Life & Health
10 Minutes of Exercise = 1 hour Effect
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
Ten minutes of brisk exercise triggers metabolic changes that last at least an hour. The unfair news for panting newbies: The more fit you are, the more benefits you just might be getting.
Read more…
Health Care Reform: Coverage for Adult Children
Monday, May 24th, 2010 | Human Resources, Life & Health | No Comments
Each year in June, many young people – because of their age, student status or other factors – become ineligible as dependents on their parents’ insurance policies. Health care reform legislation will extend dependent coverage to age 26 for plan years beginning September 23, 2010. Adult children under the age of 26 are eligible even if they no longer live with their parents, are not dependents on their parents’ tax return, or are no longer students. The policy applies equally to young adults who are both married and unmarried. It does not; however, apply to those who are eligible for other group health coverage.
While this is great news, it also means that many dependents would face a coverage gap during the months before this provision is fully implemented. To help these dependents, carriers will allow young men and women to remain on their parents’ policies even before this health care reform provision takes effect. Beginning June 1, benefits will continue to be provided to dependents who – because of their age, student status or other factors – would lose coverage during the gap period between June 1, 2010, and the September 23, 2010, effective date. This extension of coverage will not be retroactive; however, dependents that aged out before June 1, 2010, can be added back onto a parent’s policy during your group’s next open enrollment period on or after September 23 in accordance with the new law.
Employers with 100 or more employees have the option to not offer this extended coverage.
The Department of Labor posted the following information explaining the dependent coverage component of the Act – Read More
Bad Habits Can Age You 12 Years
Thursday, April 29th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
Four common bad habits combined – smoking, drinking too much, inactivity and poor diet – can age you by 12 years, sobering new research suggests.
The findings are from a study that tracked nearly 5,000 British adults for 20 years, and they highlight yet another reason to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Let’s Talk About Long-Term Care
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
Emotions can run high when the topic of conversation turns to the care of an elderly loved one. In my life, the care of my grandmother is the center of our family discussion. The conversation generally relates to one of the following questions: How are we going to take care of her? Who will volunteer his or her time? When am I going to be asked to help? What am I supposed to do? Why am I always the back-up person? Read more…
Health Law Makes Calorie Counts Hard to Ignore
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
March 23, 2010
That Caesar salad you’re about to eat? It’s 800 calories, and that’s without the croutons. The fettuccine alfredo? A whopping 1,220 calories. You may choose to ignore the numbers, but soon it’s going to be tough to deny you saw them.
A requirement tucked into the nation’s massive health care bill will make calorie counts impossible for thousands of restaurants to hide and difficult for consumers to ignore. More than 200,000 fast food and other chain restaurants will have to include calorie counts on menus, menu boards and even drive-throughs. Read more…
Do Health Savings Accounts Really Save Money?
Friday, February 19th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
A lot of people wonder if they actually can save money using a Health Savings Account. Understanding what this account is and how they work will help you realize if they can really help you reduce your health costs.
Health Saving Accounts
HSAs are special savings accounts that are set up with a financial institution (i.e. Bank, Credit Union) to help pay for medical expenses. These accounts are not taxed and must be accompanied by a high deductible health plan. Employees can easily set up an HSA, but individuals and those who are self-employed can also participate. Money that is put into a Health Savings Account is not viewed as income and thus can be deducted during taxation. The money is used to pay for any medical cost that is not covered by insurance. Unused amounts continue to accumulate and can be withdrawn after the age of 65. To qualify for HSA in 2010; an individual needs a plan that has a minimum of $1200 deductible, while a family must get a plan with $2400 minimum deductible. The U.S. Treasury and the IRS have issued the new guidelines for the maximum contributions to Health Savings Accounts for 2010:
Individuals may contribute an annual maximum of $3,050
Families, covering two or more individuals, may contribute up to $6,150
A catch-up contribution of $1000 can be made for individuals who are 55 years of age or older and not on Medicare
How An HSA Can Save You Money
A health plan with a high deductible will cost less and will require cheaper premiums. However, the plan may not cover all your medical contingencies. By putting money into your HSA account, you will be able to pay for any medical expenses that your insurance does not cover. A number of healthy people use up just a little part of their HSA each year. This leaves them with excess funds that continue to pile up and gain interest. This amount will be able to pay for any medical emergencies in the future leaving you adequately covered while you still enjoy paying relatively low premiums on your health insurance. The main advantage of having a HSA account is that it saves up the money you do not use up for medical bills and unused HSA funds roll over year to year. Unlike insurance where you cannot access unused accumulated premiums, excess money in an HSA can be withdrawn for any reason after you retire (you will have to pay tax when withdrawing your funds like an IRA).
Due to the nature of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts, they are often better suited for individuals/couples/families who are healthier with little medical needs. People with conditions that may require frequent or expensive medical care may use up all the funds in their HSA. It is recommended that you speak with an insurance agent to be sure that a a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan coupled with an HSA is right for you.
For further information, or to obtain a Group/Employer-Sponsored or Individual Health Insurance quote, please go to the Northwest Insurance Life and Health Section of our web site at: A lot of people wonder if they actually can save money using a Health Savings Account. Understanding what this account is and how they work will help you realize if they can really help you reduce your health costs.
Health Saving Accounts
HSAs are special savings accounts that are set up with a financial institution (i.e. Bank, Credit Union) to help pay for medical expenses. These accounts are not taxed and must be accompanied by a high deductible health plan. Employees can easily set up an HSA, but individuals and those who are self-employed can also participate. Money that is put into a Health Savings Account is not viewed as income and thus can be deducted during taxation. The money is used to pay for any medical cost that is not covered by insurance. Unused amounts continue to accumulate and can be withdrawn after the age of 65. To qualify for HSA in 2010; an individual needs a plan that has a minimum of $1200 deductible, while a family must get a plan with $2400 minimum deductible. The U.S. Treasury and the IRS have issued the new guidelines for the maximum contributions to Health Savings Accounts for 2010:
Individuals may contribute an annual maximum of $3,050
Families, covering two or more individuals, may contribute up to $6,150
A catch-up contribution of $1000 can be made for individuals who are 55 years of age or older and not on Medicare
How An HSA Can Save You Money
A health plan with a high deductible will cost less and will require cheaper premiums. However, the plan may not cover all your medical contingencies. By putting money into your HSA account, you will be able to pay for any medical expenses that your insurance does not cover. A number of healthy people use up just a little part of their HSA each year. This leaves them with excess funds that continue to pile up and gain interest. This amount will be able to pay for any medical emergencies in the future leaving you adequately covered while you still enjoy paying relatively low premiums on your health insurance. The main advantage of having a HSA account is that it saves up the money you do not use up for medical bills and unused HSA funds roll over year to year. Unlike insurance where you cannot access unused accumulated premiums, excess money in an HSA can be withdrawn for any reason after you retire (you will have to pay tax when withdrawing your funds like an IRA).
Due to the nature of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts, they are often better suited for individuals/couples/families who are healthier with little medical needs. People with conditions that may require frequent or expensive medical care may use up all the funds in their HSA. It is recommended that you speak with an insurance agent to be sure that a a High Deductible Health Insurance Plan coupled with an HSA is right for you.
For further information, or to obtain a Group/Employer-Sponsored or Individual Health Insurance quote, please go to the Northwest Insurance Life and Health Section of our web site at:
Americans Really Are Buying Life Insurance
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 | Life & Health | No Comments
December 28th, 2009 by Melissa Webb
As 2009 draws to an end, all of our thoughts will inevitably turn to the economy. Without a doubt, this has been one of the most chaotic years in US economic history- a veritable roller coaster – and if you’re still in the game as an insurance agent, then you’re one tough cookie! As I speak to insurance agents on the phone every day, one question will stubbornly come up every now and then: is anyone out there actually buying insurance, or are they just rate shopping? I could tell you the answer is a resounding YES to the former, even offer up the testimonies of agents that I work with that purchase leads and say that this year, leads have helped them to make this their best year yet… but don’t take my word for it…
According to a new survey released by the nonprofit LIFE Foundation, 56% of Americans believe that it is more important to have life insurance now than it was a just year ago (you can read the article here). Even though there were 33% of Americans that have lost coverage this year – due to a job loss or a job change, an even higher 39% increased their existing coverage and 28% of consumers went out and bought life insurance for the very first time. So what are these numbers saying? To me, they’re saying that even during times of economic crisis or hardship, or perhaps even because of it, people value security for their family. People are still buying and maintaining insurance coverage.
Again though, don’t take my word for it. According to Insurance Networking News, New York Life Insurance Co. sponsored another survey that shows that 83% of Americans age 30 and older agree that economic hardship has increased their desire to provide financial protection for their family. So the silver lining in the storm cloud of economic woes is that consumers aren’t just shopping; they’re purchasing.