Thank you for reading our agency newsletter. We hope you find the information and resources to be helpful. We focus mainly on health insurance for individuals and employers, but we also offer many other programs. Read more here.

If you have not talked with us in the last 6 months, I recommend that you call and talk with us about what is coming up for 2015 health insurance for Oregon and Washington. Open enrollment starts November 15, 2014 and we expect to be ready with 2015 rates and options for individuals and employers.

Paris Laughlin

Stuart Ouellette

Susan Pitcher

Affordable Care Act Update

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 has many provisions affecting individual and employer health insurance consumers throughout the United States. Most of the new law's provisions have been implemented, and some provisions are coming up for applicable large employers. Read more here. Below are some key facts about the new health insurance law.

Individuals

Each person must have Essential Health Benefits starting in 2014, or pay a fine to the government. The fine is 1% of household gross income and the penalty will increase in 2015 and 2016. There are some fee exemptions.
The Advanced Premium Tax Credit can help pay your monthly health insurance premiums.
Consumers may only purchase a qualified health plan during the January open enrollment unless they have a Qualifying Life Event.
The 2015 individual health insurance open enrollment begins again on November 15, 2014. Contact us for free enrollment services.

Employers

The Small Employer Health Options Plan (SHOP) web based health insurance system is expected to start in 2015 for employers with 1-50 employees. We are certified agents with the Federally Facilitated Exchange and will be offering employer options.
Some Oregon health insurance carriers have approval to extend non-qualified plans 2013 small group options for one more year. These older plans may not include certain protections of the law, but rates can be lower.
Some eligible Oregon employers who use a certified health exchange carrier and product, may still get the tax credit outside of the exchange. We can help you determine if you are on a qualified plan and option.
Employers with 50 to 100 employees will be required to provide health insurance to full-time employees starting 2016.
Employers with 100 or more employees will be required to provide health insurance to full-time employees starting in 2015.

We are here to help individual and employers understand the new health marketplace, challenges and opportunities.

Cover Oregon and Washington Healthplanfinder

Cover Oregon is expected to be cancelled as a health insurance exchange for individual and small employer plans and the tax credit services. All private health insurance plans purchased through Cover Oregon will be cancelled on 12/31/14. Oregonian consumers who want an exchange plan or a tax credit will need to be re-enrolled in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace for 2015. Open enrollment begins on November 15, 2014. We are certified agents for the Federal Exchange and are prepared to help you with you with your 2015 tax credit determination and health plan enrollment. Please contact us today to review your options and plan your 2015 health insurance.

Washington Healthplanfinder health insurance exchange is working well for individuals. We will soon have the 2015 rates and benefits for individual and small employer health insurance for Washington. Once we have the new rates and options, we will be prepared to help Washington consumers with account set up, tax credit determinations, shopping for a plan, and enrollment. You can also create your own account and then request our assistance during your account set-up.

If you request Laughlin Insurance to help with your health insurance in or outside of the health insurance exchanges, you will receive personal services at no cost from a professional, licensed agent that is appointed with the carriers, and certified with the health insurance exchanges. We are looking forward to connecting again with all of our new friends that we met last year and new people that need a helpful agent by their side for the upcoming open enrollment.

Insurance Terms

Below are some health insurance terms that you may see on documents related to your care, or billing statements, or explanation of benefits reports.

Co-Pay. This is a flat fee for an office visit or some other type of service. There may be a co-pay primary care, specialist, urgent care, emergency care, and many generic and preferred bran name drugs.
Co-Insurance. This is the member's share of certain medical costs, usually after paying a deductible. The most common member co-insurance seems to be 30%.
Maximum Out of Pocket. This is the most that a member can pay in one year for medical costs. This may include co-pays, deductibles, co-insurance, and pharmacy.
We have a glossary of insurance available for you here.

Online membership and Billing

Online membership and Billing is available at many insurance carriers. Individual and employer administrators can set up online accounts, complete necessary maintenance, setup bank draft premium payments, and more. There seems to be an increased interest in the online resources and administration for policyholders. Contact us today if you would like to have electronic access to your health insurance or other insurance programs.

What is Diabetes? By Bill Kercher

Diabetes is when the cells in the body no longer process the blood sugar that is in the blood. Since the sugar is not processed, burned for energy, it builds up in the blood. And, that is when the problems begin. Excess sugar in the blood can result in - blindness, high blood pressure, kidney failure, stroke, heart issues, circulation and nerve problems and even amputation of feet. That is what diabetes is.

Diabetes is a serious condition for many people in the United States and throughout the world. Managing this condition takes diligence and it helps to have someone that understands the condition and effective self-management.

William Kercher is not a doctor, but is a diabetic and the author of "Help Me Live With Diabetes". His book is part of a series designed to help readers understand what it takes to control diabetes successfully and live a longer, healthier life. Read more here.

You can purchase William's book "Help Me Live With Diabetes" here.