The Premier Health Insurance blog is constantly being updated with current and pressing topics, including Affordable Care Act changes, group health plan updates, as well as articles to help individuals and families get the best value for their hard-earned healthcare dollar.
Special Health Insurance Enrollment for COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Published January 29, 2021 128 Views
From February 15th to May 15th, 2021 In accordance with an Executive Order issued by President Biden, the formation of a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) has been declared for individuals and families, in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency which has left millions of Americans facing...
Important 2020-2021 Health Insurance Dates to Remember
Published October 20, 2020 473 Views
Considering the vast scope of everything that’s taken place in 2020, it’s understandable that this year’s health insurance open enrollment has an all new element of importance to it. Here are some of the most important dates for those in need of medical insurance, including M...
2021 Medicare Open Enrollment Begins October 15th
Published October 8, 2020 516 Views
Enrollment for 2021 Medicare plans begins on October 15th and will run until December 7th 2020. As with past enrollment periods, there are some plan changes that are new for 2021, including a few which have been implemented to help beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a complex...
IL Health Insurance Open Enrollment Begins November 1st
Published September 23, 2020 572 Views
If you’re an Illinois resident who needs to purchase a new health insurance plan, or alter your existing coverage, the 2021 Open Enrollment period begins on November 1st 2020 and will run until December 15th. And while the dates are consistent to those over the past few years, it goes wi...
How COVID-19 Affects Employee Health Insurance Renewals
Published September 10, 2020 478 Views
One of the less talked-about aspects of COVID-19 and its effect on commerce, is the profound impact it is having on businesses who are in the process of group health plan renewals. We’ve all heard about the layoffs, the furloughs, and the temporary closures, though there seems to be limi...
Importance of Group Health Plan Reviews During COVID-19
Published August 18, 2020 341 Views
No one needs to be reminded of how significantly things have changed in 2020, as virtually every aspect of day to day life has been affected by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. This is especially true for business owners and HR managers, as many have found themselves in the uncomfortable pos...
Ways to Support Small Business During Illinois Reopening
Published June 11, 2020 586 Views
As Illinois gradually begins the process of reopening after three long months of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, Premier wanted to take a break from our health insurance forum to go over a few ways to help support the small businesses who have been hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic. Sho...
10 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy During COVID 19 Lockdown
Published April 30, 2020 558 Views
We at Premier thought we would take a break from our traditional health insurance blog forum to share some feedback from clients, friends, and others in the Chicagoland area who have told us how they’re keeping their families sane, safe and active during the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic...
Buying Health Insurance While Social Distancing
Published April 16, 2020 583 Views
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected virtually every aspect of how millions of people live, work and socialize. Additionally, it has forced many to reconsider their decision to not carry health insurance coverage for a variety of reasons. Countless Illinois residents who chose not to purch...
Managing Health Insurance During the Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic
Published March 25, 2020 6693 Views
We wanted to take a few moments to go over some of the more pressing issues surrounding health insurance and how it’s been affected by the current Coronavirus pandemic. As you know, the world is facing an unprecedented health epidemic right now, and one that none of us have ever seen in...
Healthcare Coverage That’s Available Year-round
Published March 5, 2020 758 Views
With the 2021 Open Enrollment closed until next November, many have been left wondering which types of coverage can be purchased at any time during the calendar year. For those new to the process of buying your own medical insurance—whether you recently left your job, started a business,...
2020 Illinois Health Insurance Special Enrollment Qualifications
Published January 30, 2020 752 Views
When you consider the volume of information we absorb each day, the number of busy people who inadvertently miss the health insurance Open Enrollment deadline is not surprising. And of course, the question ultimately becomes, is there any way to buy health insurance after Open Enrollment? We&r...
Lowering Your Group Health Premiums in 2020
Published January 15, 2020 641 Views
Countless Illinois businesses have already renewed their 2020 employee health insurance plan, and as many have discovered, group premiums are once again on the rise. Some saw only modest increases and some remained flat, however, a concerning number have faced renewal premiums that increased s...
Tips for a Stress-free 2020 Health Insurance Open Enrollment
Published November 1, 2019 989 Views
If you’re among the many who purchase their own health insurance—whether as an individual, a couple, or a family—the 2020 Open Enrollment period kicks off November 1st and will run until December 15th of 2019. That said, if you need active health insurance benefits on the fir...
5 Mistakes Employers Make During Employee Health Plan Renewal
Published July 30, 2019 944 Views
Renewing a group health plan is, as anyone charged with the task will surely agree, a complex and often frustrating process. There are dozens and sometime hundreds of forms to fill out, various rates and coverage options to consider, and budgetary restraints which can make finding an affordabl...
How to Reduce Your 2019 Employee Health Insurance Premiums
Published March 6, 2019 1179 Views
Based on the group health renewal rates that we’re already seeing in Illinois, it’s clear that many companies who offer their employees health insurance are going to be facing premium increases that can range anywhere from subtle to substantially concerning. This, of course, is nev...
Join the Company Health Insurance Plan or Buy Your Own?
Published February 12, 2019 956 Views
For as long as people have been getting health insurance through their jobs, many find themselves questioning whether or not the plan, as selected by their employer, best meets their unique health and medical needs. The process of choosing a group health plan can be nothing short of mentally e...
How to Buy 2019 Health Insurance After Open Enrollment
Published February 6, 2019 708 Views
There’s no shortage of valid reasons for someone missing the 6-week open health insurance enrollment that runs from November to mid-December, and we’ll explore several of these more closely later in the article. But when you do, in fact, find yourself without health insurance after...
Expert Tips for Choosing Your 2019 Health Insurance Plan
Published November 12, 2018 819 Views
Open enrollment for 2019 health insurance coverage began on November 1st and will run until December 15th 2018. And while that may seem like a ways off, it’s not a tremendous amount of time to determine which plan you’re going to commit to for the upcoming year. Like previ...
New Options for Short-term Health Insurance Plans
Published August 21, 2018 703 Views
The Affordable Care Act made significant changes to the way families and individuals went about buying health insurance, as well as the specific types of plans that could be purchased. Temporary health insurance coverage, or short-term plans, have been historically popular with a wide range of...
Healthy Employees for Lower Group Health Premiums
Published June 12, 2018 725 Views
For businesses who’ve enrolled in contribution-based and self-funded structures, no reminder is needed on the importance of encouraging a healthier staff. Many of today’s group health plans are set up in a manner that allow employers to pay only for the healthcare expenses that get...
Top FAQs on 2018 Group Health Insurance Renewal
Published May 9, 2018 755 Views
Late spring and summer are among the most popular times for Illinois’ companies to renew their employee health insurance plans. And as healthcare continues to evolve, with it comes no shortage of questions from those looking to get the most from their healthcare dollars. Whether you&...
Renewing Your Company’s Group Health Benefits
Published January 25, 2018 1062 Views
As many need no reminder, the cost of offering health insurance benefits to your employees has done nothing but skyrocket over the past few years. Not that it was ever cheap, but today, things seem to have gone completely off the rails. Group premiums are at all-time highs, and they cont...
If You Missed the Open Enrollment Deadline
Published January 8, 2018 1107 Views
Now that the 2017-2018 health insurance Open Enrollment period has ended, many have found themselves without medical coverage and scrambling for options. So what do you do if you, for whatever reason, missed the enrollment period and still need to make sure you and your loved ones are covered?...
How to Buy 2018 Health Insurance in Illinois
Published November 13, 2017 940 Views
With the 2018 Open Enrollment well under way, two topics remain at the forefront of its discussion. The first is centered around the significantly shortened 8 -week signup period. This is something brand new to the process, as previous Open Enrollments have lasted approximately three mon...
2018 Health Insurance Enrollment Changes
Published October 31, 2017 1040 Views
With the 2018 health insurance Open Enrollment underway, we now have a better idea of what to expect in terms of renewals, dates, premiums, and other important considerations. And just like the past four years, this year’s enrollment comes with a number of changes that can significan...
Avoiding Employee Health Insurance Sticker Shock
Published September 8, 2017 1132 Views
While the exact figures aren’t in as of the time of writing this, it’s safe to assume that many Illinois-based companies will be faced with the real prospect of group health plan premium increases. We’re already seeing evidence of this, despite just now entering the period of...
Shopping for Dental Insurance in Illinois
Published August 9, 2017 1135 Views
Buying dental insurance has become just as confusing as health insurance has, thanks to the many changes that came with healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act. In the past, you could essentially select any carrier at any point of the year, compare coverage options and simply choose the one th...
Health Insurance Options During the Summer Months
Published June 9, 2017 1250 Views
Summer has become a bit of an off-season within the health insurance industry, now that we live under a fixed three-month open enrollment period. So the question becomes, what are you supposed to do if you missed the enrollment deadline, but don’t want to be without respectable medical c...
Making Changes to Health Insurance After Marriage
Published May 18, 2017 1227 Views
With Spring in full swing and summer inching closer by the day, many soon-to-be-newlywed couples are scrambling to make the final preparations for their big day. Almost ironically, one of the most often overlooked aspects of wedding planning has very little to do with the big day, itself... though i...