Beware of health insurance website that are lead capture traps

  I first published this post in 2011. A lot has changed since then, but many things are still the same. Searching for health insurance quotes and information online can be a risky business. There are two primary things you need to be aware of in order to stay away from medical insurance scams: Giving your contact information to the wrong website Getting duped into signing up for a “health insurance plan” that isn’t actually health insurance Rogue health insurance websites are set up to capture personal information from people trying to get instant quotes, and then the websites sell that information to agents.  InRead More →

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In: Health Insurance Information, San Diego Medical Insurance
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The California Open Enrollment Period for health insurance begins on October 15th. All applications submitted between 10/15 and 12/15 will result in a health plan starting on January 1st, 2020. If you want to renew and stay in your current plan you don’t need to do anything. Your insurance company and/or Covered California will automatically renew your existing health plan for 2020. The 2020 health plans and pricing will be available online beginning October 15th. Between now and then we can only speculate what your pricing might look like, and we can not submit new applications until 10/15. Big Changes Are Occurring In 2020! YourRead More →

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In: Affordable Health Insurance California, Covered California, Enrollment Periods, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Information, rates
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special enrollment periods last 60 days

Many people think they can sign up for health insurance whenever they need to because of health care reform. They call us to get enrolled in a plan, and we ask them what changes have taken place in their life. They seem puzzled by the question and say nothing has changed. We then have to explain to them why they don’t qualify to sign up for coverage. There are qualifying life events that enable you to get health insurance outside the open enrollment period. We’ll show you what they are, and how you can use them to sign up for coverage. There is one additionalRead More →

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For 30 years these plans have lain on the side of the stream, waiting for the right time. The time is now. Health Share Membership plans are becoming a mainstream option because of the significant price increases in Obamacare health plans the last couple of years. Well over 1 million people are now enrolled in these health share ministry plans. Many people I talk to have never heard of these policies. So, to help clients and visitors get a better understanding of what these health care sharing plans are, we’ve created a new section of the website with information about how these plans work, alongRead More →

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In: Affordable Health Insurance California, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
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Health Net is trying to get everyone to make use of preventive care. This includes an annual wellness visit and all the lab tests associated with it. To help members utilize yearly wellness services, Health Net enlisted the help of MedXM to provide in-home visits by a doctor and/or nurse practitioner. For members with limited mobility, this new service could be a difference maker. Having the provider come to your home would make it easy to get regular yearly preventive care. There is no extra charge for this service. The wellness visit will take about 45 to 60 minutes to complete. The results and dataRead More →

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term life insurance san diego california

As a boy scout I learned to “Be Prepared,” and I live that motto each day of my whole life. Planning for the future and the uncertainty of what might happen. Figuring out how to make sure that if something goes wrong I have a backup plan to keep what’s important from being derailed. This is the philosophy we teach our clients. It includes using life insurance to protect the plans and goals you have for your family and your business. The unexpected event is not something we can easily avoid. But preparing in case it should happen is doable. Life insurance for an uncertainRead More →

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The Thompson Family decisions on 2017 Covered California open enrollment and renewal

Check out our latest case study showing the decision process we used for the 2017 Covered CA Open Enrollment Period. This case addresses many common issues that everyone faces. Can you keep your existing doctors? Can you reduce your cost of health insurance in 2017? Should you consider switching from Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum to a different metal tier? We also address one of the biggest issues facing residents of San Diego county that use the Scripps Health System for their medical needs. Is there another option besides Blue Shield? Many of you have read my bio on the About Us page. As aRead More →

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Covered California sent a letter to everyone that has a PPO plan and told them that their insurance company would assign them to a Physician on January 1st 2017 as part of a new feature.

Is this a “feature” to you?

Read this article to learn about what’s happening.Read More →

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In: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Covered California, Health Care Reform, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, Physicians, Sharp Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare
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why are covered ca applications so hard?

We recommend Covered CA applications be completed using the help of our brokers. However we know that some of you like to do things on your own. We can now help make that easier for you.

We’ve created a new page that walks you through the process of setting up your initial account with Covered California. We give you step by step instructions showing the actual Covered CA pages. Then we show you how to connect SPF Insurance into your application so we can help you if (when) you run into a jam. Read More →

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In: Application Tips, Covered California, Enrollment Periods, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
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california health insurance rate increases 2017

Learn What Steps You Need To Take To Minimize The Increases Covered California just announced health insurance rates are rising in 2017. This is not just a Covered California issue. If you get your insurance directly from an insurance company you will see your rates rise as well. It has never been more important to understand the steps you need to take to keep your costs down. We’ll show you what the California health insurance rate increases are going to look like. Then we’ll show you what steps you can take to make sure that your 2017 rates don’t skyrocket. Quick Overview Of 2017 CaliforniaRead More →

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In: Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Cigna, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Information, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, Medical Insurance, Physicians, rates, Sharp Health Plan
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Where's My California 1095 Form

It’s tax time and CPAs are busy collecting 1095A, 1095B, and 1095C forms from each client. The 1095 form tells the IRS if you had health insurance in 2015, and during which months you had coverage. So when will your 1095 form arrive? This depends on whether you have company-sponsored group coverage, individual or family coverage that you bought straight from an insurance company, or if you got your health insurance through Covered California. 1095 Form From Covered California If you purchased health insurance through the Covered California exchange, then you have probably received your 1095A form in the mail already. Covered California mailed theseRead More →

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What You Need To Know About California Health Insurance

The SPF Mashup is a collection of note-worthy articles, reports, and information that have come out in the last months, and will have an impact on your health insurance and your health. The last month has been filled with health insurance changes in California that will take effect in 2016 or 2017.  Here’s what you need to know about health insurance changes in California.  Three sections are about changes that will effect the rates we see in 2016. The fith section is for those of you over the age of 65. The last section is a MUST READ piece for everyone. Quick Snapshot (click onRead More →

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special enrollment periods last 60 days

Now that the annual health insurance open enrollment period has closed you can not change your health plan unless you have a qualifying life event. There is a list of 12 total qualifying life events, but many of them occur very infrequently. Of the remainder, some are more common, and we’ll show how you can use these to create a special enrollment period that allows you to change or get new health insurance coverage. The 3 easiest qualifying events to use are: Involuntary loss of Minimum Essential Coverage New resident of California due to permanent move, or a resident moving to a location where newRead More →

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In: Enrollment Periods, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Information
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cigna health insurance california 2015

  In 2013, Cigna Health Insurance enabled you to sign up for their non-Obamacare plans and avoid having to sign up for a Health Care Reform health insurance plan until 2015. This was a great strategy to keep your health insurance costs lower in 2014. Unfortunately, we are nearing the end of 2014, and your Cigna health insurance plan is ending December 31. Here’s the best alternative health plans to replace your Cigna coverage. Where do you go to get answers? How do you make the decision? Which is the right plan for you? The answer to those questions are based on three specific things.Read More →

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Open Enrollment In California Lasts until Feb 15 2015

As most of you are probably aware, this year the California open enrollment period started on November 15th, and to get a January 1st start date, the deadline was December 15th, or yesterday. Well, not a whole lot of surprise, but Covered California announced yesterday that they were going to extend the deadline from December 15th out to December 21st. So for everybody that was a little bit late, or couldn’t quite get to it by the 15th, there’s a little bit more time. However, the caveat to that is the only way to sign up now and get a January 1st start for yourRead More →

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Anthem Blue Cross logo - Open Enrollment 2015

By now, you’ve received your letters from Anthem Blue Cross telling you what your 2015 rates are going to be. Depending on your experience this year, and the rate change you got, you may be asking yourself, “is there a better plan for me?” We’ll show you what steps to take to make sure you get through the California open enrollment period with the least amount of hassle. As a starting point, some of the information in the letters was incorrect. The subsidy income qualification levels should have been, “modified adjusted gross income of $16,105 to $46,680 or $32,913 to $95,400 for a family ofRead More →

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Don't Be Puzzled By The 2015 Open Enrollment Period

The next open enrollment period begins on November 15th and ends on February 15th, 2015. During this period you can choose to stay on your current plan, move to another plan, or enroll in health insurance for the first time. For the 2015 Open Enrollment Period in California there are many changes taking place, and you need to be aware of the following: Changes to health plans. a. Health plan benefit changes. b. Standardization of all health plan names. c. Health plans that are going away. d. Rate Changes. Timeline for open enrollment changes. Covered California renewal process. a. Required income verification authorization. b. RequiredRead More →

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In: Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Health Care Reform, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, Sharp Health Plan
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There are a great number of people that believe they can sign up for health insurance whenever they need to because of health care reform. Polls have shown that 55% of Americans don’t know that the open enrollment period ends on March 31st. Media outlets (aka newspapers, and magazine sites) are not helping, and are sometimes a source of horrible mis-information. There are only a few qualifying events that will allow you to get health insurance after open enrollment. We’ll show you what those are, and how you can make use of them to sign up for coverage. You Can’t Enroll To Get Health InsuranceRead More →

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In: Health Care Reform
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