Finding Affordable Health Insurance in Brentwood while filing for your divorce

You don’t have to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, but a divorce in Brentwood is quite common. There are so many issues to deal with during the divorce process and finding affordable health insurance in Brentwood is one of the issues you have to tackle. Don’t despair your health insurance agent can help you.

In Brentwood many families have employer provided health insurance benefit that covers the whole family. Often the other spouse is a stay at home parent or self employed, with no access to health insurance benefits. As long as you are in the process of the divorce, your spouse can’t take you of your health insurance plan. Once the divorce is settled, the spouse with the family health insurance coverage can no longer cover the other parent. They are no longer “family” members who can take advantage of their family health insurance plan.

With the rising health insurance cost it is important to address the “cost to insure all family members “, in the negotiation and settlement of the divorce. This is especially important, if the partner has pre-existing medical conditions and will be most likely rejected by the individual insurance companies. The first step is to find out if you are eligible for individual health insurance. You can call us or get an online health insurance quote. We will guide you through the health insurance possibilities and assist you filling out an application. Recently I reviewed a health insurance from a divorced client. She actually was enrolled in a maternity plan, while already having grown-up children and having no intention of getting pregnant. It is critical to rely on a health insurance expert while going through a divorce. Make sure you are buying a health insurance plan which fits your needs.

Going through the difficulties of a divorce is dramatic, let us take one burden of your shoulder and assist to find affordable health insurance in Brentwood.

How much is Health Insurance going to cost me in Santa Monica ?

We all have experienced a steady increase in health insurance cost, you might just have opened your Anthem Blue Cross rate increase letter, but did you know that your health insurance in Santa Monica is most likely double so high as in Midwestern States. So are we experiencing in Santa Monica double as good of a care as in the Midwestern States?
Although we are blessed with exceptional great Hospitals, Saint John's Hospital, UCLA and Cedars Sinai are just one of our few options, still is it fair that we have to pay double the price for health care? Considering that we pay for housing at least double the amount of money as in the Midwestern States, it might be fair.
The only problem is that our income and wages have in recent years not grown as fast as the health insurance cost, food or energy prices. Santa Monica is one of the Mecca's of incredible "creativity" and "small start ups" in the fields of music, internet and entertainment industry.
We have many small businesses , which got hit much harder than anyone else in the latest recession. I am positive that our creativity and ingenuity will also help us to get out of this slump fast.
But in the meantime I at Solidhealthinsurance can help you find the most affordable health insurance, which still offers you good quality care so that you can take advantage of all the great hospitals and doctors that Santa Monica offers.
We will together research all options available to you, compare plans from Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Healthnet, establish a deductible which is manageable for your individual or small company needs.

Medicare Changes are necessary Now !

We all are reading the news that changes in Medicare are necessary.
Looking at the fact it is devastating for anyone born between the age of 45 and 55, or younger. The health costs of the seniors has skyrocketed from $111 billion in 1990 to $ 509 billion in 2009. With the number of Americans eligible for the program expected to soar from 47 million today to 62 million in 2019, annual Medicare spending will increase to $895 billion by the end of the decade. The Medical Board of Trustees warned last year Congress that by 2029, the Part A trust fund, the part which pays for hospital and hospice for elderly, will be exhausted.
After learning these facts, combined with the news that Standard & Poor just lowered the U.S. credit outlook from stable to negative, I am utterly frustrated that we see partisanship between Republican (Ryan's Plan ) and Democratic parties (Obama's Plan) . We need solutions now and clear measures to control the rise in medical cost, now and not in 10 years. These measures have to be unpopular but doing nothing will be devastating to the American middle class.

Hospital Bills in Los Angeles are inflated and not transparent - even an Insurance Agent can't give you exact the cost

Anyone who has had in the last couple of years an outpatient surgery in Los Angeles with hospitals such as Cedar Sinai, UCLA, Saint John's must have had the same experience, Hospital charges in Los Angeles are inflated and outrageous!
When I, a health insurance agent myself, had an outpatient 30 minute procedure, I called before the procedure Blue Shield, my insurance company, and we went over the possible procedure costs. We knew that the procedure itself would cost $ 350.-, but when it came to the cost of anesthesia and hospital charge the insurance company could not give me the exact amount. When I opened the envelope and saw a hospital charge of $ 8,900.-, I thought this had to be a typo. But no it was reality. Thank god for my insurance the negotiated fee was $ 3000.-, but nevertheless why could I not have gotten this info up front.
Are you getting your car repaired without an estimate? So why do we accept that hospitals can charge without giving us a clear estimate!
David Lazarus, staff writer of the Los Angeles Times, has recently published an amazing article Medical bills need reconstructive surgery about this matter.
In order to get control of our health care cost we all should demand that hospital charges are as transparent as any other service industry. Once a consumer knows the cost, than it is much easier to evaluate if it is deemed necessary or if there are any other alternatives to get to the same result.

Long Term Care why you should consider it living in California

Advances are being in medicine and people are living longer than ever before. This longer life expectancy increases the likelihood that long-term care will be required. Today, more than ever, Long Term Care Insurance is a key component of any financial plan.

Accordingly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 70 % of people who reach age 65 will require long-term care services at some point in their lives. In comparison to this only 70 out of 1000 Americans will have an automobile accident serious enough to warrant filing a claim and only 5 out of 1000 Americans will suffer a catastrophic loss of their home due to fire.

What is long term care insurance?
Long-term care covers a wide range of services but generally falls into two categories:
Skilled Care and personal care- Skilled care is provided when recovering from an illness or injury and personal care helps maintain the activities and functions of daily life. The activities of daily life are eating, toileting, transferring, bathing, dressing and continence. Long-term care is usually not medical care and generally does not require a doctor or nurse. It is providing individuals with assistance in daily living such as bathing and dressing. Long-term care can also include speech or occupational therapy, outfitting a bathroom with grab bars, or even light housekeeping or preparing meals.

Why people buy long term care insurance!

• To have choices

Nothing makes us feel more vulnerable than losing control of basic choices. Having the ability to choose the type of care that best serves an individual’s needs is as important as having the ability to pay for that care. LTC Insurance can help provide the

• To protect family and friends

Family is usually the first place people turn for care, comfort, and support. But in most cases, they are not professional caregivers. Weeks, months or years of care \, even with just basic daily needs, places a large burden on a family’s shoulders. LTC insurance provides services so that family members can give support in more meaningful ways.

• To stay at home

Most people prefer to stay in their own home or where they’re most comfortable. LTC insurance helps with many different types of care and services which may enable individuals to stay in their own homes.

• To protect savings and assets

No one puts away money in hopes of one day using it to pay for long term care. However, just as there is the possibility of being hospitalized or having a car accident, there is a possibility of needing long-term care. Since LTC Insurance helps pay for care, it also helps protect hard earned savings and assets

Why others wished they had LTC insurance!

• Medicare – before medicare can help with nursing home expenses, a hospital stay of at least 3 days is required. Then, medicare will cover a portion of expenses for skilled care in a skilled nursing home facility only.
• Medicaid – intended for people without sufficient income or means to provide for themselves, Medicaid provides help only after most personal savings have been depleted. In acts largely as a safety net when there are no options.
• To be able to afford care – With the average length of long term care services lasting nearly three years, the costs can quickly add-up. Savings may pay for sine expense, however these assets are probably earmarked for other things. In addition, long term care may be needed before enough money has been accumulated.
• To avoid of becoming a burden – While family members may want to do all they can to help, caring for a family member has many adverse financial and emotional consequences, that may place a serious strain on the family

How much does long-term care cost
The cost for services can vary greatly, depending on what type of care you need and where you receive it. But, two things are certain; (1) long-term care services can be expensive, and ( 2) relying on family or friends may not always be the answer.

The national average annual cost of a private room in a nursing home is over $ 79,000.- or over $ 217 per day . In may parts of the country, the costs are much greater. Home care, although generally less expensive than nursing home care, can still be very costly- especially if round- the- clock care is required.

When a member of the family provides informal care at home, the costs are harder to determine. The caregiver may have to give up work either temporarily or permanently. It is also impossible to put a price tag on the emotional stress the caregiver may experience.

Isn’t long-term care covered by Health Insurance
Many people mistakenly believe that some other program already covers them. The fact is, since long-term care is not considered medical care, health insurance will not cover the costs.

One Year Anniversary of Health Care Reform - How did it effect Californians

Today we mark the Anniversary of the Health Care Reform. One year ago today, President Obama marked a major milestone by signing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. From that moment, health reform became a reality for Californians. Depending on their coverage, many Californians are now receiving: Extended dependent coverage up to age 26 No more pre-existing condition exclusions for enrollees under age 19 No more annual and lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits No more member cost-sharing on preventive services And more Although Insurance Premiums have risen due to the improved quality, we are seeing with the new Insurance Commissioner Jones a better control of the 2011 rates. Blue Shield announced to stop for 2011 further rate increases, and Anthem reduced their rate increase for July from 16.4 % to 9.3% . The mandate forcing Americans to buy insurance in 2014 or being penalized, is hotly contested in the courts with 27 states challenging the law and over 20 lawsuits filed. The courts have split 3-2 in favor of the mandate thus far. Unfortunately almost nothing has been done to keep the medical inflation in check. Medical Cost and Insurance Premium go hand in hand. Over the past ten years the amount that health care insurers pay out to hospitals, doctors and patients has spiraled, rising by 5% to 11% each year, from roughly $1.3 trillion in 2000 to $2.5 trillion in 2009. Yet few patients would say that the care they receive today is twice as good as the medical attention they received in 2000. So let's hope that amongst all the political parties, all the lobbies of pharmaceutical, doctors, insurances consortium and lawyers a common goal of "how to reduce the medical inflation", can help us further to improve medical care in California and throughout the United States.

Spring - The Time for Renewal

While Winter was a time to conserve your energy and reduce activity, Spring is a time of regeneration, new beginnings, and a renewal of your spirit. Spring is the ideal time for cleansing and rejuvenation for your overall health and well-being.

In Chinese Medicine, spring is represented by the wood "element", which in turn is conceptually related to the liver and gallblader organs. The liver is responsible for the smooth flowing of Qi (energy) throughout your body. When the liver runs smoothly, physical and emotional activity throughout your body also runs smoothly.

Here are some healthy tips how to increase your energy!

Stretch - The liver controls the tendons. According to Chinese medicine, the liver stores blood during periods of rest and then releases it to the tendons in times of activity. Try to start your morning with 10 minutes of morning stretches and yoga exercises.

Eat Green - Green is the color of spring time. Eating young plants, - fresh, leafy greens and sprouts can improve the liver's overall functions and give your energy.

Taste Sour - Foods and drinks with a sour tastes are thought to stimulate the liver's Qi. Put lemon slices in your drinking water, use vinegar and olive oil for your salad dressing.

Do more outdoor activities - Outside air helps liver Qi flow. If you have been feeling irritable, find an outdoor activity to smooth your energy. Try hiking, playing with your dogs or take up golf.

Drink Milk thistle tea - Milk Thistle tea helps protects liver cells from incoming toxins and encourages the liver to cleanse itself of damaging substances, such as alcohol, medications and environmental toxins

Laugh out Loud - think about something funny and allow yourself to laugh out loud.