Don’t miss the window to enroll any child under 19 with NO UNDERWRITING!

From January 1^st to March 1^st 2011, any child under 19 years of age can be enrolled for health insurance and is not subject to underwriting!  After 3/1/11 you will have to wait for your child’s birthday month in order to enroll.  Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this opportunity!

2011 Health Care Reform: Guarantee Issue on Children Under 19

Both Shield and Cross have rolled out their "Child Only Health Plans" for 2011:

From Blue Shield of California (1/4/11):

“If you need health coverage for your child(ren) under the age of 19, Blue Shield offers two plans to choose from: Shield Spectrum PPO 5000 and Shield Spectrum PPO 5500.”

“In compliance with the Affordable Health Care Act as supplemented by California law, there is an initial open enrollment period from January 1, 2011 through March 1, 2011 in which you can enroll your child on a guaranteed-acceptance basis. The other open enrollment period is a child’s birth month.”

From Anthem Blue Cross (12/30/10):

“Pursuant to 2010 California Assembly Bill 2244, Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are offering an open enrollment period for children under the age of 19 from January 1, 2011 through March 1, 2011. During this period we will not decline coverage or impose exclusion for pre-existing applicants. We may rate-up for some medical conditions. Information on additional enrollment periods after March 1 will be communicated as the detail become available.”

Initial 12-Month Rate Guarantee (From ANTHEM BLUE CROSS)

From Anthem Blue Cross December 2010:

Initial 12-Month Rate Guarantee (For IFP ONLY!)

12-month (new business) rate guarantee on and after 3/1/2010.

Anthem will also honor the rate guarantee for any members still in their initial 12 months of coverage on and after 3/1/2010. Following the initial 12-month rate guarantee, although they will continue to adjust rates every 12 months, they may adjust more frequently.

Looks like a good time to sign with Anthem!

Individual and Family plans for 2011

Currently, Blue Shield is writing coverage for both 2010 and 2011; Anthem Blue Cross and Health Net are waiting for their plans to be approved by the Department of Insurance due to changes with the Healthcare Reform and will be writing for the first of the year.  We will keep you posted as to when the plans become available.

FYI: The Affordable Care Act - Implementation Timeline

 http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/timeline

Small Business Tax Credit!

Did you know that with the 2010 Health Care Reform, businesses with less than 25 employees with annual wages of $40,000 that contribute more than 50% towards the cost of health coverage may be eligible for a small business tax credit?

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