Archive for January, 2012

Kentucky Health Insurance – Keeping Health Care Costs Down

Kentucky Health Insurance

Kentucky Health Insurance

To start with, let’s clarify one thing: yes, health care costs are going up, but this is not because of the number of times you did or did not go to the doctor’s throughout the year. The premiums that Kentucky health insurance companies charge you are based on your health conditions, but they are also taking into account the number of claims they believe they will be paying for you in the upcoming year. The amount of money used for health care in a year is 1/5 of the economy.

Reasons why Kentucky Health Insurance rates are going up?

It is an unfortunate yet unavoidable fact that Kentucky health insurance rates are going up. So even though we are unable to stop it, let me help you understand why it is happening.

1. Modern medical technology is becoming more advanced and more costly, and people are happy with the results that the medical technology is bringing.

2. Most Americans fill a prescription drug in a year. On average, an American fills 12 prescription drugs a year. As you can see, a lot of money is spent on prescription medicines because of this.

3. People are not living healthy lifestyles. Many have unhealthy eating habits, lack appropriate exercise and a growing number of them, smoke. This unhealthy way of life leads to chronic diseases. The money spent on these diseases has increased to 75% of health care spending in a year.

4. People are having the same test done numerous times, or having tests done without knowing that they are accurate. This has increased the costs of health care.

5. According to the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association, $68 billion a year is lost to fraud.

6. In order to comply with all the government laws, over $339 billion a year is spent on such things as filing and reporting.

7. 51% of the growth in health care prices are due to inflation. Simply put, we pay more every year for health insurance, because of inflation.

What is being done to control the costs?

1. Companies such as Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have developed programs so that their clients only go to the emergency room for actual emergencies. This way, the company is helping its customers avoid the high costs of MRIs and CT scans.

2. Anthem has also started programs to ensure that their clients are using generic drugs whenever possible to lower the costs of prescriptions.

3. Programs have been established to help people stay on top of their health and to take the best care of themselves possible. If someone has already been diagnosed with a health condition there are nurses to help him or her take care of themselves.

4. Insurance companies have begun to pay doctors based on the performance of their work, which will ensure more quality work in the future.

5. In order to prevent the enormous amount of fraud that has taken place with health care money, teams are now designated to look and recover the money lost in fraud.

6. Insurance companies themselves are trying to cut back on their expenses while making sure they can still give their customers quality service.

Lumenos HSA plans for Anthem’s KY clients are designed to give them more control over their health care costs. They offer preventive care benefits that help people focus on staying healthy.

Quality Service

Insurance companies in Kentucky know that their customers want quality care and to feel secure with the company they do business with. Know that there will be changes in Kentucky health insurance with health care reform, and that the changes will vary for each individual. In some cases, premiums will decrease, while for others, it will increase.  Through all the change, Kentucky health insurance companies will do the best they can to keep your premium low and to offer you quality service.


Kentucky Child-Only Coverage Open Enrollment Mandatory in January 2012

Child-Only Coverage Open Enrollment in Kentucky

Child-Only Coverage Open Enrollment in Kentucky

Kentucky residents can now take advantage of the open enrollment starting January 2012 to obtain comprehensive child-only health insurance coverage. According to an order issued by the Kentucky Department of Insurance, health insurance companies in the state are required to offer a child only policy for children under age 19 with an open enrollment period from January 1, 2012 through January 31, 2012. Accordingly, leading carrier Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will be offering its SmartSense® Plus 2500 Plan with a March 1, 2012 effective date for this open enrollment period.

About the KY SmartSense Plus 2500

SmartSense Plus 2500 is unique in that it is Anthem’s only product available for Child-Only coverage which includes 50 percent network coinsurance, $2500 deductible per child, standard drug coverage, and extended Mental Health benefits. Your child would be assured of benefits such as doctors’ office visits, bb services, inpatient services, emergency room visits, preventive care services, prescription drugs and mental health services.

Many Options to Enhance Coverage

Anthem also offers many optional coverage options for children. Dental well-being is vital to your child’s overall health and that’s why Anthem offers you the option to add on dental coverage to the SmartSense Plus 2500 Plan. Dental cover includes regular dental check-ups and cleanings. You can also purchase a separate dental health insurance plan for your child. Besides dental insurance, you can also opt for child term life insurance.

Qualifying for KY Child-Only Health Coverage

A beneficiary must meet the following conditions to qualify for SmartSense Plus 2500:

•    Be under 19 yrs of age
•    Be a resident of the state of Kentucky

Applications sent outside of the January open enrollment period would be eligible only if one of the following conditions applies:

•    The child’s COBRA coverage was exhausted
•    The child lost dependent coverage as a result of loss of eligibility for coverage including: legal separation or divorce, loss of dependent status, or death of the person through whom the child was covered as a dependent
•    Termination or change in employment status of the child or the person through whom the child was covered
•    Loss of an employer’s contribution towards an employee or dependent’s coverage

Contact a Health Insurance Broker

Your health insurance Kentucky application for child-only coverage under the SmartSense Plus 2500 plan must be postmarked or faxed no later than Jan 31, 2012. Before you send it off, you need to understand all the rules and the facts about the benefits offered under the plan. The best way to do this is to contact an experienced independent Kentucky health insurance broker.


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