Open enrollment can be VERY confusing… When is it? How does it work? Why is it so hard to understand? Have you been thinking about the 2019 healthcare open enrollment – yet not sure how to proceed? Below, we have a guide that’ll walk you through the complexities of health insurance and share exactly what you need to know to get the best health insurance for you and your family. What Is Open Enrollment? Open enrollment is a period of time annually when you can sign up for health insurance.  Individuals are able to enroll in Off- Exchange plans (no subsidy) any time of the year with a 90 days wait.  So, Open Enrollment is the time to enroll on On- Exchange with a subsidy or Off – Exchange Plans without a waiting period for 01/01/20. If you don’t apply for health insurance during the open enrollment, then it’s highly likely that can’t sign up until the next open enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying event. There’s another way around this – Outside of Open Enrollment you may still apply for health insurance but you may have a 90 day wait unless you experience a qualifying event.  So you need to make sure that you do NOT miss the deadline. Don’t let pre-existing conditions hold you back from applying – you may enroll during open enrollment regardless of pre-existing issues.  ObamaCare Facts – How Does Open Enrollment Work? With Open Enrollment for ObamaCare, anybody is qualified for health insurance coverage. Some important things to keep in mind: Health insurance plans through your job may have different Open Enrollment windows, so check with your employer for dates. You can qualify and enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) any time during the year. Open Enrollment Dates – …

You missed open enrollment. Or maybe your health insurance lapsed for some reason.   What are you supposed to do? Is it even possible to get health insurance outside of open enrollment? Yes, it is possible to get health insurance outside of open enrollment. This guide shares the 3 possible ways to get health insurance outside of open enrollment. 1. If you’ve had a “qualifying life event” within the last 60 days The government understands that sometimes life just happens. And when life happens, circumstances change, or situations adapt, then you should have the opportunity to get health insurance. There is a list of “qualifying life events” that will make you eligible to receive health insurance outside of open enrollment. What are the “qualifying life events?” There is a list of “qualifying life events” that will make you eligible to receive health insurance outside of open enrollment. Here’s the list of qualifying life events: Changes in your household situation: You get married or divorce You have a child or adopt a child There’s a death in the household Changes in your living situation: You move zip codes (it doesn’t necessarily have to be across state lines) A student moving to or from school that’s located in a different area Moving from transitional housing Losing your health insurance coverage Losing your health insurance because you quit your job or got terminated Losing your eligibility to have Medicaid or Medicare Losing health insurance under your parents’ plan once you turn 26 years old Forgetting to pay, or being unable to pay, your current health insurance to the point where it lapses is NOT a qualifying life event If you lose short term coverage then that is NOT a qualifying life event Other miscellaneous life events Becoming a US Citizen Leaving incarceration And …

NOTE: if you need to speak to someone urgently about your or someone’s mental health concerns and/or if you are having suicidal thoughts, dial this hotline immediately – 1-800-273-8255. This National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website presents warning signs and risk factors.  Mental Health America has great resources if you are struggling to handle your mental health. You might be thinking: “I’d love to go see that therapist. But, will it be covered by insurance?” This guide will go in length about health coverage for therapy and mental health in Nevada, what therapy is, types of therapeutic treatment and more. What is therapy? In a mental health context, therapy is defined by Merriam-Webster as “treatment of a mental or emotional disorder or of related bodily ills by psychological means” The typical problems therapy aim to solve can range from coping with issues in daily life to dealing with mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. There are many different types of therapy, and some of them might be more effective for specific issues. Therapy might be used in conjunction with medication or other forms of therapy. Here’s a list of the different types of therapy: According to the American Psychiatric Association, these are the active and currently used form of therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT aims to help patients identify and modify thinking and behaviour patterns that are harmful or ineffective, replacing them with more accurate or beneficial thoughts and behaviours. It is simply helping a person focusing on current problems. Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – IPT is a short-term type of treatment. Its common goals are to assist patients unearthing troubling interpersonal issues such as conflicts with loved ones, unresolved grief, difficulties connecting with others. After successful treatment, patients learn how to manage their emotions and communicate with others …

As you may recall, in September 2017, Equifax announced that it experienced one of the largest data breaches in history, exposing the personal information of approximately 147 million people.  On Monday, a proposed settlement was announced to provide benefits to those impacted by the breach.  If your personal information was exposed, you may be entitled to free credit monitoring or cash payments to compensate you for the cost of credit monitoring services, out-of-pocket losses, or time spent resolving identity theft or other misuse of data obtained by the breach, and free identity restoration services. To find out if you were impacted by the data breach and eligible for benefits from the settlement, visit https://eligibility.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/en/eligibility.  You will also be able to submit a claim through the website. More information about the data breach and proposed settlement is available through the FTC’s website at https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/equifax-data-breach-settlement. At Nevada Benefits, we feel strongly about the importance of safeguarding and monitoring your personal credit information, which is why we continue to recommend clients keep a credit freeze in place and review their credit report on an annual basis.

You need to get dental insurance. But, you’re not exactly sure how to do it. Acquiring the best dental insurance for you and your family should be a priority. So, if you’re trying to obtain dental coverage, especially if you live in Nevada, then this guide is for you. What is dental insurance? Dental insurance is a part of health insurance coverage that covers the costs of dental care. However, dental coverage can be obtained as a separate standalone plan. In the Marketplace, there are two categories of dental coverage: high coverage level and low coverage level. High coverage level: Higher premiums but lower copayments and deductibles. The cost is higher every month, but less when you use dental services. Low coverage level: Lower premiums but higher copayments and deductibles. The cost is lower every month, but more when you use dental services. HealthCare.Gov states that oral care is an essential health benefit, but adult dental care isn’t. Additionally, adult dental care may be offered as a part of a health plan depending on your state’s program. If you are obtaining dental care for someone aged 18 or under, dental coverage must be available as either a health plan or as a separate plan. How does dental insurance work in Nevada? The process of getting dental insurance in Nevada is very similar to getting medical insurance. With some plans, you are required to pay monthly premiums which entitles you to specific dental services such as x-rays, cleaning, and check-ups. These services operate under the principle of quality general dental care. Some plans will have broader coverage and allow you to receive more benefits, such as crowns, extractions, etc. There are three types of dental plans you can acquire in Nevada: Indemnity Dental Insurance Plan: IDIP enables you to stay with …