Washington State Healthcare Solutions

Here at Suzie Health Solutions , we have reached the start of Open Enrollment #11. The proposed rate changes for 2024.   This is the time of year that Health Insurance Companies submit their rate proposals to the office of the Insurance Commissioner. The public can then submit their thoughts on the plan proposals for public record.  The Office of the Insurance Commissioner had fourteen health insurance filers with an average rate increase of 9.11% that are under review. These are proposed rates so do not be surprised when some of the rates change.  Proposed Rates If you want to view the individual plans then here is the Health Insurance Rate search engine .  2024 Proposed rate change for Washington's individual health insurance market Health Insurance company Requested rate change Inside/outside Exchange, or both Percentage of market (Consumers effected)* Asuris Northwest Health -3.39% Outside 0.4% (1,057) BridgeSpan Health Company 15.15% Inside 0.4% (1,092) Co...

  We didn't know what to expect when Brian Blair and Matthew Hahn interviewed us last December. We know them from Insurance Soup , the largest Agent's Facebook Group, Agency Elephant and Suzie even meet them at Insurance Soup Live . Interviews can go every direction and we run our agency very simply.  Here is a sample of their interview with Shawn Michael Walker an industry leader talking with Brian and Matt about their focus.  It was in the middle of Open Enrollment 10 . We do some very unreal numbers with hundreds of appointments, enrollments and hours spent assisting everyone that we could. However we didn't realize on how important Automation had become to our business despite working with it for the last three years. Check out the interview:  https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LChQ4vLXggXD4Rw2YQd1i?si=kP0vvl3zQo2en5IA_KpjxA  The way that we do things is that simply keep plowing forward. As now we built out a Property Agency to cover the gaps and pro...

 Each year at The Suzie @ Wenatchee Insurance  we talk about rates in June . It is one of the few times that the public has a chance to lower their insurance rates. If you follow our podcast or facebook page then you have a greater chance of knowing when this occurs. We even did a follow up video about the thousands of Washington State Residents that were able to purchase Healthcare for $1 or less.  For 2021 thanks to ARPA, nearly half were paying $100 or less for a qualified health plan and these savings will continue through 2022 at least!  The office of the Insurance Commissioner has released some results. The first round impacts the plans found on the Washington Healthplanfinder . If you are not using this tool to shop for insurance then you should just because of the American Rescue Plan's lowering of rates through 2022. Since the adjustment to the top bracket opened up reduced pricing to the upper income brackets, there is very little reason to be shopping ...

Here at t he Wenatchee Enrollment Center, we have been enrolling people like crazy With December 7th, the end of the annual enrollment period for Medicare, we are seeing a flood of people needing Medicare help. For our local customers is has been good to call a 509 number or walk into our office on Mission Street and get service.  Normally, I would say set an appointment using our Calendar. Appointment Calendar . During the time of Covid, we were prepared to help everyone remotely with phone calls and virtual meetings. We have been operating for years to help our people out in Okanogan, Stevens, and Ferry Counties this way. In some cases, the insurance companies were needing to catch up with us. A good example was being able to provide virtual seminars for Medicare Advantage plans. We also have people that need in person and we do those appointments as well. We have been masked up and providing hand sanitizer to clients since March when the first protocols for safer offices w...

Since Wenatchee Insurance is the Full Service Enrollment Center located in Wenatchee, we receive a lot of requests about Apple Health. We wrote an early blog post about low and no cost care for children . We assist people with all income levels with professional assistance. We do not get paid for every policy that we write but that doesn't stop us from helping people.  Healthcare can be confusing. We always recomend connecting with a no cost broker and a navigator so that you get maximum customer service. For example if there is a payment issue with a insurance company and we are connected then we can sort it out quicker if there is an established affiliation.  One of the topics that came up recently is what is the difference of the three Apple Health Managed Care Providers. This blog post is going to hopefully answer those questions. Here we go: Fast Comparison Chart Amerigroup Washington . I strongly suggest that you check out their members handbook  as they go throug...

  Open Enrollment Nov 1 - Dec 15 for Jan 1,2021 start! The Office of the Insurance Commissioner has approved the rates for 2021 on the Washington Healthplanfinder . This is the second year in a row that we have seen a significant decrease in rates. Thirteen health insurers have been approved to sell plans on the Washington Healthplanfinder and the average rate of decrease is 3.2%!  The two plans that are intending to sell plans off the exchange. Asuris Northwest Health , which we can assist you with as we are affiliated with. There is also Health Alliance Northwest Healthplan , who insures 7 people in Chelan, Douglas and Grant Counties. (If you want to see their plans then let us know when you are in our office and we can show you where to find them).  There are also two new companies on the Healthplanfinder for 2021. They are Community Health Network of Washington and UnitedHealthcare of Washington. If a company does not contract with a broker then it becomes a buyer ...

Suzie and Matt work at Wenatchee Insurance Agency in Wenatchee, WA. In addition to running the Full Service Enrollment Center for the Washington Healthplanfinder . We help people navigate through Medicare without charging fees and assist in filling in any coverage gaps.  So far Centers for  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ) has not opened a special enrollment with FEMA under the declared  Emergency . But there are some special benefits going on for Medicare enrollees because of the Emergency Waver .  As a result of the Covid- 19 outbreak, have you lost your group health insurance offered through your or your spouse's job? Are you age 65 or older? If so, you, or someone you know in the same situation, should enroll in Medicare coverage right away as you most likely qualify for a Special Enrollment Period . If you already signed up for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) while you were actively working, you’ll need to complete the fol...

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 ...

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. ...