Washington State Healthcare Solutions

  The Suzie @ Wenatchee Insurance is asked about Medicare a lot. We help people understand and enroll. If you are looking for PEBB information then go to the HCA and request customer service and if you don't like their options request that they contract with brokers. Once they contract then we get access to the specialized training and can effectively assist PEBB retirees. We work with plans that contract out with licensed producers.  Who can get Medicare? Medicare is the federal health insurance program in the United States that provides coverage to individuals who are 65 years or older and certain groups of people including: 1.        Individuals who are 65 years or older: If you are a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident and you or your spouse have worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years, you are eligible for Medicare at age 65. 2.        Individuals with certain disabilities: If you h...

An insurance plan is not set in stone. Apple Health is an insurance program that when your income changes more than $150 a month then you need to report the income change. If you make over the specified income limit then you are not eligible for Apple Health and may qualify for a reduced cost plan. We have been talking to people and some are very unaware of the change that is almost upon us.  Apple Health is what Washington State Medicaid has been called since 2013. They renamed it when the Affordable Care Act changed Healthcare in the United States. There is a ton of cool state names like Husky Health, MedQuest, BadgerCare, Green Mountain Care....etc. There are groups that help people understand and enroll in Apple Health with out charging a fee.  Suzie Health Solutions is one of ten Enrollment Centers in Washington State that work with the Washington Healthplanfinder. We have to meet special conditions like explaining all plans on the Healthplanfinder and not charging fees...

We find people all the time that are unaware that they have access to low cost/high benefit healthcare. The Native American Program is a good example on why we have talked about the ACA for nearly a decade.  The Affordable Care Act improved healthcare quality and coordination. It included a permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act . It was designed to help prevention and improve wellness by increasing access to affordable health coverage. If you are a member of a federally recognized tribe or Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act (ANCSA) Corporation shareholders then you are qualified for the program. The Healthplanfinder will ask for proof of affiliation however we can help you upload a copy. Marketplace Health Plans. Washington is an expanded medicaid state so up to 138% of the federal poverty level then you are enrolled in Apple Health. These are comprehensive plans which means most services including dental are included.  Between 138% and 300% of ...

  We have been following the Centers for Disease Control since last year at the Enrollment Center. We had some serious conversations about Covid because we did not hear the conversations occurring. At the end of July they passed a major change that folks might have missed. We do live under a media bubble when it comes to healthcare.   We have talked about a year for safe behavior .  To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. Deltas spread is twice as great as the original strain . By the reactions in my office this week most people did not get the memo. Delta has been a Snoop Dogg levels for some time. COVID-19 variants were expected . All RNA viruses mutate over time. Every time they infect a new host, they have a chance to change, and these changes are called variants.  So let’s break down some of the myths . Canadian Medical ...

  We enroll people into health insurance . Over the last year plus, we have also had to battle with COVID restrictions. We were one of the fortunate small businesses in that we could help people remotely and we had most of the internal protocols ready because of a Tuberculosis exposure a few months earlier. There are 11 enrollment centers located through the state, we just happen to be in Wenatchee. It wasn't until May, that we noticed something. A local Health district published the vaccination rate by zip code. When we started looking at the vaccine hesitancy they have an commonality. It is not a real surprise because both are created in a similar fashion for people to operate in a destructive, toxic fashion. We have fought that disinformation wall for nine years. We know that there are a ton of our neighbors sitting in the center that will leave it for friends and family to pick up after they followed bad information. When you are in the country then you will probably recognize...

Masks are back in a big way!  The Argosy Restaurant has had enough. They posted a No Vax, No Service sign on their front door.  Nearly all deaths and hospitalizations in the United States for Covid is from the unvaccinated. Covid deaths are 98% preventable however there is a group that is failing not to kill Americans, the unvaccinated.  Yes, on 7/28/2021 the CDC recommended that masks should be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status if you are in a substantial or high transmission area. We talked about this possibility yesterday on our podcast . These are area marked in Orange and Red .  To qualify for Substantial then you have a transmission rate of 50 to 99 per 100K in the last 7 days or percentage of positive tests of 8.0% to 9.9% To qualify for High then you have to have more than 100 transmissions per 100K or greater than 10% positive tests. Over half the country fell into these categories. In North Central Washington, it means masks are back indoors f...

  We are a couple of weeks away from Pride Month. Matt got into supporting Gay marriage early because that was the only way to get equality when it came to retirement planning. The model in Washington State of domestic partnership didn't allow people to roll over annuities and forced them to cash them out early. Matt has been advocating for equality for a while . Here and Here  and here .  So let’s get down to some reminders before June arrives. 1.        The American Rescue Plan Act will significantly address LGBTQ Poverty .   We have been talking about this since last March and are enrolling people that need healthcare and making sure that they are receiving eligible benefits. There is a Special Enrollment right now.  a.        The Increased in tax credits is a massive change so if you have skipped health insurance then shop. In Washington State the new pricing goes into effect the mont...

We run Wenatchee Enrollment Center . For the last four years, we have been the full service enrollment center for the Washington Healthplanfinder located in Wenatchee.   In North Central Washington, we can see road closures. It is nothing to see North Cascades Highway, Sherman, or Stevens Pass close during the winter month. This year we saw Pine Canyon near Waterville, WA shut down with a landslide. So what happens if you need help with Healthcare?  For the majority of situations, we can enroll and make adjustments over the phone or using screen sharing technology.  We have been doing business from Sequim to Spokane since the first year of the ACA when people scrambling to find help. We have even been known to help people calling in on Satellite phones from the Bering Sea! We do recommend setting an appointment so that we have some introductory information and that we are not out of the office and can dedicate time for you.  We also do walk ins if you are locat...

At the Enrollment Center ,  have been seeing quite a few questions about where are we at with COVID-19 in Washington State. We enroll people into Medicare and Health Insurance so we have been on the front lines since last March. So here we go with questions.  1. First and foremost we are in a Special Enrollment Period for Healthcare . If you don't have healthcare then set an appointment and we can get a plan going as soon as possible. We have this Special Enrollment Period until May 15th. It may take a little while longer as there are some approvals in the background that occur during Special Enrollments.  1B Tier 1 currently 2. We are in Phase 2 of reopening in the state using the Roadmap to Recovery . We are not scheduled to be evaluated for another six days.  The key metrics are Trend in Case Rates, Trend in hospital admission, Percent ICU Occupation and Percent Positivity. Currently we have the highest rate of ICU Occupancy at 87%. The lower the Percent Positive...

  It has been a great year as a Full Service Enrollment Center for the Washington Healthplanfinder .  there are 10 others spread across the state. A normal Open Enrollment runs from November 1 st through December 15 th . However, we have a bonus enrollment season. December 16, 2020 through January 15, 2021, you can enroll in a qualified health plan that starts February 1, 2021. Set an appointment or walk in . This is a great time to get a second set of expert eyes on a health plan if you need to make any changes. In our area, we have over 31 basic plans on the Healthplanfinder so you can miss details that impact how you use your insurance. You can roll into the pharmacy and fill a prescription that first week in January and discover that you were paying more for a prescription than you planned so make a change.   Eleven months of coverage beats no coverage until 2022. Normally, it takes a documented reason to get health insurance outside of the Open Enrollment ...

  Health Alliance 2021 Medicare Advantage Presentation Hi I am Suzie one of the Agents here at Suzie Health Solutions . You might have found this through our Medicare Bot , a Facebook post or found this link through a friend. Each year, I give this presentation to hundreds of times to people who are new to Medicare or have had Medicare Advantage Plan the previous year and there was important updates. In the past these were held at Red Lion and meeting rooms all across the country.  With COVID-19 we had to take a different approach.  Since there are rules involved, we are required to cover materials laid out by the company and by  U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We are going to have the complete sales presentation here so that you can review the materials. If you don't have any questions then we request you use the provided links so that we can assist you through out the year as your licensed insurance agent. If you do have questions the...

In person or online, you can get assistance. Do I need to renew my Medicare Plan? When can I make changes? Now is the time to ask these questions. From Oct 15th through December 7th is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. You do not have to make changes to your plan during this time. However, you can and should review what you have and any updates to your healthcare plan. Here are some important things to understand. 1. If your health has changed since you selected your Part D Plan or Medicare Advantage, then this is an excellent time to switch plans to lower your healthcare cost. Depending on where you live, you may be able to move to a Medigap Plan.  2. Double check with your licensed insurance agent that your plan is not changing or leaving the area. This does happen and checking in with a local resource can reduce the chance of problems next year.  3. A plan that meets your medical needs moves into the area. Maybe, it gets you lower prescription rates at the pharma...

  We talk about Insulin a lot. Here at Suzilla and again for example. We watch the news and see articles talking about it coming . With Enrollment is your chance to make the change for 2021.   Here is the taste of   the 2021 cost of insulin for Medicare recipients and said I would report if the prices did indeed go down.   Tresiba which retails for $537/box will be $35 copays throughout the year. Lantus, retails for $414/box as low as $25 copays for most of the year. Basaglar, retails $345/box, $35 copays. (Based on plans in my area)   If you were wondering the cost of these drug plans, they are all under $25/month   If you are just letting your Medicare D plan or your Medicare Advantage plan roll over then you might not be getting these lower costs!!   Medicare Annual Election Period is Oct 15- Dec 7th, get with your agent to review your drug plan, because you need to factor in ALL your other prescriptions!!   If you...