How do you choose the right health care plan? 

It is known that health care services are getting expensive as years goes by, not to mention inevitable life changes that may occur trigger adjustments in your financial status. If you are on a verge of giving up your healthcare insurance because of insufficient funds, you might want to check out first the health care exchanges or the marketplace. The online marketplace is a government regulated that offers all American citizen the opportunity to compare, choose and get discounted health insurance plan that fits their healthcare needs. Furthermore, the marketplace allows them to check if they are eligible to be a part of any government assisted health insurance such as Medicaid and Medicare.

The marketplace is available in all US Federal States, and insurer strictly follows the guidelines mandated by the government as far as affordability and healthcare quality is concerned. Every information that you need when it comes to enrollment, subsidies, penalty and special enrollment is available in the marketplace. All websites from different states are friendly user and well guided. It is important as well to provide the correct information so that you will be given specific options which you can size up. Always remember that each state has a distinct approach in discounting a monthly premium. Certain factors such as smoking may increase the premium, and some states give discounts to older individuals. If you are unsure on the procedure on how to do it online, you can visit the government agency to help you out. They do personal assistance for enrollees or for those who want to change their health insurance plan.

The enrollment process to avoid penalties

In the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or Obamacare, every American are provided a period of registration. Meaning, once a person was not able to enroll during this time, there will be a penalty that needs to be settled. On the other hand, there are cases that the government allows you to do special enrollment only if you qualified. Missing the deadline is not an excuse for the government because the enrollment period usually lasts for three months, and the advertisement was massively promoted to remind everyone.

The primary purpose of the Obamacare is to get every American an opportunity to be assisted during healthcare needs without compromising the financial status. It is given that whenever there is an emergency situation, and a person does not have any insurance, hospital bills can lead to bankruptcy. In Obamacare health insurance, there is healthcare exchanges or an online marketplace that help everyone for enrolment, choosing the best and most affordable insurance plan, and use this to check if they are eligible to get a tax credit. The online marketplace is a way to get information about a given situation where you need to do special enrollment in case you missed the enrollment period to avoid penalty. The special registration is for those individuals who lose their insurance plan, changes in family status (divorce, marrying, having a child and losing a family member) and particular life difficulties that affects the family’s finances. In the online marketplace, every American is valued and protected.

 Facts about Obamacare

Although there are many Americans who are against the Obamacare healthcare system due to the penalty, the benefits of the law is undeniably impacted the life of many Americans as far as health care services are concerned.

The Obamacare is officially named as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but most Americans like to call it Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was signed in March of 2010 and implemented by the Supreme Court in June 2012 to all Federal States including the District of Columbia. Furthermore, the benefits that consumers are getting before March 2010 have the prerogative to stick or upgrade to the new plan. The purpose of switching to a new scheme in the healthcare system is to safeguard consumers and to make sure that they have all access to its benefits. Though the plan may have changed, individuals who have had the grandfathered health coverage will be provided guidelines fi they wish to stay or update their healthcare insurance. It is also stated in the instructions that a consumer may keep their health insurance after 2015 if the following requirements are met:

• The private health insurance that you have is under the grandfathered plan and no changes made by the insurer.
• The consumer secured a non-grandfathered coverage plan from a private insurance company that fits the ACA requirements.
• You qualified to have the government health insurance such as Medicaid, Medicare and Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP.
  Because of the flexibility of the ACA or Obamacare health insurance law, there is a significant shoot up of rates for insured individuals during its first year. Due to the government transparency, and the eagerness to reach out to every American, the health insurance benefits are now being enjoyed by many. Here are some of the benefits and consumer’s right and protections that you might want to know.
• The Health Insurance Exchanges is regulated by the government that permits all consumers to compare certain Health coverage to other health plans which include the Minimum Essential Coverage or MEC.
• Cost assistance that includes a subsidy, tax exemptions, and expanded government assisted health insurances is available in the Marketplace.
• All health insurance from different insurer should not deny anyone; regardless of any pre-existing illness.
• No discrimination; no extra charge based on people’s health condition and gender. Though individual factors such as age, smoking, numbers of family members and certain states may affect the premium cost.
• All insurance companies are not allowed to opt you out even if you have the current medical condition, or if you have made any error on your application during your registration.
• The consumer has all the right to question any particular changes in the policies or any insurer’s decision that affects the right and protection of the consumer.
• Young adults can stay under their parent’s dependent until the age of 26.
• There is a huge advancement when it comes to women’s health assistance. Women can avail free preventive healthcare services and screen such as HIV screening, Mammograms, Diabetes gestational screening and others.
• There should be no out-of-the-pocket limit to cases such as emergencies, urgent hospitalizations, prescribed medications and mother and child care.

We at Nevada Benefits, would love to help with your individual Nevada Individual Health Insurance needs.

Before the Affordable Care Act: A series of Events

The Healthcare system in the USA set a high standard yet reduced its costs to cater all individuals who are not yet insured. Because of the broad implementation after it was approved by the Supreme Court in June of the same year, the rate of uninsured Americans drastically goes down. The government mandates both the private and the public insurer to be involved and follow certain guidelines in providing health insurance to all Americans.

Furthermore, all American citizens are entitled to secure a health insurance and able to choose from any plans that are affordable and suits their healthcare needs through the healthcare exchanges or marketplace. On the contrary, in cases of situations where they are incapable of procuring a health insurance, they can see on the health care exchange if they are eligible to have the Medicaid, Medicare or the Children Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to avoid a penalty.

However, before the success of the Obama Healthcare system, the US government faced series of failures when it comes to healthcare reforms. The only clear cut from the previous health reforms was it became a basis and a determinant to improve the healthcare system of the US.

In 1993, Senator John Chafee proposed another healthcare reform called Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act (HEART) that was supported by 20 out of 43 Republican Senators. The HEART aims to have a so-called “universal coverage” that equipped from healthcare services, and financial protection. The reform was never debated nor chosen. However, the reform was an excellent basis for today’s healthcare system in the USA.

In the same year, President Bill Clinton recommended a health care reform that mandates all business related companies to provide health insurance to all workers. Along with it is the formation of the marketplace that is regulated by the government where people can choose an outstanding healthcare plan coverage. Then, some Republican senators suggested a backup healthcare plan that obligates each employee to buy their health insurance instead of their employer. Different conventional groups soon contested the plan via cynical advertisement. The health insurance agencies block the health care reform too due to the alleged excessively entangled system. Because of the failure, President Clinton mediated to settle the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

In 2006, there is a bill that expands the health insurance which started in Massachusetts. The bill was vetoed but later on, override and implemented by Governor Mitt Romney and was admired by the Republicans. The bill is about the individual health coverage and insurance network which called the “Health Connector.” The next year, Senator Bob Bennett and Senator Ron Wyden presented the Healthy American Act, which marketed as “State Health Help Agencies” which attracts support but became idled in the Congress during the healthcare deliberation.