How to Access the “Marketplace” for Health Insurance

By tfbuser on October 21, 2013 | Listed under Heathcare Reform | Leave a comment |

You might be interested in a story I heard on NPR radio about “the relevance of insurance brokers” and the new marketplace.

Also, on a related note, you may also want to check out following link “for profit online brokers gear up to sell ObamaCare“.

We think it is really important to have a real agent or broker who has access to the web tools that are necessary in today’s world to work with health insurance products. We have tools in place to help our clients and prospective clients find the right health coverage for themselves and their families. If you do not have an agent or broker and live in Texas, contact our office in Sugar Land, TX (just SW of Houston, TX).

We have the tools set up to evaluate your situation. We’ll find out if you are eligible for a subsidy or not and help you find the coverage you need on or off the government marketplace. ON is the Gov’t Marketplace where you get coverage with a subsidy.

Working with a real agent or broker does not cost more now. Not working with a real person and/or company in your area, however, could cost you more down the road.

If you do get subsidized health insurance, you need to let the marketplace and carrier know if or when your financial situation changes. That is if you get a pay raise, have a change in your household, etc. Otherwise you could have a big surprise when you file your taxes. You do not want to have to pay a refund on your subsidy for your health coverage.

Please Note: All people who get help with health insurance, called a subsidy, will have to file a tax return, even if you have not done so in the past.

Listen to this radio story and a link to a Calculator to check on your eligibility for a subsidy for health insurance.

We have listed some links to topics that will be of interest to all looking for health insurance in the new environment of the ACA. Give your agent a call for further help, or contact our office.

HealthCare.gov/glossary see “subsidized-coverage”

SEE ” how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace”

See “how-to-find-the-health-insurance-plan-that-s-right-for-you” and then call a broker or agent in your area. Again, we are located in Sugar Land, Texas.

See “how-can-i-save-money-on-marketplace-coverage“.

All private health insurance plans offered in the Marketplace will offer the same set of essential health benefits. These are the 10 services all plans must cover.

The essential health benefits must include items and services within at least the following 10 categories:

ambulatory patient services
emergency services
hospitalization
maternity and newborn care
mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
prescription drugs
rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
laboratory services
preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
and pediatric services, including oral and vision care