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DENTAL AND VISION
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essential health plans
BASIC HEALTH/UNDER 65 YEARS OLD
Health insurance is coverage that pays for surgical and medical expenses incurred by an insured individual. With health insurance coverage, you can receive reimbursement for any expenses incurred due to an injury or illness, or the insurance provider can pay the doctor or hospital directly.
Sometimes, health insurance is included by your employer in a benefit’s package. This helps to encourage employees to work for a certain company because the premiums are partially covered by the employer.
Today, selecting a health insurance plan can be confusing. That is because of all the rules and regulations related to in- and out-of-network services, co-pays, deductibles, and more. Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, insurance companies were unable to deny medical coverage to a person with any type of preexisting conditions and allows children to remain covered on their parent’s plan until the age of 26.
There are also public health insurance plans, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP and Medicare. These provide coverage for children and older individuals. Medicare can also provide coverage for people with certain disabilities.
With the prevalence of COVID-19, digital health has become more popular and some insurance providers are offering coverage for Telehealth visits for their members. Some of the health insurance providers that may cover virtual health services include Delta, National General, United, BlueCross Blue Shield, Humana, Cigna, Aetna, and others.
MEDICARE/OVER 65 YEARS OLD
Medicare is a specialty type of health insurance coverage designed for older individuals. If someone is over 65 (or if they are turning 65 in the upcoming three months) and not receiving benefits from Social Security, you must sign up for Medicare Part A, which is hospital insurance along with Part B, which is medical insurance. It is important to note that you will not receive Medicare automatically.
If you currently receive benefits from Social Security, you will receive Medicare Part A and Part B automatically when you become eligible. In this situation you do not have to sign up for the coverage. Instead, Medicare will provide you with a “Welcome to Medicare” packet about three months before you reach your 65th birthday.
You can receive Medicare in different ways, and you will receive information to help you decide what you need. You can choose Original Medicare, which includes Part A and B and you have the option to join the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, which is Part D, separately. This helps to cover the out-of-pocket costs, such as the 20% copay that is required. You also have the option to purchase supplemental coverage, such as Medigap.
Another option is Medicare Advantage, which is essentially an “all in one” option that include Part A, Part B, and in some cases, Part D.
DENTAL AND VISION
There are several types of dental and vision insurance plans available. Some providers off this with a larger health insurance plan, while others require you to purchase this separately. When you begin shopping for dental or vision insurance, there are a few things to consider first:
There are some dental and vision insurance plans that provide coverage for certain types of treatment, such as glaucoma or orthodontic treatment. When selecting a plan make sure to consider the type of treatment that you will need in the near or longer future to be sure you will have coverage needed, regardless of your current state of oral or eye health.
Health insurance is coverage that pays for surgical and medical expenses incurred by an insured individual. With health insurance coverage, you can receive reimbursement for any expenses incurred due to an injury or illness, or the insurance provider can pay the doctor or hospital directly.
Sometimes, health insurance is included by your employer in a benefit’s package. This helps to encourage employees to work for a certain company because the premiums are partially covered by the employer.
Today, selecting a health insurance plan can be confusing. That is because of all the rules and regulations related to in- and out-of-network services, co-pays, deductibles, and more. Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, insurance companies were unable to deny medical coverage to a person with any type of preexisting conditions and allows children to remain covered on their parent’s plan until the age of 26.
There are also public health insurance plans, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP and Medicare. These provide coverage for children and older individuals. Medicare can also provide coverage for people with certain disabilities.
With the prevalence of COVID-19, digital health has become more popular and some insurance providers are offering coverage for Telehealth visits for their members. Some of the health insurance providers that may cover virtual health services include Delta, National General, United, BlueCross Blue Shield, Humana, Cigna, Aetna, and others.
MEDICARE/OVER 65 YEARS OLD
Medicare is a specialty type of health insurance coverage designed for older individuals. If someone is over 65 (or if they are turning 65 in the upcoming three months) and not receiving benefits from Social Security, you must sign up for Medicare Part A, which is hospital insurance along with Part B, which is medical insurance. It is important to note that you will not receive Medicare automatically.
If you currently receive benefits from Social Security, you will receive Medicare Part A and Part B automatically when you become eligible. In this situation you do not have to sign up for the coverage. Instead, Medicare will provide you with a “Welcome to Medicare” packet about three months before you reach your 65th birthday.
You can receive Medicare in different ways, and you will receive information to help you decide what you need. You can choose Original Medicare, which includes Part A and B and you have the option to join the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, which is Part D, separately. This helps to cover the out-of-pocket costs, such as the 20% copay that is required. You also have the option to purchase supplemental coverage, such as Medigap.
Another option is Medicare Advantage, which is essentially an “all in one” option that include Part A, Part B, and in some cases, Part D.
DENTAL AND VISION
There are several types of dental and vision insurance plans available. Some providers off this with a larger health insurance plan, while others require you to purchase this separately. When you begin shopping for dental or vision insurance, there are a few things to consider first:
- Is there coinsurance or a deductible?
- Do you have to select a primary care dentist?
- Do you have to see a dentist in a certain network to receive coverage?
There are some dental and vision insurance plans that provide coverage for certain types of treatment, such as glaucoma or orthodontic treatment. When selecting a plan make sure to consider the type of treatment that you will need in the near or longer future to be sure you will have coverage needed, regardless of your current state of oral or eye health.
LIFE
Life insurance is a coverage type that creates a contract between you (the policyholder) and the insurer, where the insurer provides a guarantee of payment of a death benefit to certain named beneficiaries when the insured individual dies. This death benefit is promised in exchange for the premiums that have been paid over time by the policy holder.
To ensure the contract is enforceable, the application for life insurance must disclose the insured individual’s current and past health issues or any high-risk activities they participate in. To keep the life insurance in place, the policyholder is required to pay a premium upfront or regular premium over a specified amount of time.
A term life insurance policy will expire after a certain number of years. A whole life or permanent life insurance policy will remain active and in place until the insured individual dies, until they stop paying premiums, or surrenders the life insurance policy they have purchased.
Remember, life insurance policies are only as good as the financial strength of the company that provides it, so do your research to find a company with a long and reputable history.
HOME AND AUTO
Selecting home and auto insurance can seem like a complex task, at first; however, finding the right policies can ensure you are fully protected and that you can afford the coverage you have selected. If you have a mortgage on your home, the lender will likely require homeowner’s insurance. There are some lenders who build insurance coverage into your loan; however, you have the right to shop around for a better rate, if needed.
Auto insurance is required for any vehicle owner. The minimal requirements for auto insurance coverage are determined by the state, and these often change from one year to the next. It is a good idea to use the same provider for home and auto insurance, as they will provide bundled deals for the coverage you need. Some of the insurance providers that offer this include Ohio National, Mutual of Omaha, MetLife, eHealth, and others.
Finding the right coverage requires you to consider several factors including the value of your home and auto, the monthly payment you want, and the deductible amount you want to have. When selecting insurance coverage, working with a professional company or provider will help you find a solution that suits your needs.
SMALL GROUP
A small group health insurance policy is a type of medical insurance that is designed for businesses with 50 or fewer employees. In four states, these policies are for businesses that have as much as 100 employees.
Any small group plan that has been in place since January of 2014 are compliant with the regulations of the Affordable care Act’s health coverage requirements. An insurer cannot use a group’s medical history to set the premiums for any ACA-compliant small group plans, and the premiums for senior or older employees cannot be over three times more than what is charged to younger employees.
A business can purchase the small-group plan directly from an insurance company, through a private exchange, from the state’s SHOP examine, or through a broker. Purchasing a SHOP plan may result in the buyer being qualified to receive the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Finding the right coverage and policy for your small group depends on your needs, your employees needs, and the budget that you have put aside for this coverage. Understanding what the requirements are is the best way to ensure the desired results are achieved and that you get the coverage that you and your employees need.
Life insurance is a coverage type that creates a contract between you (the policyholder) and the insurer, where the insurer provides a guarantee of payment of a death benefit to certain named beneficiaries when the insured individual dies. This death benefit is promised in exchange for the premiums that have been paid over time by the policy holder.
To ensure the contract is enforceable, the application for life insurance must disclose the insured individual’s current and past health issues or any high-risk activities they participate in. To keep the life insurance in place, the policyholder is required to pay a premium upfront or regular premium over a specified amount of time.
A term life insurance policy will expire after a certain number of years. A whole life or permanent life insurance policy will remain active and in place until the insured individual dies, until they stop paying premiums, or surrenders the life insurance policy they have purchased.
Remember, life insurance policies are only as good as the financial strength of the company that provides it, so do your research to find a company with a long and reputable history.
HOME AND AUTO
Selecting home and auto insurance can seem like a complex task, at first; however, finding the right policies can ensure you are fully protected and that you can afford the coverage you have selected. If you have a mortgage on your home, the lender will likely require homeowner’s insurance. There are some lenders who build insurance coverage into your loan; however, you have the right to shop around for a better rate, if needed.
Auto insurance is required for any vehicle owner. The minimal requirements for auto insurance coverage are determined by the state, and these often change from one year to the next. It is a good idea to use the same provider for home and auto insurance, as they will provide bundled deals for the coverage you need. Some of the insurance providers that offer this include Ohio National, Mutual of Omaha, MetLife, eHealth, and others.
Finding the right coverage requires you to consider several factors including the value of your home and auto, the monthly payment you want, and the deductible amount you want to have. When selecting insurance coverage, working with a professional company or provider will help you find a solution that suits your needs.
SMALL GROUP
A small group health insurance policy is a type of medical insurance that is designed for businesses with 50 or fewer employees. In four states, these policies are for businesses that have as much as 100 employees.
Any small group plan that has been in place since January of 2014 are compliant with the regulations of the Affordable care Act’s health coverage requirements. An insurer cannot use a group’s medical history to set the premiums for any ACA-compliant small group plans, and the premiums for senior or older employees cannot be over three times more than what is charged to younger employees.
A business can purchase the small-group plan directly from an insurance company, through a private exchange, from the state’s SHOP examine, or through a broker. Purchasing a SHOP plan may result in the buyer being qualified to receive the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Finding the right coverage and policy for your small group depends on your needs, your employees needs, and the budget that you have put aside for this coverage. Understanding what the requirements are is the best way to ensure the desired results are achieved and that you get the coverage that you and your employees need.
312-287-9144
1636 North Bissell St, Chicago, IL 60614
Serving Chicago, Chicagoland, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Southwest Suburbs, Western Suburbs, Northwest Indiana, and nearby cities and towns