A recent study showed that about 10% of veterans 
do not have insurance coverage. The study shows that “of the 1.3 million veterans who lack health coverage, the study says about 630,000 of them would likely qualify for Medicaid under the health law expansion, and as many as 520,000 could qualify for subsidized health coverage in insurance exchanges.”
Contact Tidewater Management Group today for leads, and for more information about reaching unreached markets throughout the country!
Did you know? Medicare expenses account for 40% of bankruptcies. Help your clients achieve peace of mind in the midst of life’s instability. Contact Tidewater today for more information and to learn about products that can help your clients now!
Enrollment in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program is projected to increase by 11 percent in the next year and premiums will remain steady, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today. Since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, Medicare Advantage premiums have fallen by 10 percent and enrollment has risen by 28 percent.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug programs have been strengthened and continue to improve for beneficiaries,” said Secretary Sebelius. “Since the law was enacted in 2010, average premiums have gone down, enrollment has gone up, and new benefits and lower drug costs continue to help millions of seniors and people with disabilities.”
For the third year in a row, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) used authority provided by the Affordable Care Act to protect beneficiaries from significant increases in costs or cuts in benefits. Access to supplemental benefits remains steady and beneficiaries’ average out-of-pocket spending remains constant.
The average MA premium in 2013 is projected to increase by only $1.47 from last year, coming to $32.59. However, if beneficiaries choose lower cost plans at the same rate in 2013, as they did in 2012, the average premium is expected to increase by only 57 cents. Access to the Medicare Advantage program will remain strong, with 99.6 percent of beneficiaries having access to a plan. Additionally, the number of plan choices will increase by 7 percent in 2013.
Last month, CMS announced that the average estimated basic Medicare prescription drug plan premium was projected to be $30 in 2013, holding steady from last year. Today’s projections show that access to a Medicare prescription drug plan will remain strong in 2013. Everyone with Medicare will have access to a wide range of plan choices.
As a result of the Affordable Care Act, coverage for both brand name and generic drugs in the Part D donut hole coverage gap will continue to increase until 2020, when the donut hole will be closed. This year, people with Medicare received a 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs and 14 percent coverage of generic drugs in the donut hole. In 2013, Medicare Part D’s coverage of brand name drugs will begin to increase, so people with Medicare will receive approximately 53 percent off the cost of brand name drugs, and coverage for 21 percent of the cost of generic drugs, in the donut hole.
Since the law was enacted, 5.4 million people with Medicare have saved over $4.1 billion on prescription drugs in the donut hole. An estimated 37 million people with Medicare received a preventive benefit free of charge in 2011.
For last month’s announcement about Part D premiums, please visit: http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=4425&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=1%2C+2%2C+3%2C+4%2C+5&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date
The Annual Open Enrollment Period for health and drug plans begins on October 15 and ends December 7. Each year plans change what they cost and what they cover. To find helpful Medicare tools and information, and compare the cost or benefits of 2013 Medicare health plans in your area, please visit: http://www.cms.gov/center/openenrollment.asp
Tidewater is happy to announce our upcoming Georgia Seminars! Don’t miss out on offers and incentives exclusive to Tidewater agents!
Tuesday July 24th we will be in Atlanta at the Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta- Downtown on Baker St.
Wednesday July 25th we will be in Columbus at the Hilton Garden Inn on Bradley Lake Blvd
The Seminars will begin at 8am and run until about 12 noon. Please come and join us for Breakfast and lots of great infromation!
Space is limited so RSVP today!
“Dual eligibles” are among the most vulnerable in society. These are the individuals who are 65+ years old AND qualify for Medicaid– over half of these individuals living below the poverty line.
For dual eligibles, financial decisions are a bit more complicated, as conflicting incentives make it difficult to determine the best course of action. As an agent, you can be especially valuable to these individuals, providing real and lasting help and counsel in the midst of difficulty.
To read more about this complex issue, look here for the full article and additional links.
Did you know?
On May 2nd, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force charged over 100 individuals with over $450 million doctors and medical professionals in false billing– the largest crack down in medicare history. These cases are being investigated and prosecuted across the States. Some of the common billing abuses were related to medical equipment, home care, and mental health services.
Stay in the loop. Read the whole article here!
According to a recent Deloitte survey, the #1 reason uninsured individuals 
don’t have insurance is because no carrier has invited them to purchase its products. The article says that “even insured individuals who are open to buying additional coverage often say that they have not been solicited by carriers.” Most individuals simply do not know if they need insurance, and are overwhelmed by the financial decisions of the insurance industry.
As an agent with Tidewater Management Group, we will provide the training and resources needed to help YOU reach clients like these. Learn more about products, leads and reaching the Medicare market by contacting Tidewater today!
To read the full article, click here!
Did you know? Reports show that Medicare Advantage plans increased by 1 million members from last year. Humana and 
United Healthcare were at the top of the class, with over 500,000 new members collectively.
To get contracted with any of the companies listed above, or to find out more about the Senior market, contact Tidewater today!
Thank you (!) to everyone who came out to our spring seminars in North Carolina! They were a great success. A special thanks to representatives from United Healthcare, Coventry and Monumental for their presentations and support.
If you missed these seminars, call our office today for more information about our new contracting, incentives and promotions.
Welcome to Tidewater Management Group!
As an agent there are several things you are looking for in your Independent Marketing Organization. Our blog will offer leading industry news, top trends, and additional resources to keep you informed and give you the edge to outshine competitors.
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