The Insurance Mom, brought to you by Alison Gordon Insurance Services, Inc, CA Lic. 0780178

If you’re in California, then please sit up and pay attention ’cause this one’s for YOU!

The new federal “stealth” care reform laws specify that by 1/1/14, health insurance “exchanges” in every state must be implemented.  The exchanges will allegedly be designed as a health insurance online mall, giving consumers better tools to compare and buy individual health insurance plans.…

Some politicians would like to drive health insurance brokers out of business and replace them with distant government bureaucrats or, even worse, off shore customer (dis)service reps.   These critics claim that removing agents from the plan-choosing process would trim the administrative costs of insurance without significantly impacting ordinary consumers.   They’re wrong, wrong, wrong!

Although there is great deal…

“They” say that today, September 23, 2010, is a milestone in health care reform, or as I’ve affectionately been calling it, Stealth Care Reform.   Some of the new federal mandates go into effect today, but will affect only some of you:

1.   Removal of pre-existing condition exclusions for minors up to age 19.  But, the law does NOT state that…

The Insurance Mom loves her colleagues around the country… they are a very smart bunch!  Especially Ric Joyner, a benefits specialist in Madison, WI, who writes an excellent benefits blog.      If you value your hard-earned money, I really want you to take a few moments to read how health care reform will impact your life and your money.

The…

Please… sit up straight and pay attention class, elbows off the desks.   If you currently have an individual (not group) California health insurance plan with either Anthem Blue Cross OR Blue Shield, prepare for rate hikes heading our way October 1, 2010.

The rate hikes range from 14% to 20% with Anthem Blue Cross, and 19% to 29% for Blue…

ObamaCare — aka Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act — aka PPACA — aka PeePeeCaCa — is about to launch the first round of big changes in health insurance plans in every state, every insurance company, every plan, every one.

No later than 9/23/10, there can be no lifetime limits on health plan coverage.  This will apply to new policies…

Want more take-home money in your paycheck?  Of course you do!   If you’re an employee (not an independent contractor) and are looking for ways to have more $$$$ in your checking account, then this article is for you.

Eva Rosenberg, aka TaxMama, has some great advice… it’s even easy to follow!   The Insurance Mom wants you to fight for your…

So you thought the new Health Care Reform law was on your side, didn’t you?  Ha.  Not so much.   There is nothing in the new law that will stop these unintended (but predictable) consequences.

A provision of the new “stealth” care reform law says that insurance companies must issue health insurance to children, regardless of their health status or history. …

The Insurance Mom wants you to stay pro-active about your preventive care (aka annual check-ups).    Besides keeping some yummy chicken soup handy, having annual check-ups will keep you well-informed about your lifestyle and future health care choices.

Something sort of good has actually been included in the federal government’s “stealth” care reform bill.    As of September 23, 2010, insurance companies…

In March of 2010, Congress passed and President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act—the new health law.  The law creates a new program – the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan — to make health coverage available to you if you have been denied health insurance by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition.

A couple of weeks ago, the government…