The California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, which operates PCIP in California, requested and received federal approval to lower premiums starting this week, giving subscriber’s pocket book relief of nearly 18 percent on average. The premium reductions range from 8.2 percent to 24.3 percent, depending on subscriber age and geographic region, and were made possible by new guidelines issued in May by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We believed premium cost was a barrier to access for some Californians. Now the barrier has been eased,” said Cliff Allenby, the Board’s chairman. “We want to make sure that everyone who qualifies for this program has access to its benefits and is not deterred by price.”

“The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Program provides vital health care coverage for Californians who cannot afford their health insurance through no fault of their own,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Diana Dooley. “The reduction will offer real savings for access to health care that will benefit real people.”
The new monthly premiums began August 01, 2011. For a PCIP subscriber aged 40 years old living in Los Angeles, the current monthly premium of $339 would fall to $269.

California’s PCIP opened for business on October 25, 2010, and since has reached enrollment of 3,532 (as of July 27, 2011), making it one of the largest PCIPs in the United States. PCIP was one of the first major provisions of national health care reform to be implemented across the country. The program provides health coverage for persons with pre-existing conditions who have been rejected for individual coverage by commercial carriers or offered coverage at unaffordable prices. It is a bridge until 2014, after which insurance carriers no longer may decline or “rate up” coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The new premiums take effect October 1, 2011, but subscribers who were enrolled in August or September will receive the benefit of the premium reductions through credits against future invoices or refunds, depending on whether they are still enrolled in October.

PCIP in California covers both inpatient and outpatient care, including doctor visits, preventive care services, prescription drugs, mental health services, lab and x-rays, hospital services, pregnancy care, durable medical equipment and more. The plan’s annual medical deductible is $1,500. There is also an annual $500 brand name prescription drug deductible. Co-payments are charged for services and prescriptions, except for preventive care, up to a maximum of $2,500 annually for in-network services.

The Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board is an independent state board within the California Health and Human Services Agency charged with researching and assessing the needs of people without adequate health coverage, and promoting ways to assure adequate health care services. In addition to operating PCIP, the Board administers the Healthy Families Program, Access for Infants and Mothers and the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program.

For more information about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, including premium pricing and application form, please visit www.pcip.ca.gov.

Notes from TED Talks on Longevity by Dan Buettner

   1.       Move Naturally:   not forced exercise. Walks, stairs, yard work, gardening, fun activities
   2.       Right Purpose:
              a.       Downshift – Sabbath Downtime – On a regular basis
              b.      Purpose Now – Sense of Purpose in Life
  3.       Eat Wisely
             a.       Wine at 5
             b.      Plant Based Foods
             c.       80% Rule – When you are 80% Full, stop eating
   4.       Connect
              a.       Loved Ones First
              b.      Belonging
              c.       Right Tribe – Surround themselves with the right people.  Hang out with Healthy People.

  Watch the Video Below!

Principal just released its new Business Owner Market Study, "A Balancing Act - Priorities vs. Plan." The report showed that business owners rank business protection as their highest priority, and income protection as their third highest priority.

More surprising is that despite the high level of interest, many have not taken action to put protections in place. Only one in four business owners - 24 percent - has an individual disability insurance (IDI) policy, fewer than 1 in 10 (9 percent) of business owners have key person disability insurance, and fewer than 1 in 20 (4 percent) have a disability overhead expense plan in place.

What does this mean to you?
We know that business and income protection are issues keeping business owners awake at night. We also know they're failing to take the next step - probably due to lack of knowledge or fear of affordability.

How do you protect your business?

Key Person Life Insurance is insurance on the life of a key employee to help reimburse an employer for the economic loss
caused by the death of the employee.

Key Person Disability Insurance is an individual disability insurance policy designed to provide business owners
with the funds necessary to compensate for the loss of a key employee due to a total disability.

Disability Overhead Expense Insurance reimburses an owner for covered overhead expenses up to a specified amount when a disability occurs.
 
Download a free copy of the report, and then contact us for facts and information about ways to protect your business.