(This information applies only to Individual & Family health plans. It does not pertain to Employer group plans, employee plans or Medicare plans.)

Today, everything has changed once again! In a press conference this morning, President Obama announced that he wants policy cancellations to be delayed for one year.

How and whether this will be implemented will be decided by the HHS (Dept. of Health & Human Services), the California Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, and each insurance company. The final information will trickle down to us after these decisions are made. We don’t know yet when that will be.

Our phone has been ringing non-stop since this announcement. I will give you what we know and suggest some next steps.

1. Before you make any move, please follow the instructions on the piece “Choose an On or Off Exchange plan” to figure out if: (a) you qualify for a subsidy, (b) if your providers are on the network of the 2014 plans and (c) if your prescription drugs are on the formulary lists of the 2014 plans.
2. If you are on a grandfathered plan, you do not need to change anything unless you want to. Your plan will continue as is with the same benefits, provider network, and formulary lists.
3. If you are on a plan where you have received a cancellation notice for Dec. 31. This may be delayed until Dec. 2014. We are waiting for information on this.
4. If you have received a notice that your plan will be “mapped” to a new plan Jan. 1st, this also may be delayed until Dec. 2014.
5. If you want to change plans on Dec. 1st, please contact us.
6. If you received a large rate increase and want to consider other carriers and plans on Dec. 1st or Jan. 1st, please contact us.
7. If you qualify for a subsidy and want a Covered CA plan, please contact us for advice, online enrollment instructions and a paper application.

Please contact me know if you would like me to receive the following attachments:
A. “Choose On or Off Exchange plan” helps you to choose a plan inside or outside the Exchange (with screenshots).
B. “Fillable CoveredCA application” is a fillable Covered CA paper application in pdf format.
C. “Application Screenshots CovCA” takes you step by step to start an application, set up a Profile and Designate an Agent with screenshots).
D. “Agent Designation Screenshots” shows you how to designate an Agent (with screenshots).

Phil Lee
www.health-insurance.com
www.healthplantalk.com
800-286-7445