All posts by Debbie Sears

Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment is from Oct. 15 – Dec. 7

Medicare, RX drug, ,

Every year, people with Medicare get to explore new choices and pick the health and drug plans that work best for them. This year, the Open Enrollment period is starting earlier – on October 15 – and ending sooner – December 7. This gives people with Medicare a full seven weeks to compare and make decisions, and ensures that they will have essential plan materials and membership cards in hand on January 1, 2012 when new coverage starts.

There will be a wide range of health and drug plan options available across the country, including Original Medicare. Most people with Medicare can choose a “Part D” plan to help them pay for prescription drugs. And people who have chosen to enroll in a “Part C” Medicare Advantage plan for their basic health care services have the option of staying in that plan, choosing a different plan, or going back to the Original Medicare program. Plans can change from year to year, so these are important choices that should be made with care. People can turn to www.medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or consult with me by appointment by calling 515.285.6766.

Is Your Business Ready?

Health Care Reform, , , ,

We work so hard for our country, our business, and our families. It is an emergency that we understand the health care dilemma. This will affect us in may ways. I would like you to particularly focus on the financial effects. Taxes will again will be our greatest enemy going forward. This article is well written and easy to understand. Below is a timeline you can follow. There are many pros and cons, both sides of the aisle, but know the acts and vote carefully.

August 31, 2012

• What businesses need to know now to prepare for health reform
• Key effective mandate dates

• Heath reform online resources
• Penalties for not offering health care coverage

• Reader responses: Biggest concern regarding compliance with the new law

• Lind Statewide health-care survey

Time for an Honest Debate on Medicare

Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Healthcare updates, Medicare,

I feel that allowing the private sector to mange their healthcare and the insurance is he best way for the taxpayers to deal with their medical expenses.

The folks on Medicare have paid into the system for many years, since its beginning in some cases. I feel that some patients decisions will be based on advise from the doctors of their choice and their moral beliefs. I do not feel that the government should have the right to tell any one person how they should make decisions pertaining to their health.

We have the greatest standards of health care, delivered 24 hours a day by very dedicated doctors. They have devoted their lives to their education and expenses necessary to be of the greatest expertise in the world. Now comes their time for the profession and the patients. The thought of reducing their compensation seems unconscionable.

The government has failed at the postal system, medicaid, social security, national security, etc…now are we to trust them with our health??? Please do your homework – it is your future!

Doesn’t Everyone Want to Travel and Explore? – Part II

Health Insurance, Medicaid, Safety, Travel,

Read Part I

As a Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield member, you have coverage through the BlueCard program wherever you travel. More than 90 percent of all hospitals and physicians throughout the United States contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

 How to Use BlueCard

  • Call 1-800-810-BLUE, or visit the BlueCard Doctor & Hospital Finder and enter the alpha-prefix from your ID card to locate the nearest participating doctors and hospitals. In an emergency, go directly to the nearest hospital.
  • Present your ID card to the participating doctor or hospital.
  • The doctor or hospital verifies your membership and submits the claim.

The doctor’s or hospital’s local Blue Plan pays the health care provider directly. You’re responsible only for your applicable deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance.

BlueCard Worldwide®

BlueCard Worldwide participating hospitals are located throughout the world. When you’re traveling or living outside the U.S. and need hospital care, your claim will be handled just like it is at home when you show your ID card at participating hospitals.

  • Call 1-800-810-BLUE, or visit the BlueCard International Doctor & Hospital Finder and enter the alpha-prefix from your ID card to locate the nearest participating doctors and hospitals. In an emergency, go directly to the nearest hospital.
  • Present your ID card to the participating hospital.
  • Call Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield for precertification, where necessary. Refer to the phone number on your ID card.

You’re only responsible for non-covered services and your applicable deductible, copayment, and coinsurance. Wellmark will take care of the rest and send an Explanation of Benefits to your home.

For additional information on BlueCard Worldwide in English or Spanish, visit the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association site.

A guide to your destination

BlueCard Worldwide offers an online feature called My Destination Guide. This guide provides a customized, detailed health report on recommended immunizations and a summary of important health information, provider information, local emergency numbers, country overview, news highlights, maps and more.

Travel with peace of mind, knowing that more than 90% of hospitals and 80% of physicians in the U.S. contract with a Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield plan — more than any other insurer.

Doesn’t Everyone Want to Travel and Explore? – Part I

Medicaid, Travel, ,

Is it possible to listen to Proud Mary and not want to give up that “good job in the city” to “hitch a ride on a river boat queen”? Whether it’s by boat on the Mississippi, the Amazon, the Nile, the Ganges, or some smaller, quieter river, or by train, by plane, by foot, by car…the manner in which we travel plays a large role in the way in which we experience the world.

The manner in which we choose to be insured also makes a difference…and in some cases travel is necessary for the specialized care, known as Centers of Excellence, that we have been blessed enough to have access to. We may just take a vacation here in the states or abroad, we may choose to winter elsewhere, we may have children interested in studying abroad or on a spring break trip. You must not go anywhere without a thorough understanding of how your health insurance would work if you were to become ill or injured. Most illnesses and injuries are unscheduled as health care needs don’t surface only when you are near home. I always refresh my insured’s minds with some of the following information.

As a Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield member, you have coverage through the BlueCard program wherever you travel. More than 90 percent of all hospitals and physicians throughout the United States contract with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

Your level of coverage depends on your plan:

  • Alliance SelectSM or Blue Select®: You pay the same cost share as you pay in-network when you use participating BlueCard providers.
  • Blue Choice® plans: If you receive care from an out-of-area provider without a referral, you have Level 3 benefits (your highest cost share) for services at a participating BlueCard practitioner’s offices or urgent care center. You also have coverage for emergency medical services.
  • Blue Access® and Blue Advantage® plans: You have coverage for emergency medical services only.

Read my next blog post as I discuss how to BlueCard and BlueCard Worldwide

What do you think is fair? How do you want your medical care affected?

Medicaid

I feel that Governor Branstad is definitely looking out for the best interests of Iowans by not getting us into a situation that actually costs the taxpayers more money. Please read this article. While we all have our personal opinions regarding the entire healthcare position…and there are pros and cons to each choice…I think we can educate ourselves with some facts prior to making our statement.

Life Can Be a Balancing Act Part 2

Disability Income, Health Insurance, ,

Read Part 1 here

If you woke up in the hospital tomorrow, how complete would your “mental checklist” be? There’s nothing like the peace of mind that comes from having protection so you know you can handle whatever comes your way – even if you can’t work for months at a time. We would naturally think of emergency contacts, health insurance, sick leave, life insurance, child care, pet sitter, lawn care, etc., but how about…

Do you have waiver of premium on your life insurance policy?

This rider ensures that your life insurance policy will not be canceled if a disability prevents you from earning an income and paying your premiums.

Why is this important?

The odds of becoming disabled before age 65 are greater than the odds of dying prematurely. During the course of your career, you are 31/2 times more likely to be injured and need disability coverage than you are to die prematurely. (Commissioners Individual Disability Tables, CSO)

What provisions have you made for other financial obligations?

Before you:

  • Sell assets
  • Drain your bank accounts or retirement savings
  • Strain your relatives’ cash reserves (and relationships)
  • Attempt to obtain a bank loan

…consider Individual Disability Income insurance.

We have several carriers that are experts in calculating how much protection you should have. This again is based on your asset to debt ratio or the right balance for your personal needs. This of course varies from person to person, family to family, but also life changes. At some point, we are aspiring in our careers, raising our children, paying for educations, mortgages, etc. but as our children become adults and our debt is coming down, we simply readjust our insurances to balance our obligations.

I know that I sleep better knowing that all of my obligations are provided for if I would have the unexpected happen to me. We simply do not think about things like this on a daily basis. We are all wrapped up in the moment, hustling around doing what we are doing. We know that we have exhausted all of our time…what would it cost to have someone else do all of these things? Where would the money come from? If we have to shift gears and downsize that is fine, but it does not have to be in an emergency. We do not have to have a fire sale to dispose of assets (at usually a reduced value) because we cannot support the expenses. This needs to be assessed and balanced out.

Life Can Be a Balancing Act Part 1

Disability Income, Health Insurance, ,

We have heard the word balanced all of our lives. We must balance the checkbook, eat a balanced diet, balance professional lives and personal family lives, keep balance with kids’ schedules and our spouse, etc.

The word balanced is defined as; keeping or showing a balance; arranged in good proportions; taking everything into account; 50/50 proportion.

As I work with individuals and businesses counseling them on the proper insurances for their specific needs, I try to keep balance in mind. To have too much insurance is not proper utilization of the funds that you may have allocated for this expense. To have not enough insurance to meet the demands when a claim arises is again irresponsible. I take pride in advising what I feel is a good balance. We all accept risk, but this should be proportionate to our ability to pay the deductibles and coinsurance as well as the premium.

Our health insurance helps cover hospital bills, doctors’ bills, medications and other medical treatments. Long term care insurance helps to pay for our extended care, protecting our assets. Life insurance is designed to pay for our final expenses or for asset/wealth transfer to our loved ones. Property and casualty insurance replaces material items; our home, auto, belongings, etc.

But, let me ask you this question…

If you woke up in the hospital tomorrow, how complete would your “mental checklist” be? There’s nothing like the peace of mind that comes from having protection so you know you can handle whatever comes your way – even if you can’t work for months at a time. We would naturally think of emergency contacts, health insurance, sick leave, life insurance, child care, pet sitter, lawn care, etc., but how about…

Income Protection?

Could you afford your home without your income?

Do you have waiver of premium on your life insurance policy?

Read answers to these specific questions in my next blog post

Who is in Favor of Mandates and More Taxes?

Health Care Reform, ,

I truly believe that the system, as we have had it for may years is broken.

I often wonder, however, if there was an audit of all government benefits, such as all government employee’s benefits packages including deferred compensation and their levels of contribution to their premiums (did you ever wonder why anyone would want these positions…well after retirement age? no term limits?), generational Medicaid, disability benefits, illegal immigrants and their newborns, etc., we would find a huge and growing pile of dollars. These are tax dollars that are being paid by the working population. With the unemployment rate at over 8% for the last three years (yet the President has told us of the 4 million new jobs that have been created???? Why hasn’t this number changed???), how are we to pay more tax dollars and stay in business. To tax the very group that is holding this country together is unconscionable.

With proper audits and enforcement of fraud on all levels including the medical and pharmaceutical communities, the return of our jobs and an end to the war, would the picture look different?

Do you know…or do you think you know

Health Care Reform, Healthcare updates,

I think that before we an get excited or form an opinion on anything, first we need to understand the facts.  We have relied on the creditability of the Kaiser Foundation for many years as an authority in the industry.  There are many timelines available for any of us.  I have made reference in some of my other blogs.  I challenge each of you to take this 10 question quiz to better educate yourself on the facts of the recent health care reform ruling.

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