insurance continued from page 49
And one more thing: You’ll be hearing a lot about bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels of coverage, which signify how much of every medical procedure you will pay and how much the insurance company will absorb. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, bronze plans pay 60 percent of medical costs; silver, 70 percent; gold, 80 percent; and platinum, 90 percent. Notice that no plan is paying 100 percent of costs. ACA ACTION PLAN You always have the option to seek out an insurance broker, such as Cass. However, Tallarita is hoping the first place people will turn is Access Health CT, which was created by the Connecticut Legislature in 2011 as a one-stop online shopping source for individuals and small businesses looking for health insurance. It will help you determine if you qualify for premium discounts, Medicaid or other state health insurance programs; compare health insurance plans that meet our state’s requirement; and enroll in a plan. “It’s important for everyone to understand that they don’t have to purchase health insurance through the Exchange, but if you are entitled to federal help, you can only get insurance through the Exchange,” Tallarita explains. “It is our hope that costs will be lower through the Exchange, and the more people that sign up — whether they are eligible for aid
or not — the lower costs will be. Our goal is to bring health care costs down for everyone.” Even if you have health insurance offered by your employer, experts suggest checking out the Exchange and everything that’s available. You might get a better deal. However, premiums for the Exchange plans are based on income, so if you are at a higher income level, your monthly payments will either not be subsidized, or subsidized at a lower rate. Veltri adds that if you are computer savvy, AccessHealthCT. com is a wonderful tool. You could also contact her office and they can direct you to the proper channels for help, including the Navigator and Assister Outreach Program, a partnership between Access Health CT and the Office of the Healthcare Advocate. There are six Navigator organizations in Connecticut; in Fairfield County it’s the Southwestern Area Health Education Center in Bridgeport. Over the past year, more than 300 assisters have been certified to engage, explain and enroll people in health insurance. In addition, many private insurance brokers have gone through the certification process to better serve their clients. “The first year will be rocky and confusing for a lot of people,” Cass says. “But it has to go forward. And five years from now there will be more efficiency in the marketplace. My optimistic side is saying ‘I hope so.’” HL
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