LIFE INSURANCE 2018

Consumers looking for health insurance outside of the annual open enrollment period should be wary of short term health plans. These plans may be marketed as alternatives to Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance, but they could leave you without adequate coverage and facing financial penalties at tax time.  Originally, short-term health plans were sold as a stop-gap measure until you could get real major medical coverage. After the ACA kicked in, people had many other options for coverage, but these limited plans were still being marketed to consumers as a viable alternative. However, short-term  plans do not count as 'minimum essential coverage' under the ACA - meaning you'll have to pay a tax penalty. They also do not cover the 10 essential health benefits, can limit your annual benefits to $100,000 or less, and deny you coverage for any pre-existing conditions.  These policies are sold year-round, unlike ACA-plans that must be purchased during the annual...

Are you new to Medicare? The Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) will be at the Kent Senior Activity Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6 You will learn about: Medicare parts A, B, C and D Your Medicare benefits and options How to get help paying for Medicare if you qualify Find registration and parking information for this event. Other resources: Find out more events on the SHIBA calendar .  Read more about SHIBA and how it can help you.  Do you have Medicare questions? Call 1-800-562-6900.

This week is World Breastfeeding Week, when people from all over the world celebrate breastfeeding. It may surprise you to hear that there’s a connection between breastfeeding and insurance. The Affordable Care Act requires most health insurance plans to provide breastfeeding and lactation support, equipment and counseling to women during and after pregnancy as long as they are breastfeeding. While insurers must cover breast pumps, plan vary by what type of pump they cover, if they help pay for a rental or purchased pump, and if the pump needs to be pre-authorized. Contact your insurance company to find out what your plan covers.  Insurance plans must also cover lactation support for mothers and babies who are having trouble with breastfeeding or pumping.  According to womenshealth.gov , babies who are breastfed have lower risks of many health conditions including asthma, ear infections, SIDS, type 2 diabetes and respiratory infections. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers’ hea...