Senior Health Advisors

Medicare Advantage and Part D Rx Open Enrollment begins Oct. 15th.

ACA 'Obama Care' Open Enrollment begins Nov. 15th for individual and family health plans.

You may qualify for a special election to enroll in a health plan during 'lock in' i.e outside open enrollment, with a first of the following month effective date. Contact us for details...

Individual Shared Responsibility Payment Amounts for 2014 and 2015: www.marketplace.medicarelearningnetworklms.com

"The amount of the individual shared responsibility payment increases between 2014 and 2015. It is important that you communicate this policy and the increase in payment amounts to your clients.

•2014: The annual individual shared responsibility payment is the greater of ◦1% of the taxpayer’s household income that is above the tax return filing threshold for the taxpayer’s filing status, or
◦The taxpayer’s flat dollar amount, which is $95 per adult and $47.50 per child, limited to a family maximum of $285.

•However the total payment amount is capped at the cost of the national average premium for a Bronze level health plan available through the Marketplaces in 2014.

•2015: The annual individual responsibility payment is the greater of ◦2% of the taxpayer’s household income that is above the tax return filing threshold for the taxpayer’s filing status, or
◦The taxpayer’s flat dollar amount, which is $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, limited to a family maximum of $975.

•However the total payment amount is capped at the cost of the national average premium for a Bronze level health plan available through the Marketplaces in 2015."

CMS recently released reimbursement guidance for MA plans and concluded a .04% increase in payments for 2015. Industry experts claim it will end up being up to a 3% decrease due to ACA changes, but it varies for each county. Bottom line: 2015 Medicare Advantage plans should look similar in benefit structure to the 2014 MA plans.

Healthcare.gov Enrollment Period Extended

With the technical glitches of Healthcare.gov throughout the enrollment period, Administration officials have realized an accommodation is needed for the surge of people trying to sign up in the final days of the March 31st deadline.

Under the new rules, a “good faith” extension has been mandated for the people of three dozen states to continue to apply for coverage throughout mid-April. The extension is not just restricted to those who wait until the last minute to enroll, the idea is to help those whose application have been held up because of the technical glitches or have encountered other problems along the way.

Although Officials have estimated that mid-April will be the cut off for the “good faith” extension, they have not decided precisely how long people will have to select the health plan.

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We have agents in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Beaumont, and Corpus Christi specializing in Medicare/Medicaid, ACA Individual Health Insurance, Hospital and Cancer Indemnity, and Group Health Plans...