Immigrants and the Affordable Care Act

Under the Affordable Care Act, undocumented immigrants and lawful immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for less than five years are excluded from new coverage opportunities, including state health insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansions.

A recent report by the UC-Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research on California residents who will remain uninsured after the ACA takes effect found that:
•66% of the remaining uninsured will be Latino;
•60% of the remaining uninsured will have limited English proficiency; and
•62% of the remaining uninsured will live in Southern California.

So what are we going to do about this?  There are some small organizations and groups looking at this and trying to find solutions for this population.  The people in this group are not just going to disappear in 2014 when most of the mandates in the law are implemented.  Our State and Federal Governments are not addressing this at all.  If you live in Southern California you should be extra concerned.  We will have the potential for a humanitarian crisis on our hands.

If you are concerned about this or about anything else relating to health or life insurance please feel free to call us at (888)800-5855 or find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

The Move is on Toward More ACO's

Last week both Cigna and Aetna announced that they are expanding their ACO network.  ACO's are Accountable Care Organizations.  Essentially they are little networks set up in larger networks.  Think of them as your local public school.  You belong to a larger school group called your school district and it belongs to a larger group either from your county and/or state.  But what matters to the individual is which school they are going to.  Their first choice is the local neighborhood school.  But some people chose to move to another school still within the district.   ACO's are the same.  You belong to a carrier and in that carrier there are networks of Preferred Providers.  If you stay within the preferred provider network you pay less than if you go outside that network.  Now we are seeing even smaller groups forming from these preferred provider networks - they are the ACO's. 

Be on the lookout for more of these smaller networks coming to your plan.  If you would like to get more information on these plans or any other health or life insurance plans please call us at (714)680-5900 or email us at info@ansainsuranceservices.com .  You can always find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Reuter Article on Employer Survey Done by Adecco

This article sums up much of what we have seen with our clients.  Read on...

Reuters, by Nick Zieminski -

October 22, 2012:

U.S. corporate executives are more worried about providing healthcare benefits to their employees than about issues like wages, taxes or attracting qualified workers, according to a survey by the world's No. 1 staffing company, Adecco SA.

In Adecco's poll of senior executives, 55 percent named healthcare benefits as their biggest current business challenge, and about a third say they are holding back hiring because of healthcare reforms introduced by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Obama's 2010 healthcare law, upheld this year by the U.S. Supreme Court, is expected to raise insurance costs for employers because it calls for wider coverage of more people, including those with pre-existing medical conditions.

"A lot of firms just don't know how the (law) is going to impact them financially," said Senior Vice President Janette Marx. "If it does increase costs, it causes executives to question whether they can hire more."

Obama is not doing enough to help businesses grow, executives say, and they favor Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the November 6 Presidential election by nearly 3-to-1.

Fewer than half of those polled expect their businesses to grow profits in the next year. Those who run small businesses are more optimistic than those running large ones.

More respondents also reported lower profits over the past year than said their companies grew earnings. They cited government regulation, consumer confidence and commodity prices as the biggest headwinds to growth.

Healthcare's prominence as an issue has risen since the 2008-2009 recession, Adecco found: in 2007, only 35 percent called healthcare their top worry.

U.S. hiring could pick up after the election, regardless of who wins, because employers will have one less area of uncertainty to keep them on the sidelines. Adecco is seeing pent-up demand for workers among clients in manufacturing, retail, e-commerce and in the car industry.

"Companies have been waiting until after the election to make hires they need to make," Marx said.

Adecco is the world's largest staffing company measured by revenues and is the third-largest employer in the United States, behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc and the postal service. Its poll was conducted in early October and included responses from 501 CEOs, owners, managing directors and other senior executives.

If you would like to get information on health insurance or contact  us you can call us at (714)680-5900 or find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Halloween - The Perfect Time to Talk Dental Insurance

Halloween reminds us all of chewy, sticky and oh so yummy candy.  As our little ones begin to dawn their new costumes and plan for the yearly ritual of door to door extortion it becomes apparent we need to make sure they have good teeth!  Routine dental care is more important than most people know.  Many of us think that dental care is only important once our teeth begin to hurt.  But studies have shown over and over again that good routine dental care keeps your body healthier. 

With the economy being what it is, many have put off their dental care even though they know it is important.  Those with dental insurance are much more likely to continue with care even when times are hard.  Not all dental insurance is the same and what plans work for some may not work for others at all.  Finding the right plan for you is a group effort between your doctor, you broker and you.  When all three work in accordance with one another their is grater satisfaction with the dental plan. If you do not have a dental plan and would like to get information about dental insurance please call us at (714)680-5900 or email us at info@ansainsuranceservices.com .  If you would just like to get some general information on dental insurance go to www.ansainsuranceservices.com and click the individual insurance tab from their click on to either the Anthem Blue Cross tab or the Blue Shield tab to get more information. 

California's Move Away from Healthy Families

This is an important topic underway in California.  Nearly 1 million children are in Healthy Families and we are about to see a major change for these children.  The article does not address the lack of doctors that accept Medi-Cal.  It only addresses the pay reduction that these doctors will take. 

Associated Press -

October 16, 2012:

Sacramento — California lawmakers will begin hearings this week into how the state will end a health program serving more than 860,000 children without disrupting care.

The state budget enacted this year eliminates Healthy Families to save $73 million a year. Its participants will be moved to Medi-Cal, California’s version of the Medicaid program for the poor.

Healthy Families benefits low-income families who did not qualify for Medi-Cal.

A top concerns is whether health care providers will be willing to accept the new patients because they were reimbursed at a higher rate under Healthy Families. They could receive 15 percent less under Medi-Cal.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Diana Dooley says she believes enough health providers will be willing to care for the children at the reduced rates.

If you have questions about the above article please do not hesitate to call us at (714)680-5900 or find us on the web at www.AnsaInsuranceServices.com .

Wellness Programs - Are They Worth It?

Health Net has published information on wellness programs and has sited that more employers are implementing wellness programs in their work places.  As a result of this implementation employees are reporting a reduction in their personal health care costs.  Some wellness programs are tide to the company's health plans (Kaiser is one example).  In these models, the insurance company makes wellness plans available to all it's members.  The other option available are independent wellness companies that come into the workplace in addition to the companies health insurance. 

Which one has a better outcome can be debated.  What is most important  to note is that when an employee can reduce it's out of pocket costs related to their own health they will be happier and more likely to stay on a course of well being.  That well being translates into a more productive worker for the employer.  It is a win win situation.   I'm sure we will only see growth in this area as other health care costs continue to rise.

If you would like more information on wellness programs within a given carrier or you would like more information on a specific plan, please contact us at (714)680-5900 or you can find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Employer Responsibilities Under the ACA

As many of you have heard, employers that have over 50 employees may be fined under the Affordable Care Act if any employee goes to the exchange and is subsidised for premiums.  But the practicality of this is very different than the simple statement.  For starters 50 employees is not what most employers believe it is.  The law states that it is 50 full time equivalent employees that trigger the fines.  What is an equivalent employee? Part-time and seasonal employees are counted toward the 50 mark and the mathematics behind it is confusing to say the least.  Employers will need to be aware that even though they may only have 20  full-time employees at any given time that they will need to figure out the equivalents for part-time and seasonal employees.  Seasonal employees are not simply employees that come in and work a season or two and move on.  Seasonal employees can be any employee that works full time hours but not necessarily every day.  An example of this would be an employee that works an 8 hour shift one day a week for most of the year.  If you simply added up their hours they would appear to be part-time, but because they always work a full day they would be considered seasonal. 

What does this mean for your business?  It means that as we move closer to 2014 you need to be in constant communication with your insurance broker and carrier.  They will be the ones making sure you are compliant with the law.  There will be much to consider at any given time and a good broker will help you sort through all this.  If you are not working with a broker and would like us to preform a market analysis, please contact us at (714)680-5900 or you can email us at info@ansainsuranceservices.com .  As always you can find out more about us and what we offer on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

What's New?

As we move into our last quarter of the year it is important to pay attention to the new rules coming on health care.  One of these rules is the requirement to include health insurance premiums on your employee's W2 forms.  If you have filed less than 250 W2's last year you may be exempt this year.  Eventually you will need to add it to any W2's even if you are a small business.  Consult your tax account or payroll specialist for more information.

For North Orange County residents:  Kaiser Permanete opened it's new facility (Anaheim Medical Center) off the 91 Freeway on La Palma Ave in Anaheim on September 12th.  If you are interested in joining in on a tour please call us or email us and we will help set up the tour.  You can contact us at (714)680-5900 or find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Medicare Advantage

It is about that time of year again.  The Annual Election Period (AEP) for Medicare Advantage plans.  This is the time when individuals can either elect to sign up an Advantage Plan or Change from one Advantage plan to another or to move from an Advantage Plan back to a Supplemental Plan.  This time period runs from October 15th through December 7th.  If you have a family member that is eligible for these plans they are currently being bombarded with advertising materials.  It can be quite confusing and a bit overwhelming.  Now is a good time to check in with your loved ones and make sure they understand what they are or are not purchasing. 

If you would like to gather information for yourself or someone you know you may call us at (714)680-5900 or email us at info@ansainsuranceservices.com .  As always you may find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Governor Brown Strikes Down SB961 and AB1461

On October 2, 2012 the Sacramento Bee reported that Governor Brown vetoed the Senate Bill 961 and Assembly Bill 1461.  Those bills were the requirement for California's "Guaranteed Issue" laws that would require health insurance carriers to take every applicant regardless of past and current health conditions.   Governor Brown wrote...



"Without the strong foundation that federal law provides, a state-level mandate on insurers alone could encourage healthy people to wait until they got sick or injured before purchasing coverage," Brown wrote in his veto message. "This would lead to skyrocketing premiums, making coverage more unaffordable."
The issue is not dead.  The State Senate and Assembly will need to come together and rewrite the laws so that they are more closely tied to the Federal Mandate. Be on the lookout for those new laws with the improved language within the next two months.

If you have any further comments or questions you may contact us at 714-680-5900 or you can find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com.