Governor Brown's Plans to Enroll 627,000 in Managed Care Plans

Governor Jerry Brown plans to move some 627,000 people into a managed care system.  These people are those that qualify for both Medi-Cal and Medicare and are also known as "duel enrolled" patients.  They tend to be poor and either elderly or disabled, hence they qualify for both plans.  According to an article from The Orange County Register on June 9th, the Governor will save an estimated $663.3 million in the fiscal year 2012-13 alone.

He plans on starting with eight counties (Orange being one of them) and then eventually moving all 1.1 million duel enrolled patients over to a managed care system resulting in even greater savings. The plan is coming under criticism from many sources.  Some worry that people will be moved away from long term doctor/patient relationships without being notified.  Many physicians worry that they will lose most of their patients if they are not allowed into the managed care system or that even if they are allowed to be part of the managed care system that they will loose money being a part of it. There are some that think that this move will actually be good for patients because they will be part of an integrated system that incorporates all their benefits. 

Time will tell what will happen with this plans, but with the state's budget in such trouble you can be sure something will be done to save money.  Stay tuned for the follow-up on this proposal and on all health care related items.  Many changes are just around the corner and even more are right behind.  If you would like to contact us regarding anything related to health insurance or life insurance you can find us at www.ansainsuranceservices.com or call us at 714-680-5900.  Lisa and I are committed to keeping informed of all changes in the industry.

Any Day Now: US Supreme Court will Rule on ACA

Any day now the United States Supreme Court will be ruling on the Affordable Care Act.  Whether they strike all, some or none of the law down, there will be side affects to follow.  An article from Yahoo News tries to explain some of the problems that arise from the outcome (no matter what the outcome is) of the ruling.  Read below for a taste of what's to come...

http://news.yahoo.com/un...fTmV3LVByb21vYmFy;_ylv=3

As you see the world of health care and health insurance will permanently be changed.  Whether we are taxed more for benefits or we have benefits reduced to keep costs down changes are on the way.  Stay tuned to find out more.  We at Ansa Insurance Services are committed to keeping you updated on the issues.  If you have any questions or would like to reach us for comment please call us at (714)680-5900 or look us up on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com . 

New FSA Guidelines

This just out, new guidelines for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) have been issued.  Starting after December 31, 2012 the maximum contribution to a individuals FSA account for a given plan year is $2,500.  It is important to note that the new rules are discussing plan years and not calendar years.  If contributions to the FSA exceed the $2,500 amount it will not be considered to be under the section 125 cafeteria rule.

If you currently have a FSA and are making contributions, be sure to discuss this with your HR department.  If you have other questions regarding this or any health and life insurance issues, please call Lisa Boyajian at (888)800-5855 or check us out on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

California Health Benefit Exchange

It looks like the California Health Benefit Exchange will be moving ahead despite not hearing from the Supreme Court yet.  In an article from the Los Angeles Times, by Chad Terhune, it is reported that California plans to pay Accenture $360 million to build and operate an enrollment system for the Exchange.  They hope to have everything up and running for enrollments in October 1, 2013 for a January 1, 2014 start date. The contract still needs to be approved by the federal government.

Exactly how the exchange will look and the amount of subsidies available are still up in the air. Of course, much of what will take place depends on Federal Subsidies, and if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is overturned by the Supreme Court than all bets are off.  California still plans on moving ahead with the Exchange, but without the subsidies it may not be a strong program.  As more information becomes available we will post it on this blog. 

For questions on the exchange or health care in general please contact Angela Gambino at (714)680-5900 or check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Did You Vote?

Today is election day!  It is our chance to vote for the things that matter to us.  It is one of the most important tools we as citizens have to control our destiny.  If you are happy with where are local, state, and federal government is taking us, great!  Let them know.  If you are not happy with where they are taking us, even better!! Let them know.  You can always write letters and send emails to your elected officials.  That is a very effective way of being heard.  But it is your duty to express your feelings at the polls. 

We are seeing the effects of our state officials on our health care system.  If you like it, fine, but you should still vote.  If you don't like it, then you definitely need to vote.  But it is important to know who and what you are voting for.  I personally believe that many of our elected officials never bother to learn about what they are voting for when they cast their votes.  Do not be like those elected officials, find out what the issues are and the consequences of the propositions and measures before you actually pull the lever (so to speak).  Find out if you representatives bothered to find out about the bills that they were voting on before they voted for or against them.  We need to be more vigilant or we will find ourselves in a very bad place. 

I have written many times about the new laws governing health insurance specifically and health care in general that are coming into effect.  If you would like to get more information on some of these topics please call us at (714)680-5900 or check out our website at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .

Autism and Your Health Insurance

On July 1, 2012 here in California another health care law will take affect.  It is SB 946, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and it sets new standards for health insurance carriers in regards to the treatment of Autism. It will lead to an expansion of networks that provide behavioral treatment for autism as well as many other mandates relating to the treatment of autism.  This law applies to both individual as well as group policies, so the expanded rate increase should be seen simultaneously in both groups.

If you would like to get more information on this new law or if you would like to know about specific health insurance carriers and their networks, please feel free to call Angela Gambino at (714)680-5900 or check us out at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .  We will continue to update this blog as new laws pass and take affect and as the Supreme Court rulings come down.   

Inforamtion on the New Woman's Guidlines

Below are some of the new rules put in place by the New Health Care Mandate.  Here in California it will not matter whether the mandate gets struck down or not, these services will be be upheld in our state. For a complete list of guidelines check out www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines .

well-woman visits;screening for gestational diabetes;
human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;
sexually-transmitted infection counseling;
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;
FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;
breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; and
domestic violence screening and counseling.

As the health care field changes we are working hard staying on top of the new rules and mandates that will be set in place.  As you watch the news be sure to realize that some of what is discussed will not pertain to California.  We are unique to say the least and what health care will look like for the rest of the country, may not look like out system at all.  If you would like to contact us about Health Care and your concerns, please call Lisa Boyajian or Angela Gambino at (714)680-5900.  You can also find us on the web at www.ansainsuranceservices.com .