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Health Insurance Premiums Expected to Rise

Inflation has been on the rise for some time now, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be slowing down anytime soon. The rising costs of gas and groceries have been tough on many Americans, and as if that wasn’t enough, health insurance premiums are now expected to increase, as well. The reasons for the increase include the effects of the pandemic, shrinking tax credits, prices set by drug manufacturers, and other health care costs. And unless Congress extends the expanded subsidies for Marketplace coverage, premiums could increase by 50% for some. Don’t panic yet, though: there are ways that you can save.

Tax Credits Disappearing

stopwatch approaching the word deadline — *The American Rescue Plan Act was approved for only 2 years, which means tax credits are coming to an end next year.*

The American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law in March 2021, allowed Americans earning any amount of money to enjoy tax credits or premium subsidies, and also capped the amount that anyone pays for premiums at 8.5% of their income. Unfortunately, though, Congress put a two-year limit on these provisions, and at the end of this time, premiums are set to rise by more than 50% on average for people getting health coverage through a Marketplace plan.

“The default is that the expanded subsidies will expire at the end of this year,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation and director of its Affordable Care Act program. “On average, premiums would go up more than 50%, but for some, it will be more.”

And if Congress does not extend the expanded tax credits, only people with household incomes of 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level will qualify for subsidies.

Increases in Drug Prices

What’s making the problem worse is that the prices of new drugs in the U.S. have climbed for more than a decade. According to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the launch prices of new brand-name drugs increased by nearly 11% every year from 2008 through 2021.

Eric Linzer, President and CEO of the NY Health Plan Association, says state legislatures are also contributing to higher premium costs, specifically with bills that prohibit any kind of change in health plan formularies (or the list of prescription drugs covered by insurance plans). For example, Bill S.4111/A.4668 would prohibit health insurance plans from making mid-year pharmacy formulary changes, resulting in higher health insurance premiums and exacerbating the increasing cost of drugs. graph going upwards with a green arrow

In addition, several states have passed legislation that prohibits the use of copay accumulator adjustment programs (CAAP), or accumulator adjustment programs. These programs seek to reverse the impact of manufacturer cost-sharing assistance for prescription drugs by not counting the manufacturer assistance amount towards a patient’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximums. If the co-pay assistance is not counted against the patient’s deductibles and coinsurance amounts, it will drive up the patient’s health care costs overall.

“If we’re going to get those costs under control and make premiums more affordable for individuals and employers it’s important that policymakers look at what the underlying costs are. 82% or more of the premium dollar goes to pay for doctors visits, hospital stays, prescription drug costs,” said Linzer.

Find Affordable Health Insurance

Even though health insurance costs are rising, it doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable plan that provides the coverage you need. And remember, it’s always better to get a plan before an accident happens, or a chronic condition develops or worsens.

EZ provides you with easy, instant, accurate quotes with no strings attached. Your own personal advisor will provide you with instant quotes and a comparison of all the other top plans available. Not only will you save time and money, but you also won’t have to pay us a cent for our services. We have the technology and network to cut hours of time spent comparing plans down to seconds. When you visit our site, you’ll leave with complete details and comparisons from dozens of plans available to you. These come from our team of experts, who filter all insurance plans to find the most suitable to your health needs and budget.

Don’t waste any more time missing out on savings! To get your instant quotes, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to an agent, call 888-350-1890.

Short-Term Health Insurance VS Major Medical Health Insurance

When it comes to determining if a short-term health insurance plan or a major medical health insurance is best for you, there are many factors you must consider. Two of the main things to consider are how long you want coverage and what you want to be covered. Short-term plans aid people when a catastrophic issue arises, such as a sudden injury or illness. With short-term health insurance, you can choose how long you need coverage, and what price you want to pay. Major medical health insurance provides more comprehensive care than short term insurance. Major medical plans include things such as preventative care and wellness checks. Unlike short term plans major medical plans lasts longer than a year and are usually more expensive.

Short-Term Health Insurance

The purpose of a short-term plan is to cover medical and travel expenses from 3 – 12 months. These health insurance plans are also called travel insurance plans because if you are traveling outside of the US, short-term plans will offer you basic coverage for a limited time.

Short-term plans are a more flexible option for people looking for coverage for no longer than a year. Short-term plans, unlike regular health insurance plans, are charged a daily rate which lets you buy a plan for the time you need, whether it be a month or more. The plan can go into affect anywhere from the day after applying to 14 days later. These insurance plans are generally nonrenewable, but you can reapply if needed with some restrictions.

Short-term plans are usually up to 50% cheaper than long-term plans. Savings vary by person, for example, a man who does not smoke can purchase the cheapest short-term plan for $110 a month, while the cheapest long-term plan will cost him about $270 a month. The savings are even more significant if you are under the age of 30 and plan on traveling out of the United States. People under the age of 30 can get short term health insurance plans for as low as $38 a month.

These plans are less expensive and much easier to obtain. The application does not require a medical exam and only asks a handful of yes or no health questions in order to get approved. Short term health insurance plans, unlike normal health insurance plans, also offer plans for older customers. You can apply for a plan up to the age of 89, while normal health insurance plans are not offered after age 75.

Pros & Cons of short term health insurance

Who Should Apply For Short Term Health Plans

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, short-term policy utilization has increased from 108,000 people in 2013 to 148,000 people in 2015. Short-term plans have been gaining popularity among those who need coverage but cannot afford long-term health insurance. It is ideal for anyone who waited too long to purchase long-term and missed the open enrollment period, young adults who can no longer be on their parents’ health plans, people in between jobs, and those that are waiting for their employer or government benefits to begin. Some people buy short-term insurance to cover the deductible period before their long-term insurance starts paying. Others purchase these plans to fill in the gaps of Medicare coverage.

Major Medical Health Insurance

Major medical insurance is a long-term plan that offers more comprehensive coverage. These plans help manage day to day expenses and are convenient for those that require routine medical work , such as medication, lab work, and inpatient and outpatient services. Major medical health insurance complies with the ACA requirements which means it provides the ten essential health benefits. These ten essential benefits are: ambulatory patient services, prescription drugs, emergency care, mental health services, hospitalization, rehabilitative services, preventative and wellness services, laboratory services, pediatric care, and maternity and newborn care. However, most health insurance plans do not cover dental, vision and hearing, so you must purchase a separate plan for any of these forms of coverage.

Major medical policies offer peace of mind in knowing that you are covered in case of emergency or future conditions. These plans allow you to choose your own policy and deductible, but require you to answer health questions and conduct a medical exam to determine if you are qualified for benefits. Your policy rates depend on your age, gender, marital status, and the amount of coverage you desire. As of January 1, 2014, people who purchase major medical plans cannot be turned down or have rates raised due to pre-existing conditions.

Unlike short-term health insurance plans, major medical plans offer more extensive coverage and you will not be issued a tax penalty because it abides by ACA guidelines. These plans can be renewed annually unlike short-term plans which only last up to a year. You must enroll during open enrollment which is from November 1st to December 15 this year. If you miss open enrollment, then you will have to wait until the next enrollment period, unless you qualify for special enrollment. These special circumstances are when you adopt or have a child, get married, lose coverage from an employer, or move outside network area. If you attempt to purchase a plan outside of open enrollment, it will cost you a lot more.

Major Medical Health Insurance Pros & Cons

Who Should Apply For A Major Medical Health Plan

Major medical insurance is important to have for everyday health coverage, for both an individual or a family. It helps people whose employer or spouse’s employer does not offer health insurance. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, this plan is your best option because it will cover your medical expenses and the newborn is generally put on the plan automatically. Short term health plans do not offer any type of coverage for pregnancy expenses. When you are over 26 years old and are no longer on your parent’s plan, then a major medical plan is best if you are looking for preventative care and wellness checks.

If you need help comparing different types of health insurance plans EZ.Insure will help you. We will connect you with a highly trained agent that will help you discover what health insurance plan is best for you. To get started, you can put your zip code in the link to the right, email us at [email protected], or give us a call at 855-400-0489.

Senate GOP Planned on Getting Rid of Healthcare Mandate, With No Success

Republicans have been working to get rid of the individual mandate from the Affordable Care Act. The reason is to not only save the government money, but to “provide more tax relief to middle class families.” However, they have failed repeatedly to get the tax reform bill passed, leaving the mandate applicable, and the penalty that follows if it is disregarded.

The individual mandate is the requirement for people to buy health insurance or pay a fine. This was intended to have people buy coverage, especially those that are healthy, in order to keep insurance costs lower for everyone. When healthy people are part of the insurance pool, it helps fund the treatment costs of sicker people.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by repealing the mandate, the government will save about $330 billion over the next ten years. The money the government would save is the money spent on insurance premiums because people would drop their insurance or opt out of having one. The Congressional Office also estimates that there will be 13 million people uninsured in the following ten years. Without the mandate, fewer people will sign up for insurance, especially healthy people. What will then happen is the costs of treatment for the sicker people would sky rocket.

There have been many arguments as to whether the mandate encourages or discourages people from buying health insurance. Republicans argue that the mandate discourages people from buying insurance that costs just as much as the penalty they would receive if not being insured. But, studies have shown that more Americans over the years have been signing up for insurance because of the law. Paying a penalty that can cost more than paying for insurance is poor financing and illogical.

Republicans claim that repealing this mandate would mainly help the middle class. “Eighty percent of the people who pay the mandate tax make less than $50,000 a year, and a third of those who pay the tax make less than $25,000 a year,” said Sen. John Thune. However, the issue is that the ones who will suffer the most are the middle class. When premiums increase even more, only those who qualify for subsidies will be able to afford coverage. People who earn too much to qualify for a subsidy, and want to buy insurance will have a hard time with medical costs, because coverage will be too expensive.

There is some support behind the mandate repeal amongst Americans, while others think it’s a bad idea after hearing that many Americans will be uninsured, causing premiums to rise. Despite the support or lack of from the American people, the mandate is here to stay and you will be penalized if uninsured.

Get Help Making Sense Of All Of This

The Senate’s continuous failed attempts prove that this reform bill will not pass, leaving the individual mandate the current law. If you do not sign up for health insurance, you will pay a penalty up anywhere from $695 to $2,085. It is important that you teach an agent to find a plan as soon as possible. EZ.Insure’s agents are highly knowledgeable about all the plans in your region. You will be assigned your very own agent that can help you compare plans and pick which is best for you and your family at an affordable price. No bouncing from agent to agent. Contact one now at [email protected]. To get an instant quote, you can enter your zip code in the bar above. Do not wait and end up having to pay a penalty that could cost more than monthly premiums.

Tag: health insurance plan

Health Insurance Premiums Expected to Rise

Tax Credits Disappearing

Increases in Drug Prices

Find Affordable Health Insurance

Short-Term Health Insurance VS Major Medical Health Insurance

Short-Term Health Insurance

Major Medical Health Insurance

Senate GOP Planned on Getting Rid of Healthcare Mandate, With No Success

Get Help Making Sense Of All Of This

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