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Break Down: The Affordable Care Act

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The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, has so many different moving parts and miniscule pieces that it could be financially devastating for an individual (or a business) that misunderstands. That said, it may be better to break ACA down into sections and ensure that you’re looking at this complex legislation in the right context for you. This article …

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The basics of Medicare-related insurance decisions

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By Scott Burns, February 6, 2014 Please give us some information about Medicare Advantage plans. Our insurance company switched us to one last year, and we’re not sure that it is the best option for us. B.F. Medicare Advantage plans function as a substitute for Medigap insurance. Seniors have three fundamental choices when they turn 65. They must sign up …

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The Information We Still Need to Manage Our Health Care

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By Paul Downs, January 6, 2014 After writing eight posts on my search for health insurance, which generated more than 275 comment from readers, I was more than ready to move on. After all, I do have a day job — running my little factory — and I have other projects and problems to address. But my mind keeps returning …

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The Unraveling of the Affordable Care Act

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Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of speaking about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to groups of individuals and business owners. If I could describe the overwhelming response to ACA in one word, it would be total confusion. At present, there’s a lot of talk about the failure of technology in the enrollment process. True, the …

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CMS Announces the Medicare Part D Deductibles and Co-Insurance Limits for 2014

On Friday, February 15, 2013, CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) released the 2014 Medicare Part D deductibles and co-insurance limits for 2014. This was a part of their “2014 Advance Call Letter” which gives Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Part D plans advance notice of funding for calendar year 2014 so that they can start formulating their bids …

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Place Over 95% of Your Cases Regardless of Age or Health

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Many agents walk away from potential sales because they think the client is too sick or too old to obtain coverage. Years ago, there was a true impaired risk market where companies such as US Life and State Life would underwrite cases using different criteria and many times accepted risks that other companies would not. That is no longer the …

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As Large Medicaid Cuts Loom, States Convert to LTC Benefits

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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.” …

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Medicaid Eligibility Q&A

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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 …

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Medicaid Eligibility Fact Sheet

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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 …

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Health Care Reform Means Opportunity for Med Supp Sales Agents

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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 …

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