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George Beach Insurance Services LLC Blog

Anthem Blue Cross Is Expanding!

9/23/2019

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​Anthem Blue Cross of California
 
Anthem Blue Cross is one of the largest managed health care companies in California. It is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association based in Thousand Oaks, California. Anthem and its affiliates serve over 8 million Californians and have offered Covered California plans since 2014.
 
2020 Expansion
Anthem is pleased to announce that we are expanding our participation in an additional six regions for 2020. In addition to currently offering plans in regions 1 (Northern California counties), 7 (Santa Clara County), and 10 (San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Mariposa and Tulare counties), Anthem will also offer plans in regions 9 (Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties), 11 (Fresno, King and Madera counties,) 12 (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties), 15 (Los Angeles County East), 16 (Los Angeles County West), and 17 (Inland Empire).
 
Innovative Programs
Anthem is working with doctors and hospitals that share responsibility for increasing access to appointments, improving the member experience, and providing a more coordinated treatment plan to patients.
 
We also want to help our members spend more time focused on their health and less time managing the ins and outs of health care. That’s why Anthem is driving meaningful change through technology to deliver an easier to use, more complete web and mobile health care experience.
 
Introducing IngenioRx
Anthem’s new pharmacy benefits manager, IngenioRx, not only manages Anthem drug plans, it also offers better support to our members. This means members will have around-the-clock access to teams of specialists, online tools that can be used at home or on the go, and the ease of managing health and drug plans in one place.
 
Mobile and Online options Meet Sydney, Anthem’s new mobile app designed to provide members a more personal, simplified experience. Along with quick access to their Digital ID card, Find a Doctor, and a Personal Goal Setting tool, members can also use the new ChatBot to help guide them on the app, and try the new Care Team set up feature, too. And at anthem.com/ca, members can find all the same features built with easy access and personalization in mind as the mobile app and much more.
 
24/7 Access with Telehealth Anthem’s LiveHealth Online telehealth program gives members access to real-time, face-to-face visits with a choice of doctors across a range of specialties via computer, tablet or mobile phone 24 hours a day. Available in both English and Spanish, doctors can answer questions, diagnose common problems, and even prescribe some medications.
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What's a Deductible?

8/12/2019

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A deductible is the amount that you have to pay for your health care each year before your insurance starts paying for your care. Similar to car insurance, many health plans require you pay a certain amount out-of-pocket before the coverage kicks in. For example, if you have a deductible of $1500 you have to pay the first $1500 of your medical costs before your insurance starts paying. In some plans the deductible applies only to services that you get outside of the provider network. Also, some plans have a separate deductible for prescription medications. Usual deductible does not apply for preventive services.
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What is an Out-Of-Pocket Limit?

8/8/2019

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An Out-Of-Pocket Limit is the most that you're going to have to pay each year for care covered by your plan. Once you hit that limit your insurance starts paying for all of your covered costs. Now if you have other family members on the same plan they have to meet their own out-of-pocket limits until the overall family out-of-pocket limit has been met as well. Some things that are not counted towards the out-of-pocket limit those can include your premiums, balance billing charges, and health care that the plan does not cover.
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What is the co-payment? What is coinsurance?

8/5/2019

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The money that you pay out-of-pocket for the services that you receive. This could include anything from an office visit to the doctor, prescription medicine, an x-ray, or even a hospital stay.
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Now if the money you pay is a set amount that would be called a co-payment or a copay. If the money that you pay is a percentage of the cost then that would be called coinsurance. Now depending on the plan that you have it dictates whether you have a co-payment/copay or coinsurance.

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What is a Metal Tier/Category?

8/2/2019

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​Health insurance is divided into four main categories. Each category has the name of a metal, the more expensive the metal the more expensive the premium but the richer the benefits. Bronze for example covers 60% of your medical expenses it is also the least expensive premium. Silver covers 70%, Gold covers 80% and Platinum, the most expensive tier, covers 90%.
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What is a Health Insurance Premium?

8/1/2019

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A health insurance premium is the amount of money you pay per month to the health insurance carrier. Now, you either pay by the month of you pay it per pay period depending if you get it through your employer or not.
 
If you get it through your employer, your employer most likely covers a portion of your premium.
 
If you get your insurance through either Covered California or through the exchange in another state then you most likely get an Advance Premium Tax Credit, that's where the Federal Government pays a part of your health insurance premium for you.
 
If you are not on the exchange and you buy directly through the carrier then you're paying 100% of the premium yourself.

Have an insurance question? Drop it in the comments and it might become the next video!
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The Benefits of Wellness Challenges

7/18/2019

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When your employees are healthy, they are happier and more productive. That’s why it should be your goal as a business owner to promote employee health, and one way to do that is to introduce wellness challenges. From cooking classes to physical fitness challenges to running for charity, there are plenty of different activities to choose, and each have great benefits. 

Improved Interpersonal Relationships
One of the key benefits of a wellness challenge is that it compels individuals to work together as part of a team. Therefore, everyone is required to engage with their colleagues and do whatever it takes to make sure that everyone succeeds. In some cases, it means that people have to step outside of their comfort zones. 

Since most workplace team challenges are designed to be fun and only somewhat competitive, everyone can focus on being encouraging and bringing the best out in their teammates. That makes it easier for everyone to allow their best selves to shine through, which makes it possible to develop solid professional relationships.
 

Building Healthy Habits
Wellness challenges facilitate building healthy habits, but they are more likely to be successful if employees work in teams and are provided additional motivation for participation. What individuals learn during the team challenges can be transferred to their lives outside of work. For instance, some people may find that walking is a great way to snap out of an after-lunch funk or a way to wake up first thing in the morning. 

Those who take part in the challenge may also discover that they enjoy running, biking or some other activity that was part of the company challenge. That could lead to training for a marathon or some other event that requires you to be in good physical condition. When workers improve their physical condition, it can lead to improvements in their mental health as well. That is a win for both an employee and the company. 

A Higher Quality of Life
There are several reasons why being in good physical condition can lead to improved mental health. For some, the act of running helps to relieve stress or simply burn off extra energy that wasn't released while sitting in an office all day. For others, meeting weight or endurance goals can give them a confidence boost that leads to better performance in other areas of their personal or professional lives. 
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Improved mental health can result in lower medical costs, which can lead to even less stress in their lives. Reducing stress can put an end to teeth grinding, headaches and other conditions that can be expensive to treat. It can also result in taking fewer medications and seeking care less often, which can reduce hospital admittance and other fees paid out of pocket. Overall, healthier and happier employees lead to a happier and more productive workplace. 
Your employees’ health and wellbeing is our primary concern, which is why we work to provide the best insurance. Talk to us today about our insurance plans for your employees!
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5 Types of Insurance All Working Adults Need to Carry

7/17/2019

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Insurance is one of those commodities that you hope you never have to use, but you’re glad when you are covered. Life can change in an instant. Whether it is a health issue, a car accident or property damage caused by a storm, insurance can help pay the expenses. All working adults should have a variety of insurance policies “just in case.”

Health Insurance
The goal of a comprehensive health insurance policy is to provide wellness benefits. This allows you to keep up with doctor exams in order to prevent serious ailments. If those ailments do occur, then a health insurance policy can help defer costs for treatment and recovery. Health insurance also can help with medical expenses as a result of an injury due to an accident. In the moment of a health crisis, you don’t want to worry about how you’ll pay your bills.

Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is meant to protect your family in the advent of your passing. The benefits paid through this type of policy should provide for mortgage payments and living expenses. It can also cover college tuition. Essentially, it will cover all the things that you would cover if you were still providing an income for your family. A term policy lasts for a specific amount of time. When the term is up, you might be able to renew the policy or start a new one.

Long-Term Disability Insurance
Any adult child who has dealt with the issue of long-term care for their parents knows how expensive a situation this can become. This should also inspire you to take action and consider your own care. No one wants to be a burden on their family, and this type of policy can help whether in-home care or transitioning to an assisted living facility is required. This is in contrast to temporary disability, which is probably covered under your employer's workers comp insurance.

Auto Insurance
What would happen if your car was involved in an accident? Would you have a way of getting to work and supporting your family? Auto insurance can help pay for repairs to a car. It can also cover certain liability issues with regard to personal injuries. In extreme cases when the car has been deemed a total loss, auto insurance can pay for the current value of that car. That amount can be used towards the purchase of a new car. Auto insurance also makes payments for accidents where you might be at fault.

Homeowner’s Insurance
A home is the biggest financial investment that you will probably make in your life. Shouldn’t that investment be protected? A thorough homeowner’s insurance policy can help cover the loss of property because of theft or vandalism. More importantly, it can pay for repairs as a result of damaged caused by storms. Depending on where you live, you might consider getting additional policies for floods and earthquakes as not every homeowner’s policy covers those types of disasters.
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Having insurance is all about having peace of mind. Every working adult should have these types of insurance at the very least.  In any situation, when asked, “Are you covered?” the answer should always be, “yes.”

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Vision Insurance

4/3/2019

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​The term "vision insurance" is commonly used to describe health and wellness plans designed to reduce your costs for routine preventive eye care and prescription eyewear such as eyeglasses and contact lenses. Some vision plans also offer discounts on elective vision correction surgery, such as LASIK and PRK.
 
You can get vision insurance in one of two ways: as a standalone plan or as combined with your dental plan.
 
Going to the doctor, going to the dentist—all part of taking care of your health. But going to the eye doctor? Also important! Eye exams at every age and life stage can help keep your vision strong. Many people think their eyesight is just fine, but then they get that first pair of glasses or contact lenses and the world comes into clearer view—everything from fine print to street signs.
Optometrist inspecting patient's eye
Eye exams at every age and life stage can help keep your vision strong.
​Only Your Eye Doctor Knows for Sure
Eye diseases are common and can go unnoticed for a long time—some have no symptoms at first. A comprehensive dilated eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist (eye doctor) is necessary to find eye diseases in the early stages when treatment to prevent vision loss is most effective.
 
During the exam, visual acuity, depth perception, eye alignment, and eye movement are tested. Eye drops are used to make your pupils larger so your eye doctor can see inside your eyes and check for signs of health problems. Your eye doctor may even spot other conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, sometimes before your primary care doctor does.
 
Vision Care Can Change Lives
Early treatment is critically important to prevent some common eye diseases from causing permanent vision loss or blindness:
-Cataracts (clouding of the lens), the leading cause of vision loss in the United States
-Diabetic retinopathy (causes damage to blood vessels in the back of the eye), the leading cause of blindness in American adults
-Glaucoma (a group of diseases that damages the optic nerve)
-Age-related macular degeneration (gradual breakdown of light-sensitive tissue in the eye)
Glasses sitting on a desk
​Why get a vision insurance plan?
-Protect your eye health. Routine vision care may not be covered by your health plan.
-Save money. A vision insurance plan may reduce your out-of-pocket costs for eye care.
-Maximize benefits. Receive discounts on vision expenses like glasses or even LASIK.
-Get personalized service.
 
The two popular Vision Insurance Carriers in California are VSP and Humana.

If you want to discuss options about your vision insurance, we recommend speaking with an independent insurance agent like George Beach Insurance Services. We work for you the client, and not a particular big company.
CALIFORNIA VISION INSURANCE PLANS
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HMO – PPO – EPO: What’s The Difference?

3/26/2019

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HMO - Health Maintenance Organization
An HMO is a type of health insurance plan that usually limits coverage to care from doctors who work for or contract with the HMO. It generally won't cover out-of-network care except in an emergency. An HMO may require you to live or work in its service area to be eligible for coverage. You will usually need a referral from your Primary Care Physician to see a Specialist, resulting in multiple co-pays. All healthcare services are managed in-network through your Primary Care Physician.​

​In California, the popular HMOs are Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health Plus, Western Health Advantage, Health Net of California, Sharp Health Plan, LA Care, Molina Healthcare, and Valley Health Plan.
George Beach Insurance - HMO Diagram
You will usually need a referral from your Primary Care Physician to see a Specialist, resulting in multiple co-pays.
PPO - Preferred Provider Organization
A PPO is a type of health plan that contracts with medical providers, such as hospitals and doctors, to create a network of participating providers. You pay less if you use providers that belong to the plan’s network. You can use doctors, hospitals, and providers outside of the network for an additional cost. PPOs do not require you to select a Primary Care Physician. One of the benefits of a PPO is you usually can self-refer to a Specialist.
 
In California, the popular PPOs are Blue Shield of California, Health Net Life Insurance Company, and Oscar.
George Beach Insurance - PPO Diagram
One of the benefits of a PPO is you usually can self-refer to a Specialist.
EPO - Exclusive Provider Organization
A managed care plan where services are covered only if you go to doctors, specialists, or hospitals in the plan’s network (except in an emergency). Under an EPO plan you do not choose a Primary Care Physician. You can receive care from any of the in-network doctors and self-refer to in-network specialists.
 
In California, the popular EPOs are Anthem Blue Cross, Health Net Life Insurance Company, and Oscar.
PictuGeorge Beach Insurance - EPO Diagramre
You can receive care from any of the in-network doctors and self-refer to in-network specialists.
If you want to discuss options about your health insurance, we recommend speaking with an independent insurance agent like George Beach Insurance Services. We work for you the client, and not a particular big company.
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George Beach Insurance Services LLC​
Modesto, CA 95355
(209) 353-2330​
Click Here to Email Us
CA License: 0K34688 & 0K82780
AZ License: 17640886
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