Ask Colleen King

I would have gotten to writing this sooner but I’ve been talking/emailing with many of my clients today about the Los Angeles Times story today talking about Anthem Blue Cross’s March 1 rate increase. The story is claiming an average of 30-39% in increases. First of all, we all know the media loves controversy and [...]

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Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) remain a popular adjunct to qualified high deductible health plans in finding ways to save on health insurance premiums. There are individual health plans and group health plans that you can get that will allow you to open an HSA. For a list of what you can and can’t use the [...]

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Hey I couldn’t make this up. I’m assuming it’s the insurance industry that came up with this, not Hallmark or American Greeting since I haven’t seen any ‘Happy Life Insurance Awareness Month’ cards at the local retailers as yet in the card racks. But as odd as it sounds, ‘Life Insurance Awareness Month,’ it is [...]

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Health insurance is on everyone’s mind these days–either you don’t have it, can’t get it and want it, you’re upset about what you are paying for it, or you turned on the daily news and there it is, the topic is right in your face again. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is an account that [...]

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In order to save money on insurance premiums, many people whether in an individual health plan or group health plan will select a health insurance plan with a higher deductible. They figure they are normally healthy, aren’t going to a doctor very often, so why spend a fortune on health insurance premiums? This is how [...]

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In the past couple of weeks, there have been a lot of celebrity deaths reported, but none overpowering the news more than the death of Michael Jackson. I’m not going to debate his talent or lifestyle issues, but it got me thinking. Here is a guy that in one way or [...]

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Health insurance remains one of those things that most people still find confusing. For group health insurance, disclosing your health history helps determine the rates your employer gets. For individual health insurance, it determines not only rates, but whether or not you will even be accepted! Focusing on individual health insurance, all carriers ask about [...]

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Here is another term in Health Insurance, both Group Health Insurance and Individual Health Insurance that people don’t always understand. I would have posted this sooner, but it’s been a busy month! (“Help, I don’t understand!”) Coinsurance might be easier read with a hyphen; co-insurance. This is one of the three main questions people should [...]

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It’s getting to be that time of year when the four years of college (or five, or six) is about to wind up. At last. That tuition bill is going to be gone and the kid(s) will be out of the house. Then it occurs to mom and dad (not usually to the new grad) [...]

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A couple of months ago I did an article on COBRA coverage: how it works, and why you should or shouldn’t take it. Now that there’s a subsidy of 65% for people involuntarily terminated after September 1, 2008, the picture changes somewhat. Depending on how much the 35% you have to pay is, that 65% [...]

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