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The Health Insurance Marketplace Is Now Open

Couple Registering For Obamacare Special Enrollment
Millions across the US are taking advantage of the Obamacare special enrollment period.

Millions of Americans are able to take advantage of the current special enrollment period, which lasts through May 15, 2021. Here’s what to expect out of Obamacare in the near future.

With one stroke of his pen, President Biden changed our country’s access to healthcare. On Thursday, January 28, 2021, after less than two weeks in office, the Biden-Harris Administration issued two executive orders that spurred a series of initiatives that will strengthen the American health care marketplaces.

President Biden’s two executive orders directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reopen Healthcare.gov, which is the health insurance marketplace enacted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA)- more popularly known as Obamacare. These executive actions established a special health insurance enrollment period from February 15, 2021 – May 15, 2021, which would allow tens of millions of uninsured Americans in 36 states to secure an affordable health insurance plan. HHS has pledged to spend $50 million on outreach campaigns that encourage uninsured individuals to visit Healthcare.gov to explore their coverage options, complete unfinished applications, and enroll in a health plan.

Access to quality healthcare is a prevalent issue in this country that affects millions of Americans across geographic, racial, and social boundaries. These healthcare-related executive orders represent the commitment that the Biden-Harris Administration made in the American Rescue Plan to expand and protect Obamacare coverage, meet the growing healthcare needs created by the pandemic and strengthen healthcare services offered by federal agencies.

The Directive’s Changes to Obamacare and Medicaid

Although this special enrollment period is the only action specified by President Biden’s executive order, these directives place the spotlight on federal agencies. When it comes to Medicaid and the ACA, Biden called for federal agencies that interact with these programs to reexamine (1) the policies that limit healthcare protections of individuals with pre-existing medical conditions under the Affordable Care Act, (2) the practices that make Medicaid eligibility difficult, (3) the practices that create barriers to enrolling in Medicaid and ACA, (4) the policies and practices that increase insurance premiums for policyholders and dependents.

While the President’s order doesn’t go into detail and provide specific insight into what actions Medicaid, HHS and their corresponding federal agencies should take, this order is likely to reverse several policies established by the previous administration. It’s clear that the Biden-Harris administration is taking a powerful stance on Medicaid Policy and preparing to reestablish Medicaid as a foundational part of the Affordable Care Act, especially during the pandemic where millions of Americans have lost their jobs and can no longer afford health insurance.

Insuring and Ensuring Women’s Health

A significant part of Biden’s executive order was his nationwide presidential memorandum that sought to protect women’s health and reproductive rights. In this memorandum, Biden rescinded aggressive policies established by the previous Administration that modified women’s access to a variety of healthcare services, and also expanded other services that pertain to women’s reproductive health and sexual health.

How Does The Health Insurance Marketplace Reopen Affect Me?

Do you have health insurance? In the last year, millions of Americans were laid off due to the pandemic and subsequently lost their healthcare insurance, and due to hardship, unfortunately did not get Cobra insurance after losing their job. Fortunately, Biden’s executive orders give uninsured individuals additional time to enroll in Medicaid or find affordable comprehensive coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Can I Buy Health Insurance That is Not Obamacare?

Many people wish to seek out other insurance options outside of Obamacare and aren’t sure where to start. Out team at Health Plan Options Today specializes in helping people explore their healthcare insurance options to get health coverage that is perfectly suited for their budget and their needs. Our experts are standing by to help you! Click the button below or call 1-855-218-3447 to start discussing your insurance options.

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Got Obamacare? Then You’re Automatically Covered For This.

Obamacare includes a “coverage bill of rights” that helps raise the standard for all American health coverage plans.

Over ten years in, the Affordable Care Act (also known as “ACA” or “Obamacare”) has become such a major part of American life that it’s almost hard to remember that it was a truly groundbreaking- and highly controversial- law upon passage in 2010. Aside from offering more accessible healthcare options for all Americans, the ACA most notably represented an overhaul to the way Americans and American companies approach healthcare. In many disadvantaged communities, healthcare coverage was the exception, not the rule, prior the passage of ACA. Although there is still a long way to go, now that has clearly shifted drastically.

Because Obamacare represents such a major change from earlier healthcare practices, some of the smaller advances it assures are often forgotten when people discuss the law, but are no less deserving of recognition.

A shining example of this is the idea of essential health benefits. This portion of the act states that there are 10 categories of service that every type of Obamacare-compliant health insurance plan must cover. In essence, the essential health benefits package is like a health coverage Bill of Rights, giving people a guaranteed minimum expectation for any Affordable Care Act-compliant health insurance plan they purchase.

What Are The Essential Health Benefits?
The 10 benefits are as follows:

  1. Ambulatory Patient Services: This is more commonly called “outpatient care” or “ambulatory care”. This is any medical care a patient receives without admission into a hospital, such as urgent care.
  1. Emergency Services 
  1. Hospitalization: This includes overnight stays as well as surgical care.
  1. Laboratory Services
  1. Mental Health Services: These services include behavioral health treatments such as therapy and counseling, as well as substance abuse disorder services.
  1. Maternity, Pregnancy, Neonatal and Postnatal Care
  1. Coverage for Prescription Drugs
  1. Habilitation and Rehabilitation Services and Devices: These are services and devices to help people obtain, maintain, or recover physical and mental skills. This covers a wide range of services, from physical therapy to speech therapy to services for differently-abled people.
  2. Preventative Care, Wellness Services, and Management for Chronic Diseases
  3. Paediatric services, including dental and eye care: This is an interesting part of the ACA essential benefits, list, as vision and oral care are not part of the adult essential health benefits.

Additional Essential Benefits

There are further benefits that should be mentioned that aren’t always included with the list of 10 “essential” benefits. Every Obamacare plan must additionally guarantee coverage for breastfeeding support and birth control. It’s also worth noting that there are 66 individual screening, assessment, and preventative care services that are fully covered by Affordable Care Act plans.

Am I Eligible For An ACA Plan With The “Essentials”?

The short answer for the majority of people is “yes!” Even if the yearly open enrollment (or perhaps, special enrollment) period has passed by, there are still other options you may pursue, such as short-term insurance or private insurance, which offer similar or better coverage options.

Our experts can help you get an affordable healthcare plan that is perfectly suited for your budget and needs. We are proud to serve the United States and have helped thousands of people obtain peace of mind through affordable health insurance plans. Click the button below or call 855-218-3447 to find the coverage options that are right for you.

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This FREE Guide Helps COBRA Make A Lot More Sense.

Let’s face it, COBRA insurance is not necessarily the easiest topic to understand. After all, COBRA is like taxes, financing a car, and so many other parts of “adulting”: there’s no class in high school to teach people about the subject. To be fair, it’s probably a safe bet that COBRA class won’t be taking the place of Algebra anytime soon.

It also doesn’t help that most people who are eligible for COBRA continuation coverage have to learn about the subject at a time when their life is in upheaval and they are trying to get matters back on track. Health insurance is very important, but for many people eligible for COBRA, that concern comes after “getting a new job” and “making sure the bills are paid”.

Most people who have heard of COBRA at least know that it’s a program that helps people to maintain their health insurance coverage after losing a job. Usually, insurance providers or HR departments will provide some basic information about the program after an employee leaves, but those employees often have questions about how COBRA affects them due to their individual situation.

A Guide To Help You

That is why we have created a guide to the top 8 questions people have about COBRA insurance. To write this guide, we surveyed experts and found out the questions they get asked most often about COBRA coverage. We then took the most common questions and explained them in a simple, easy to use format. We’re confident that anyone can go from novice to expert in just minutes after downloading our guide. 

To get your copy, just click the button below. Enjoy and remember, you can get in touch anytime if you have questions about your health insurance options, even if your questions aren’t related to COBRA.

Download the Guide Here

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COBRA Continuation Coverage, Explained.

COBRA is often thought of as the expensive health insurance alternative. That’s not always the case.

How COBRA Health Insurance Works

COBRA, which stands for Consolidated OmniBus Reconciliation Act, allows for a continuation in coverage in relation to an employee’s employer-sponsored health insurance plan even after the employee leaves their job. The health plan is guaranteed regardless of whether the employee left the job voluntarily or not, or if the employee was forced to leave by life certain life experiences.

However, COBRA should not be misinterpreted as a health insurance plan. It is more of a law that converts a group insurance plan into an individual one. Thanks to COBRA regulations, most employers with an excess of 20 employees offer coverage, with the exemption of churches and the federal government. 

What you need to know is that getting the COBRA plan is a little different from getting a plan through your employer since while using the former; you have to cover the full cost of the plan.

How do I Know That I Qualify for the COBRA Plan?

To establish whether your group insurance plan is eligible for COBRA coverage, start by checking at the group’s plan Summary Plan Description. This document is available approximately 90 days after you join the plan. To get cobra insurance, you need to have qualifying events that lead to the loss of your health insurance. The main qualifying event for COBRA coverage is leaving or quitting your job provided that the reasons for leaving are not as a result of gross misconduct. The list below outlines the common cobra qualifying events for COBRA coverage.

  • When you leave or quit your job
  • Termination of your job posting for reasons other than gross misconduct
  • A reduction of your working hours
  • When you lose coverage as a result of being entitled to receive Medicare
  • Divorce or separation from your legal spouse

In the event that your spouse or dependent children lose their coverage from your plan as a result of a legal separation or your death, they are still entitled to COBRA coverage. The same happens for children who are on their parents’ insurance but lose their coverage once they turn 26. Such a child is still a cobra qualified beneficiary.

How Much Does COBRA Cost?

The cost of COBRA coverage is such that you have to pay the full amount of your health insurance plan as well as a 2% administrative cost. This means that COBRA coverage may be more expensive and the expense can even go higher should you consider the plan as a short-term option. In most cases, employers tend to subsidize health insurance cost for their employees. If you find that your health insurance is affordable, it may be that your employer is helping you cover part of the cost (although our agents can help you find affordable options otherwise). This means that before subscribing to cobra health insurance, ensure that you know how much the full cost of your health insurance plan is.

Some employees are eligible for getting assistance to meet their COBRA cost. Those who do qualify for health coverage tax credit. Such employees include those whose employment is terminated as a result of global trade. There are also workers who are entitled to benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), and some employees who are entitled to pension payments under the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

Is Cobra a Good Alternative?

While COBRA is a good option to retain your employer-sponsored health insurance in the event that you lose your job, make sure that you explore all alternatives before choosing the plan. Our experts can help you find more affordable plans that can suit both individual and family needs. We’d be happy to work with you, just fill out the form below and we’ll get in touch.

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Fill out this form and our experts will contact you to help you get the right insurance for your needs.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels

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Experts Discuss Biden’s Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Extension

Health Insurance Experts share what they think President Biden’s new executive order means for uninsured Americans.

Last week, President Biden signed an executive order designed to address the impact COVID-19 has had upon Americans’ ability to access healthcare. President Biden’s order reopened the health insurance marketplace for a special enrollment period, and also encouraged all government agencies to review their health insurance policies. 

According to reports from the Commonwealth Fund research group, nearly 7.7 million Americans lost their job-sponsored health insurance in June 2020 alone, and many others have lost their coverage since then. In contrast, a relatively small number of those people have signed up for COBRA or new health insurance, meaning that millions of Americans are newly uninsured during the greatest health crisis our country has ever seen. Public health analysts believe that disparities like these could combine to create an even worse healthcare crisis than we’re already facing, and agree this is likely at least part of the reasoning beyond Biden’s executive order.

“…nearly 7.7 Americans lost their job-sponsored health insurance in June 2020 alone.”

– Commonwealth Fund Report: “How Many Americans Have Lost Jobs with Employer Health Coverage During the Pandemic?”

Health insurance experts at Health Plan Options Today who work directly with the uninsured have given their take on Biden’s executive order and whether they think it can help the uninsured masses. 

“The biggest concern folks seem to have is that they can’t afford health insurance- especially considering today’s financial condition- so they often see no way out”, said William G, a representative at Health Plan Options Today. “Of course, this isn’t the case, and we’ve been doing our best to educate people to the contrary. Hopefully the President’s executive order causes people to take another look at health insurance so they can get covered”.

“The biggest concern folks seem to have is that they can’t afford health insurance… Of course, this isn’t the case”

William G., HealthPlanOptionsToday Healthcare Expert

Stephanie A., another representative at Health Plan Options Today, says there are other major issues that have shaped people’s ideas of access to health insurance, especially given the United States’ unemployment rate: “Many people have no idea how COBRA health insurance works, and a lot don’t even know it exists in the first place. They just think that if they lose their job due to COVID, there are no other insurance options available.” Stephanie echoes William’s optimism for Biden’s Plan: “I really hope that the people who lost their jobs and didn’t take advantage of COBRA use the special enrollment period to their advantage.”

Overall, there is generally support for Biden’s executive order, especially considering 2020’s historically short marketplace insurance enrollment period and low enrollment numbers. Many people who missed the original enrollment period will now have a second chance at enrolling for ACA-based plans in 2021. Perhaps William G. summed it up perfectly: “I think we can all agree that no matter what, a second chance is always nice.”

Are you insured? To get your own second chance at affordable health insurance, fill out the form below and one of our agents will contact you, or call us at 1-855-218-3447.

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas: We Answer Your Questions

Texas Flag
Blue Cross Blue Shield may be a national health network, but it got its start in the Lone Star State.

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is one of the world’s largest insurance companies, and has helped to secure the health of hundreds of millions of customers across the United States for almost 100 years. But did you know that the BCBS network actually has Texan roots, and is still considered one of the best insurance networks for Texans? Here’s all Texans need to know about how the health insurance giant can help them.

Texan Beginnings

Although the network is now officially headquartered in Chicago (not unlike some other companies that got their start in the Lone Star State), the original Blue Cross insurer was headquartered in Dallas. Founded during the height of the Great Depression in the late 1920s, the company pioneered the concept of the insurance network, offering Texas teachers plans to guarantee hospital care for $6/ year. Initially, the company was only focused on providing hospital care, but merged in the 1980s with the California-based Blue Shield company, which was originally created to insure physician care for miners and lumberjacks in the Pacific Northwest region.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas the Same as Blue Cross Blue Shield?

The name “Blue Cross Blue Shield” doesn’t represent a single company, but rather a network of companies that services people in all 50 States, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and 3 Latin American countries. As such, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is a division of a company called HCSC (Health Care Service Corporation), which also serves as the licensee for BCBS in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. So yes, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is the same as any other company that uses the Blue Cross-Blue Shield name, yet part of an individual company that services Texas.

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Cover Everyone In Texas?

While of course, Dallas, Austin, and Houston Health Insurance customers represent a major percentage of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas’ members, the company does cover all areas of Texas. Recently, the company has stated that its network includes over 80,000 physicians and 500 hospitals in the state alone. With numbers like that, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find a nearby physician or hospital that accepts BCBS insurance, even if you live in a rural area. In fact, the company often tags itself as the “only statewide, customer-owned insurance company in Texas”, which reflects its commitment to servicing its actual customers, not shareholders.

Is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Good Insurance?

When measured by network size alone, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is associated with more physicians and hospitals than everyone else in the state, which means that members have access to the best doctors and facilities available. Outside of its extensive network, the company offers a variety of plans to suit every need, family size, family type, and financial status, so customers are able to find the best insurance solution for their situation.

What Type of Insurance is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas offers several types of insurance and insurance plans, such as employer-provided and private insurance plans, dental and optical plans, and more.

How Do I Get Health Insurance Without a Job?

Texans who have been laid off or have lost their job can obtain affordable private health insurance- even if outside the typical COBRA or healthcare enrollment periods. Just call one of our representatives or fill out the form below, and we can help you get set up with the insurance you need at a price you can afford.

How Can I Sign Up For Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas?

To sign up for Blue Cross Blue Shield or to get a walkthrough to find out which health insurance plan is best for you, simply fill out the form below and one of our expert representatives will call you. Or, if you’d like to call us directly, call 1-855-218-3447; our experts are standing by.

Just fill out the form below and our experts will help you get the right health insurance for your needs.

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Biden Reopens Obamacare Enrollment

Biden Signs Executive Order for ACA
President Biden, seen here with President Obama, signed an executive order that changed the ACA enrollment period. Here's what that means for you.

Don’t Have Insurance? Here’s How Biden’s Executive Order Helps You

On January 28, with just a few quick strokes of his pen, President Joe Biden signed an executive order that changed the way many Americans access their health insurance temporarily, and may permanently change the way federal agencies- and by extension, healthcare companies everywhere- approach insurance.

President Biden’s executive order will reopen Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare enrollment for a special enrollment period between February 15th and May 15th- and not just for those who are eligible for COBRA or other special coverages. The order also demands that federal agencies review their policies to make sure that healthcare truly is affordable, and to ensure their policies do not block insurance access for those with preexisting conditions, including COVID-19. Biden’s order also urged these same agencies to make other changes that will “protect and strengthen” access to healthcare in the future.

Biden made a statement after the order’s signing, saying “As we continue to battle Covid-19, it’s even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to health care”.

This executive order follows former president Trump’s changes to the Affordable Care Act. In 2018, Trump shortened the ACA’s enrollment period from 92 days to 15, which caused new healthcare enrollment to drop drastically. Also notably, the Trump administration and several states attempted to kill the ACA in a case that’s still pending before the Supreme Court.

What Does Biden’s Executive Order Mean For You?

If you’re worried because you or your family don’t have health insurance during the Coronavirus pandemic, you have another chance to secure insurance through the ACA marketplace- even if you have lost your job, stopped paying your private health insurance, or both. This will come as especially good news to those who missed because last year’s enrollment period was so short.

What If I Want Other Healthcare Options or Miss the Healthcare Enrollment Period?

If you miss the new Health Care Enrollment period or if you would like other healthcare options beside the ACA marketplace, there are still other options available for you, such as private insurance. The team at Health Plan Options Today can help you examine options such as these.

If you have any other questions, need help picking the best health insurance plan for your needs or would like to enroll in health insurance, just fill out the short form below or give us a call at 1-855-218-3447 and we’ll help you get insurance at a rate you can afford.

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Walmart Steps Up Their Game With Medicaid!

Walmart Steps Up Their Game With Medicaid

If you have not been paying attention, a lot is going on right now. Between the election and the many changes it will bring, we have to stay adamant about the future, and Walmart is taking active steps to become involved. The giant chain of stores are now offering what was described as an “Amazon Prime”-like experience, where those enrolling not only feel comfortable in their choices, but also fits their budget.

Remember, as always, come to us first with these questions. We’re here to help!

The Medicare insurance signup for this year’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) begins October 15th and ends December 7th, according to Fox Business. Walmart has obtained licensing to issue health insurance, and so they are doing so, under the name: “Walmart Insurance Services.” They will be offering what General Manager of Walmart Insurance Services stated: “We want customers to feel confident in selecting a Medicare plan that best fits their needs, budget, and lifestyle…and we want to be a trusted partner on their health care journey.” Are they worth trusting with this deal, though?

Well, for sure! According to Medicare Advantage planning agents (i.e. us), 1 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries will be enrolling, which allows the plan to save them most out-of-pocket spending. It seems pretty clear that Walmart truly wishes to help, especially at a time when everyone is strapped for cash and needs a good health insurance plan. However, there is always flaw where there is hope, and the fact is, Walmart has never truly run their own insurance platform, let alone Medicare, of which may be one of the most important, albeit influential health coverage plans to have.

Think about it. Though they are announcing as of Tuesday the 6th of October, that they will be entering not only the pharmacy industry but also as an insurance broker, are they capable of bridging the proper gap between “insurance acceptor” and “broker”? Well, it is a question that time will tell, but for now we will go over the basics. As a licensed insurance brokerage retailer, their goal is simple: “”assisting people with enrolling in insurance plans – and simplify…a cumbersome, confusing process.”

Walmart may be following in the footsteps of several other giants who tried to make this same transition (including but not limited to: Amazon, Google, CVS, Publix…). All of those failed, so what makes this one different? Well, for starters, they are at least doing one thing right that the others did not: they are partnering with actual health insurance coverage services rather than restricting people’s choices to only their plan.

In other words, my dear readers, they have managed to gain the trust of Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Amerigroup, Simply Health, Wellcare, and need I say more? These are now partners-in-crime, meaning they will not be forcing people to use their own plan. Rather, they are implementing a new system where suddenly, they are for once doing things right by instead partnering with other health insurance agencies to develop their system. Smart, right?

However, there is still a wide margin-of-error. For one, Walmart may be able to offer these health insurance plans, including Medicaid (which has risen as one of the top insurance retailers – ever), but are they prepared for the plethora of individuals actually applying for this stuff? Walmart, of all places, is known for self-automation: half of their checkout lines are typically done by our own hand, and it is worrisome to me that though they may have done every step correctly, can they handle the volume?

When people need health insurance, and need a health care provider, the typical move is to either a) contact someone like us, or b) go to the cheapest alternative. In this case, the “cheapest alternative” is a company that is often considered a thrift store for those with little-to-no money that could be spent at a more legitimate offering. That is my main concern, as Walmart is already known for (and I admit) great customer service, but a very horrendous capacity to handle a move like this.

We will find out in the coming weeks (possibly months) to see how well they are doing, and we will do a follow-up blog post on this subject. For now, we can leave it off as: though Walmart may be joining the fight, this particular year is different. The world is changing before our very eyes, and it is good to see companies like this trying to assist. However, they may be licensed but that does not mean they are prepared.

Recall Google did this once back in 2012. They failed miserably because they had technical glitches, i.e. their servers quite literally shut down due to the vastness of those applying. In fact, one incident actually led to an assault when an unnamed source got into a fight with the broker, who felt he needed insurance more than the other. Is Walmart ready to compete in this disparaging market? Time will tell.

In the meantime, need health insurance advice? Do make sure to contact us for more information as we can provide it as you need. Stay safe from COVID, protect yourselves, love yourselves, take care of yourself and your families, and reach out to us. We are great at what we do here, and we hope this has been informative. We wish Walmart the best of success, but in the end the best way to go is the traditional route…

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Top Ranked Cities For Proper Health Insurance Care!

Top Ranked Cities For Proper Health Insurance Care

In this week’s blog, we realize that the adamancy of health insurance (now more so than ever) is really the central measure of tendency (i.e. stats jargon for “ranked highest”) in today’s currently misshapen world. So, we decided this week to give you five cities that are ranked as the highest (or lowest) ranked cities to live in for health insurance premiums. We urge you to contact us with your needs and questions.

Side note: they rated each of the top five places based on several factors.

This included population health (value of health services, low illness rate, less COVID-19…), education (schooling value), economy (how well the economy functions), housing (big houses versus rundown shacks), food & nutrition (how much poison is in each bite), environment (how much of the air is gas emission and not oxygen), public safety (based on high versus low crime), community vitality (are people happy?), and infrastructure. Let’s dive right on in! These are the best places to live for high healthcare value.

  • Los Alamos County, New Mexico

    Really?! New Mexico ranks as number one? Well, with a population health of 98.4, and relatively high numbers in each of the other categorical rankings (nothing went below 80 except for food and nutrition), they seem to be the safest. I actually have to say that their success with health insurance is the simple fact that they have a total population of 19,695 people, with a small growth rate of 1.53% (based on statistics from the World Population Review, 2020). In other words, they may be the healthiest, but this is based on the average county population of 112,566. Remember, this is one county out of thousands of others, as the U.S. population ranges around 328 million.
  • Douglas County, Colorado

    This one makes more sense, as the population Is 285,465 and the land area is 840 miles, which is double the square footage as well as almost 10 times as that of Los Alamos County, New Mexico (see above). Their population health was 95, with education at 67 and an economy rating of 87. Everything else does not drop below 65. How they are basing these numbers, I do not know. All I know is that with such a high population health, good housing and a rapid economy, there is a simple reason as to why they are number two: the population health is high because people are less stressed out! I live in Miami, Florida. Our population size is 2.72 million, and our population health is probably so bad that it does not even bear a health population score!

    In other words, Colorado is a lax state to live in, and a population of 10 times less than where Miami, Florida is, I can safely say that Florida will never rank high because we live in quite a mess. In other words, the population health is so high because there is less stress, less pollution, less gas emissions, and less angry drivers stuck in traffic!
  • Falls Church City, Virginia

    This falls in line with Los Alamos County, which was number one. It has a small population of 12,332, and covers only 2 square miles, i.e. barely a city. The population health is 98 (the highest among the three), the economy is 100 (a perfect score), and everything else is relatively above 70 points.

    This one is unexplainable, but take as an example the idea of going to images.google.com and searching: “Falls Church City, Virginia.” How beautiful and uncluttered it looks, right? Again, with a striving economy, good nutrition, and a really, really low population, there are a few extraneous variables, (100 points is suspicious)

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  • Broomfield County, Colorado

    Wow, Colorado seems to be topping the charts! Number Five is another Colorado location, and Number Seven is also a Colorado-based county! Broomfield County, CO has a small population of 55,889 individuals, with a total of 33 square miles. Think about that for a second. That is roughly 1,666 individuals per square mile!

    How are they so healthy?

    With a population health of 88 and an economy of 96, with everything else pretty much matching Number Two (never falling too far below 70 points), we can safely say that this is all based on location. Go to the same images.google.com and type in the county name and tell me: does that not look like a good place to live…?

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  • Routt County, Colorado

    Again, we see Colorado consuming roughly three out of the five top-ranked counties to live in. With a population of 23,509 and a land area of 2,362 square miles, this is our third top-ranked city based on Colorado. Get ready to pack your bags, wherever you are, and make note that Colorado has never pushed lower than a 60-70 point count out of 100 possible points. You may want to consider this not at all based on the population.

    The size consists of roughly 9-10 people per square mile. That may be a reason in their high health rating, but let us dive a bit deeper: the environment is ranked as 89 out of 100. Community vitality (happiness) is 71 points, as well and food and nutrition is at 69, which is still relatively high. The economy is 76 out of 100, we can actually attribute that their high population health is based on those two factors, especially nutrition. That means that perhaps we are right to think healthy eating is essential to our health!

    Contact us for more information about how to obtain great health plans and keep following us! We have plenty more to tell and plenty of topics at the ready! Stay tuned…


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Upon Which COVID Stands – The Lessons We Have Learned

Upon Which COVID Stands – The Lessons We Have Learned

When the pandemic hit, many were speculative as to how this phenomenon will subtly destroy us. Millions were without food, others without healthcare, and even more so: many suffering from disabilities imposed because of it. However, we neglect to realize how much the world may actually benefit from this caustic tragedy. Think about it: kids have resorted to Zoom sessions in which classes are routinely held virtually; carry-out and delivery services have produced over 200,000 new jobs; telehealth is now being recognized as a convenient manner in which we can now see doctors without ever leaving the house! Though we cannot deny the bad, let us examine the “good.”

  1. Schools are better off. Many complain about the virtual environment schools are now being plagued with, but we fail to realize that this is so new to us that we have yet to adapt to it. In fact, consider the benefits of virtual schooling. Less violence will occur; less bullying will take place; social attitudes and norms are being tested before our very eyes. Though many schools have struggled with this new manner in which our children are taught, this is just the beginning.

    An example comes from a student we worked with on health insurance planning. The school he attended was delivered online, but not in the manner one would think. In fact, it was a virtual world, much like a video game. There were actual characters, booths for career expos, and there was a vast ability to socialize and communicate in a way far surpassing Zoom.

    This, in my opinion, is a step forward for technology.
  2. Carry-out and delivery. It may not seem like such a big deal, but consider the mentality that the “carry-out” or “drop-off” food service runs on. It is much, much more convenient (albeit safer) to have people come out and deliver food to us. We go on an app, pay for our products, and a man or woman comes out and puts the food in our back seats. C’mon, how cool is that?!

    We seem to think to ourselves: “This is to keep us safer,” but in reality it is a step forward for better service. No one likes going to Publix to shop, wait in an aisle, and bag our own groceries. The situation is no different for the Publix staff: they are tipped more for coming out to give us our food, and have less spills to worry about, less clutter, and overall much more calm. Imagine a world where the service industry functions on this mentality!

    It does not seem like much, but once we get better at this, it will be.
  3. Telehealth is upon us. Not many realize that virtual doctoral visits have actually been around for some time. In fact, it was around 2016 that our blog writer encountered the Life Coaching industry, which became exclusively centered around the marginal issue of: “Why treat only those local to us?” In turn, the online movement toward healthcare improved, and when the pandemic hit, this phenomenon grew in size. It is almost routine at this point to go on Zoom, Doxy, or FaceTime to obtain our medical assistance.

    The telehealth industry has grown in size in 2020 with an increase of almost 10 percent. However, it is projected to be worth $266.8 billion by 2026. This is a drastic leap! We must begin to realize that in a technology-run world, even medical issues are being treated by technology. Even before the pandemic, many doctors took to iPads and other embedded computer systems to monitor patient issues, as well as to look up answers to questions (i.e. symptoms or medication interactions) when in doubt.

    What a sincere change.
  4. We are now in touch! We are now in touch with family and friends in a manner far surpassing what we once had. The amount of FaceTime or Zoom calls has increased by tenfold, and we are now in touch with our family and friends so much more than we were pre-pandemic. Furthermore, more adults and Baby Boomers are becoming rather acclimated with programs they did not understand six months ago. Zoom is the best example, which formed in 2010 and has grown substantially since the pandemic.
  5. Safety awareness! Are we now more grateful for our safety? Are we now less likely to avoid sneezing around others? Though the pandemic brought this upon us, it actually made people more aware of the dangers of: standing too close to someone, coughing without covering your mouth, and overall we are beginning to understand the concept of “courtesy” more. Though this may seem like COVID-19’s greatest threat, it is actually humanity’s greatest opportunity to do better at recognizing when others are in trouble.

In fact, the rate of adults actively engaging in safety awareness has risen by 22 percent since the outbreak. We are also now more grateful for our doctors and nurses. I have never once seen so many people saying: “Thank you” to a doctor, an EMT or a nurse. This may actually lead us toward optimistic increases in healthcare spending. Now that we have faced a virus unlike any other, when it is all over we will have conquered something we thought would be too strong to manage or regulate.

In the end, we are not dead, and our fallen brothers and sisters are not held in vain.

I’d like to share with you a quote from Hunter Patch Adams during his defense against privatized medicine:

“What’s wrong with death, sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can’t we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity, and decently, and God forbid, maybe even human. Death is not the enemy, gentlemen. If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight the most terrible diseases of all: indifference…”

Tell us if in this past year, we can all agree. If you need help with health insurance, contact us and we can assist. We know health insurance premiums are becoming an issue, so we do encourage you to check out the rest of our site and see how we can help.