SB1431 - The California Bill to Slow or Stop Small Groups from Self Funding

It has been pointed out to me several times in the past month just how inept our California State Legislature is.  Recently Lisa Boyajian went to Sacramento and was appalled by what she witnessed.  State Senators were acting in the most inappropriate manner; ignoring other Senators, ignoring proceedings and being plain rude. Well apparently Lisa is not alone.  On a separate trip Dorothy Cociu attended hearings on SB1431 (a stop-loss bill aimed at small groups that self-insure).  The people testifying in opposition to this bill were completely ignored by the bill's authors and proponents.  Our legislature should be ashamed of themselves.  When you are sitting in on hearings, you should be listening to all sides.  But to blatantly ignore and be disrespectful is not statesmanlike in any form.  We have to live with all the laws they pass, not just on health insurance, but all laws.  They should take the time to at least be completely informed on what they will be voting on. Shame.

If you would like to find out more about this topic or any other topic relating to health and life insurance please feel free to call Lisa at (888)800-5855.  Or you can check us out on our at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

The State of California's Health Care

So much can be said about the state of California's health care system.  For better or worse it is a giant beast ripe with it's own set of rules and regulations unlike anywhere else in this country or any other country for that matter.  On May 15th Governor Jerry Brown had to cut $2.5 billion to health care programs in California.  These cuts cover most sectors of the health care system.  It is part of the ever growing problem with our system.  We expect the state and insurance companies to cover more and more each year, while at the same time we cry because cost keep going up. We have made the system so complicated that there is no easy way out.  July 1st two new mandates will become effective hear in California.  The first being mandatory maternity benefits for all individual plans and the second being Autism Behavioral Therapy benefits.  Every time a new mandate goes into place you can expect an overall increase on every one's insurance premiums of 3% to 5%.   It may not sound like much, but because we add new mandates every year, it has taxed our system.

We will try and keep you updated on the other changes coming (whether they are Federal or State imposed changes).  So keep an eye out for those posts.  If in the mean time you have any specific questions regarding health insurance or life insurance please contact us at www.ansainsuranceservices.com or at (714)680-5900.

Health Net has introduced it's new individual and family plan and Farm Bureau plans for July 1st.  If you have been wanting to check out new plans or options this just might be the right time for you.  Don't wait until you are uninsurable to make the switch.  So much is happening in the insurance market right now.  You just might find something better than what you currently have - and maybe for less. 

If you would like to check out our website please go to www.ansainsuranceservices.com  and see what is available for you or call us at (714)680-5900.

According to Families USA millions of small businesses have failed to claim their tax credit under the new health car law.  It looks as if more than 3 million businesses were eligible for the new health care credit in 2011 but only 360,000 businesses received the credit.  If you work for a small business or own one make sure you are getting your tax credit.  For the purpose of this tax credit a small business is a business employing less that 25 employees with an average annual salary less than $50,000 and most importantly they must provide insurance to their employees.

If you would like to find out more about the tax credit and if you might be eligible check with your accountant.  If you would like to talk to us about it you can reach us at (714)680-5900 or check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com . 

Government Health Care Website

If you want to find information on health care and changes coming with Obama Care check out this great site.  It is full of useful information.  What you can expect to find are tabs for "Insurance Options", "Using Insurance", "The Health Care Law and You", "Comparing Care Providers", and "Prevention & Wellness".  The site is www.healthcare.gov  and it full of helpful links and information.

If you would like more information on this website or on anything else related to health insurance or the carriers here in California (Anthem, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Shield, Health Net, Kaiser or SeeChange) please call our office at (714)680-5900 or visit our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

EyeMed goes Mobile

EyeMed Vision Care Website Goes Mobile.  EyeMed announced that they have launched a mobile feature for their subscribers.  Key features of this mobile version will allow subscribers to view benefits (exam co-pays, eyewear allowances, eligibility, the last date of service and the next date available for using exam & glasses or contact lense benefits). It also has a "locate provider" function, as well as, the ability to view EyeMed Vision Care indentification card.  This will make the EyeMed experience even better. 

At Ansa Inurance Services we feel that vision and dental plans are supremely important in an individuals life.  They often have a bigger impact/importance to many people than their health benefits.  More and more reaserch has shown that taking care of one's eyes and teeth improve ones overall health.  If you would like more information on these and other health insurance benefits check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com or call us at (714)680-5900.  You can reach Angela at angela@ansainsuranceservices.com if you have a specific question. 

Santa Fe Springs will be having a "Bark for Life" on June 16 from 9:30-1:00.  It is a mini version of the Relay for Life that will be taking place in September.  Registration is $20 for the first dog and $10 for each additional dog per owner.  You can register at www.relayforlife.org/barksantafespringsca and all proceeds will go towards the up and coming relay for life (which supports the American Cancer Society). 

If you would like more information you can contact Lisa Boyajian at (714)680-5900 she is Co-Chairing the Santa Fe Springs Relay for Life this year along with Paul Hesse.  You can also reach Lisa at lisa@ansainsuranceservices.com .  If you want to find out more about Lisa or Ansa Insurance Services please visit our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Plan Now for Changes in the Health Care Act

It is important to beginning planning now for your 2013 W2's.  The W2's you issue this coming January 2013 will need to include the aggregate cost of their employer-sponsored coverage.  It is not the amount the employee paid, but rather the total cost of that employee's insurance.  This is just the beginning of employer mandates.  Stay tuned for many more to come.

If you have a question regarding changes that will be coming you can email Angela at angela@ansainsuranceservices.com or call at (714)680-5900. Check out our website for more general information at www.ansainsuranceservices.com . 

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Relay for Life is a 24 hour event that brings an awareness of cancer and helps raise funds for the American Cancer Society for research and treatment of several types of cancer.  We are participating in the Santa Fe Springs Relay for Life which will be on September 28 through the 29th.  If you would like to find out more information on this Relay or one in your area, please go to www.RelayForLife.org .

We would be happy to sign you up on our team or you can make your own team.  Please call us if you have any questions. Our number is (714)680-5900 or you can find us on our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Medicare's Path

Not to any one's surprise but the end of April's Trustees Report found that Medicare is on an unsustainable path.  The report projects that the Medicare Trust Fund will be depleted by 2024.  So then what?  No leadership means that nothing is getting done about it.  Just think about it, how many people do you know that are in their early 70's right now.  In twelve years (2024) they will be in their early to mid 80's.  How many people do you know in their early to mid 80's.  We know quite a few.  What are we going to do with all those current 70 year olds?  Whichever way our politicians wish to go, one thing  is for sure; We need to get employment back up and strong.  That should be our first priority. 

We know that Medicare is the life line for our aging population.  If you have any questions about Medicare or would like to find out about health insurance for the under 65 group, please check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .  We look forward to connecting with you.

Health Insurance Plan Types - Fun Fact

Interesting fact from Kaiser Family Foundation in regards to group insurance plans.  According to the foundation 84% of employers only offer one type of health plan.  But more than 54% of covered workers are employed in a company that offers more than one type of plan.  So what does this mean? Well for starters it means that the majority of people work for larger companies that offer more than one plan.  In the past only the large companies could offer more than one plan type.  Even now most employers want to keep things simple while keeping there costs down. Which is why we see so many companies only offering one plan type.  But today carriers are making it simpler to add multiple plan types for one company.  In addition to the carriers, we are seeing companies like CalChoice, becoming more competitive in pricing and in ease of use.  And from our experience we are seeing more companies willing to wrap with Kaiser as well.  This is all good for the employees and as they simplify multiple plan offerings it should make for happier employees and happier employers.

If you would like more information on multiple plan offerings with any health carrier please contact us at (714)680-5900 or at our website www.ansainsuranceservices.com . 

The 2013 Maximum Annual Contribution numbers for HSA's have been published.  The maximum contribution for individual has gone up to $3250 from 2012's max of $3100.  The maximum contributions for families has gone up to $6450 from the 2012's max of $6250.  We have seen a large push from other health plans to HSA's.  Knowing the maximum contributions is an important part of making these plans work for the consumer.  Properly funded HSA's make for a highly satisfied consumer, but HSA's that are not properly funded do just the opposite. 
If you have any questions on HSA's or other health care issues, please contact us at (714)680-5900.

Ansa Insurance Services prides itself on creating an educated consumer of both health insurance and life insurance.  Please feel free to check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Although 90% of our daily focus is on insurance, both health and life, we are small business owners, facing the same challenges as most of our clients.  It is in this mode that I write this today.  In a little over a week, Lisa Boyajian (half of Ansa) will be leaving for Sacramento with the Legislative Committee from Santa Fe Springs Chamber of Commerce. She will be meeting with several elected officials to discuss issues that relate to the business community.  If you would like her to bring your  concerns to the meeting, please feel free to contact her at lisa@ansainsuranceservices.com .  Our elected officials need to know what is going on here with all of us. 

If you have any questions relating to health insurance or life insurance please feel free to come to our website and browse.  www.ansainsuranceservices.com . If you still have questions, please call us at (714)680-5900. 

FYI - Anthem Blue Cross has relaxed some of it's underwriting guide lines for individuals.  If you have been rated up or declined in the past for a health condition or a particular medication, contact us and we can see if you would benefit from these new guide lines. 

Also check us out on twitter - we linked a great article on health care to it today.  It is very informative. Lisa Angela @ AnsaHealthLife

If you have information on health care and would like us to post it on our blog, please contact us at angela@ansainsuranceservices.com .  You can also find out more about us on our web page at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Making The Health Care Reform Law Worse Than It Already Is!

Wouldn't you know it our government is acting goofy all over again.  Two weeks ago the house voted to subsidize lower student loans by taking the money from the preventative care fund included in the Health Care Reform Law.  Really!  As if the health care law isn't enough of a mess, they want to make it messier - for politics!  Whether you like the law or not, let's not complicate it more than it already is (and it is complicated).  What is needed is simplification not more mess.  Shame on congress.  

If you have questions regarding the health care reform law, you are welcome to contact us at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .