All posts by Debbie Sears

I’m Out of My Network…Now What? – Part 2

April 16, 2012Health Insuranceimmunizations, WellmarkDebbie Sears

Click here to read Part 1

Immunizations should always be a top priority for our children as well as us. Childhood immunizations are covered with your Wellmark insurance. Flu and pneumonia shots are also covered. I do want to point out that there could be an administrative charge for the actual service and those vary quite a little bit from a pharmacy to a provider’s office. A phone call could save you an unpleasant surprise. Your doctor will provide you with an easy to read schedule/time line for easy reference. I would also mention to your health care provider any traveling you have planned and ask if they recommend anything outside of your ordinary immunizations.

As school winds down for the year, we are also gearing up for daycare, summer camps, summer sports, vacations, etc. This is another reason to be current on your immunizations and physicals. With your Wellmark coverage you are encouraged to have annual physicals and routine tests and screenings. It may save some dollars to ask if your school, camp, etc. will accept your annual exams to satisfy this requirement.

If you are new to Medicare, please contact me to discuss with you what is included with your “welcome to Medicare” enrollment. Wellmark Medicare Supplement, Part D Prescription Drug plans and a well tailored long term care plan keep you and your assets well protected.

One of the most important things that you can do for you and your family is to protect your future health. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa is positioned to provide positive, proactive health management strategies and solutions.

I’m Out of My Network…Now What? – Part 1

April 9, 2012Health Insuranceimmunizations, travel, WellmarkDebbie Sears

You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out before you leave. You should ask your insurance company two questions:

(1) Does my policy apply when I’m outside the United States?

(2) Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or an evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. You can’t simply give them your insurance card and expect it will go through. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to purchase a separate policy for your trip.

The Social Security Program does not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States.

Before you leave for your trip here are a few tips that you may find helpful. First, I recommend that you leave a copy of your insurance cards along with your travel itinerary with a trusted person at home, whether it is grandpa, grandma, siblings, office staff, etc. It is also a good idea to have a copy of the insurance cards and prescriptions of those that you are traveling with. My husband and I carry each others in addition to our own. If there is a true emergency, the “patient” may not be able to provide the necessary information.

Wellmark has a BlueCard Network that provides you with peace of mind knowing that your coverage is accepted across the United States and around the world. So, when life takes you beyond the state or even national borders, know that network includes more than 700,000 physicians and 6,000 hospitals worldwide. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the value added benefits of your Wellmark coverage. Through the 800 number on the back of your card or www.wellmark.com you can access a Personal Health Assistant 24/7. Not only can you get answers to health care questions, you will be provided direct connection to specially trained health professionals who can provide tools and support your needs. Care Navigation 24/7 provides help in locating health care resources and understanding medical treatments. Nurse Support 24/7 provides advice on urgent care concerns. If your student is traveling abroad (planning a stay longer than a vacation), be sure to work with the college or university or determine if other coverage should be considered.

In Part 2 of this post, we’ll address immunizations.

Insurance and Estate Planning Go Hand in Hand – Part 3

February 28, 2012gift, life insurance, offset taxes, tax-free wealth transfer, Uncategorized, wealth transfergifts, life insurance, offset taxes, tax-free wealth transferDebbie Sears

This is Part 3 of 3 in this series…

Life insurance is to protect your loved ones from expenses associated with your loss. There is a calculated way to determine what type of coverage you should consider and how much you should carry. This benefit can be used for your final expenses, a gift to your favorite charity, education for your grandchildren or designed to actually “grow” your net worth to be passed on to your loved ones. Wealth transfer tax-free benefits are widely used to offset taxes on gains that you might realize on other investments, land values, etc. Life insurance is a safe option and should be considered in your investment portfolio.

Understanding the insurances necessary and estate plan options that are right for you can be a complex undertaking. Sears Insurance has resources to help you identify your estate planning needs, recognize potential solutions, and locate an experienced estate planning attorney to help you at every step of the planning process.

Insurance and Estate Planning Go Hand in Hand – Part 2

February 21, 2012Estate planning, extended illness or injury, Long Term Careassisted living, home care, long term care, tax advantagesDebbie Sears

This is a continuation of Part 1 of this series…

Long term care insurance is designed to protect your finances from the costs associated with an extended illness or injury. This care could be provided for you at your own home or at a place of your choice. Long term care costs are very high. If these costs are protected you are less apt to outlive your resources. Identifying your needs and searching out coverage appropriate for those needs helps to keep premiums affordable.

There are also tax advantages for purchasing tax-qualified long term care insurance policies.

Insurance and Estate Planning Go Hand in Hand – Part 1

February 14, 2012401 (k) Rollovers, Estate planning, Increasing Whole Life Insurance, Long Term CareBoomer Magazine, RetirementDebbie Sears

Estate planning is one of the most important steps any person can take to make sure that their final property and health care wishes are honored, and that loved ones are provided for in their absence. Though often overlooked or put off in favor of more immediate concerns, a comprehensive estate plan can resolve a number of legal questions that arise whenever anyone dies.

As we work up to retirement we must consider the appropriate insurances for our needs. We would obviously need to continue our health insurance, long term care insurance and life insurance and rollover our retirement accounts. However…the questions become, what and how much is enough, is it affordable and who should we consult.

Proper health insurance allows you to seek out the doctors and Centers of Excellence that you want and may need. The idea is to be prepared for any illness and injuries while at the same time have affordable premiums. The freedom to protect your greatest asset…your health… and the associated costs of care and pharmacy needs is essential.

Tune in next Tuesday for Part 2 of the series…

Oral Health IQ: 12 Reasons to Smile in 2012

February 7, 2012Dental health, SMILESdental health, oral health, smileDebbie Sears

There are many health benefits that come with doing something as simple as smiling. Why not reap the benefits of this immune-boosting expression and make a resolution to smile more! To help you get started, here are 12 reasons to smile more in 2012.

A smile can help your heart. When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in blood pressure, try it out!
A smile makes you appear more attractive; it draws people in and makes you more approachable.
It’s contagious. Try smiling at someone; more often than not you will see them smiling right back at you.
Smiling can change your mood. Even a forced smile can trick the body into changing your mood.
A smile can reduce stress. Stress shows up in your face; smiling helps to prevent you from looking tired, worn down and overwhelmed.
Smiling releases endorphins. Endorphins help you to have a natural feeling of well-being.
Smiling exudes positivity. When you or someone you care about is unhappy, sometimes kind words are not enough. A smile often helps improve the outlook and feeling that things will get better.
A smile can help you connect with others. When you smile, you communicate openness and people will warm up to you quicker. Smiling as you speak on the phone can also enrich a conversation. A smile indicates a certain trust and confidence.
It’s free! Smiling doesn’t cost a dime; it free for the taking – and giving.
Smiling builds self-esteem. It helps to take away negative thoughts making you more likely to do things you might normally be afraid of.
Smiling indicates forgiveness and openness to forgive. Although it may be hard to smile at someone you are not on good terms with, a smile is a gesture that signals to others that you are open to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
A smile can brighten someone else’s day. A smile is a silent gesture that shows other people that you care.

For more tips on keeping your smile healthy visit Delta Dental’s Monthly Mouthful website at www.OralHealthIA.com.

YOU DON’T KNOW …WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

January 31, 2012premium increaseshigh premiumsDebbie Sears

I have been asked many times if I know why insurance costs are so high. I give the answer that it is based on many criteria, including our demographic area, plan chosen, size of the group, risk factors, age, gender, smoking/non-smoking, etc. But I am finding that we just don’t what we don’t know.

When Wellmark raises their insurance premiums there is always a disappointment, but we must understand how this can happen, who approves this increase and why. I have also heard the comments about the “new building”, the “air planes”, the “giant” and the profits realized.

I would like to share this link to some fun and interesting facts that will help you to better understand pricing and “where’s the money going”.

Let’s Look at 2012 and Health Care

January 25, 2012Group Health Insurance, Healthcare updatesHealthcare ReformDebbie Sears

You may be wondering what is in store for you or your business as far as the Healthcare Reform Act and exactly how is that going to affect you. Like anything else there are some that will gain and some that will feel that they didn’t. One of the references that I trust is the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. They have provided a very user friendly timeline of the scheduled events, detailed explanations of each and their intended purpose and which ones are implemented and which ones have not yet been achieved.

HEALTH CARE AND YOU FOR 2012

January 10, 2012Healthcare updateshealthcare updates, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, HSA (Health Savings Accounts)Debbie Sears

As far as an individual with an HSA (Health Savings Account) for their health insurance, there have also been changes. I strongly advise that if you have already purchased an HSA as your health insurance that you know what contributions that you could still make by 4-15-2012. You should also be well advised as to what constitutes a “qualified expense”. The link that I provided best explains in detail all that you would want to know.

Have you ever seen a side by side comparison of the benefits, advantages and costs of your current plan and an HSA?