Barricks Insurance Blog

Medicare Advantage Plans See Increased Enrollment, Lower Premiums

Jim Barricks — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:44:48 +0000

USA Today (2/1, Kennedy) reports, Medicare Advantage “premiums…have dropped an average of 7% while enrollment has grown by 10%, according to Department of Health and Human Services statistics to be released today.” The result “counters the negative predictions of opponents of the 2010 health care law, who said enrollment would drop and premiums would rise.” HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius credited the Affordable Care Act for “unprecedented new tools to ensure that seniors and people with disabilities are getting the best value out of their coverage.” Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, “The plans seem to want to compete hard for their beneficiaries.”

Martin Luther King Jr Day

Jim Barricks — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:08:37 +0000

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I Have a Dream Speech

The King Center

M L King Day at Trinity College

Encarta Encyclopedia Article on MLK

Holidays – M L King Jr. Day

MLK – Holiday Zone

Seattle Times – M L King Jr.

MLK Scavenger Hunt

MLK Papers Project

123 Free Greeting Cards

Soul Food Cookbook

Jokes & Games Downloads

Medicare Plans Offering Fitness Memberships To Draw Healthier Patients

Jim Barricks — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:58:57 +0000

Bloomberg News (1/12, Frier) reports that “UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) and Humana Inc. (HUM) are among insurers offering fitness memberships with their Medicare programs as a way to draw healthier and less costly patients, said a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.” What’s more, “35.3 percent of new enrollees in a fitness membership benefit plan reported ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ health, compared with 29.1 percent in the group without the benefit.” Researchers expressed concern that “in doing so, the companies may try to ‘cherry pick’ members who are more likely to be healthy using the fitness memberships.” A spokesperson for Cigna, which “has a Medicare Advantage HMO plan in Arizona that offers a program that reimburses $200 for fitness classes,” countered that the goal is to help patients “improve their health, well-being and sense of security.” The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.

States Ask High Court To Overturn Medicaid Expansion

Jim Barricks — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:36:54 +0000

Twenty-six states have asked the Supreme Court to overturn the healthcare reform law’s mandatory expansion of the Medicaid program. Politico (1/11, Haberkorn) reports that the states argue “the federal government can’t force them to expand the Medicaid program.” Further, they claim the 2010 healthcare law “fundamentally changed the program” in ways states “never imagined when Congress created the voluntary Medicaid program in 1965.” Politico notes that the Medicaid issue “is thought to be the toughest climb for the law’s challengers.” A ruling in favor of the states “could limit whether the federal government can use money as an incentive for the states to act on any issue.”

Medicare’s Future An Important Economic Issue For Baby Boomers

Jim Barricks — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:41 +0000

The AP (1/2, Alonso-Zaldivar) reported, “With more than 1.5 million baby boomers a year signing up for Medicare, the program’s future is one of the most important economic issues for anyone now 50 or older. Health care costs are the most unpredictable part of retirement, and Medicare remains an exceptional deal for retirees, who can reap benefits worth far more than the payroll taxes they paid in during their careers.” However, “Medicare’s giant trust fund for inpatient care is projected to run out of money in 2024.” What’s more, “researchers estimate that 20 to 30 percent of the more than $500 billion that Medicare now spends annually is wasted on treatments and procedures of little or no benefit to patients.”

Happy New Year 2012

Jim Barricks — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:57:44 +0000

With the New Year almost upon us I want to take this opportunity to wish you the very best for the coming year. Of course I’ll be sleeping in late because, just like you, I’ll start off the New Year at exactly midnight on New Year’s Eve by singing Auld Lang Syne. We’ll all be singing it and most of us won’t have a clue what the title actually means!

So, just for fun, I looked up the songs history. I learned that Auld Lang Syne is a traditional Scottish song. The version we know today was written (in part at least) by Robert Burns in the 1700′s. The title refers to “old long ago,” or the good old days, as we would say today.

I don’t want you to stumble around when it comes time to sing it, so I’m passing along the lyrics to you. Have a great New Year’s Day and don’t forget to break a resolution or two!

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
And here’s a hand, my trusty friend , and gie’s a hand o’ thine
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

Healthcare Reform Law Already Affecting Millions

Jim Barricks — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:35:18 +0000

USA Today (12/28, Kennedy) reports that “it can be difficult to dig through the rhetoric to determine just what the 2010 health care law has done,” but “proponents and foes say big pieces of the law have been enacted and have already affected millions of people’s lives.” Don Berwick former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, remarked, “It’s complicated, but there are very many benefits affecting millions of people. They will not know it’s the Affordable Care Act, but it is.” The piece highlights “five major changes in health care that occurred in 2011 because of the health care law,” including a crackdown on fraud and more benefits for young adults and seniors.

Merry Christmas

Jim Barricks — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:41:36 +0000

That wonderful Season of Christmas is upon us once again! Doesn’t it seem like we just put away the dishes from Thanksgiving? Maybe you’re already busy with the preparations… pulling out old family recipes, getting the decorations from the attic, or making that all-important list and checking it twice, so I won’t keep you. I just wanted to be among the first to wish you and your family the happiest of Holiday Greetings.

I’ve included two of my family’s favorite recipes (below) for your enjoyment. One is irresistibly delicious; the other brings the delightful scents of the season into your home. I hope they’ll become your favorites, too!

For all your health care needs,

Jim Barricks

	*Christmas Snack Mix* 1 jar dry roasted peanuts 2 bags red and green candy coated chocolate candies 2 bags red and green candy coated chocolate covered peanuts 1 bag chocolate covered peanuts 1 jar wheat germ nuts snack Toss all ingredients together and serve or store. This festive mix also makes the perfect gift when layered in decorative containers. Enjoy!

	*Simple Christmas Potpourri* ½ lemon, halved ½ orange, halved 3 cinnamon sticks 3 bay leaves ¼ cup whole cloves 1 qt water Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer as long as desired. Be sure to check often, adding water as needed. Mixture may be stored in refrigerator several days and reused. Your home will smell great!

Medicare Recipients Said To Be Benefitting From Healthcare Reform

Jim Barricks — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:55:20 +0000

In a front-page story, USA Today (12/6, A1, Kennedy) reports that the government plans to announce that “more than 2.65 million Medicare recipients have saved more than $1.5 billion on their prescriptions this year, a $569-per-person average, while premiums have remained stable.” In addition, “as of the end of November, more than 24 million people, or about half of those with traditional Medicare, have gone in for a free annual physical or other screening exam since the rules changed this year because of the health care law.” Jonathan Blum, director of the Center for Medicare, remarked, “We’re very pleased with the numbers. We found the Part D premiums have also stayed constant, despite predictions that they would go up in 2012.”

Types of Individual & Family Dental Insurance Plans

Jim Barricks — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:57:40 +0000

Dental HMO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization) dental insurance plans also referred to as pre-paid plans, require you to choose one dentist or dental facility to coordinate all of your oral health needs. If you need to see a specialist, your primary care dentist will refer you; specialty care may require preauthorization. A typical DHMO-type dental insurance plan doesn’t have any deductibles or maximums. Instead, when you receive a dental service, you pay a fixed dollar amount for the treatment (a “copayment”). Often, diagnostic and preventive services have no copayment, so you pay nothing for these services. However, generally if you visit a dentist outside of the network, you may be responsible for the entire bill. Typically, the least expensive of dental insurance plans.

Dental PPO (Dental Preferred Provider Organization) dental insurance plans offer a network feature and usually offer a balance between lower costs and dentist choice. PPO dentists participate in the network thereby agreeing to accept contracted fees as payment in full rather than their usual fee for patients with the PPO. When you visit a PPO dentist, you typically pay a certain percentage of the reduced rate (called coinsurance) and the dental insurance plan pays the rest. The percentage usually varies by the type of coverage such as diagnostic and preventive, major services. While you typically have the lowest out-of-pocket costs if you visit a PPO dentist, the plan allow you to visit the dentist of your choice, even if they are not in the network. Typically, the most expensive of dental insurance plans.

Fee-for-Service Plans, also known as indemnity or traditional dental insurance plans, typically offer the greatest choice of dentists. Like PPO plans, when you visit a network dentist, you typically pay a certain percentage for each service (called coinsurance) and the dental insurance plan pays the rest. The percentage usually varies by the type of coverage, such as diagnostic and preventive, major services. The difference between a fee-for-service plan and a PPO is that a fee-for-service dentist usually is not reimbursed at the same amount as a PPO dentist. This means you might also pay a bit more for your dental care. Availability of this dental insurance plan is limited.

A Dental Discount program is designed for individuals, couples and families looking to save money when going to the dentist. The Network dentists who participate in the Dental Discount plan have agreed to accept a lower fee than they would normally charge. Member can save an average of 15% to 50% on everything from general dentistry to root canals, crowns and orthodontia. Members must pay dentists directly as this is NOT dental insurance. Sample Savings.

We provide a choice of Dental Insurance plans for Individuals and Families through Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Delta Dental, MultiFlex, PacifiCare and many others. We realize that having all these Dental Insurance choices can sometimes be a bit intimidating so please call us toll-free at (877) 566-5454 if you have any questions or if you need help.