we are mandating that 45 year old males have Maternity coverage. Or, someone who does not have children, must have pediatric dental care?  Nancy, why not concentrate on Fraud, Waste and Abuse?

If you would like to discuss your options, please feel free to contact me at 404-551-5339 or email me any questions or concerns to bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com

Want To Get A Presidential Appointment? Become A Community Organizer!

Dr. Vivek Murthy (pictured above), a community organizer and proponent/chief writer of Obamacare, has just been appointed Surgeon General of the U.S.S.A.  This is the latest in appointments by President Obama, that prove that if you support Obamacare, you are a shoe-in for an extremely high powered office.

Now, to Dr. Murthy’s credit, he is a very accomplished individual.  A Yale and Harvard Grad, and one of the founding members of Trial Networks, a cloud based platform for pharmaceuticals and biotech trials, as well as Epernicus, LLC, Dr. Murthy is no slouch!

Being a fellow community organizer, and carrying the kool aid for Obamacare, one has to wonder what will be coming from the Surgeon General’s office in years to come.  As it stands now, everyone has to have 10 Essential Health Benefits in their health plan, whether they want/need it or not.  What’s next?

We will watch and report, my comrades…

Writing Checks Our Kids Can’t Cash

Remember the suggestion to allow people to keep their “sub-standard” healthcare coverage if they want to?  The response was, “No, absolutely not!  We have better plans, and you MUST pick one by December 15th.”    But then again, we were told, “If you like your plan, you can keep it.  If you like your doctor, you can keep him/her.”  When that truth unraveled, and there was nowhere left to run or hide from the truth, we finally got, “OK, you can keep your health plan.  Even the substandard ones.”

Well, it’s easier said than done.  You see, insurance companies have to file approved plans with the states, who then, in turn, get approval from the government, who then, in turn, tell the insurance companies what has to be in the plans.  This all took many months to get in order.  Just because the president recants, doesn’t mean we can close the barn door after the horses are out.

There are still plans that are out there, called 2013 plans.  If you enroll in one, with an effective date of December 27th or earlier, than you can keep that plan until the same date of 2014.  For those that have received cancellation letters, it’s a big question mark as to whether the insurance companies can/will rescind the cancellation.  And, if they do, will it be done in time?

No one has the answer.

I urge you to talk with an independent insurance agent, not a navigator, to keep abreast of what to do.  Insurance Agents have the training, and the relationship with the insurance companies, to keep you up to date on what is going on.  Remember, just because it sounds good on TV, doesn’t mean it can be done.

One thing is true.  Insurance companies will be vilified for this.  The President will tell everyone that he said one thing – that being that you can keep your insurance – but that the insurance companies, in their greed, have chosen not to make good on that promise.  He will not make the public aware of the filing procedure that must be done.  These, of course, being the same insurance companies who, by President Obama’s words, kicked people off the “sub-standard” plans that they were on.

I wish the president would make up his mind.  Are the insurance companies wrong for kicking people off the plans, or are they wrong for not keeping them on the plans?  It’s easier to write the check.  It’s another story to be able to cash it.

I am always available for free consultations regarding your healthcare, Life Insurance, or Medicare coverage.  Please give me a call at 404-551-5339. Or, email me at bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com.

The Benefits, They are A-Changin’

Employers, having to find new ways to retain employees, keep them happy, and still maintain a profit, are changing the way they offer benefits at work.  Many employers, like UPS, GM, and others have made headlines over drastic measures.  While some on the right would like for you to believe that this is in response to The Affordable Care Act, it’s just as much to do with the rising tide in administering health care, and putting more of the responsibility on the employee.

It actually should have been called, “The Responsibility Care Act for Business”,

So, what are Employers doing?  Some, like Kroger, are paying only a fixed amount for certain prescription drugs or procedures, allowing the employee to shop around for the best value.  IBM is giving rebates to employees who adopt healthy lifestyles.  Other, smaller employers, are offering High Deductible Health Plans, and marrying them with Health Savings Accounts.  They are then educating their employees how to properly use these plans to more economically provide themselves with health care.

Austerity seems to reign supreme, as we look to the future of Employer Covered Healthcare.  It will actually get the employer out of the health insurance business, and back to concentrating on running their businesses, while letting the individuals have more control of their health care dollar.  Oddly enough, for all the bad press the Affordable Care Act is getting in this arena, this is one of the few, good, elements to arise from it.

If you own a small business, or work for one, and want more information on Employer Mandates, etc., call me at 404-551-5339 or email me at: bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com

“Shared Responsibility” Rule

Bottom Line: you (everyone) must have “minimal essential coverage” – MEC – or you will pay, not a penalty, not a tax, but your “shared responsibility” amount.  This, according to the MEC Rules, in Section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code.

Officials are estimating that 36 million taxpayers will have to fill out MEC-related paperwork.  Unions and employees who are leased to PEO’s are exempt.  IRS officials also:

• Decide taxpayers should have to take responsibility for health penalties paid by any dependents, whether they live with them or not
• Suggest that, to keep things simple, people can get out of paying the penalty if they can show their dependents have coverage for at least one day per month for at least nine months out of the year.

Response from Tim Thornton, from (State withheld): I’m 44, unemployed, and on food stamps. My state did not expand Medicaid, any my income is so low, I do not qualify for subsidies.  In other words, this (ObamaCare) does not help me at all.  I’m not a female, pregnant, with an STD and on drugs.  Should I do drugs, contract an STD in order to get help?  

If you are confused, or like Tim, you feel your options are limited or ridiculous, feel free to contact me at 404-551-5339 or bob@legacyfinancialpartner.com.

“Are You F%#@*king Kidding Me?!”

For years now, I have religiously watched That Metal Show, and have enjoyed finding out what happened to, or what is happening to, all the great rock stars of yesteryear.  The segments of the show – from “What Happened To…” to “That Metal Show Picks” – reminded me of how great Rock n Roll really is.

But I have to throw up my middle finger, and exclaim, “Are You Kidding Me!”, just as Eddie Trunk does to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  This time it is me doing it to Eddie, himself.

How can you claim to cover “ALL things, hard rock and heavy metal”, and not mention Grand Funk Railroad.  Not once!  Not as part of “Whatever Happened To”!  Not part of “Our Picks!” NOTHING!

Let’s take a look at who’s been on the show, while Mark, Don, and Mel have been EXCLUDED!

• Member of Rose Tattoo
• Members of Anvil
• Members of Cinderella
• Members of Black Sabbath
• Heart
• Members of StoneSour
• Members of Chickenfoot (Van Hagar)

Obviously, in New Jersey, GFR is on the Easy Listening rack, next to Tom Jones and Andy Williams.  They even have mentioned Fastway on the show. GIVE ME A BREAK!

For me, from here on out, it will be “most things hard rock and heavy metal” until Grand Funk Railroad gets some recognition.

Let’s look at their catalog, and see if there is anything that is NOT Hard Rock:

• Into The Sun
• Black Licorice
• Flight of The Phoenix
• Mean Mistreater
• Destitute and Losin’
• T.N.U.C.
• Are You Ready
• Paranoid
• Rock N Roll Soul
• I Come Tumblin’
• Time Machine
• Loneliness
• Great cover of Gimme Shelter

What is that!? Bubble Gum? Country? Bluegrass?

The only thing I can think of is that it is like ESPN and their knock on the Atlanta Braves.  For some reason GFR has done something, or not done something, that’s gotten under Eddie Trunk’s skin.  Other Hard Rock Groups slighted by Eddie and his boys:

• Triumph
• Within Temptation

I guess if they’re not going back out on tour as a 65 year old, and you can’t lie and say they “sound as good as they did” they are not worthy.

The Government Shutdown & Seniors

If you are a Medicare Beneficiary, or are working with one, and you go on the Medicare.gov site to explore your options for medical coverage/prescription drug coverage for 2014, you may see, “Due to the government shutdown, information on this website may not be up to date.”

If you ARE currently working with an Independent Insurance Agent, he/she will still be able to shop around for you, by contacting each Insurance provider individually, and obtaining the information needed.

If, however, you are NOT working with an Independent agent, there are two courses of action you may take:

1. get involved with an agent in your area
2. keep on trying the Medicare.gov website until you no longer see the message

Just a note: For those Medicare Beneficiaries who currently use a Medicare Advantage Plan, you are fortunate.  The government shut down will not affect you obtaining services, or remittance of payment for services rendered.  You see, by enrolling in a Medicare Advantage Plan and/or a Prescription Drug Plan, you have opted out of Medicare, and are allowing a private insurance provider to administer and finance your health care coverage.  YOU STILL RETAIN ALL RIGHTS OFFERED TO THOSE IN MEDICARE.

To keep up to date on both Medicare and the Affordable Care Act moving forward, please stay tuned to this blog, or feel free to follow me on Twitter @TheBobLevine, as well as contacting me @ 404-551-5339.  I am a licensed Life/Health Agent, operating in the State of Georgia, and a Consultant with Legacy Financial Partners, LLC.