Health Reform Hits Main Street - Animation

Health Reform Hits Main Street - Kaiser Health Reform

Click on the Animation and it will help you understand what is gong on today and up and coming!  Call Hayley Friedman today at Chuck Huggins Insurance Services and she will help you with your specific questions!  Toll Free 1-866-685-0397.

Healthcare Reform-Implementation Timeline

Implementation Timeline - Kaiser Health Reform

John Hull's Elk Grove Sports Corner: New Tenant Coming To Former Grand Slam Location

John Hull's Elk Grove Sports Corner: New Tenant Coming To Former Grand Slam Location

Federal Judge in Virginia calls reform: "unconstitutional"

NAHU UPDATE TO AGENTS AND BROKERS:

ABC World News (12/13, story 3, 2:30, Sawyer) referred to a "major legal blow" to "the historic healthcare reform law." ABC (Tapper) noted that "the healthcare bill that...Obama signed into law in March requires that every American who can afford it buys health insurance," and on Monday "Hudson...called that requirement 'unconstitutional.' What's called an individual mandate, he said, 'exceeds the constitutional boundaries of Congressional power."
The CBS Evening News (12/13, story 4, 2:25, Crawford) reported, "The White House hailed it as a once-in-a-generation reform," but "in a 42-page ruling Monday, a Federal judge in Virginia had another word for the landmark health care legislation: unconstitutional." NBC Nightly News (12/13, story 4, 1:35, Williams) called the ruling "a pointed reminder that the battle over healthcare is far from over." NBC (P. Williams) added that "while this doesn't stop the law for now, it does tee up a mammoth legal battle to come." The judge "endorsed the claim made by conservatives and Tea Party groups nationwide, that Congress did not have the power to pass the Obama health care law. It's a victory for the state of Virginia, which argued that the heart of the law requiring everyone to buy insurance was unconstitutional."

Why Buy or Review Life Insurance?

As a life agent I assist people in making educated decisions primarily on their options in health insurance. At this time I am doing this only in the State of CA, and have been now for 15 years. In this amount of time, with my focus on health insurance I have been forced to understand the importance and significance of sharing the need for life insurance with my clients. Life insurance is not something people like to talk about, health insurance is the insurance needed to help you get better, but life insurance is final. It is to take care of the family and or business in the loss of life. Life insurance is something people put off buying. How, then I wonder does one know the perfect time to talk about and purchase life insurance. How long can one "put it off"?

This week alone in our community 3 lives have been lost and one hangs on by life support. The ages? 21, 47, and 49. The one on life support-17.

Have you ever gone to a funeral home to prepare for taking care of a loved one? I just had my first experience. The cost of the funeral home and their arrangements is talked about within 15 minutes of sitting down and talking with a consultant, or counselor. Then, you move into decisions like burial, casket, cremation, etc. Let's say you decide casket, now you must decide wood or stainless steel. Now, they show you options and the range from $595 all the way to over $15,000.00. What if you decide cremation? What Urn do you want to purchase. The picture I am painting for you is real. These are real decisions you are asked to make and they need to be made usually right then and there! There is no time to go home and think about it, if there is at most it would be a day or two. Death is final. Death doesn't announce it's timing nor does it make it easy to make these decisions. Denial, pain, numbness, these are what your family is going through, and the financial requirements for most becomes a huge burden.

What can you do and when should you do it? You can have your agent review your life insurance policies today and make sure they are sufficient and able to meet the needs of the family. You can meet with an agent TODAY who will help you determine the right policy for your needs.

You can call me! For California residents my number is toll free 1-866-685-0397 or email me at tori@californiahealthbroker.com

It is heavy on my heart now that I have helped a family through this process and although I knew these costs and needs were real it was not as real to me as it is today having experienced it. I have a new passion for this part of my business and I am determined to help as many people as possible, walk down this road now before it is too late.

If you are uncomfortable now talking about life insurance, or you think you may not be able to afford it, then think how uncomfortable it will be for your loved ones when they are faced with it and find themselves with NO FINANCIAL protection. Take pain and sadness and add financial burden and stress to any one person and the equation can be toxic.

Get your financial house in order. Be prepared. Walk though these decisions now as a way to provide love, peace and comfort to your family in their most desperate time of need.

Call today! Needs can be determined, quotes for A+ rated companies can be offered and application can be taken right over the phone. A policy can be issued in as little as 14 days!

Hayley Friedman
Life Agent, California Department of Insurance License #0B88844
Chuck Huggins Insurance Services
http://www.californiahealthbroker.com
Toll Free 1-866-685-0397

W2 Tax Reporting Postponed Until 2011 Tax Year

On March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Health Care and Educational Reconciliation Act of 2010 were signed into law.

A result of this new law would require employers to report the cost of health care on employees W2's. This has now been delayed until tax year 2011.

Midterm elections can have a huge impact on how this PPACA actually plays out and is implemented. One can speculate, but to move forward the important thing to consider and decide is how your vote in this election can impact this law and understanding you can make a difference! So, get out and vote for freedom and choice, keep America on the cutting age and allow for the industry to be guided by the people, not the government!

-Hayley Friedman. Agent Chuck Huggins Insurance Services

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 2010

The basic law has been posted and now we begin to see how carriers, attorneys, and consumer advocate groups interpret the law. Ultimately, when a law is posted, it takes time to actually morph into how it will be set into practice. Once the dust settles we can bet it will look very different from what it does today. At this time we know revisions are being written and submitted from both sides of the political parties to ensure the people they represent are satisfied.

We recommend our clients to stay up on what is being proposed, educate themselves on ALL consequences of their yes on no vote, as each client will be directly affected by what becomes usual and customary of the final pruning of the PPACA.

If you have questions please feel free to ask us! We are here to help you understand the course of the journey we are on and allow you the ability to change it when and where necessary.

Hayley Friedman, Agent
Chuck Huggins Insurance Services
www.californiahealthbroker.com

Understanding Health Care Reform -Consumer Advocate Report

Click on this link for a good presentation of changes that will affect the American Consumer.

http://cu.convio.net/site/R?i=aEe-N8e1afT617Km1xuwOw..

AB 1602 abd SB 900 California Exchanges-Hurtful to Califonians or Helpful?

"Much has been written about how signing AB 1602 and SB 900 could be an an important part of Governor Schwarzenegger’s his legacy. Much has been written about how vetoing the exchange bills would reflect far better on the Governor’s service. Given his desire to fix what he frequently called “California’s broken health care system” the Governor no doubt would like to sign the legislation. And there’s nothing inherently wrong in giving the exchange board the ability to negotiate with carriers on behalf of those enrolling for coverage through the exchange. But those powers must be delegated in an appropriate way with an eye enhancing choice and innovation. AB 1602 and SB 900 fail to accomplish this.
All states need to be moving forward with creating their exchanges soon. It will take time to establish these operations, staff them and get them ready for business. However, lawmakers should also take the time necessary to get the legislation right. California lawmakers, in accepting last minute changes without public hearings, failed to do so. Starting over in January will still give them plenty of time to develop an exchange for the nation’s largest state that not only accomplishes the goals of such exchanges, but does so in a way that will nurture innovation over time." -Alan Katz Blog

Taylor-D Miss.- signs bill to repeal Healthcare Reform

According to Politico (9/16, Sherman), Taylor, who is a Blue Dog Democrat, "underscores how unpopular the legislation is in some conservative districts held by Democrats -- although he voted against the bill. Taylor, though, has bucked trends for years, holding onto the Gulf Coast seat since 1989." The Hill (9/16, Lillis) also reports the story in its Healthwatch blog.
Dems Who Voted Against Healthcare Law Escape Retribution. Politico (9/15, Isenstadt) reports, "After 34 House Democrats voted against the health care bill in March, liberal groups and their allies in the labor movement vowed to exact revenge. The threats ranged from crippling primary election challenges to a withdrawal of support for some of the offending lawmakers," and "in a few cases, activists even went so far as to say they would run third-party candidates against the Democrats in November." But, Politico notes that "five months later, the group of 34 has emerged from primary season not much worse for the wear. Every one of the 30 lawmakers who voted against the health care bill and is seeking another term won re-nomination."

California and Healthcare Reform

Sacramento Bee: Schwarzenegger Should Sign Bills To Create California Insurance Exchange.
The Sacramento Bee (9/9, 16A) editorialized, "When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns Sept. 15 from a six-day trade mission in Asia, he'll have 700 or so bills to sign or veto," which is "why, before he leaves today, he should sign two bills laying the groundwork for California's health insurance exchange -- the major piece of the national health reform legislation signed by President Barack Obama on March 23." The Bee added, "Under the two bills passed by the Legislature, Californians would get standardized information about insurance plans...so they can make informed choices." The paper concluded, "Many Californians would be eligible, based on their income, for a federal premium subsidy to help them purchase coverage through the health benefits exchange," and "California should not leave those federal dollars on the table."

Heading The News In Healthcare Reform

http://mailview.custombriefings.com/mailview.aspx?m=2010091401nahu&r=3508306-7120&l=001-7cf&t=c

Healthcare Reform Opponents are Heard Today In Florida Hearing-May Set Tone For Us All

Healthcare Reform Opponents Pin Hopes On Florida Hearing.
The Los Angeles Times (9/13, Savage) reports, "The conservative counterattack on President Obama's overhaul of health insurance will take center stage in the courts this week when Republican state attorneys general and a leading small-business group urge a federal judge in Florida to strike down the law before it can take effect. They contend Congress does not have the power under the Constitution to require all Americans to have health insurance." Initially, the lawsuit appeared "to be a long shot," and "legal experts on the left and right said that, since the late 1930s, the Supreme Court has said Congress has broad power to regulate all aspects of the economy." Yet, "on the eve of the court hearing in Florida, some defenders of the law acknowledge that they are less confident that a judge will toss out the lawsuit entirely."
The Wall Street Journal (9/13, Jones, subscription required) reports that the Florida suit against the healthcare law was filed by two Washington, DC attorneys, David Rivkin and Lee Casey, and although it is only one of several such lawsuits, the case has garnered much attention because it was filed on behalf of 20 state AGs and other groups. These attorneys argue that the law is unconstitutional, and that the government has overstepped its authority in attempting to compel individuals to purchase health insurance. Some legal experts, however, contend that the states lack standing, and that the suit will be thrown out.

Will California be the first State With Exchanges?

California Lawmakers Approve Legislation To Create Health Insurance Exchange.
The Wall Street Journal (8/26, Mathews, subscription required) reports that California lawmakers have passed legislation which allows the creation of a health insurance exchange, or a marketplace, through which millions of residents can purchase coverage. If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signs the legislation, as he is expected to, California would be the first state to implement the exchanges which are required by the healthcare law to be operational by 2014. The Journal says that increasing health premium costs spurred the lawmakers to take this action, and notes that, according to experts, about 8.3 million Californians could use this exchange, making it the largest one created by a state.

Individual Health Plans: Rates and Increases

California Senate Approves Bill To Limit Insurance Premium Hikes To Once Yearly.
The AP (8/24) reports, California health insurance providers "would be prohibited from raising their rates more than once a year under" a bill (AB 2042) the state Senate approved yesterday in a 21-13 vote. The bill, which now moves to the Assembly, would "apply to individual healthcare policies, not group plans." Supporters say that the bill would "provide Californians with greater predictability when it comes to their health insurance." Opponents, who include "some of the state's largest health insurers," say breaking up fee increases "throughout the year reduces the financial burden on consumers." If approved, the legislation "would take effect in January."

White House Claims About Medicare-"Illusory"?

The Oklahoman (8/11), commenting on Medicare trustees' annual report last week, editorializes that White House "claims" that the report proves "healthcare reform will save money and make Medicare stronger" are "illusory." The paper says that Medicare's chief actuary, Richard Foster, "who deals with the real world," as opposed to the "one inside Washington's Beltway," wrote that "near term, Obamacare relies on 'unsustainable' reductions in reimbursements to healthcare providers." Long-term, "basic assumptions collapse because reductions in price rates for most service categories probably won't be 'viable.'"
ChiTribune: Medicare Projections Are A "Fiscal Fantasyland." The Chicago Tribune (8/11) editorializes that Medicare's "trustees released a new report last week that said...Medicare had 12 more years to live. That is, the Medicare hospital trust fund would run out of money in 2029 instead of 2017," and "Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner declared that 'the outlook for Medicare has improved substantially because of program changes' made by the new law." But, the Tribune calls the projections a "fiscal fantasyland," and says that the "trustees are required by law to appraise Medicare based on certain assumptions." Meanwhile, Medicare's chief actuary, Richard Foster, has said that "those assumptions...'do not represent a reasonable expectation for actual program operations in either the short range...or the long range."

Premiums Will Go Up with Healthcare Reform!

You can't expect anyone to offer anything for FREE, SOMEONE PAYS FOR IT! Here's report from SFC:

The San Francisco Chronicle (8/9, Colliver) reports, "Employers and consumers sorting through their health insurance options may see a bump in their rates next year to account for the potential impact of some of the early elements of the federal health overhaul law, according to some health experts." The provisions which will take effect this year include ones that "require health plans to cover adult children until age 26, extend coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, end maximum lifetime spending limits, and end the practice of retroactively canceling a member's coverage for any reason other than fraud." Still, "health policy watchers say it's tough to know whether these reforms will have much impact on costs, which routinely outpace increases in wages and inflation."

Medicare Solvency Report Found Too Optimistic

Kaiser Health News /The Fiscal Times (8/6, Andrews) noted that in a new report, Medicare "trustees predicted that the new healthcare law could generate so much better productivity that the Medicare trust fund would stay solvent until 2029 -- 12 years longer than predicted just one year ago," yet the "new estimates offer few clues about where that new efficiency will come from. They are simply based on the fact that the new healthcare law requires that Medicare payments to hospitals and doctors will be adjusted to reflect higher productivity." In fact, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius acknowledged, "The report shows that we have work left to do. ... To achieve the gains projected in this report, we must continue to work hard with our partners across the country to implement the reforms in the Affordable Care Act effectively and on time."
Similarly, CQ HealthBeat (8/7, Reichard, subscription required) reported, "If Thursday's report by the Medicare board of trustees on the program's financial outlook seemed too optimistic, a presentation Friday by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chief Actuary Richard Foster offered what may be a more realistic assessment." Notably, the "trustees said Thursday that about $575 billion over 10 years in Medicare savings generated by the healthcare overhaul would improve its financial outlook and help extend the solvency of the Medicare hospital trust fund from 2017 to 2029." Yet, "Foster told a forum sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) that none of the experts with whom he has consulted think that the modest yearly payment increases the law provides for hospitals and other providers are realistic."

Administration Reports Reform Good for Medicare-many have strong Doubts!

Several reports on a news conference about how the healthcare reform law will improve Medicare's long-term finances, including articles from the AP and USA Today, offer a distinctly skeptical view of the Administration's projections. None of the network newscasts mentioned the press conference, which featured Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
USA Today (8/6, Wolf), in an article titled, "Medicare Savings Projections In Dispute," says, "Republican critics and even the program's chief actuary say the new prognosis is too rosy. ... 'If you steal over a half-trillion dollars from Medicare to fund another unsustainable entitlement, Medicare won't be better off,' said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)." Richard Foster, chief actuary for CMS, said, "The financial projections shown in this report for Medicare do not represent a reasonable expectation for actual program operations. ... The recession adds a significant further element of uncertainty to the trust fund projections."
The AP (8/6, Ohlemacher, Alonso-Zaldivar) titles its article, "Medicare Fund Will Last Extra 12 Years – Maybe," and says the "annual report...gives backers of the new healthcare law evidence of a positive impact on government entitlement programs, but it also undercuts the findings with a host of caveats." The AP says that Foster's statement "amounted to a dissenting opinion."
The Wall Street Journal (8/6, McKinnon, subscription required), in an article titled, "Bullish Medicare Projection Doubted," quotes Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) as saying, "Instead of focusing on the future dates when the trust funds become insolvent-thus deluding itself that the problem is years away -- the Democratic Congress needs to understand that from a cash flow standpoint, the crisis is upon our doorstep."
The New York Times (8/6, Calmes) is not as skeptical of the Administration's findings as other outlets. The Times reports, "Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund should remain solvent until 2029," and "the long-term, 75-year shortfall for the hospital fund also is reduced, as are the projected costs of the separate Medicare Supplementary Insurance program. But both parts of the Medicare system will require additional reforms to be financially sustainable, the trustees say." Bloomberg News (8/6, Armstrong) and Reuters (8/6, Felsenthal, Somerville) also cover the story.

Opponents of Reform Turning to The Courts

White House Likens Lawsuits To Challenges To Civil Rights, Voting Rights Acts. The Hill's Michael O'Brien (8/3), in a blog entry, notes that Stephanie Cutter, "an assistant to President Obama who was brought on board at the White House in part to help sell the signature domestic initiative, dismissed" the ruling. Writing on the White House's official blog, Cutter said, "Having failed in the legislative arena, opponents of reform are now turning to the courts in an attempt to overturn the work of the democratically elected branches of government. This is nothing new. ... We saw this with the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act -- constitutional challenges were brought to all three of these monumental pieces of legislation, and all of those challenges failed. So too will the challenge to health reform."
In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (8/3, subscription required) argues that the healthcare law is unconstitutional, and derides Cutter's statement as an attempt to intimidate opponents.