Blake's Health Advising

Something to consider when evaluating what type of health insurance is the best fit.

Are health insurance subsidies through the marketplace helping fuel inflation?

https://reason.com/2022/07/06/democrats-want-to-fight-inflation-with-obamacare-subsidies-that-would-make-inflation-worse/

Democrats Want To Fight Inflation With Obamacare Subsidies That Would Make Inflation Worse More subsidies for Obamacare policies, like more subsidies for anything else, won't fight inflation.

This article discusses several reasons to be cautious of health sharing plans.

https://www.healthinsurance.org/other-coverage/healthcare-sharing-ministries-a-leap-of-faith/

Healthcare sharing ministries: A leap of faith? | healthinsurance.org “What I would say about health sharing ministries is they are a leap of faith, both literally and figuratively.” – Sabrina Corlette, Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute

This article points out some key developments that will help the healthcare consumer save additional money. Things like MRI's, X-Rays etc. are often considerably cheaper at a stand alone imaging center, than they are at a hospital.

https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/how-much-health-insurers-pay-almost-everything-about-go-public

How much health insurers pay for almost everything is about to go public Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in healthcare prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long | New government rules force health insurers to publicly disclose what they pay for just about every s...

Some companies are starting to apply a surcharge to unvaccinated employees.

https://www.ajmc.com/view/imposing-a-health-insurance-surcharge-on-the-unvaccinated

I often come across people who are looking for dental insurance, and are needing work done ASAP. Many plans have a waiting period. Dental for Everyone is a site that might be able to help you find plans with immediate benefits, in your given area.

https://www.dentalforeveryone.com/

As a follow up to yesterday's post, Atlanta's Northside Hospital becomes the first hospital in the country to be fined for lack of transparency regarding health care pricing.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/northside-hospital-fined-more-than-1m-over-unclear-health-care-prices/ONPV7D65E5FU3HHAZZZ4UVGKMY/

Northside Hospital fined more than $1M over unclear health care prices The fine surrounds a rule that requires hospitals to post the prices of services on their websites.

Very few hospitals are complying with the rule, which became affective January 1, 2021, to list the cash price for common services.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/hospitals-are-required-post-prices-common-procedures-rcna26984

Law requires U.S. hospitals to post prices. Guess who is footing the bills. Hospitals must list the cash prices for services like X-rays or medical tests online, according to federal law. A new study finds the rule is largely ignored.

If you, or anyone you know regularly take prescriptions, it's definitely worth utilizing GoodRx. It's a free service and will let you know where your medications are least expensive, within your zip code. There can often be a rather large price discrepancy from one pharmacy to another, for the exact same medication.

https://www.goodrx.com/

For those who are on the ACA, August will be an important month, as that is when premiums will be locked in for 2023.

A couple of items worth noting from the attached article:

- ACA Marketplace signups reached a record high of 14.5 million people in 2022, including nearly 13 million people who received tax credits to lower their premiums.

- Net Premium Payments on Healthcare.gov Would be 53% Higher without the American Rescue Plan Act

- Even if unsubsidized premiums hold steady going into 2023, the expiration of ARPA subsidies would result in the steepest increase in out-of-pocket premium payments that most enrollees in this market have seen.

https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/for-aca-enrollees-how-much-premiums-rise-next-year-is-mostly-up-to-congress/

This is another example of why you should stay away from health-sharing medical plans.

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/300-million-unpaid-medical-claims-revealed-local-companys-bankruptcy-filings/SSNA6VRJLZFPRFCHTFR3UCN5JI/

$300 million in unpaid medical claims revealed in local company’s bankruptcy filings "I mean, it’s very obvious that money was coming in, and wherever it was going, it wasn’t going to pay medical bills."

Are you looking to get yourself on a health insurance plan soon but don't know the ins and outs of how it works? Here's an article that discusses what is typically covered in a plan and when you can expect to receive care. https://stanford.io/3oB7jPz

How U.S. Health Insurance Works | Vaden Health Services Health care in the United States can be very expensive. A single doctor’s office visit may cost several hundred dollars and an average three-day hospital stay can run tens of thousands of dollars (or even more) depending on the type of care provided. Most of us could not afford to pay such large s...

Mayo Clinic cuts ties with health care sharing ministries | RiverTowns "While health ministries represent themselves as an insurance alternative, there is no guarantee that they will cover the health expenses of their members, particularly because they are not required to maintain reserves to cover medical claims," Mayo Clinic said in a statement.

You need to read this is you have health insurance through your employer. Though the article is a little dated, it still applies today. Feel free to text, or call me at 678-602-1249 for a complimentary policy review of your current plan, or for any health insurance questions you might have.

Employer-Based Health Care - All Cons, No Pros | O'Neill Institute Since the beginning of the debates around the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there's been a relatively muted on-going conversation about the value of the employer based health insurance model. It has, however, never really come to the fore as the ACA never seriously engaged with the idea of can ...

For those who have recently lost their job, know that you have immediate options for health insurance. Aside from company offered COBRA insurance plans, you would also qualify for special enrollment for an ACA plan, assuming it's been less than 60 days. The other and better option, if you are able to qualify medically, would be to look at private plans.

Another 1.3 million people applied for new jobless benefits last week as the pandemic’s toll on the economy continued coronavirus cases and closures surged around the country, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Labor. The numbers of new unemployment filings have remained above a million each …

How do you determine if you should choose a private health insurance plan, or an ACA plan?

Private:
- You are healthy
- You are self employed
- You want to save money

ACA:
- You have major pre-existing conditions
- You have expensive medications
- You qualify for a subsidy

Make sure you know the difference between ‘cost sharing’ insurance and real health insurance. What you don’t know, could end up crippling you financially.

Health care ‘cost sharing’ companies, which don’t guarantee coverage, are on the rise The number of Americans who sign up for health care sharing plans -- which are similar to health insurance but don’t guarantee coverage -- is on the rise.

I can help!

What People (and Policymakers) Can Do About Losing Coverage During the COVID-19 Crisis With unemployment claims rising amid the COVID-19 crisis, this post examines options for people who lose job-based coverage and steps policymakers could take to smooth their transitions.

Telehealth expected to top 1B in 2020.

Led by COVID-19 surge, virtual visits will surpass 1B in 2020: report. Virtual visits in the U.S. are expected to exceed 1 billion in 2020 largely because of COVID-19, according to recent Forrester report. Virtual visits in the U.S. are expected to exceed 1 billion in 2020 largely because of COVID-19, according to recent Forrester report.

As some people have turned to short term health insurance to cut costs, it's important to make sure you are aware of the many limitations those plans have and your potential exposure.

WSJ News Exclusive | Shorter-Term Health Plans Force Many to Pay for Lifesaving Treatments, Report Finds Many consumers have been forced to pay for their own lifesaving treatment under shorter-term health plans that have seen enrollment jumps since the Trump administration relaxed restrictions on them, according to a new report by House Democrats.

Is this how you feel? If so, you're not alone.

According to recent filings with the Department of Insurance, small group employer health insurance plans could increase as much as 40% in 2021. Yet another reason to take a hard look at medically underwritten private plans.

https://hbr.org/amp/2020/06/u-s-health-care-is-in-flux-heres-what-employers-should-do

Unfortunately with many health insurance plans out there, the cartoon below isn't far off.

Class action lawsuit filed against health sharing company. Make sure you know all the risks that exist.

Class action lawsuit filed against health sharing company as FBI investigates complaints But for months now, we’ve reported on problems with an Atlanta based health care sharing ministry.

Blake's Health Advising updated their business hours.

Blake's Health Advising now takes appointments on their Page.