IL Health Insurance Articles & Info

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...

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...

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...

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&...

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...

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?...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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%...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Many business owners learned a financially painful lesson last year, while renewing their company's employee health insurance plan: 'tis far better to enter the process prepared, than to sit back and wait to see how much the carriers have raised your premiums.  As everyone was warned well in ad...

Anyone who owns a business or manages its employee health insurance plan, will be the first to admit that the process of offering employer-provided coverage has changed immensely over the past few years.  Prior to the advent of the Affordable Care Act, the process was already stressful and dema...

Since the advent of open enrollment circa the Affordable Care Act, there have been those who were either unwilling, unknowing or otherwise unable to purchase coverage.  For many it was a matter of intense network congestion while attempting to sign-up during the final week.  Just as many o...