Health Insurance
OSHA Lays Out Rules of Biden’s Vaccine Mandate
There has been much speculation regarding President Biden’s vaccine mandate in the few months since it was announced. Still, now the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued rules regarding the rollout, as detailed in a recent NPR article....
Is pain management covered by health insurance?
What are the risks of long term opioid treatment? Medicare Part A/Part B or Part C Advantage with Drugs coverage or Medicare Part D drugs coverage ensure that prescribed pain management care while part of a medical procedure is included in your plan. Among the drugs...
The Fight to Hold on to ACA Enhancements in Congress
A recent CNN report detailed the current Congressional battle to hang onto temporary enhancements made to premium healthcare subsidies by the American Rescue Plan (ARPA). These additions to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed an additional nearly 3 million people to...
Dr. Fauci Says Halloween 2021 is a Go for Kids and Adults
As the Food and Drug Administration is still considering Pfizer’s request to authorize their COVID-19 vaccine for use by children aged 5 to 11, one might assume that the nation might face yet another canceled year of Halloween trick or treating for the kids. But not...
Why Get a Flu Shot with a COVID-19 Vaccine?
As flu season begins, many people are planning to get a flu vaccine. But does it matter if you have been vaccinated against the coronavirus? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend annual influenza...
Unvaccinated Pregnant Women Facing Increased Risk of Death from Delta Variant
COVID-19 deaths in pregnant women continue to rise as the total reached 171 maternal deaths from the disease in the United States with 22 in August alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as they urgently recommended vaccination for...
The 1, 2, 3 Open Enrollment Renewal Process
As we approach the Affordable Care Act’s Open Enrollment period from November 1, 2021, through January 15, 2022, for 2022 plan year coverage, you are hopefully thinking about renewing your policy and any potential changes to be made to...
Five Epic Fails Often Made When Looking for a Health Insurance Plan
Focusing Only on Monthly Premium Costs The premium, or monthly cost of your policy, is often what people focus on when purchasing a healthcare plan. Second, they may consider the deductible, which is the money you will need to spend before your insurance pays for...
Suicide prevention month
Did you know that suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. States? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it absolutely is, totaling almost 50,000 deaths in 2019. Suicide and mental health issues are on the rise during the...
What is Long-Term Healthcare Insurance? And, is it Worth the Cost?
Most don’t like to dwell on the thought, but most of us will have to depend on others for our daily needs later in life. Long-term healthcare insurance is a tax-efficient way of saving funds for the specific purpose of meeting the long-term care costs not...
President Biden Makes Sweeping Employer Vaccine Requirement Pronouncement as Delta Variant of COVID-19 Strengthens
A recent article on CNN.com detailed the new vaccine requirements for certain key employers set-forth by President Biden amid the recent surge of the delta variant of COVID-19 in the U.S. The new rules apply to two-thirds of the American workforce including federal...
Recent Poll Finds Eldercare a Fast Growing Workplace Concern
A recent article on Benefits Pro details a Homethrive2021 Employee Caregiving Survey that found that two-thirds of respondents stated that expanding access to home-based care for the elderly is important. In fact, this ranks higher in importance to middle-class...
Are Health Savings Accounts Worth It? How to make an HSA work for you!
Let’s review why HSA’s exist and then at how they work. Then, we will show you how to take advantage of yours. So, why do Health Savings Accounts exist? Employers and individuals choose their healthcare and insurance companies from the metal tiers: Platinum,...
Breast cancer care. Will my ACA-compliant insurance cover the costs? Will all my costs be covered?
As with all queries about what is or is not covered by your health insurance, the answer is never straightforward. We aim to present you with some guidelines that may help inform your choice of health insurance plan. So, let us begin at the beginning. The...
Is it illegal not to have health insurance?
Are there penalties for not having health insurance? To insure or not insure? The first of these questions is very easy to answer. No federal mandate forces you to have health insurance-so the choice is yours. If you are looking for the answer to this...
Employers mull health insurance surcharges for unvaccinated
Some employers may tack on health coverage surcharges for employees who don’t plan to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to an Aug. 5 blog post from Mercer, an asset management firm. The blog post likened the health insurance surcharge...
Can my health insurance plan be canceled at any time?
The emphatic answer is NO! UNLESS? UNLESS WHAT? In this article, we set out the grounds on which either you or your insurer can cancel your health insurance plan and the consequences. The good news is that you can change your current plan to meet a change of...
Are my health insurance premiums tax-deductible?
A simple question? -YES A simple answer NO? We explain who is eligible and how much you can claim. First, let’s briefly consider the purpose of health insurance and secondly the reason why since 2010, the federal government, through the Affordable Care Act...
I think my parent needs hearing aids. What should I do? How much will it cost? Can ACA insurance help?
First, what makes you think your parent has hearing loss? The usual signs are that they frequently ask to have something repeated or fail to grasp the complete sense of a conversation. The most telling sign is that when alone, they turn the TV sound up to an...
How quickly must I pay for my visit to the hospital?
Very few of us are glad to find a hospital bill in our mailbox. If the amount is small or at least manageable, we won’t worry too much. We should, of course, make sure that amounts are correct and then pay within the specified period, typically 30 or 60 days....
Time is Running Out to Sign Up for Health Insurance Through the Affordable Care Act!
If you don’t have health insurance, you have a few weeks left to sign up for for low- or no-cost private coverage through the public marketplace. A special enrollment period that opened Feb. 15 and closes Aug. 15 allows individuals to use healthcare.gov (or their...
Which is better, an HMO or a PPO Health Insurance Policy
A Health Maintenance or a Preferred Provider Organization? WHICH IS BEST FOR YOU? We begin with a brief explanation of the differences between these two types of health insurance plans, HMO and PPO, and then discuss some reasons for choosing one or the other. Each has...
I can’t pay my medical bill – What should I do?
If you are reading this article, you are probably worried about a medical or hospital bill that you will find challenging, or even impossible, to pay. It is no great comfort to know that you are not alone. Every year thousands of Americans find themselves in the...
Getting Infertility Coverage through the ACA Extension
As of mid-July, more than 2 million Americans have signed up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s special enrollment period that the Biden administration put into place because of COVID-19. Illinois operates a partnership exchange with...
When should I take my child to the dentist for the first time?
The Why, Who, and When of that first visit. Will it be covered by the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA)? Just about everyone can list a few reasons WHY good dental care is essential. As a parent, you are aware from your own experience, good or bad, how vital oral health...
Does my health insurance cover overseas travel?
When planning a trip abroad, a cruise, a job assignment, or even a permanent relocation, you need the security of knowing that your health insurance plan covers (and your dependents) should you get sick or injured. Many policies, including ACA-compliant plans, do not...
Congress must Extend ARPA Benefits to keep Premiums affordable.
Without Congressional action to extend the innovative tax credits implemented as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), 2023 consumer healthcare costs could skyrocket. The ARP Act signed in March 2021 A significant part of the ARPA benefits is the temporary...
Stomping out COVID-19 Vaccine Myths
Misinformed people throughout the country continue to latch on to misbeliefs, nonsense, and outlandish tales instead of protecting themselves and the rest of the Nation. COVID-19 vaccine myths seem to have real staying power, and this has severe consequences for...
Understanding Hospice Care
Deciding for a loved one to go into hospice care can be an overwhelming and difficult decision. However, if you discuss your options with us beforehand, it may help put your mind at ease. Let’s talk about whether or not hospice is the best option for both of...
When Should I See an Allergist?
If you’re feeling tired all the time, your throat is constantly sore, or you have a stuffy nose and itchy eyes most of the time, then you probably might be experiencing symptoms of allergies. But when should people see an allergist? Read our article on: Do I...
ALS: What does Insurance Cover?
ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to paralysis or death. It’s important to know what your insurance covers before you decide how you...
How Will My Lyme Disease Diagnosis Affect My Health Insurance?
Have you ever checked for ticks after going for a hike or walking through tall grass? If so, you’re probably familiar with the risks of Lyme disease – the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. Every year, over 30,000 people in America will contract...
What Treatment Does Health Insurance Cover For My Child With Autism?
Navigating health insurance can be complex when you’re the parent of a child on the autism spectrum. While the CDC estimates that 1 in 54 children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), treatment coverage can vary greatly depending on your insurance plan and state of...
What Are the Costs of Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s?
If you have a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, you probably want to provide them with the best care possible. You might be wondering what types of care will be covered by Medicare and other health insurance plans, from in-home care to assisted living facilities to...
How Does My Health Insurance Change If I Adopt a Child?
First of all, congratulations! Adopting a child is a very exciting time in many parents’ lives. The decision to add a new child to the family also comes with a variety of considerations, including health insurance coverage. Rest assured that federal law requires your...
NEW COVID-19 Vaccines – Great News; but COVID Variants and Poor Choices by Governors may Erase all Gains and Extend the Pandemic
New vaccines and significant improvements in the implementation of delivering vaccines have dramatically improved the chances of managing the COVID-19 pandemic. As an ever-increasing number of us are being vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, it’s important to focus...
Open Enrollment resumes for 3 months Feb. 15th-May 15th, 2021. Affordable health insurance is now available.
What you need to know for this Special Enrollment Period The Coronavirus pandemic has cost millions of Americans their health coverage as they lost jobs in the economic fallout. To help counteract the economic damage, the Biden administration has reopened the Health...
ACA Insurance Marketplace Reopens Feb 15th – August 15th 2021.
January 28th, 2021: President Biden reopens ACA insurance marketplace In a Thursday morning call, a Biden White House official touted today’s executive actions on health care, telling reporters, “In basic terms, what that means is that starting in just two...
Private Healthcare Marketplace: What Are the Best and Worst States for Health Care?
The National Committee for Quality Assurance rated health plans in 2019. It looked at a variety of factors, including whether plans were NCQA certified, how satisfied patients were with plans, and how well plans covered and handled both preventative services and...
Top 5 Reasons Why Disability Claims Are Denied
Because filing for Social Security disability can be complicated, it’s not unusual for a claim to be denied at first; however, many of those who are denied initially go on to be successfully approved for benefits. To increase your odds of approval, it’s...
Why Are Not All Drugs Covered Under Health Insurance?
Coverage for prescription drugs can be a complicated part of your health insurance plan. It’s common for a plan to cover at least some drugs, but few plans will cover all available medications. Much of the time, what you pay within your plan will depend on the...
How to buy health insurance this open Enrollment?
Open enrollment occurs at the end of each calendar year, and it’s the period when many Americans secure their health coverage for the next calendar year. Unless you have experienced a qualifying event, such as losing a job or a change in marital status, this may...
How to Get Antidepressants without Insurance
Depression and anxiety are debilitating mental health conditions that affect every aspect of life. Symptoms can range from irritability and lack of motivation to severe depressive episodes that leave you feeling helpless. For about 10% of Americans over the age of 12,...
ACA Open enrollment guide-How long it takes to enroll?
Open enrollment only lasts about two months each year, give or take — it can be longer or shorter, depending on which state you live in. But even six weeks is more than enough time to compare plans, as well as apply and sign up for health insurance. Preparing ahead of...
Joe Biden’s Health Care Plan to Improve the Affordable Care Act
Health care is a policy issue that always seems to spark intense public debate. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which President Obama introduced in 2010, continues to receive scrutiny from both Republicans and Democrats. It emerged as a key issue in the 2020...
What Is a Health Insurance Deductible?
Some of the most potentially confusing questions around health coverage involve health insurance deductibles: what they are, how they work, why they exist, and how patients can find the best possible plans from a deductible standpoint. And while these questions all...
The Differences between HDHP and Catastrophic Health Insurance Plans
If you’re looking for health insurance with low premiums, you may think that either a catastrophic health insurance plan or a high deductible health plan will do. But while they may seem like the same thing, these plans differ in many ways, particularly...
How Much Does it Cost to Give Birth if I Don’t Have Health Insurance?
Almost 3.9 million women in the United States give birth each year — and new deliveries don’t come cheap. Even for those who are lucky enough to experience healthy pregnancies, hefty expenses for prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care can (and often...
Health Care for African Americans
Almost 44 million American citizens are Black or African American, making up 13.4% of the U.S. population. This demographic experiences a long-standing and disproportionate burden regarding health and access to medical care in this country. And while the Affordable...
Can my ACA Health Insurance be cancelled?
Can my ACA Health Insurance be cancelled? If you ask this question because your insurer has threatened to cancel your coverage, or you have reason to think that they might. The short answer is YES. Many things can trigger the cancellation of your policy. ...
Make the Most of Open Enrollment in 2021
Open Enrollment for the 2021 insurance period is set to begin on November 1st, and while many people view as a chore, it’s worth taking the time to understand the process and weigh your options. Spending even just a few minutes doing some research can save you...
Does Life Insurance Cover Suicide?
Suicide is a serious public health issue in the United States, being listed as the tenth leading cause of death in the country in 2018, according to the CDC. It’s more common than homicide, and over the 20 years leading up to 2018, the rate of suicides in the...
The Special Enrollment Period (SEP) Change in Residence
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has a restricted enrollment period from January 1st until November 1st each year. It is an arbitrary rule for health insurance enrollment, but there is a way to get health insurance outside of this brief period if...
Think Obamacare Health Plans Cost a Lot? That’s Not Always True
If you’ve lost your job during the pandemic, and with it your health insurance, you may think that Obamacare plans are too expensive and therefore not worth seeking. Or maybe you’re worried about whether the coverage will withstand legal challenges. Think again,...
Making Sense: An Affordable Care Act Refresher & Quick Guide
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act came into effect in 2010. Prior to the introduction of the act, insurers had the right to refuse individuals health coverage for any reason, effectively preventing many people from accessing the benefits of health...
Is It Illegal to Not Have Health Insurance?
It’s often repeated that health insurance in the United States is mandatory and that people are required to have a health insurance policy that meets standards known as “minimum essential coverage.” So, is it illegal to not have health insurance? Let...
Why Is Health Insurance so Expensive?
Health care concerns have been escalating at a rapid pace, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated fears among virtually every demographic. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, health care costs head the list of household expenses people worry about....
Can You Cancel Health Insurance at Any Time?
Health insurance is one of the most important ways in which you can protect yourself, both from health risks and financial ones. It gives you peace of mind knowing that your medical bills will be covered should you fall ill. While the individual mandate part of the...
How Insurance Agents Help You Find Affordable Health Insurance Plans.
Health insurance is a major purchase. Depending on your location, health, age, family status, income and other factors, you could pay as little as nothing or as much as thousands of dollars a year for coverage. But no matter how much you pay in premiums, you obviously...
Health Insurance: What Is a Co-Pay? (With Examples)
Healthcare, health insurance and the medical billing industry are confusing and complex spaces. Sometimes, when talking to insurers and the billing department at your local doctor’s office, it can feel as if they’re speaking a different language. Here is...
Does Health Insurance Cover Therapy?
Every year, millions of Americans seek professional help for mental health issues, yet there are many others who do not do so because of fear that they won’t be able to afford the bills. The costs associated with mental health (and indeed medical billing in...
MAKING SENSE: Finding the best deals on health insurance
So. Many. Choices. I’m Overwhelmed! Which is the BEST Affordable Health insurance plan? Should I use an Insurance Agent? Everyone searches for the BEST health insurance plans for themselves, their family, or business. But with hundreds of insurance...
What’s the Difference Between Term and Whole Life Insurance?
The two main types of life insurance are term life and whole life, and the price difference between these policies can be hundreds of dollars per year. Understanding who these policies are most suitable for as well as the benefits can help you make the best decisions...
5 Ways to Get Healthcare If You Lost Your Job Because of COVID-19
Whether you lose your job because of the recent pandemic or because your employer is simply shaking things up with a merger (or downsize), the financial blow to you and your family can be huge. It’s not just the loss of income and need to find another job; you...
The Affordable Care Act, Abortion Coverage, and the Death of RBG – What’s Next?
On the evening of September 18, 2020, America was rocked by sad news: Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), a longtime Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, died due to complications with pancreatic cancer. Throughout her career, the 87-year-old had built a reputation as a...
Smoking and health insurance. All you need to know
Smoker or not, anyone applying for ACA-compliant health insurance (Obamacare) has to answer the question: Do you use tobacco? Does Smoking affect Health Insurance premium? For those who smoke cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, or chew tobacco, the answer is simple. For those...
Can I Still Go to the Hospital if I don’t have Health Insurance?
What happens if I go to the hospital without insurance? If you’re in good health, you might think you need not spend the money on monthly health insurance premiums. After all, insurance plans can be costly, and it’s hard to rationalize throwing your money...
Your Guide to Pre-Existing Conditions for Health Coverage and the Affordable Care Act in the Age of COVID-19.
On September 29, President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden battled it out on the debate stage one-on-one for the first time. As millions of Americans tuned in with bated breath, the presidential candidates quickly discussed the Affordable Care Act and...
COVID-19 Health Insurance Options
How can I lessen the chances of being infected by COVID-19? What is the latest advice on COVID-19 protection? What are COVID-19 Health Insurance options? Three questions as we approach Open Enrollment (November 1st) for 2021 ACA (Obamacare) health insurance coverage...
Short term health insurance options
Short term health insurance. Do I have a choice? What are my options? If you are reading this article, you are probably without health insurance coverage. Possibly this is by choice, perhaps through oversight, but most likely because you have lost your...
Affordable Health Insurance Reduces Uncertainty in Minority Communities
It has long been clear that some groups in American society are at a disadvantage with healthcare. For these groups finding affordable health insurance that is feature-rich and useful has been a challenge. Since the beginning, cheap Health Care for African...
A Guide to Health Insurance for Same-Gender Couples. Health Insurance Plans for Family
There’s no doubt that the rights of LGBTQ people in America have come a long way in the past 100 years. From the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to the Supreme Court’s groundbreaking legalization of same-gender marriage in 2015, our society has made great strides...
Health Insurance Exchange: Buying Cheap Health Insurance
Rich or poor, we all want to save money. When planning for health care it makes sense to look for cheap health insurance. Healthcare in the U.S. is expensive, and the Federal government doesn’t offer a single standardized, affordable health insurance program....
GOOD NEWS for Seniors w/Diabetes! Trump Caps Insulin Prices
Updated 3rd-August-2020 Under recently announced plans, Seniors enrolled in Medicare can choose policies that limit co-pays for insulin. President Trump endorses a deal designed to benefit a significant group of US citizens. Who is eligible for this...
Coronavirus Impacts on Pregnancy: COVID-19 Precautions
Last update on 26th-July-2020 COVID-19 is a NEW ‘flu-type’ respiratory disease. We emphasize the word ‘new’ because biologists and epidemiologists worldwide are still investigating the virus and how it spreads. Despite the enormous strides made in research techniques...
COVID-19: Wear a Mask? Why Does the Guidance Change?
Do I have to wear a mask? “Do I have to wear a mask?” … This is the easiest question to answer. It is your choice, but in some States and some circumstances, you will be breaking the law if you do not. The important issue is to rapidly reduce the...
Small businesses, COVID-19 insurance and you
We are going to look at the impact COVID-19 is having on employer-sponsored (group) health insurance, and more widely on small business insurance in general. But first, we need to understand how it concerns us, the ‘average American’. For most of us our...
Health Insurance Open Enrollment 2020
Finding affordable health insurance for you and your family can be difficult. Especially when you try navigating the health insurance marketplace by yourself. Truecoverage wants you to learn everything that you need to know about the health insurance open enrollment...
