If you have recently lost your job or have children that are unemployed or in college, there are new options available under the Affordable Care Act. If you have a pre-existing condition that has prevented you from purchasing affordable health insurance, the Affordable Care Act may provide you with new options. If you are a small business trying to find more affordable care for you or your employees, the Affordable Care Act may help. In addition, if you are uninsured, there are resources in the community that may be able to provide primary care at a lower cost. Finally, if you are on Medicare, be aware that there is a new time frame for the open enrollment period for Medicare supplemental coverage.
Parents with Children
Under the Affordable Care Act, if you have a child with a pre-existing condition, that child can no longer be denied coverage. This should help the parents of the approximately 960,000 children in Florida with pre-existing conditions to obtain health care coverage. In addition, a young adult can stay under their parents’ health care coverage until the age of 26–regardless of whether they are in school or not. This is anticipated to bring health insurance to at least 78,000 young people in Florida. Click here to find out more information. If you are having any problem getting your insurance company to comply with these provisions, please contact Jessica Graham in my office at (407) 893-3084 and we will help you work with the Office of Insurance Regulation to bring your provider into compliance with the new law.
Adults with Pre-Existing Conditions
If you have had trouble obtaining health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, you are now eligible to enroll in a new health insurance plan made available for adults with pre-existing conditions through the Affordable Care Act. If you have been uninsured for at least six months and are aged 35-44, you may be able to get coverage for yourself for as little as $211 per month ($270 for 44-54; $376 for 55+). For more information on eligibility and coverage click here.
Small Business Trying to Find Coverage for Yourself or Employees
If you are a small business or charitable organization trying to provide health insurance to your employees, the Affordable Care Act offers significant tax credits to offset the cost of coverage. Depending on the number of employees you have and the average wages, you may be eligible for a tax credit up to 35% of the total premium costs (this will jump to 50% on January 1, 2014). For more information from the IRS, click here.
Uninsured and Need to See a Doctor
The Community Health Centers of Central Florida provide primary care and preventive medical and dental services at 10 locations throughout Central Florida. Although they accept Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance, they offer a reduced sliding fee schedule based on a person’s income and family size–nearly 44% of their patients last year were uninsured. This is an incredible resource for you and your family if you are unemployed and need to see a doctor. These centers can help you avoid waiting until the problem may require an emergency room visit at a much higher cost.
Medicare Enrollment
The Medicare open enrollment has changed this year. It is now October 15th through December 7th. It is important to look at your options and act early if you need to enroll or change your Medicare coverage. There are literally hundred of options to choose from. Preferred Marketing Consultants, a local business located in downtown Orlando (Thornton Park) can help you make these decisions. Or you can visit www.orlandoboomers.com to find out about all the Medicare options available to you.
