Washington State Healthcare Solutions

Expect a lot of junk plans from other sources. A couple of years ago, a group of individuals started the ACA Signup Project. I have helped out at Suzie Health Solutions and have been teaching and enrolling people in healthcare since 2013. There was a great concern that the incoming President would slash funds for the outreach and attempt to sabotage the Affordable Care Act which he campaigned against. Yes, he promised to "Repeal Obamacare from Day 1". Well it is still here and we are always looking forward to more friends joining the outreach effort. Here are some tools that will help. We have made huge improvements In Washington State we have made some huge gains and we are working on making more. We are up to one in four people receiving their healthcare from the Washington Healthplanfinder. It is open year round for enrollment of people that are at 138% of poverty or affiliated with a Native American Tribe. Some of the rural counties of Eastern Washington, we

Brokers have always been an important part of the Washington Healthplan Finder . We have education requirements from the state for our license. We receive regular training from the Exchange on how it functions. We receive training from Insurance Companies on how plans functions. It was no surprise that one of the first customer satisfaction survey's rated brokers extremely helpful to 80%  from people enrolling in qualified health plans. Suzie Health Solutions is a no cost broker. The Washington State Auditor's office published it's Performance Audit in 2016 confirming the importance of selecting brokers. Right off the bat on page four, they mention shifting calls to brokers as being a possibility to reduce cost.  Brokers reduce cost by how they are paid. Brokers are paid by commission or charging fees receiving no payment for Medicaid. The exchange on the other hand pays for Navigators and the Call Center which drives up costs (page 28). Certain States improved th

Reduce your misery We get the flu shot every year. Every year people die from the flu.  “ Last year the flu killed 296 people in Washington and thousands more were hospitalized", said Dr. Scott Linquist, the state epidemiologist for communicable diseases. Getting an influenza vaccine — though not 100% effective — is the best way to prevent the misery of the flu and its complications. We don't like being miserable nor do we like inflicting misery upon others. We work with a lot of different people and some have compromised immune systems and we want our office space as safe as possible for others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months of age or older be vaccinated annually against influenza. Do you like kids? Well one study showed that flu vaccinations reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half for children with high risk medical conditions and nearly two-thirds among healthy kids. Medical conditions  increasing

These are the top two requests  and solved for a ton of people.  Apple Health Kids is awesome. If you are on Apple Health then you have Dental . You want to use the heck out of it. Kids can get braces if they are medically necessary. You can get cleanings and fillings. It is run by the Healthcare Authority so do not hesitate to call them directly and grill them. They don't cover bridges, implants or crowns. Their phone number is 1-800-562-3022. On Apple Health and can't find a dentist/doctor then go here .  Apple Health Vision, the kids 20 and younger are covered and the adults need to contact the administering insurance company and see what they cover. The adult's eyeglass frames and lenses are generally not covered by Apple Health but they have a discount program. These change from time to time on what they cover. The Apple Health managing companies are: Amerigroup Washington: 1-800-600-4441 Community Health Plan of Washington 1-800-440-1561 Coordinated C

Women's health is important. Not only are they half the population, women are capable of carrying the next generation. With the U.S. maternal mortality rate more than doubling from 1991 to 2014, we can do better. Yes, women's healthcare is tremendously important if we are focused on improving our nation. Together we can change. We are seeing some cause and effect results of bad policies.  Cervical Cancer mortality rates rise as women's health clinics close. Researchers found this trend as nearly 100 women's health clinics across the county closed from 2010 to 2013. The greatest impacted under these closures were Hispanic, uninsured and young women. The closure of these clinics reduced screening and because cancer was identified later increased deaths. Gender bias can have catastrophic results . Women may have different complaints than men — even with similar health conditions — and they experience pain differently, but most doctors are trained to identify and

It is hard to get information to the public these days. We use social media, inform the newspapers, do radio ads. One of the ones that we like to do is posters for events. It shows that they care about their customers and recognize that people need assistance in getting help with Healthcare. Take a moment to thank them and visit them if you have not done so. It is people like these that we make our home in Central Washington. In no particular order, thank you: Washington Healthplanfinder they run the tool that 1 in 4 Washington Citizens use to enroll in healthcare.  Suzie Health Solutions they run the full service enrollment center in Wenatchee. They help people solve their insurance questions for life and health with out charging a fee.  Washington Valley Pharmacy has pharmacies in East Wenatchee and Quincy. They will be providing flu shots at the Health Fair!  Mercantile provides vibrant work space in downtown Wenatchee for small businesses. Health Allia

After six years of helping thousands of people get healthcare, we have seen a few things. I am currently running the full service enrollment center in Wenatchee . It's where we answer questions and enroll people in healthcare at no cost to them. Look if you have an account on the Washington Healthplan Finder then please keep it current. Reading your mail and paying your taxes solves the basic difficulties with the program. Here are the big tips: Put the mobile app on your phone so you can check easily check your account and get messages. The user name and passwords are the same as the desktop version.   Select a no charge broker to get your questions answered. This is maximum service for minim dollars. Some of us throw out tips on facebook and if you don't get help directly, your neighbor does.  Right off the bat if you have Apple Health Dental then use the heck out of it. You get cleanings every year, basic restorative fillings, some root canals and dentures. Mor

When you qualify for Medicare , it is an important time in your life as you are literally making decisions that affect the rest of your life. You are usually either transitioning from a qualified health plan from your employer, three months before or after your birthday, or have become disabled. You have benefits during your initial enrollment period that you may not be aware of. If you miss your initial enrollment then you have restrictions and possibly penalties . Our busiest seasons. A no charge agent means just that, we don’t charge additional fees to assist you and answer your questions throughout the year. If you select or change plans with the assistance of a no charge agent then we receive compensation from the insurance company managing the plan. Yes, there are some cases that you can simply select an agent of record by signing a form, but there are certain plans that once you have selected an agent, they are attached until you switch plans or for the rest

Don't be afraid of winter. When you live in the Cascades and winter arrives that means snow. With snow, we have ice and the inevitable slips and falls. What does that mean if you have a deductible over $5000 or worse yet no insurance? Some people want to wrap themselves up with bubble wrap and park it on the couch for the next four months. We believe that people should get out and have fun. As insurance geeks and parents of a teenage boy, we understand about injuries and sports. We know that 1 out of 8 Americans each year seek medical care because of injuries. In almost every age group falls are the leading cause of accidental injuries. If you have a kid in sports then you know that 90% of young athletes have been injured while playing a sport. Millions of kids are seen in an emergency room for injuries related to sports and recreation every year. We know that the average Emergency Room visit is charged $1,389 and a lot of people don't have the money in the bank to cove