Busting health insurance myths

By Beth Newcomb

Since the election, the melee surrounding the Affordable Care Act is so significant, licensed insurance agent Roni Bell, of HealthMarkets Insurance Agency, was recently tapped for an on-air interview by News Channel 5 to help assuage people’s fears and clear up the confusion. Roni, with her trademarked warmth and approachability, helped to set the record straight. 

“People don’t know if their insurance is going away, if they still need to be covered under the ACA, or if their plan is going to provide them with enough coverage,” she says. “The truth is, nobody knows what the future will bring, but for now the law is still the law. The earliest anything can happen is in 2018, which means that most people who are self-employed or don’t have employer-paid health insurance are required to obtain insurance under the Affordable Care Act.” 

If you’re already enrolled in an ACA insurance plan and don’t want to make any adjustments, you don’t have to do anything and will continue in the same plan. It’s important to note, however, that several insurance carriers have exited the ACA market while others have made significant changes to their plans. It might be of benefit to you to get a solid understanding of where you stand. 

You can go it alone by visiting the government website set up for the ACA, but Roni will sit down with you at no charge to help you determine if your plan of choice is really the right one for you and your family. She also can uncover any gaps in your coverage and help you to determine if including a supplemental plan in the mix makes sense.

“My guidance is absolutely free and I am not tied to any particular carrier. I can offer a variety of plan options, including Medical Mutual,” Roni states. 

An advantage to meeting with Roni in person, whether to go over your ACA options or to determine if your insurance coverage really is everything you need it to be, is discovering just how many plan varieties are available. 

“Picking the most expensive or least expensive option may not be your best route,” she says. “If you don’t look at the details of the plan you’re considering, regardless of its cost, you could be left with some significant gaps in coverage. You could also end up having to travel for care, or become enrolled in a plan that doesn’t really meet your needs.”

If you’re already in an ACA plan, there is still time to make a change. If you haven’t enrolled, the window of opportunity to do so is rapidly closing. Those required to enroll who fail to do so may be faced with a penalty for missing the deadline come tax time. Although enrollment outside of the ACA is available any time you need it, the beginning of the year is also a perfect time to consider adding a supplemental insurance plan to address any gaps in your coverage, or to provide an enhanced level of coverage.

“I hear stories all of the time,” Roni says. “Things you wouldn’t expect to happen to people can and definitely do.”

She describes an event that happened recently to Tina, a client in her office.

“Tina was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to have surgery,” Roni says. “She had a supplemental package plan that included critical illness and hospital confinement and was paid both a lump sum for her diagnosis as well as an amount per day for every day she was hospitalized.”

“I try to provide the best possible solutions to help with financial protection,” Roni adds. “I have access to many different supplemental plans, something that could be very important as you make your decision about which Affordable Care Act plan to enroll in for 2017. But supplemental plans are available whether you’re enrolled in an ACA plan or not, and we offer options to fit virtually any budget.”

“When it comes to supplemental insurance, a lot of people only think of life, dental and vision plans,” she adds. “It’s really so much more than that. HealthMarkets also offers disability, cancer, accident, critical illness and hospital coverage.”

Supplemental coverage, Roni says, can help to protect you financially from out-of-pocket expenses when you are hospitalized or unable to work. 

“No matter what happens with the ACA moving forward, I’ll be there out in front, continuing to serve the needs of my clients and helping them to make any changes if necessary,” she notes.

HealthMarkets Insurance Agency is located at 1039 Pearl Road, in Brunswick. Call Roni directly at 330-225-2550. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon; Sunday and evening hours by appointment. Visit the website at HealthMarkets.com/RoniBell.

HealthMarkets Insurance Agency is d/b/a of Insphere Insurance Solutions, Inc., which is licensed as an insurance agency in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Not all agents are licensed to sell all products. Service and product availability varies by state. HMIA003711