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Access Health Reform Plans Connecticut

This post has some information about the Access Health Reform Plans Connecticut.  Access Health is the administrator of health reform plans through the Exchange in Connecticut.  They administer as well as oversee the enrollment process for those applying for a health reform plan through the health exchange. (Also known as Obama Care) Anyone can apply for insurance through the exchange but not all people are eligible for a premium subsidy.

This post will provide an overview of health reform plans, the enrollment process and premium subsidies in Connecticut. Please note this information is only applicable to Connecticut and is not applicable to any other state.

If you need a quote, want to enroll or have questions not addressed in this blog CLICK HERE   or call us at 203-796-5403

Health Exchange Plans – Important Things To Know

• Three companies participate in the Individual Exchange. They are Anthem BCBS, Conneticare and Healthy CT.
• You must go through the Access Health Website in order to apply for a plan through the exchange.   www.accesshealthct.com
• Premium subsidies are available to those that make below the income thresholds.  Premium subsidy simply means the Government/state will pay a portion of your monthly premium.
• These premium subsidies are only available to those on the Exchange
• The lower the applicants 2014 income, the higher the monthly subsidy they will receive. (Rates are based on your 2014 income)
• If income falls below minimum levels, the applicant and/or dependents may be placed on Husky A,B,C or D

Network Information

• The networks for the plans participating are NOT the same as their networks off the exchange.  For example:  You can not assume you doctor participates with Anthem on the Exchange just because he/she participated with Anthem off the Exchange.
• The Husky A and B network (Children enroll in A and B) has many more providers than Husky C and D (Adults enroll in C and D)

Enrollment Information

• You must apply through the Access Health website in order to apply for a plan on the exchange.
• Married couples must file a joint return in order to be eligible for a subsidy.
• Income will be verified in 2015.  If you under report your income, you may need to either pay back a portion or all of the income subsidy that you receive during the year.

If you need a quote, want to enroll or have questions not addressed in this blog either CLICK HERE ,  call us at 203-796-5403 or email us at Edward@croweandassociates.com.

Medicare Advantage Plan Applications Connecticut 2014

In this post we will try to help you understand Medicare Advantage Plan Applications Connecticut 2014.  In fact, there are 5 companies offering Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut for 2014.  Those companies are United Healthcare, Connecticare, Aetna, Anthem BCBS as well as Wellcare.  The post below contains links to benefit summaries of all the popular offerings from each company.  We also include links to applications for those people that want to apply.    Please keep in mind, that we have not listed all  the plans that are offered in the state.  This is only a list of the most common plans people inquire about in Connecticut.

United Healthcare Medicare Complete Plan 2–

This is a Medicare Advantage plan offered by United Healthcare.  The plan has both a $0 monthly premium and is an HMO.

Click for United Medicare Complete Plan 2 Application

 For United Medicare Complete Plan 2 Summary Of Benefits Click Here

Aetna Medicare Value Plan-

This is a Medicare Advantage plan offered by Aetna.  The plan has a $0 monthly premium and is an HMO as well.

Click For Aetna Value Medicare Application CT 2014

 For Aetna Value Summary Of Benefits CT 2014 – Click Here

Wellcare Value Plan- 

Wellcare offers a $0 monthly premium HMO in Connecticut.

 To Enroll Online – Click here

 For Summary Of Benefits

Connecticare VIP Prime 1-

Prime 1 is a Medicare Advantage plan from Connecticare.  The plan has $0 monthly premium and is an HMO

Click Here For Connecticare Medicare Application CT 2014

 For Summary Of Benefits

All completed applications can be either faxed to Crowe and Associates at 203-567-6235 or sent by email to Edward@Croweandassociates.com.   Additionally,  if you want to send them by mail, the address is : Crowe and Associates,  304 Federal Road, suite 107, Brookfield, CT 06804.

We will review all applications before we submit them.  If in fact we need any additional information, we will let you know.  If you have any questions, please call us at 203-796-5403.

Applying For Health Insurance In Connecticut

This post will give you information about Applying For Health Insurance In Connecticut.  Connecticut residents that do not have access to health insurance through an employer have two choices to obtain Care.  They can either apply for coverage through the health exchange or they can apply with an insurance company outside of the exchange.   Which option is better?  It depends on your specific situation but the following points below should help guide you.

Applying on the Exchange-

Applying through the Exchange is the only way to determine if you are eligible for a premium subsidy.   Subsidies are not available outside of the exchange.  In Connecticut, Access Health runs the exchange.  They run the application website, determine subsidy levels as well as send enrollment information to the carriers.   The Exchange will determine the amount you receive for your premium subsidy by using your annual 2014 Adjusted Gross Income as a base.  The income level increases for every additional family member.  For Example, a single person making $50,000 a year is not eligible for a subsidy but if they have a spouse and the total family income is $50,000 they would be eligible.  Pre-existing health conditions are not taken into consideration when applying.

Applying off the Exchange- 

A number of companies offer plans off the exchange such as Aetna, Connecticare, Anthem BCBS, United Healthcare and Cigna.  Premium subsidies are not available off the exchange. Medical underwriting is not allowed which means they can not decline someone or raise a persons rates due to poor health.   In general the rates off the exchange are similar to the rates on the exchange. However, the on exchange rates are dramatically lower for those that qualify for a premium subsidy.   One advantage of applying off the exchange is that it provides access to a larger physician network.

If you would like help with a quote or applying on or off the exchange, please give us a call at 203-796 5403  or by email at Edward@croweandassociates.com.  We do not charge any type of fee for the service.   Your rates will not change if you decide to work with us.

Health Reform Companies Connecticut

This post will give you some information about Health Reform Companies Connecticut.  There are three companies participating with the health exchange in Connecticut as of January 1, 2014.  They are as follows,  Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, Connecticare as well as Healthy CT.   Anthem and Connecticare have both been operating in Connecticut for many years.  Healthy CT is a new not for profit that is run by the State of Connecticut.

All three companies offer Bronze, Silver as well as Gold plans in the state of Connecticut. Because the benefits these companies offer are standardized by the insurance industry, they  must all have consistent plan designs. This helps  to make your decision a little easier. You just have to see which arrier offers the best pricing and used the providers you prefer .  There has been some discussion about Platinum level plans but they are not available in Connecticut this year.  Although United Healthcare does not participate in the individual exchange,  they are available through the small groups exchange however.  (Small Group Exchange is called SHOP Exchange)

Access Health operates The Connecticut Exchange.   They also operate the website that clients use in order to apply for the plans.  Access Health will also determine if applicants are eligible for a subsidy to help them pay for their coverage.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE ON AND OFF THE EXCHANGE IN CT

If you have any questions, you may either email our office at Edward@Croweandassociates.com or call us at 203-796-5403.  We are here to help you make the right choice for your insurance needs.  Each person has  both different financial as well as health care needs.  Crowe and Associates wants to make you feel confident with your choice of health care options.

Medicare Supplement Plan Applications Connecticut 2014

In this post Crowe and Associates wants to make sure that you understand Medicare Supplement Plan Applications Connecticut 2014.  In fact,  there are a number of companies that offer Medicare Supplement plans in the state of  Connecticut for 2014.  Medicare Supplements (also called Medigap Plans) are standardized in Connecticut. This means that plan benefits must be the same regardless of the company offering it.  When it comes to supplements the two most important issues are finding which supplement you want and then finding the company with the best price.  Currently, the AARP branded supplement by United Health Care have great rates on plans F, N and L.  Links to rates, benefit summaries and applications have been included below.

Click Here For Medicare Supplement Rates CT 2014

 For AARP Medicare Supplement Application CT 2014

Click Here For AARP Medicare Supplement Benefit Summary CT 2014

All applications may be send to Crowe and Associates by mail, fax or email.   Crowe and Associates will review all applications before we submit them to your chosen carrier.  We will call  you in the event that we need additional information to submit your application.

Fax Applications to Crowe and Associates at 203-567-6235 : Email applications to Crowe and Associates at Edward@croweandassociates.com  : Mail Applications to Crowe and Associates at 304 Federal Road, Suite 107, Brookfield, CT 06804.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.  You can reach us either by phone at (203)-796-5403 or by email at Edward@crowenadassociates.com.

Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Comparison Connecticut

In this post we will give you Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Comparison Connecticut.  Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans (also called Medigap plans) are very different.  There are positives and negatives of each depending on an individuals medical needs.  This post will provide a description of both and compare them in order to make an educated decision when choosing a plan.  The plans outlined in this post are applicable to Connecticut and may not be available in other states.

Medicare Advantage Plans  (CLICK HERE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE APPLICATIONS)

Medicare Advantage Plans are offered by private insurance companies.   They offer medical and Rx benefits in one plan and act as the primary insurance instead of original Medicare.  There are 5 companies offering Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut.  The companies are Connecticare, United Healthcare (with and without AARP logo), Aetna, Anthem BCBS and Wellcare.

Positives:

• Many have $0 monthly premium.   You will still pay your part B premium to Medicare however.
• They include the medical and Rx benefit in one package.  You do not need/cannot purchase a separate Part D Rx drug plan when you have a Medicare Advantage plan.  The Medicare Advantage plans include the Part D Rx coverage in the benefits.
• Extra benefits- some Medicare Advantage Plans provide for extra benefits such as dental, visions, podiatry visits, gym memberships, etc….

Negatives:

• Medicare Advantage plans have networks. Since the Advantage plan is your primary insurance, the provider must be in network in order for his servicesnto be covered by the plan. There are a limited number of Medicare Advantage Plans in Ct that provide out of network coverage as well.
• Copays-  You do not pay a monthly premium with Advantage plans but you do pay copays for medical services such as doctors visits, lab work, inpatient stays, etc….
• The last negative is that Medicare Advantage plans are able to make benefit changes every January.  This means that they may have a major increase in co-pays and cost share on renewal in January.  You are able to make a plan change every January.  Although, you cannot change your plan after February 14th.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ADVANTAGE PLANS

CLICK HERE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN APPLICATIONS

Medicare Supplements (Also called Medigap Plans)    (CLICK HERE FOR SUPPLEMENT APPLICATIONS)

Medicare Supplement plans are secondary to Original Medicare.  When someone purchases a supplement, the provider will bill Medicare first and then the supplement will cover a portion or all (depending on the supplement you choose) of the remaining costs.  Medicare Supplement plans cover Medical services only and do not include Rx coverage.  Those that want Rx coverage purchase a stand along Part D drug plan.   Supplements are standardized in Connecticut.  This means that there is no variance in benefits from insurance carrier to insurance carrier.  In Connecticut there are 10 supplement plan options with plans F, N and L being the most popular.

Due to the fact that the benefits are standardized, purchasing a supplement usually comes down to who has the best rates.   Currently in Connecticut the United Healthcare AARP branded Medicare Supplements have a large rate advantage over all the other companies.   In other words, it really doesn’t make sense to purchase a Medicare supplement through a different company.

Positives:

• Medicare Supplement plans are secondary to Medicare.  This allows you to see any doctor that accepts Medicare.  There is not a network to follow.  As a result, Medicare supplements are very convenient for people that travel.
• You can determine how much coverage you want. For example, if you want 100% medical coverage, Plan F supplement would provide it or for 75% coverage you could use a plan L.
• Medicare supplement do not have prior authorization requirements

Negatives:

• Medicare Supplement plans have monthly premiums in addition to the Part B premium.  For example, the lowest cost plan F in Connecticut is $220 a month.  (cost is per person)
• Medicare Supplements do not include Rx coverage.  You must purchase Rx coverage separately with a Part D Rx plan.  Part D plans range in monthly price from $14 a month to $100 a month depending on the plan chosen.
• Medicare Supplements will only cover a procedure that is covered by Original Medicare.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS

 FOR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT APPLICATIONS – CLICK HERE

Please contact us if you have any questions.  You can either call Crowe and Associates at 203 796 5403 or email  us at Edward@Croweandassociates.com.

Medicare Advantage Plans Explained

This post is about Medicare Advantage Plans Explained.  Are you confused about Medicare Advantage plans and how they work? If so, the following post should help clear up any confusion.

Medicare Advantage Plans are insurance plans  offered by private insurance companies.  They are used as an alternative to Original Medicare A and B and/or a Medicare supplement plan.  When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, the doctors/hospitals and other medical providers will bill your Medicare Advantage plan instead of original Medicare.  Medicare Advantage plans are offered by a number of companies such as Anthem BCBS, United Healthcare, Aetna, Connecticare, Etc….  These plans are often offered as $0 premium plans.  This means that you pay nothing per month to enroll in them.

Medicare Advantage plans also include your Medicare Part D drug benefit. (There are some plans that come without the Part D benefit but they usually include it.)  When you enroll in the advantage plan, you use one insurance card for all you care.   You can not enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and a separate stand alone part D plan.  You also can not enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medicare Supplement at the same time.

Pros and Cons of a Medicare Advantage plan   (CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE JUST LOOKING FOR AN APPLICATION)

Pros

• The Plan includes your part D drug benefit.
• Many Advantage plans have no monthly premium (You will still pay your Part B premium to Medicare)
• You only need to use one insurance card
• They often have additional benefits such as optional dental,  Full annual physicals, limited eye care, Podiatry and foreign travel benefits.

Cons

• The insurance  company is primary which means the providers need to participate with that company in order to receive care.
• There are co-pays for the medical services you receive.
• The out of pocket limits on the co-pays can be as high as $6,700 per person per year.
• Plan benefits change every January.

Medicare Advantage plans change every January which and the insured needs to be aware of the changes.  What may have been the best Medicare Advantage plan on the market one year may suddenly be the worst choice the next due to benefit changes.   If you enroll in an Advantage plan, you will have the option to change out of one every January.

In general, I suggest Advantage plans to clients that are of relatively sound health and see doctors that participate with this type of plan.  If clients are of poor health or have a number of chronic conditions, I will usually suggest a Medicare Supplement and stand along part D  plan as an alternative.

Here are some quick points regarding Medicare Advantage plans

• They are not medically underwritten which means they can not decline you due to health
• Original Medicare does NOT act as a secondary coverage to a Medicare Advantage plan
• They have networks but the majority of doctors do participate with them.  There are more that do than don’t.
• Medicare Advantage plans are separate from VA coverage.  You can have both a Medicare Advantage plan and still utilize you VA benefits.
• In fact, You can change plans every year.
• You do not need to use a participating doctor or hospital if you have an emergency.

Questions?  Send me an email at Edward@croweandassociates.com  CLICK HERE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE APPLICATIONS

New Cigna Dental Plan For Connecticut

INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE HAS BEEN UPDATED.  CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE NEW PAGE. 

This post will give you some details about the New Cigna Dental Plan For Connecticut.  Cigna has come out with a new suite of Dental plans that can be purchased by individuals.  The plans are all PPO based.  This means that, consumers can see both in and out of network doctors.   These plans use Cigna’s employer dental network  which provides more dentists than any other well priced individual dental plan.   Plans can be purchased by people over the age of 65 and the pricing is the best in the market for a PPO based dental plan.  It is very easy to enroll in the plan. You can enroll either with a paper application or online.  Cigna plans are available in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, NC, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA

Trying to find a solid dental plan without going through employer based benefits can be very difficult.  By using the employer based dental network and pricing the product aggressively, Cigna has separated themselves from the other dental plans available.  Cigna dental plans are available in the following states….There are 3 plan offerings which are Preventative, PPO 1000 and PPO 1500.  CLICK HERE TO QUOTE NEW CIGNA DENTAL PLANS FOR CONNECTICUT

Preventative Plan-

Covers two cleanings and X-Rays at 100% (no balance billing with participating dentists.)  Basic and Major services are not covered but are billed at the Cigna discounted rate which would allow for a 15% to 40% cost reduction depending on the procedure.  Rates vary by age and area but this plan is $14.00 a month on average.

CLICK FOR SUMMARY

PPO 1000-

Covers two cleaning and X-Rays at 100%.  Covers basic services (such as fillings) at 80% and covers major services (such as Crowns at 50%)  The plan has a $50 deductible for basic and major services and a $1,000 benefit max per person per year.  Rates vary by age and area but this plan is $25.00 a month on average.

CLICK FOR SUMMARY

PPO 1500-

Covers two cleaning and X-Rays at 100%.  Covers basic services (such as fillings) at 80% and covers major services (such as Crowns at 50%)  The plan has a $50 deductible for basic and major services and a $1,500 benefit max per person per year. Rates vary by age and area but this plan is $28.00 a month on average.

CLICK FOR SUMMARY

Click the link below to get a quote or check to see if your dentist participates with the plan.  You may also enroll in the plan from this site if you wish.   If you have questions, call our office at 203-796-5403 or email us at Edward@Croweandassociates.com

CLICK TO GET A QUOTE OR CHECK DENTAL NETWORK FOR THE  CIGNA DENTAL PLAN FOR CONNECTICUT