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.
How to Reduce Your 2019 Employee Health Insurance Premiums
Published March 6, 2019 1995 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 1563 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 1237 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 1274 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 1203 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 1239 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 1257 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 1667 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 1704 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 1429 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 1496 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 1638 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 1562 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...
Making Changes to Health Insurance After Marriage
Published May 18, 2017 1872 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...
How Premier Makes Health Insurance Easy
Published May 9, 2017 1553 Views
Whether you're making a major life change this year and need help with special enrollment, starting a business, shopping for life insurance, or even getting an early jump on Medicare research, Premier in Lisle has been offering free expert assistance with Illinois health insurance since 2003.&nb...
New Rules on Short Term Health Insurance Policies
Published April 24, 2017 1992 Views
In the many years leading to the onset of healthcare reform and the Affordable Care Act, short-term and temporary medical coverage were as common and familiar as traditional plans are today. Recently hired employees relied on them as a way to stay covered during new-hire grace periods, and man...
Understanding Ancillary Health Insurance
Published April 12, 2017 1729 Views
While most people are quite familiar with the various types of traditional health insurance, the term ancillary coverage remains a bit of a mystery. Perhaps this is because many of the plan types under the ancillary blanket are more commonly referred to as supplemental health insurance. ...
Healthcare Special Enrollment Qualifications
Published March 16, 2017 1908 Views
As of the time of this writing which, ironically, comes one week after the American Health Care Act was introduced, the only compliance-friendly way of purchasing traditional health insurance is under the ACA Special Enrollment provision. If the term is new you, Special Enrollment is a section of th...
How to Buy Health Insurance After Open Enrollment
Published February 22, 2017 2207 Views
Now that the 2017 open healthcare enrollment is well in our rearview, many of those who opted not to buy coverage have asked us which types of health insurance can be purchased after the cutoff date. In the spirit of keeping things as uncomplicated as possible, let's review some of the thi...
Setting Up an Effective Employee Wellness Program
Published January 17, 2017 1872 Views
It will come as a surprise to no one that healthy bottom lines are directly related to healthy employees. A health-minded staff will be more productive, less likely to call-in sick, and far more motivated than employees who are constantly dealing with illness and ongoing health issues. Whether...
What To Expect As Open Enrollment 2017 Closes
Published January 4, 2017 1626 Views
Now that we in the industry have had a few years to better understand the new health insurance open enrollment process, we're in a better position to let families and individuals know what awaits as the deadline draws closer. Regardless of whether you've had a significant life change around the firs...
Avoid the Problems of Last Minute Health Insurance Enrollment
Published December 5, 2016 2174 Views
As we've learned over the past few years, putting off health insurance until the last week of Open Enrollment has proven to be something of a nightmare for many. And while the way we buy or manage coverage has seen many changes, the limited timeframe is clearly one that's caused a grea...
Understanding COBRA and IL Continuation Health Insurance
Published November 30, 2016 2101 Views
Many questions arise when an employee leaves the company, with some of the most confusing and sensitive centered around their rights to continued health insurance benefits. Illinois employees who were actively participating in the company group plan, are entitled by law to receive ongoing medi...
Managing 2017 Illinois Health Insurance Premium Increases
Published October 28, 2016 1635 Views
If you're in Illinois and have been paying any attention to the news lately, you've heard some rather grim tales about the drastic health insurance premiums that are on the way. From the most accurate reports we can gather, premiums on medical insurance are expected to go up an average of 51%...
2018 Employer Group Health Insurance Renewal Checklist
Published September 14, 2016 3276 Views
As more businesses prepare for the process of renewing their group health insurance plan, the topic of ACA compliance becomes increasingly important… just as stressful. Regardless of whether you're offering employee medical benefits for the first time, or well-versed on the ever-evo...
If Your Land of Lincoln Health Insurance is Being Cancelled
Published July 28, 2016 1888 Views
With Land of Lincoln officially announcing the cancellation of all health insurance plans on October 1st (including all individual, family and group plans) many are wondering if this is the new norm. You buy a plan, pay the premiums for the better part of a year, only to receive a notice...
Choosing the Most Appropriate Life Insurance Policy
Published June 10, 2016 3242 Views
By now it's safe to assume that you don't need any reminders on the importance of having life insurance. Commercials run non-stop from morning to night, painting grim pictures of widowed single-mothers trying desperately to comfort her now fatherless children. Despair-themed scare ta...
Health Insurance After Getting Married
Published May 3, 2016 2060 Views
Getting married is clearly one of the most significant change a person will make during the course of their lifetime. In light of all the planning and preparation that go into weddings, it's understandable that few give consideration to how the marriage will affect their health insurance cover...
Turning 65 and Preparing for Medicare
Published April 7, 2016 1890 Views
If you're nearing your 65th birthday, it’s safe to assume that you're likely paying more attention to all of the Medicare ads on television. Making the transition from traditional health insurance to Medicare can be a bit overwhelming, and this is especially relevant for those who've recently...
Did Your Company Discontinue Life Insurance?
Published March 4, 2016 2026 Views
We took an interesting call the other day, it was from a woman in her late 20's, in a bit of a panic over the fact that her employer, without any real warning, was doing away with the technology firm's company-sponsored life insurance plan. After assuring her that this was actually a very simp...