Health Insurance Specialists

Florida Hospital and United Healthcare officials agreed to a last-minute contract extension Friday afternoon, letting United Healthcare customers breathe a sigh of relief while the two health-care giants return to the negotiating table.

The 30-day contract extension will enable 400,000 United Healthcare customers to continue to see their doctors and use Florida Hospital facilities at in-network rates until Sept. 14.

Florida Hospital spokeswoman Samantha O'Lenick said the two parties are very close to a new contract and need the additional time "to allow us to finalize a new agreement."

"We have reached agreement on the major issues and we're very confident that a new contract will be reached. We just have to dot the i's and cross the t's," she said.

United Healthcare spokeswoman Tracey Lempner said negotiations would continue next week.

The current contract was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, and although there had been some late maneuvering, United Healthcare and Florida Hospital could not get a new contract in place by the deadline.

Executives from both sides have been meeting since November, but they remained at an impasse much of that time. Florida Hospital submitted two proposals -- one on July 12 and another Aug. 3 -- and United Healthcare countered with its own proposal Aug. 12, just days before the contract deadline.

The sticking point between the two parties has been rates. United Healthcare executives say that the rate increases Florida Hospital is seeking are too high and claims those increases will push health-insurance costs for businesses and their employees even higher. Early in the discussions, United said the initial contract submitted by Florida Hospital would work out to a 63 percent increase over four years.

Florida Hospital executives say they simply want United to pay what the other major insurers pay.

The public debate was sparked by the flurry of letters that many United Healthcare customers received in mid-July, warning them that a doctor they see or a hospital they have visited may soon be out-of-network if the two parties couldn't agree on a new contract.

Since then, consumers such as Richard Smith, a colon-cancer patient who lives in Oviedo, have been fuming. Instead of focusing on his health, Smith has spent days trying to get answers about whether his treatment, which costs $26,000 a month, will be covered.

Patients seem to have been forgotten in the contract squabble, say consumer advocates.

"From a consumer perspective, this shows how patients -- who are the real stakeholders in decisions about the health-care system, as well as the ones who pay for it -- are nevertheless the only ones without a seat at the table. And they're the first ones to suffer the consequences from a breakdown," said Laura Goodhue, executive director of Florida CHAIN, a consumer health advocacy group.

The bickering between the two sides has angered consumers and caused many to spend hours trying to navigate the system for answers, says Becky Cherney of the Florida Health Care Coalition, whose members include Disney and other major employers.

"People are very angry about health care. Events like this increase the anger," Cherney said. She warns that even this last-minute agreement should be a cautionary tale for local health-care consumers, many of whom have discovered that their doctors are employed by a hospital system.

"I think it has thrown up a red flag around hospitals owning doctors. Hospitals are gaining too much power," Cherney said. "Creating competition in our oligopolistic market place is an option to be studied."

From Orlando Sentinal

For Orlando Health Insurance, call 407-489-5777.

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Thank you for your support!

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com-407-489-5777

With the explosion of the internet comes more access for the consumer to shop for health insurance online.  People can go online and access health insurance company’s websites directly or go through quote sites, where they can get quotes from all types of plans and companies.
They can even apply online right from the quote without having to meet or talk to anyone.
While this might sound like a great idea, here are some reasons it is better to go through a health insurance broker:

•    Are you an expert on health insurance?  The health insurance broker is trained on each company he/she represents and understands each plan that they offer.  They can take your information and find the best plan for you and explain how it works.  That way you are not stuck in a plan you don’t want and don’t understand.

•    What if you have a question once you have the policy?  If you buy from a quote website or even the health insurance companies website, is there someone there who knows you and is easy to reach when you have a question…NO.  Plan on sitting on hold to get a person on the phone.  When you buy from a broker you will have their direct number and they are accessible when you call to ask your question.  They should be local to where you live and can even meet with you to go over the policy.

•    Is it free to use a health insurance brokers services?  YES!!  The premium does not go up because you are using a broker.  The broker is there to help you find the right policy for you and explain what you are purchasing.  They will walk you through filling out the online application so no mistakes are made.  The broker gets paid a commission every month on customers that keep their policies.  So it is in the broker’s best interest to keep you the client happy!

So next time you or someone you know is looking for health insurance, find a local Orlando Health Insurance  broker and have them walk you through the process.  You will be glad you did!

If you need health, life or dental insurance, call 407-489-5777 today!

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

Have you been denied individual major medical health insurance coverage?  Is your COBRA ending and you are having trouble finding coverage?  Are you in your sixties and all the Orlando health insurance quotes you see are too high?

Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance might be the solution you are looking for.

Guaranteed Issue health insurance plans offer doctor co pays, prescription coverage, preventive care, hospitalization and some plans offer a discount dental and vision.
Since the plan guarantees coverage, the monthly premiums are fixed depending on how many members sign up.  For people who are on medication, the guaranteed plans will not rate you up.

There are choices of plans depending on how much hospital coverage you need.  For people in the Orlando area who are in between jobs, this is a perfect plan because it is considered credible health insurance and you can go into a group health plan without lapse in coverage.

If you live in the Orlando area and you think that a Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance plan would be a right fit for you, give us a call at 407-489-5777 for a free quote.

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com
 

Have you ever been in the situation where you are in between jobs or your new job's health insurance doesn't start for 90-120 days??  Most people would wait it out and hope nothing happens to them. 

Now I have a low cost solution to this problem...Short Term Health Insurance!

United Health Care/Goldenrule has a great short term plan that can run anywhere from 1 month to 12 months, depending on how long you need it.  It is a simple online application and you will be approved within days.

It has the option of paying monthly or paying the whole premium up front.  It gives you catastrophic hospital coverage in the event something happens in waiting period between your group health insurance starting.

If you are that person described above or know anyone who needs short term health insurance in the Orlando area, please give me a call today at 407-489-5777 for a free quote!

Kollin Yelensky-407-489-5777

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

Earlier this year Cigna Health Insurance entered the Florida Individual/Family Health Insurance market.  Cigna is one of the leaders in Group Health Insurance in the United States. 

For the Florida Individual/Family market they are offering a traditional co-pay plan and a tax savings Health Savings Account plan.

The co-pay plan offers unlimited doctor visits, first dollar preventive care, prescriptions and catastrophic hospital plans with your choice of deductible.
The Health Savings plan let’s you use pre tax dollars on your medical expenses and has a catastrophic hospital plan attached.

Sounds good, but how much are the monthly premiums??
Cigna’s family Health Insurance plans are up to 40% lower than Orlando/Florida’s next best plan.

Don’t wait; call me today at 407-489-5777 for your free Cigna Health Insurance quote.  One call and you could be saving hundreds of dollars a month!!

Don’t forget to ask me about Life Insurance!!

Call today for a free quote - 407-489-5777
www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

I understand that people value their time, so I offer several alternatives when purchasing your individual health insurance in the Orlando area.  I can email you a quote where you can do the health insurance application from your own computer.  I will go through the health insurance benefits with you and I fill out the application with you on the phone.
If you are in the Orlando/Central Florida area I can sit down with you and go over benefits face to face.  I want to make this an easy and pleasurable experience for you, so just let me know what works for you.

Call today for a free quote- 407-489-5777

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

I have been helping people with their insurance needs since 2002.  I have met a lot of great people and heard some amazing stories.  This year I have had a lot of friends have babies and relatives pass away.  It made me start thinking about my health and what would happen if something happened to me.  Luckily I have Life Insurance, so my family would be taken care of.

I wanted to share a story of someone I met who wasn't as fortunate.

I went on an appointment a few years ago to meet with a lady in her late 20's.  She had 2 young children, under the age of 5.  She was shopping for Health Insurance for the family because they were kicked off her husbands group plan. I asked her why she was kicked off the policy, she told me her tragic story.

Her husband was in his late 20's and started shopping for Life Insurance.  They both had good jobs and could afford a nice house and vacations in Florida with the kids.  He wanted to make sure they were protected in case something happened to him.  He found a policy he liked and started filling out the paperwork.  He went to discuss it with his wife and she said she was against him getting the Life Insurance policy.  She thought it was bad luck, he signs up and then something bad will happen.  Not the first time I had heard people think this way.  He decided to go with his wife's wishes and not get the policy.  Later that year they were vacationing on a friends boat and the husband was snorkeling.  A boat passed by and didn't see him, hit and killed him, he died in his wife's arms. 

I met her less than a month after this happened.  She barely had time to mourn because she had to go back to work to support her 2 kids.  She still was in shock over her husbands sudden death and felt guilty about talking him out of getting Life Insurance.  I could not imagine the pain she was in and her story stuck with me.

No one lives forever, you need to protect your family against the unexpected.  Even if you are single, someone would have to assume your debt if something happens, don't put that burden on them.  Prices on Life Insurance policies have never been better.  Even if you have a policy already, we can do a policy review and make sure you have enough coverage or even lower your premium.  Remember in this economy people are losing jobs left and right, make sure your Life Insurance isn't tied to a job, make the benefit your own.

I work with the top Life Insurance companies and can get you quotes on Term, Whole and Universal Life Insurance.  Do not let this opportunity pass you by!

Give me a call today at 407-489-5777 for a free consultation on Life Insurance. 

Thank you and good health!

Call today for a free quote- 407-489-5777

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

In my years of selling Health Insurance in Florida, clients are always asking about Dental coverage.

There are traditionally two options when it comes to dental coverage, dental insurance or a discount dental plan.

With dental insurance you will be able to go to a dentist of your choice.  One to two cleanings a year might be covered, including your yearly x-rays.  For the non preventitive procedures dental insurance will have a cap of $1000-$2000 a year.  That means if you have $5000 of dental work that needs to be done, once the insurance company has paid their portion, the rest comes out of the consumers pocket.  There will be waiting periods for things as root canals and crowns, sometimes even pulled teeth.  Unlike health insurance, the consumer doesn't get a network discount with dental insurance.  The insurance will pay a % or portion of the bill until they hit their responsibility for the year.  Costs can range from $20 for an individual to $60-$80 for a family monthly.

With a discount dental plan you have to choose a dentist that participates in that plan.  Depending on what plan you choose, cleanings can be free.  Most of the time everything is at a discounted rate, usually around 50% off.  There are no waiting periods and they will take pre-existing conditions.  There is not a cap of coverage, so if you have a $5000 bill, you will receive the negoitated discounted rate.  The consumer is expected to pay the remainder of the bill after the service is performed.  Since it is not dental insurance, it will not be billed.  The costs can be as low as $8 a month for an individual and $15 for a family per month.

 When choosing what is the best option for you or your family ask yourself these questions.

Do you have a dentist that you must go to?

Do you need dental work done?  Or do you just go for cleanings?

Are you going to need orthodontia(braces) work?

If you have a dentist that you have been going to for years, most likely he doesn't participate in a discount dental plan, so dental insurance might be your best choice.

If you need a lot of expensive work done, then I would recommend a discount dental plan.  Dental charges can add up quickly and the discount plan will give you the best savings because it doesn't have a cap to worry about.

If you are going to the dentist for yearly cleanings I would recommend the discount dental plan because of it's low monthly cost.

Dental insurance might cover minimal portion of braces for children under the age of 18.  More and more you see adults getting braces, the discount plan will usually give you a 20-25% break on the price.

If you are in the market for dental coverage, please give me a call at 407-489-5777 to I can guide you through your decision making process and help to find what's right for you.

Call today for a free quote- 407-489-5777

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com

In Florida I always have potential clients call 800 342 2762. It is the number to the Florida Health Commissioner and it will give people the number of complaints an individual health insurance company has in the past 365 days. It is unbiased and a great resource. Ask about a few companies just to see where they stand. If an agent/company doesn't want you to call, what are they hiding?

If you know of anyone who need individual health insurance, have them give me a call at 407-489-5777.

Call today for a free quote- 407-489-5777

www.individualorlandohealthinsurance.com