What The ACA Reforms Mean For Children

Health Insurance for Children

With the recent twists and turns of the Affordable Care Act, there have been many changes to health insurance. While most people talk about how this will affect the health insurance needs of adults, not many people think about how it can help children. The Affordable Care Act has made it easier than ever for children to be covered with the right health insurance policy.

In order to sign up for health insurance, adults have to wait for an open enrollment period or have a qualifying life event. However, children are able to get covered with the right health insurance plan at any point in the year through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP. Both federal and state programs offer low cost or free health care to children, which help to bring the number of uninsured children to record lows.

Many private health insurance providers are now offering the same services that CHIP and Medicaid are offering, including various preventive care services that come at no cost. These preventive services include immunizations, autism screenings, depressions screening, obesity screenings, and more to help ensure the health of children across the country.

All health insurance plans are now required to offer 10 services, including vision and dental care for children, as well as maternity and newborn care. It is important to keep in mind that insurance companies do not have to offer dental and vision care to children who are over the age of 19, so look carefully when deciding on the right policy to fit your needs.

Contact the insurance experts at Bernardini & Donovan Insurance Services in Redlands, California for all of your child health insurance needs. We will work with you to ensure that you have the right amount of coverage for everyone in your family, all at the right price.

How To Take Advantage of Free Preventive Care

Free Preventive Care

Under the Affordable Care Act, all health insurance policies that are purchased through the Marketplace allow people to have access to free preventive care. These preventive care options are meant to keep people healthy to help them avoid trips to their doctor and pricey medications.

While they are known as free preventive care services, they are not really free. They are paid for by your insurance company with the money that you pay each month for your premiums. However, there is no out of pocket costs for you when you need these services, meaning you can never be charged a copay, deductible, or coinsurance.

There are many different services that are part of free preventive care, including immunizations, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, depression screening, and oral health and vision screenings for children. There are also preventive services that are available to women, including prenatal care and contraceptives.

When going in for these free preventive services, it is important to tell your doctor when you make the appointment so that you are not charged for the visit. Keep in mind that while these services are free, there may be some associated costs, such as if you need a follow up visit or a separate treatment.

Keep in mind that most health insurance providers will only pay for preventive care if you go to an in network doctor. If you choose to go to a physician that is out of the network of your health insurance provider, you may be left paying for the services out of your own pocket.

For all of your health insurance needs and to ensure that you are able to take advantage of the free preventive care that is available, contact the insurance professionals at Bernardini & Donovan Insurance Services in Redlands, California.

California Ranked 17th Healthiest State in the U.S.

How The Health Of California Has Changed In The Last Year

The American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention released their annual report on the health rankings of America on December 10th. The report listed a ranking of all fifty states from healthiest to least healthy as well as information on cancer, preventable diseases, and chronic conditions in the United States.

To calculate their rankings, the organizations considered twenty-seven health metrics, including obesity, immunization rates, infectious diseases, and cancer-related deaths. After compiling the numbers, they released the full ranking with Hawaii emerging as the most healthy state and Mississippi at the bottom of the list.

The report showed that nationally, there has been a 7 percent increase in obesity in the last year and a 3 percent increase in sedentary lifestyles. Fortunately, there was also good news. 3 percent fewer adults are smoking and 4 percent fewer cases of infant mortality were reported, while 5 percent more adolescent American have received the immunizations they need.

California came in 17th overall, with nearly a 1 percent drop in obesity, from 25 in 2013 to 24.1 this year. The number of smokers also decreased slightly, from 12.6 to 12.5 percent. Unfortunately, the number of California residents with diabetes has increased by 15 percent in the last two years.

The report showed that the biggest health challenges Californians face are significant amounts of air pollution, a great inequality in the health status of high school graduates vs. those without high school diplomas, and a moderate rate of violent crime.

Fortunately for Californians who care about their health, a certified Covered California agent like the ones at Bernardini & Donovan Insurance Services can help you get the health insurance you need to care for your body in every season of life. With open enrollment going on right now, do not hesitate to contact Bernardini & Donovan Insurance Services, located in Redlands, California, to secure the best Covered California-compliant protection for you and your family today.

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