Health

The financial consequences of a disability can be greater than those of a premature death. The disabled person is still a consumer, and, in many cases, medical and living expenses increase. If care is required, then an even greater financial and emotional burden is placed on the family of the disabled person. Long term care insurance is simply disability insurance …

That title really is industry speak but tries very hard to explain what this product offers. This plan is being aggressively marketed, now that other plans are getting some press and favorable sales numbers. The plans I am referring to are critical illness and chronic illness. What they have done with this plan is offer you a life insurance policy …

It’s amazing how much good business is put in harm’s way because producers don’t know the pitfalls that can occur with insurance exams and screening laboratory tests. What’s more, these consequences are largely avoidable.  That is, if you know what they are and take the proper precautions. Basic Guidelines Wizened producers always try to get their clients examined in the …

As the budget debate rages on in Washington, it’s becoming clear that Medicaid will be coming under the knife. During the National Governor’s Association (NGA) annual meeting last July, governors of both parties said they are “most worried that both President Obama and Congressional Republicans wanted to cut Medicaid payments to the states by $100 billion over the next decade.” …

With Chris Orestis, President, Medicaid Funding Group Q: Does ownership of a life insurance policy count against an applicant for Medicaid eligibility? A: A life insurance policy is legally recognized as an asset of the policy owner and it counts against them when qualifying for Medicaid. If a policy has anything more than a minimal amount of cash value (usually …

What is Medicaid? Medicaid is health insurance that helps many people who can’t afford medical care pay for some or all of their medical bills. Medicaid is available only to people with limited income. You must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for Medicaid. Who qualifies for Medicaid? Many groups of people are covered by Medicaid. Even within these …

One of the byproducts of the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act last year was a massive dislocation in the Medicare Advantage market. Medicare Advantage – also known as Medicare Part C – is an optional part of Medicare that allows beneficiaries to contract with managed care firms to administer their benefits under the Medicare program. The …

A recent study from General Re found that the total number of disability insurance policies fell by 2 percent last year – building on a 2 percent decline from the prior year. Agents selling to the individual market took it on the chin, with total individual disability insurance premium falling by six percent, compared to 2009 levels, for a total …

If you played baseball as a kid, you’ve heard the term “hurry up and wait” a hundred times. The phrase refers to the wisdom of running as fast as you can to where the ball is going – and being prepared to make the catch when it gets there. Lazy ballplayers will try to time their run to get there …

With unemployment hovering around 9 percent, and underemployment well over 20 percent, millions of Americans have been forced into hunting for new sources of income. The recession is particularly difficult for older workers, who find it more difficult to find work where employers favor younger hires with the potential of longer tenures with the company.   The result: The emergence …