Healthcare News & Stories

Understanding what’s included and excluded from each Medicare plan can help you decide on the right option.

Before 2010, if you had a pre-existing condition, you may have been denied health insurance coverage or subjected to high insurance premiums.  Thankfully, when the Affordable Care Act passed, health insurance companies offering ACA plans could no longer refuse coverage of pre-existing conditions. They also can’t increase your premium rates based on existing health problems. If you’ve got any questions about pre-existing conditions, or health insurance North Carolina, get in touch with one of our experienced local health insurance agents. You can also compare plans online today.

In good news for many women in North Carolina thinking about having children, it’s now mandatory for all health insurance providers to provide maternity care coverage. In 2014, the Affordable Care Act became law, requiring pregnancy, labor, delivery, and newborn care coverage.

While Original Medicare offers most people good basic health coverage, it only pays 80% of approved costs concerning doctors, hospitals, and medical procedures. It also typically doesn’t cover the cost of prescription drugs or dental care. As a result, many people enroll in a supplemental insurance plan to help cover the gap. 

You could face late enrollment penalties for not signing up for Medicare at the right time.

When you choose a Blue Cross NC Medicare plan, you have the freedom to make changes to your plan without underwriting. In addition, members can switch supplement plans at designated times throughout the year. If you live in North Carolina, find out more about how our local Medicare agents can help you get the best Medicare plan for your needs.

Early retirement, whether desired or forced, can dramatically impact your health insurance coverage. Depending on the circumstances, you may find yourself responsible for funding your own coverage. In addition, the cost of monthly premiums varies widely based on your age, location, and benefit needs. As a North Carolina resident, it’s essential to consider how these additional costs could impact your quality of life in retirement.

Getting Medicare is a significant milestone. If you’re turning 65 soon, it’s a good idea to start preparing so you’ll get your coverage as soon as you are eligible for it. If you’re based in North Carolina, our local Medicare agents can help. 

If you’re a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident of the United States, then you may be eligible for Medicare if you meet one of the following criteria: You are 65 years old or older. You’re younger than 65, but you have a qualifying disability. You are of any age and have been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s Disease). To qualify as a legal resident, you need to have lived in the United States for at least five consecutive years before applying for Medicare.

Support for North Carolina residents who have Medicare and Medicaid

Medicare decisions are highly personal and you may have many different questions about your specific situation. But certain questions do seem to come up more often than others. Here are some of the most common Medicare questions and answers that our local agents often hear from North Carolina residents.

Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare Parts A and B. They’re offered by private companies that are Medicare-approved. If you live in North Carolina and want to find out more information about Blue Cross NC Medicare Advantage plans, our dedicated local agents can help.

Are you considering a job change or thinking about becoming self-employed? If so, it’s essential to consider the impact this change could have on your health insurance, including your coverage and costs. Here’s what you need to know about how a job change could impact your NC health insurance.

A Medicare insurance agent helps to provide clients with independent advice on various Medicare plans at no cost.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have brought renewed urgency to the issue, the need for more cost transparency has long been part of the conversation about the future of health care. Beneath the partisan wrangling in Washington lies a serious issue. Not only is health care expensive, but it can be difficult for consumers to know just how much care costs until the final bill arrives.Managing medical costs starts with knowing what they are in the first place. At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, we support the concept of cost transparency. We’re leading the way in making it a reality, not only for our members, but for all North Carolinians.
Cost transparency at your fingertips
It’s hard to believe, but the cost for many common procedures can vary by thousands – in some cases tens of thousands of dollars – within the same city. When consumers don’t have easy access to this information, they are not only in the dark about the total cost of their care, but more importantly how much it will cost them out-of-pocket. A Blue Cross NC analysis showed that some North Carolinians will spend up to 25% of their take-home pay solely on medical expenses. That can be a massive financial burden for families to bear.An early innovator in cost transparency, Blue Cross NC launched a groundbreaking cost comparison tool in 2012 that enables members to compare cost and quality for common procedures before they make important care decisions. Just as consumers can shop for cars or smart phones by doing research before making a purchase, we’re empowering patients to be better informed health care consumers. When patients see that costs for the same surgery in the same area can vary by as much as $19,000, they realize they can choose more affordable options.[1] In 2015, we went a step further and made the tool available to all North Carolinians. Everyone in North Carolina, whether they are a Blue Cross NC member or not, can quickly search for common procedures like MRIs, knee replacements or mammograms and see how the cost compares between nearby providers.

Here is a list of articles that we’ve published regarding COVID-19 since the pandemic began to help you to synthesize how to go about protecting yourself and your family.
Post-Pandemic Healthcare Issues
How To Tell Fact From Fiction With COVID-19 Information

According to the CDC, vaccinations have prevented over 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children in the last 20 years. In spite of that astounding statistic, a recent study from the University of Michigan found that 93% of pediatricians had at least one parent who refused a vaccination for their child during the past year.
The effects of this are all too well known. As recently as December of 2014, we saw an outbreak of Measles that affected over a hundred children as a result of unvaccinated children and adults. All of which could have been avoided with proper preventative care.
Unfortunately, there are many myths about vaccines that encourage or frighten parents into not vaccinating their children, and as a result, infections can easily spread among the unvaccinated. I want to take a few minutes to share some of the most commons myths about childhood vaccines and talk about the facts.

North Carolina’s low-income earners that do not exceed 150% of Federal Poverty Line can qualify for ACA health insurance for $0
It may not be not too late if you missed out on signing up for the Affordable Care Act coverage for 2022. If you do not exceed 150% of the FPL you can now enroll in plans with $0 premiums for the rest of the year. Want to learn more? Our local NC agents can help you discover if you qualify and help you access plans. Learn more about qualifying for enrollment in an NC ACA health plan with a $0 premium.
To take advantage of this special enrollment period, you need to meet two conditions. First, the special enrollment period is open to anyone with an income of less than 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This means less than $19,320 per year for individuals or under $39,750 per year for a family of four. 

If your senior parent, relative, or friend asks you for help when choosing their NC health insurance coverage, you can take steps to support them.

If your senior parent, relative or friend asks for your help in choosing health insurance coverage, there are several things you can do to support them.
How can I help a senior parent, relative or friend find health coverage?
Whether Medicare or other coverage, there are things to consider when trying to help your senior parent, relative or friend find health insurance. It’s not an easy subject to discuss, and it involves talking about sensitive topics like personal health and finances. It will take time and research to select the best plan. Here are four things to consider.

Regular dental and vision exams are essential to help prevent any health complications and maintain your overall health. If you live in North Carolina, our Medicare agents NC can help you understand how to get the right Medicare dental and vision plans for your needs. Once you know your options, you can plan and budget for your future.

Early retirement, whether desired or forced, can dramatically impact your health insurance coverage. Depending on the circumstances, you may find yourself responsible for funding your own coverage. The cost of monthly premiums differs widely based on your age, location and benefit needs.
When the Covid Pandemic hit the US in 2020, many people who anticipated waiting until 65 to retire, reexamined their plans. Some people found that businesses they had grown from the ground up were suddenly struggling to make ends meet. Others found their hours cut and occupations furloughed. Regardless of the specific reason, many people approaching the age of 65, and many some distance from this traditional retirement age, began to reconsider their plans for retirement.
Although some individuals who are considering an earlier than expected exit from the work-a-day world, have established a cushion from rising stock values and increased housing values this really is more of the exception than the rule. Most people who watched their careers take an unexpected turn during the Covid pandemic are in a much less enviable position. According to a New School for Social Research professor of economics and policy analysis, Teresa Ghilarducci, most people considering early retirement due to the pandemic have much more modest means as they exit the workforce.

Getting help finding the right plan for your budget and health needs is possible by using a health insurance agent or a government navigator.

In the United States approximately 16 million workers are self-employed. Self – employment can provide an entryway to entrepreneurship and small business ownership as well serving as a preferred option for those wanting more flexible schedules than corporate life can typically provide.
In 2020 it was estimated that approximately 41% of the American workforce worked in a freelance position as a self-employed person. Although many people take on freelance gigs to supplement their primary employment with a single company, about 28% of Americans who worked in freelancing in 2020 did freelance work as their full-time occupation. Regardless of whether this trend is a part of an overarching lifestyle choice as many social pundits suggest, this shift does have significant implications for areas like health care coverage.
In recent US history, most of those in the paid workforce have relied upon employer-sponsored health care plans to help them meet their health insurance needs. As the US experiences this shift from more traditional forms of work into this evolving freelance, or gig, economy there is an increased need for individual health care plans that are not attached to a specific employer.