Carney-Cargill, Inc.

How to assess a University policy for your child

CarneyCargill — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:07:49 +0000

Many of our clients ask us to review health insurance policies for their children that are offered by colleges and universities for their student bodies. Most centers of higher education now require health coverage for students, and in many cases offer attractively priced health insurance products.

We would like to caution parents to carefully review any new health coverage and compare and contrast it with the current coverage you have for your child through your family/group policy. Please remember that because of Federal mandates you are now able to retain your child on your family’s policy until they reach the age of 26.

As an example, a state college is offering this as their coverage.

One of the major gaps from page 6:

“Maximum Aggregate Benefit Per Policy Years(All Conditions)*
Students: $200,000”

Your family plan has an unlimited lifetime maximum and up to $2 million a year per person – 10 times better than the college plan.

Prescription Drug Overhaul

CarneyCargill — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:47:12 +0000

A new law was passed recently that will restructure how prescription drugs are covered for individual plans in WA state. These changes will go in affect on Aug 1,2012. You can read more about them here.

KPS Individual Health Insurance Closes

CarneyCargill — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 19:42:20 +0000

All KPS Individual Health Insurance plans are now closed for new sale and all current plans will be cancelled as of June 30, 2012. If you are in this position, please give our office a call and we would be happy to assist you. The Washington State Insurance Comissioner has worked to protect your insurability and there are many options available to you thanks to a new state law. Click here. for more information.

WA State Insurance Rate Increases

CarneyCargill — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:16:08 +0000

Are you interested in why your rates went up? The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commisioner now publishes all rate requests, reviews, and approvals.

If you would like to look at them, please visit the official website at:
WA State OIC

How Preventative Care ends up being billed

CarneyCargill — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:13:47 +0000

Many of our clients have questions when they go to the doctor for routine preventative care and end up being charged for the service. It is true that under the new Federal Health Care Reform your preventative care is in most cases covered at 100% but here is an article from the Seattle Times that explains why in many cases the final result is different from the expected one:
Seattle Times

New 2012 HSA Information

CarneyCargill — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:51:48 +0000

For 2012, the Health Savings Account Limits are $3,100 for an individual and $6,250 for a family.

For more information on Health Savings Account Limits and other Health Savings Account Information you can look at these recommended sites:
HSA Bank
IRS

- New Enrollment Periods for Children Under 19

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:37:53 +0000

The individual health insurance market will have two special open-enrollment periods for children this year. Parents who want to add their children to their individual health plans or buy child-only plans can do so from March 15-April 30, 2011 and from Sept. 15-Oct. 31, 2012.

This is ongoing from 2011 legislation and is WAC 284-43-985
You can read about the WAC here.

- Group plans available to 1 person businesses October 1st, 2010

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:26:59 +0000

On Oct. 1, 2010, state law will consider 1 person a “group” for insurance purposes. This means that sole proprietors, for example, will now be able to apply for group coverage.

The law includes provisions to ensure that the business is bona fide. Depending on the way the business is set up, applicants may have to:

show that the business has been their employer for at least the past 12 months,
and show that at least 75 percent of their income has come from the business or trade. (For agricultural businesses, this requirement is 51 percent.)

For more information please visit the WA State insurance commissioner’s website here.

- Do you know about the Washington State-Issued Drug Card?

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:21:06 +0000

Washington State has a free drug card available to all of its citizens that can be used for a 60% discount on generic and 20% discount on brand name drugs. Most large pharmacy chains honor the discount card, and there’s also the option of home delivery. Any Washington State resident regardless of age or income can join the Washington Prescription Drug Program – there really is no catch! Follow the link: http://www.rx.wa.gov/