Blog - Page 2 of 27 - Alison Gordon Insurance Services

PPO, HMO, or EPO? What’s in a name?!

September 2, 2021

What’s with the alphabet soup? What’s it all mean? How will it inform your choices? Understanding the differences is essential to understanding health insurance. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) Say your toe hurts and you’re on an HMO. Where do you go first, the podiatrist? WRONG! With an HMO, you must get prior approval and referral to a specialist from your PCP (Primary Care Physician.) And there are NO out-of-network benefits ever, except for emergencies. HMOs are a way for the insurance company

Do you really need life insurance?

August 26, 2021

Is anyone dependent on your income, like a family member or creditor (like a mortgage lender or business loan)? No? You don’t need life insurance! Yes? I suggest you talk to a trusted insurance agent — aka EXPERT! — for recommendations. Do you want to protect your people for a set period of years, like until the kids are launched, or the mortgage is paid off? Yes? Then all you need is a Term Life policy, for 10-20-30-not forever years. (Term

Exactly what IS Long Term Care insurance and why should I care about it?

August 19, 2021

Like life insurance, LTC insurance gives you and your family choices (not expenses) when you need them the most. And here’s a super-simple cartoon shared by our LTC colleague Steve Cain of LTCI Partners. Easy to read, and a little entertaining too! It doesn’t even matter how old you are, at some point you’re probably going to need the financial safety net of LTC insurance. Protect your money! Protect your family! THIS is the way, for sure. Just remember, there’s no

Is it possible to exercise your depression away?

August 12, 2021

Can exercise and depression go hand-in-hand? The Insurance Mom exercises six days a week, including some cardio, strength training and definitely Pilates! How often do YOU exercise? I know, I know, getting started is the hardest part. In the US, exercise is not counted as an initial form of treatment for depression. Nope, here in the US we go for prescriptions and therapy as the first go-to options. I get it, for some people this is the way to go. But

Medical Identity Theft

August 4, 2021

What is medical identity theft? Sounds scary, right?! It is!!! Medical identity theft is when your important info is used by someone else to get health insurance, health care services or procedures… YIKES! The Insurance Mom knows you’re one of a kind. BUT the bad guys can steal your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and sell it or use it to impersonate you. So what can you do to protect your precious self? Follow these simple Mom-Approved steps: Secure your medical insurance

A new COVID ‘stimulus check’ on the way?

May 5, 2021

More COVID $$$$ could be yours… Rebates from your health insurance company! Goodie for you! For more information on how, why, and when you might get these rebates:

Freelancers & Independent Contractors! A new CA law could HURT your status!

October 15, 2018

If you’re a FREELANCER in CA (aka INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS) — read all of this to protect your $$$ ! The Insurance Mom wants to make you aware of a recent CA Supreme Court ruling. It could really HURT you as a FREELANCER. If you HIRE freelancers, this new state law could hurt you as a business owner. WATCH OUT! For more information or to sign-up and have YOUR voice heard please visit I’m Independent to protect your rights as freelancers

Hey, CALIFORNIA… here’s info about your INDIVIDUAL health insurance for 2019

September 26, 2018

READ ME… ALL OF ME!! It’s time to talk about individual HEALTH INSURANCE for 2019 — OPEN ENROLLMENT is starting 10/15/18 Information is starting to roll in. BUT we’re still waiting for the FINAL RATES. What we know so far: There WILL BE rate increases — no, I don’t know how much yet There are NO new/better options in 2019 There will NOT be any better networks or drug formularies Blue Shield will NOT continue the BlueCard program when you’re

5 Tips From Your Insurance Broker!

September 6, 2018

Here are 5 tips from The Insurance Mom about Health Insurance you know only if you have an insurance broker — Read On! You can’t just get individual health insurance any old time. Enroll only during Open Enrollment! The next one is November for coverage starting January 1st. If you have coverage at work, you have to wait until your employer’s open enrollment period. Pay your individual insurance bill within 30 days or you’ll lose the insurance (oh no!). You’re

Allowed Amount

August 7, 2018

This is the most an IN-network provider can charge you for health care services. AKA “eligible expense.” AKA “negotiated rate.” An IN-network provider is not allowed to charge more than the insurance company’s Allowed Amount.