For most of us, if we are in the market to buy a new television one of the first things we do is research and compare costs. After all, no one wants to pay more than they have to for a product when other similar products are available. For health care procedures, however, comparing costs has never been simple. Until now. (more…)
Do you currently have enough savings to cover an unexpected health emergency? If not, you may want to start setting aside money in 2015. With the cost of health care on the rise, it is important to know you and your family are covered in case of a medical emergency. One route you may want to consider is obtaining a Health Savings Account Eligible health plan. If you purchase an HSA-compatible high-deductible health insurance plan, you can pair it with a health savings account and start saving for the unexpected. Funds placed in the HSA account may be used for qualified medical expenses and there is no minimum contribution amount. You are also able to claim a tax deduction for any and all contributions you make throughout the year. In this way, your money grows on a tax-free basis.
In 2015, HSA holders can save up to $3350 for individuals and $6650 for families. Holders 55 years of age and older can save an extra $1000, increasing savings for individuals to $4350 and $7650 for families. All of this money is 100% tax free so this is a great way to increase wealth and create a small tax shelter. For more information on HSA limits for 2015, click here.
Also, in 2015, a high-deductible health insurance plan is one with a deductible of at least $1,300 for self-only coverage and $2,600 for family coverage. See eligible Blue Cross Blue Shield HSA compatible plans.
Once you have a clear idea of your healthcare needs and your financial situation, you can determine your plan options and compare benefits. If 2015 brings life changes that make a different kind of insurance plan something to consider, consider a BCBNC HSA compatible high-deductible health plan and start saving the smart way!
For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina health insurance coverage, the Marketplace and healthcare gov to apply for your subsidy, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our experienced and professional agents. Let us help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama care.
Health Savings Account Contributions amounts are updated each year by the federal government to account for inflation. For 2014, the maximum annual contribution is $3,300 for an individual (up $50 from 2013), and $6,550 for a family (up $100 from 2013). In 2014, those age 55 or older can contribute an additional $1,000 above the maximum to their HSA.
Blue Options HSA is a new way to pay for health care. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has taken their most popular plan design’s PPO network and paired it with a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and a health savings account (HSA), which has similar characteristics to a 401(k) or an IRA but for qualified medical expenses. Blue Options HSA offers many advantages. Get your Free Rate Quote for this plan today and call our office so we can go over the benefits and process to apply and enroll.
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.
To help make health care more affordable, the federal government offers advance premium tax credits, or subsidies, to low-to middle-income individuals and families. Your subsidy is an advance premium tax credit and is applied directly to your premium. Subsidies reduce the monthly cost of an insurance plan. You do not have to pay the cost upfront and receive your tax credit later.
To be eligible for a subsidy, you must meet certain requirements. Be between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Not eligible for public coverage, such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicare or military coverage. Not have access to insurance through an employer. An exception can be made if the employer’s plan doesn’t cover at least an average of 60% of covered benefits or if the employee’s share of the premium is more than 9.5% of his or her income. Employers can tell you if their plans meet these criteria. Subsidies can be used on any plan you choose except for grandfathered plans and catastrophic plans for those under 30. How much of a subsidy you qualify for is based on income and household size.
Our FREE RATE QUOTE through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers a calculator to estimate your subsidy. Just click on the blue calculator at the top of your rate quote and enter the income information.
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.
Getting your subsidy starts with a free rate quote. When you generate your rate quote, you can estimate your subsidy and how it affects your premium. To apply you simply press Get Started, in your quote, to begin your application. Once you register, there will be a link you click on that will take you to the Marketplace to complete your subsidy and get the actual amount you qualify for. You can enroll in your plan through the Marketplace and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will send you a bill once healthcare.gov uploads your file to BCBSNC.
In addition to advance premium tax credits, the government also provides cost-sharing reductions (CSR) for those who qualify. Cost Sharing Reductions allows you to pay for a standard silver plan, but get richer benefits. To be eligible for Cost Sharing Reductions your income must be between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). CSR is only available on silver plans. These special CSR plans provide enhanced benefits that can mean your “silver” plan has the benefits of a plan with a higher metallic value.
Once at the Marketplace, you will need your Social Security number, employer and income information to register and complete your subsidy application. You can apply online or you can call and complete your application by phone. Then you will be automatically transferred back to BCBSNC to see your final subsidy and premium. Choose and buy your plan. You can call our office 888-765-5400 to go over the plans, process and confirm deadline dates to enroll.
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). It would be our pleasure to help you navigate through the Health Care Reform changes in accordance with the new regulations of Obama care. Call us for details.
Other types of lower-cost health plansIf you feel you’re not ready for the type of high-deductible plan, you have other options. There are other types of plans that have lower premiums and higher deductibles that allow you to make certain decisions about what benefits you really need. If there are some coverage benefits you may not need, such as brand-name prescriptions, you can choose a plan without that benefit. Some plans also offer limited doctor visits and others even come with traditional copayments for primary care visits, if you’re more comfortable with a traditional plan design.
How we can help
Now that you understand more about how high-deductible health plans work, and how they compare to traditional health plans, you may feel more confident about choosing a specific health plan. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina offers high-deductible health plan options that can fit your health care needs and your budget. Your agent can explain your options and help you choose the plan that fits you best.
The local company you can trust
When you choose Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, you have peace of mind knowing you’re with a local company trusted by the people of North Carolina for more than 77 years. As the most preferred health care insurer in the state, we’ve also earned the trust of more North Carolinians than any other health care insurer.
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.
Another benefit of having a high-deductible health plan is that it makes you eligible for a health savings account (HSA) that enables you to pay for qualified medical expenses tax free.
The funds you contribute to your HSA, up to the annual contribution limit, are not taxed. That means you can save up to $300 on taxes for every $1,000 you contribute. When you use your HSA funds to pay for qualified medical expenses, such as office visits, prescriptions, lab tests, hospital stays, medical procedures and much more, the withdrawals are also not taxed. For a list of qualified medical expenses visit www.irs.gov and reference Publication 502.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) offers three primary health care plans for individuals and families. All of our plans offer unique benefits and multiple deductible options. And, they all cover preventive services received within our extensive network at 100%. With options like these, you’re sure to find a plan that works for you.
You can generate a quote today and compare your plans with numerous plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. You can select from our Blue Options HSA, Blue Advantage and Blue Saver plans. You do not pay any premium when you apply, once your application has gone through underwriting for a final decision, you can change to any plan you want prior to making payment. You are not under any obligation to enroll once your application has been approved. Apply today
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.
Beginning July 18, 2011, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is making changes to the way that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) members view and access information about their Health Savings Account (HSA) online.
If plan participants are enrolled in a Blue Options HSASM account and their fund administrator is ACS/BNY Mellon, subscribers in that plan will notice the following changes:
Beginning July 18th, subscribers who log into BCBSNC’s Member Services (www.mybcbsnc.com) will notice that the “My HSA Account” link is being replaced with a “Manage My HSA” link. This link will direct subscribers to www.hsamember.com, a site hosted by ACS/BNY Mellon, the HSA fund administrator.
Subscribers who are accessing www.hsamember.com for the first time will need to complete the e-registration process with ACS/BNY Mellon. Then, to access their HSA account information at any time, they simply log into their new hsamember.com account. (This account and log-in process is separate from their BCBSNC Member Services account.)
With www.hsamember.com, BCBSNC members will have more of their HSA information at their fingertips than ever before, and the site is easy and convenient to use.
“My HSA Account” pages will no longer be available on bcbsnc.com. Members will be able to access similar information, and more, from the www.hsamember.com website and from www.bcbsnc.com.
This information was published by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina on July 5, 2011.
For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our professional agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.
The annual contribution limit for health savings accounts (HSAs) will increase for high deductible health plans with effective dates of January 1, 2012 or later.
For individuals with self-only coverage enrolled in a high deductible health plan, the maximum HSA contribution amount will increase from $3,050 to $3,100. For individuals with family coverage enrolled in a high deductible health plan, the maximum HSA contribution amount will increase from $6,150 to $6,250.In 2012, a high deductible health plan will continue to be defined as a health plan with an annual deductible that is at least $1,200 for self-only coverage or $2,400 for family coverage, and an annual out-of-pocket maximum amount that does not exceed $6,050 for self-only coverage or $12,100 for family coverage. Out-of-pocket expenses include deductibles, co-payments and other amounts, but do not include premiums.
Blue Options HSA links a high-deductible health plan to a health savings account (HSA), which can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses tax-free. Monthly premiums are as much as 50% lower than traditional health plans. The HSA is portable and any unused balance rolls over at the end of the year.Lower premiums—save as much as 50% off Blue Advantage . Choose your own doctor from the largest provider network in the state. Preventive care services covered at 100%
(1) An HSA is automatically included with your health plan if you select Mellon as your fund administrator
(2) Mellon HSA includes a convenient debit card at no charge
(3) HSA contributions and withdrawals are tax-fre
(4) Annual contribution limit for 2010 is $3,050 for individual plans and $6,150 for family plans
(5) Out-of-pocket maximum protects you from high-dollar medical costs
(6) Secure access to health plan information online
(7) Optional maternity coverage available.
*The content of this post is provided by BCBSNC.
For more information about health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents. Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC). You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health. Call us for details.
GET YOUR FREE RATE QUOTE TODAY – CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED
Our agency writes only for the best – Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, a name and company you can always count on and trust. Whether you are looking for coverage for your newborn, teenager, spouse, parents or your company, you can find it all here.
You can select from Blue Advantage 100% plans with 0% co-insurance or Blue Options HSA high deductible plans coupled with a tax savings account. Blue Advantage offers co-payments as low as $15.00 for your primary care physician and $30.00 for a specialist with 100%, 80/20 or 70/30 co-insurance. If you are out of work or between jobs and need to lower your premiums, you can select from Plan B or Plan C, with higher office visit co-payments and co-insurance. Want to reduce your premium more – look at our HSA Blue Options with deductibles as high as $10,000.00 for a family and $5,000.00 for an individual.
If you are looking for dental coverage, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers Dental Blue. Select from any dentist, no waiting periods or deductible for preventive services.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has the largest network of doctors and hospitals in the State; they expand coverage to every State in the US and extend coverage to over 200 countries. If you want to check and see if your doctor or hospital are in network, visit our site at www.nchealthplans.com and click on find doctor/hospital to begin your search. (more…)
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