IL Health Insurance Articles & Info

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...

Open Enrollment kicked off this week and, very understandably, many of those who looked at their carrier's renewal notice for the first time found themselves in a state of health insurance sticker shock.  Again.  Just like last year.  And the year before that.  Premiums have incr...

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...

With health insurance premiums skyrocketing 20-40% this year, it should come as no surprise that there are organizations preying on those looking for more affordable coverage.  In the past few weeks, it has been brought to our attention that some companies are contacting people with offers of l...

As many Illinois residents are finding out, buying health insurance during the final month of open enrollment can be one stressful endeavor.  Hundreds of thousands of people all trying to get through to carriers at once, with just as much traffic on the healthcare marketplace website.  Thi...

Now that we've officially arrived at the halfway point of this year's open enrollment period, we've had time to gauge some of the more pressing and commonly-voiced concerns.  Here are ten of the most frequently asked questions among those shopping for medical insurance, as well as those loo...

If you've been keeping up with all of the recent and forthcoming health insurance industry changes, you may have come across a term that was brand new to you.  EPOs, or Exclusive Provider Organizations, have actually been around for years.  In light of ongoing premium increases and large n...

If you haven't been holed-up in some remote mountain shack for months, it's safe to assume that you're aware of the widespread changes coming to health insurance in 2016.  Premium increase notices have been going out in droves, and countless families and individuals have learned that their plan...

It's become clear that few people will be exempt from the 2016 health insurance premium increases already in place, and scheduled to take effect after the first of the year.  According to a report in the Washington Post, consumers who purchased Silver health plans on the healthcare.gov website...

Now that we're a few weeks into the 2015-2016 health insurance open enrollment period, it's become clear that this one stands out among the most unique.  In this article we're going to review some of the most concerning issues, before shedding some light on how to ensure that your coverage rema...

As more individuals and families receive notifications regarding premium increases on their health and medical insurance, we've received many requests for information on the various options available.  Many will see their plan cancelled at the end of the year, while an equally concerning number...

In an announcement made to Illinois health insurance agents recently, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the state's largest and most influential health insurance carrier announced that it will no longer be offering large-network PPO coverage to those with Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum health pl...

For months now, there have been rumors floating around regarding the subject of 2016 group-health premium increases.  As many hardworking businesses are finding out right now, these were far from being just speculation.  Some businesses are facing renewal increases that range anywhere from...

5 Things Your Company Can Do to Keep 2016 Rates Affordable When it was announced that group health insurance premiums would be subject to sharp increases in 2016, an average of 20-40% based on industry chatter, it's safe to assume that small business owners from every industry felt a similar sin...

If we have learned anything from our history as an advanced and highly-industrialized society, it is that any measure of sweeping changes enforced on the People will always come with their fair share of wide-ranging speculation.  In the case of the Affordable Care Act and US health care reform,...

By now, most people have come to terms with the fact that health insurance, as we've collectively known it for decades, has been forever changed.  Even prior to the 6-3 supreme court ruling in favor of the Affordable Care Act and health insurance tax subsidies, social media and water coolers ch...