Hometown Benefits Group » Springfield Health Insurance

Is Health Reform Actually Working?

Hometown Benefits Group — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:41:04 +0000

The quick answer to that is no, but let’s explain why. On Sept 23rd children can no longer be declined due to pre-existing conditions. Sounds good right! Here is the catch health insurance companies are no longer offering child only policies so to get your children covered a parent would have to be on the plan. Another thing is that children can’t be declined, but they can be rated up so even if you could get a pre-existing condition covered, you may not be able to afford the premium. Another thing implemented on the 23rd was preventative health being paid at 100%. This is a good part of the bill, but the problem is most insurance companies were paying for most of this anyway, and the stuff they were not covering means a higher premium to cover these. No one is coming out ahead due to this Health Bill. The premiums are going up to help offset some of the new items. In my opinion the bill was pushed through for a party victory without much thought process involved. I believe that health reform needs to be done, but done the right way.

Health Insurance: Product Enhancements and Rate Decreases

Hometown Benefits Group — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:35:09 +0000

Celtic Insurance offers health insurance for individuals meeting a wide variety of options designed around your needs: affordable rates, flexible plan options, low copays, Rx drug coverage and more. We recently received word that, effective July 1st, 2010, Celtic Insurance will be taking a 10% rate decrease in Missouri and their enhanced set of individual products.

If you are searching for affordable health insurance coverage in Missouri for you or your family, talk to us about Celtic Insurance.

Saving Money On Health Insurance In Missouri

Hometown Benefits Group — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:32:37 +0000

Saving money on health insurance in Missouri means finding a more affordable rate with a policy that still matches your personal coverage needs. Often times this requires more information than any one health insurance company can provide. Reviewing quotes from several health insurance companies is an important part of finding quality, affordable coverage. We work with many of the top insurance companies in the state offering a wide variety of Missouri health insurance plans.

If you would like more information regarding your coverage options, please call or request a quote online.

What is an HSA?

Hometown Benefits Group — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:17:37 +0000

A health savings account (HSA) is a tax exempt trust or custodial account established exclusively for the purpose of paying qualified medical expenses for beneficiaries covered under a qualifed high deductible health plan (HDHP). With an HSA, you can pay for current and future eligible medical, dental and vision expenses.

You own and control the funds in your HSA. Money you contribute to your HSA is federally tax deductible, whether or not you itemize deductions (see HSA FAQ page for discussion of limits on contributions). Your funds can be conveniently accessed by a debit card to pay medical expenses. An HSA is similar to an IRA; however, HSAs are specifically dedicated to medical expenses.

In order to open an HSA, you must be covered by a qualified high deductible health plan (HDHP), not also be covered by any other health plan that is not a high deductible health plan (with certain exceptions for certain types of permitted coverage, as discussed more fully on the FAQs page), not be enrolled in Medicare, and not be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. An HDHP costs less than traditional health care plans due to the higher deductible, so the money saved on monthly premiums can be added to your HSA. HDHPs are available to individuals under age 65, families and employer groups of all sizes.

In 2009, an HDHP consists of an annual deductible of at least $1,150 for an individual and $2,300 for a family. In addition, the out-of-pocket maximum limit, including deductibles, is $5,800 for an individual and $11,600 for a family. In the case of a family plan, the HDHP may not start paying for any individual until the $2,300 family deductible is satisfied. Please be aware that not all plans with high deductibles qualify you to open an HSA. The policy must meet the specific HSA design specified by the U.S. Congress.

Health and Travel Insurance

Hometown Benefits Group — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:17:06 +0000

Going on vacations can be fun and exciting, however sometimes accidents or illness do occur. Knowing how to get the most out of your insurance when you are away from home can save you thousands of dollars. Below are some tips to get the most our of your health insurance when you travel.

1. Check the hospitals and urgent care centers of the places that you are going. When you are away from home you many tend to panic because you are in a unfamiliar place, so knowing where you can go ahead of time can save you the panic and money.

2. Call your agent. If it’s not an emergency situation then call your agent, and they can look where you need to go. Hometown Benefits Group will always be there to help. If your agent is on another line, then call the main office at 471-831-1566.

3. Call the number on the back of your insurance card. Your insurance company will direct you where to go so you can stay in network.

4. Don’t panic. The most important thing is getting help at a medical facility. Remember we are here to help no matter where your ventures may take you.

Getting The Most Out of Your Health Insurance Policy

Hometown Benefits Group — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:39:36 +0000

Here are helpful hints and tips to help you get the most out of your policy.

Understand your personal policy. Every policy is different, so make sure you understand where you
should go, what is covered, and what is not. If you are unclear about anything call your agent before you go to the doctor or hospital. This will help you in the long run.
Stay in network whenever possible. Many people have called and don’t know why a claim was not covered. Many times it was due to being out of network. If you don’t know where you can go, then call your agent. If you travel outside the state and get hurt, call your agent so they can direct you to the right place. If you can’t get a hold of your agent and it’s an emergency, call 417-831-1566 or 417-862-3322.
Don’t go to the emergency room if at all possible. Sometimes it is a must, but if you can go to your regular doctor or even urgent care, then exhaust those two options first. The emergency room is very expensive, and most claims can be cut in half, if not more, by going to a regular doctor or urgent care center.
Always file your insurance whether you have a co-pay or not. Whenever you can file your insurance, even if that procedure is not covered, or whatever the case may be, you need to file your insurance because most of the time you will get a 30% discount through the network.
Don’t just pay your claims before really diving in. This is where we come in. Most incorrect claims are due to the doctor or hospital sending in the wrong codes to the insurance companies. If a claim doesn’t look correct, then contact your agent so we can see what is going on. Most of the time it’s an easy fix. Insurance companies only read and see codes sent from your providers, and sometimes those codes are not coded correctly.