Assurant Health removes waiting periods

Assurant Health has removed waiting periods for the treatment of tonsils, adenoids, hernias, bunions, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins have been removed from the contracts for new policies effective
November 1, 2008 and later.

Assurant expands rate guarantees to OneDeductible and SaveRight Plans

Assurant Health is expanding the 24 month and 36 month rate guarantee buy-up option on OneDeductible and SaveRight plans. The rate guarantee option locks in the premium rate for up to 36 months. The following OneDeductible and SaveRight deductible levels have an initial 12-month rate guarantee and now include the 24 or 36 month buy-up options:

OneDeductible: $2,100 individual deductible/$4,200 family deductible
$2,850 individual deductible/$5,700 family deductible

SaveRight: $2,200 individual deductible/$4,400 family deductible
$3,000 individual deductible/$6,000 family deductible

Assurant Health Introducing TelaDoc: 24/7/365 Physician Access

The Assurant Health MaxPlan, CoreMed, and OneDeductible now include TelaDoc, a service that offers physician access—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. When members need non-emergency medical care, they can call TelaDoc from anywhere and let the doctor come to
them by phone, and, in most cases, in less than an hour.

Members with the MaxPlax and CoreMed plans designed without an office visit copay will receive 3 free telephone consultations per person each year and additional consultations are only $35 each.

Members with the OneDeductible plan will be charged $35 for each consultation, and are covered, subject to deductible and coinsurance. New members will receive registration information with their new policy welcome packets.

Survey: 20% of College Parents Unaware when their children are no longer covered under their health plan

According to a two recent surveys conducted by Assurant Health, students and parents might not be aware of important facts regarding their son or daughter’s health insurance eligibility. In fact, concerned parents might make this their top priority if only they knew that, as soon as their sons or daughters doffed their caps and gowns, many of these grads were no longer protected against medical catastrophes. Unfortunately, many parents are unaware that some health insurance plans stop providing coverage to adult children, even if are living at home. Plus, they don’t realize affordable, short-term medical insurance is readily available.

“It’s a shame that this lack of knowledge is putting so many young adults needlessly at risk,” said Heidi Hanstein, vice president for Assurant Health, which helped to pioneer the concept of short-term
coverage. “I’m sure many parents and grads wouldn’t take such a chance if they knew how easy it is to apply for and purchase temporary coverage.”

This disturbing news is supported by two surveys conducted by Assurant Health. Other findings included:

• Approximately 40 percent of parents mistakenly believed that adult children (ages 21 -24) living at home were covered under their health insurance plans.

• 20 percent of college parents have no idea when their health insurance will no longer cover their college-age children.

• Most believe that short-term health insurance for a healthy young adult costs more than $100/month; in fact, such policies generally cost around $50/month.

• 68 percent of the parents were not even aware of the availability of short-term health insurance.

Typically, most adult children who are students will lose their coverage when they attain a certain age, graduate or are no longer attending school on a full-time basis. Since most of these new college graduates won’t have coverage until after they have found a job, many find themselves falling through a gap in coverage. Companies such as Assurant Health can fill that gap with policies that cover periods ranging from one to twelve months in Illinois.

The enrollment process for such policies is simple and fast. Applicants can go online to answer a series of yes/no questions and coverage can begin the next day.

Assurant Enhances One Deductible Plan

The OneDeductible plan has always been a smart choice, with its unique “single deductible” for the entire family. Now you can save even more with our new, exclusive feature — One DECREASING Deductible.

• After the plan has been in force for just two months, clients may receive a 10% credit, twice a year on January 1 and July 1, which reduces the amount they pay of their plan deductible.

• Each 10% credit is based on the amount of the plan deductible. For a family with a $10,000 deductible, that’s $1,000 in savings with each credit. And, the savings potential doubles to $2,000 because credits are available twice a year.

• Every year starts out with a 10% credit on January 1, even if the decreasing deductible was satisfied in the previous year. And, they’ll apply another credit on July 1 if the decreasing deductible is not yet satisfied.

The One Decreasing Deductible continues to go down until covered charges accumulate to satisfy it, or the amount reaches $1,500 individual/$3,000 family. The threshold assures that the plans remain compliant with Health Savings Account (HSA) regulations for those who choose to take advantage of the HSA.

With the One Decreasing Deductible, you get the premium savings of a higher deductible plan, and one deductible that decreases twice a year. Individuals and families with $5,000/$10,000 deductible plans will see as much as 70% in deductible savings when credits accumulate year after year.

One Decreasing Deductible is included with One Deductible 100% coinsurance plans with deductibles at or above $2,850 individual/ $5,700 family. To get free quotes on One Deductible plans, click on this link or for additional information, go to the Illinois Health Agents website.

One Decreasing Deductible is an incredible benefit, and it’s only available from Assurant Health. Because it is an enhancement, it will replaces the 10% deductible credit that is available for providing proof of prior coverage wherever both features are available.

Shorter Maternity Waiting Period for Assurant New Portfolio Plans

For new applicants, the 270-day maternity waiting period on MaxPlan, CoreMed and OneDeductible Plans has been reduced to 90 days with no change in price. This is one of smallest, if not the smallest, maternity waiting period for individual medical policies in Illinois.

Assurant Health Improves Pre-ex Limitation

Assurant Health has changed the pre-existing condition limitation in their individual medical contracts to be more customer-friendly. For plans effective 1/1/08 and later, if a condition is fully-disclosed on the
application, they will not determine it to be pre-existing and gives you peace of mind that claims for fully-disclosed medical conditions will be considered for coverage.