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Healthcare Reform: Interim Final Rules on a Patients’ Bill of Rights

The Departments of Treasury, Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have issued interim final rules related to the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) regarding pre-existing condition exclusions, lifetime and annual limits, rescissions and other patient protections. Most of these provisions are effective for plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010.

Plan sponsors should become familiar with these requirements in order to determine whether the new rules apply to their plans and whether their plans must be amended accordingly.

This Allen Insurance|Financial Legislative Brief describes the provisions of PPACA regarding these rules, as well as the clarifications made by the interim final rule. Please this document for more information. (Word document opens in a new window)

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Health Insurance For Mariners Made Easy

The following article by Gene McKeever was published in the June 2010 issue of WorkBoat magazine. 

We’re all probably sick of hearing about health insurance. But what if I told you about a major medical health insurance program for vessel crews that is very affordable, portable, and has a $5 million lifetime limit? You think it sounds crazy? Well, it has been available for about a year now.

This is not an infomercial. I am an insurance person who works with vessels, shipyards, boatyards, tug-and-barge operations as well as tall ships and historic ships. I don’t sell health insurance of any kind. I was made aware of this very sound health insurance product and I’m merely passing along useful information.

When crews are under contract with a vessel and are in service of the ship, they have maintenance and cure. This takes care of injury and illness that occur while on such duty.

But what does a crewmember have when he or she is not on duty? What health insurance does their family have?

Crew health insurance may be the answer. It’s available to individual crewmembers as well as groups such as a vessel crew or fleet crew. It can be paid for by the individual, set up as a payroll deduction, or paid for by the vessel owner.

Vessel owners who pay for the crew’s health insurance are finding that they’re getting more loyal mariners who return trip after trip because they receive a health insurance benefit paid for by the vessel owner.

Here’s the hard-to-believe part. The monthly premiums I’ve seen have run from between $99 and $260 or so a month per crewmember. I’m told that the premiums are low because they’re based on international medical care rates and because there is no need to duplicate health insurance coverage while “in service of the vessel” because the crew is covered under the vessel’s maintenance, cure and wages.

Keep in mind this health insurance is for mariners who work in international waters (meaning three miles or more offshore). This includes most mariners in U.S. coastal waters including the Great Lakes.

Contact Gene McKeever: 207-230-5822.
Email: email hidden; JavaScript is required

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The federal government has extended the eligibility for the Cobra subsidy for terminated employees through the end of May.

In addition, Maine has added a newly eligible category of individual under it’s “Mini-Cobra” provisions.  Those eligible for the subsidy will now include permanently laid-off individuals, where in the past there had to be an intent of the employer to re-hire the individual in the near future.
 
Please find more details of the federal subsidy in the attached article.  As more information and forms become available, we will provide you with information here.
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Success at the Health Insurance Marketplace

Hokkanen Family, Anna Moorman, Allen Insurance and Financial Recent upgrades to the healthcare.gov website have made it easier to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. But there are always questions that need answering outside of a call center script.

The Hokkanen family of Rockport signed up successfully with the help of Allen Insurance and Financial. “It was great to have someone walk us through the process,” said Kelly Hokkanen.

Both Kelly and Joel Hokkanen are self-employed. With two young boys, health insurance is all the more important. And there were questions about coverage levels and networks of doctors that needed answers.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the family was able to obtain vastly improved coverage with a lower deductible, including dental coverage for the boys, at about the same cost as when they had purchased health insurance on their own.

Because the Hokkanens signed up Allen Insurance and Financial, they’ll have access to the resources of the agency’s Health Insurance Marketplace Team throughout the year for questions about claims or billing. There is no additional cost to have the Allen Team on your side.

The Allen Health Insurance Marketplace Team has been working with individuals, families and groups of employees at their workplace to help them work through the healthcare.gov website and choose the health insurance plan that is right for them.

The deadline for signing up to get health insurance in time for a Jan. 1, 2014 start date is Dec. 23. The deadline for signing up for health insurance for 2014 (as required by the law) is March 31, 2014.  Anyone with questions about the Affordable Care Act can call the Allen Insurance and Financial Health Insurance Marketplace Team. Call 855-710-5700.

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