Texas Health Insurance

Obama’s ‘Keep Your Health Plan’ Deception

June 30, 2010 – 7:55 pm
Texas Health Insurance-Now that regulations about existing Texas employer-sponsored plans have been issued, it’s becoming clear that many of the 160 million Americans with job-based coverage will not, in fact, be able to keep what they currently have. Republican critics of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act point to the Obama Administration’s own estimates that by 2013, 39% to 69% of employer plans will be subject to new regulations and not grandfathered in, or exempted from the new rules. House minority leader John Boehner issued a press release about the new regulations with the headline “New ObamaCare Tagline Should Be ‘If You Like Your Health Care Plan, Too Bad.’ “ While the reporter feels compelled to call GOP rhetoric “overheated,” she readily concedes that conservative critics have the facts on their side: The truth is that employer-based plans, which many assumed would easily be categorized as grandfathered, will be subject to the ...

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Health care overhaul to hurt special needs

June 30, 2010 – 7:44 pm
Texas Health Insurance -The federal medical care overhaul would limit contributions to health savings accounts and raise insurance costs for people including those with special needs, former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said at a fundraiser Tuesday for developmentally disabled children. She warned that new rules aiming to raise $13 billion by limiting contributions to flexible spending accounts amount to a "hefty tax hike" for families of special needs children struggling with health care costs. And she said families will wind up with fewer care options. "Our health insurance and our care choices will be diminished by this new program," she said to an audience of several thousand at a suburban Atlanta arena. "The government's taking over one-sixth of our economy and we expect the government's going to do a better job than the private sector?" Supporters of the health care overhaul say it will ultimately lower costs while expanding coverage to ...

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Healthcare Reform Update: Poll: Favorable views of health reform law increasing among Americans

June 30, 2010 – 7:11 pm
The health-care overhaul gained popularity from May to June, according to a new tracking poll. The results suggest that the Obama administration's promotion of the legislation may be paying off or that the public may be warming to the law as early provisions take effect. The Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 48 percent of the public had a favorable view of the Texas health insurance reform law in June while 41 percent had an unfavorable opinion. A month earlier, the split was 41 percent favorable to 44 percent unfavorable. The latest results were not much different from those in March, shortly before the law was enacted. Then, at the end of a bitter year-long battle, 46 percent said they supported the proposed legislation while 42 percent opposed it. Since Obama signed the law, Democrats and Republicans vying for advantage in the fall elections have been fighting to shape how the public perceives the historic legislation. The administration potentially ...

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Do you have a Blue Cross Blue Shield policy in Texas?

June 30, 2010 – 6:55 pm
Policy Downgrades Suspended due to PPACA Interim Final Rules The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury released interim final rules concerning grandfathered health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA). Given the new details provided in the rules, BCBS has determined that a decrease in benefits (e.g., increasing deductible) will result in the loss of grandfathered status and that this change may result in a future premium increase that offsets any savings from the downgrade. As a result, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is temporarily suspending the processing of all downgrade benefit changes for individual member Texas health insurance policies. Any applications for downgrades in benefits that were not received prior to June 14 will be returned to members, explaining in additional detail this temporary change in processing policy downgrades. Please note this is a temporary change for 90 days ...

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Texas Health Insurance Reform–how will your plan change?

June 23, 2010 – 9:29 pm
Are you curious how your individual or small business Texas Health Insurance  plan is going to be affected with the first set of regulations starting on September 23rd since the New Healthcare reform bill passed. Read the article below:       White House Issues Interim Final Rules on Provisions Effective Sept. 23 Interim final rules were issued Tuesday by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury concerning implementation of the pre-existing condition exclusions, lifetime and annual dollar limits on benefits, rescissions, and patient protections provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) . Grandfathered Plans Last week Interim Final Regulations were issued from the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury around “grandfathered plans” under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA). Health benefit plans in effect on March 23, 2010, are considered grandfathered health plans, which will not be subject to certain PPACA provisions.  The new regulations allow ...

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Navigating The Healthcare Reform - The Employers Guide

June 23, 2010 – 9:12 pm
Texas Health and Life would like to keep all Employers up to date regarding the Healthcare Reform,how it will effect group policies, & Texas health insurance.   Please click on either guide for an easy to follow PDF regarding changes and when these changes will go in effect. Small Groups (<51 Employees) : http://www.broker.uhc.com/assets/images/content/UHCEW484380_SmallBusiness.pdf Large Groups (>51 Employees) : http://www.broker.uhc.com/assets/images/content/UHCEW484375_LargeGroup.pdf

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Senate Bill 51 ~ Helpful Information For Employers

May 4, 2010 – 8:39 pm
Senate Bill 51 Requirements and Impacts to Employer Groups The 79th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, recently passed and signed into law, Senate Bill 51. This notice is provided to make you aware of highlighted requirements and impacts to employer groups. Senate Bill 51 amends Chapter 843 and Chapter 1301, of the Texas Insurance Code and applies to health insurance plans issued, delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2006. The legislation applies to all individuals (employees and dependents) covered under fully-insured business, but does not impact self-funded accounts. Key aspects of Senate Bill 51 include: Premium payment and coverage after enrollee's/insured's termination Group policyholders are liable for an enrollee's or individual insured's premiums payments from the time the person ceases to be eligible for coverage until the end of the month, in which the group policyholder notifies the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or insurer, that the person is no longer part of the group and ...

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Scams Possible with New Health Care Law

May 4, 2010 – 4:59 am
The new health care law has opened a new door for the group of losers known as SCAMMERS OR FRAUDERS".  These scammers are selling bogus policies through 1-800 numbers and even going door to door. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services-as well as former insurance commissioner from Kansas--sent letters to state insurance regulators and prosecutors about the new schemes. (National Underwriter vol.114 no. 13) Beware of any person coming to your door, email, fraudulent online ads, or pushy telemarketer that is selling a limited benefit health insurance policy that you are required to purchase under the new health care law.  At Texas Health and Life we try to stay very informed and keep our customers and friends informed on the true changes to health insurance with the new health care law.  To set the record straight for this blog--the new health care law does not require you in ...

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Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could give you a tax credit

May 4, 2010 – 4:31 am
Are you a small business that offers health insurance?  Did you know that with healthcare reform and the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may allow your business to receive a tax credit if you offer health insurance to your employees.  According to a recent postcard our office received from the IRS Notice 1397--If your small business or tax exempt organization pays employee health insurance premiums in 2010, you may be may be eligible to claim a new credit on your 2010 tax return.  Employers with fewer than 25 employees (more if you have part-time employees) and less than $50,000 in average wages may be eligible. Eligible small employers could qualify for a credit worth up to 35% of premiums paid in 2010 (for businesses) or 25% of premiums paid(for tax-exempt groups). Find out if you are eligible by visiting www.irs.gov or consult your tax professional to learn more about whether your ...

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UNICARE life and health leaving Texas

April 13, 2010 – 4:45 am
Are you one of the many Texans affected by UNICARE leaving the Texas health insurance market? Did you not make the conversion to the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan that was offered by UNICARE and now you have to make a change because your UNICARE plan will cancel in June? Visit us at www.texashealthandlife.com or call us at 800-371-2015 or 512-246-9955 to find a new plan similar to the plan you had with UNICARE. Our agency had several clients with UNICARE so we know the plan design most customers were on and can assist you in finding the best plan for your budget and your needs. We look forward to working with you! Stay Well!

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