Healthcare News & Stories

As a parent, the right health insurance can provide peace of mind if your child becomes ill, experiences an injury, or requires urgent medical attention. Our agents at Health Plans of NC regularly help families find the right health insurance for their entire family, including recommendations for child-only health insurance.

When finding the right health insurance for you and your family, there are many benefits of using a health insurance agent or broker.

Did you know that over 50% of online shoppers in the US find customer reviews helpful when searching for products or services online? Using reviews in this way can apply to a range of products and services, with more and more Americans turning to various review sites, including Google, to help make purchase decisions.

The Marketplace Circle of Champions is a yearly program that recognizes all Marketplace-registered brokers and agents' work, service and expertise. These brokers partner with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help Americans find the best health insurance plans to support their short and long-term health needs.

Using a local agent or broker can offer plenty of benefits if you're in the market for a new health insurance plan. Not only can you access quotes for plans that support your future medical needs, but getting advice from someone nearby can mean they understand the nuances of different plans specific to North Carolina. At Health Plans of NC, our experienced agents know how to find the best health insurance plans for North Carolina residents. 

Google Reviews are considered reliable and credible. Google verifies the accuracy of each customer review before it’s published on Google.

In April 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration proposed a rule to strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by fixing the ‘family glitch’ that could save families across America hundreds of dollars each month. The goal of this proposed rule is to revise the existing interpretation of eligibility relating to premium tax credits for families. If finalized, the rule will extend the ACA Marketplace health insurance subsidies to millions more people throughout America, including many North Carolina residents.

In March 2022, Medicaid launched the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, a program to support up to 20,000 low-income North Carolina residents. The program, a $650 million initiative, aims to test whether Medicaid funding should be used differently to better support the social problems that affect people’s health.

Open enrollment 2022 for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance has ended. However, it’s still possible to get health insurance if you meet specific criteria. Read on to find out more about how you can access health insurance, or contact one of our local NC Health Insurance agents to find out how we can help. Our team can explain when is open enrollment for health insurance and what it means for your coverage.

It’s only natural that you’ll have questions if you’re considering enrolling in a health insurance plan. The good news is that the Affordable Care Act means you can get assistance when selecting your plan. You can either work with an experienced, licensed health insurance agent or an authorized individual Marketplace representative called a Navigator to help answer your questions. Although a licensed agent and a Navigator do share some similarities, there are some differences. It can be more beneficial to use a licensed agent over an unlicensed, government-trained representative. Here are our three top benefits of why you should choose a licensed agent.

In the United States, approximately 16 million workers identify as being self-employed. Self-employment can offer many benefits, including greater flexibility and being your own boss. It also provides an entryway to entrepreneurship and small business ownership.

In 2021, around 59 million Americans worked freelance, representing over one-third of the entire US workforce. Although many people take freelance gigs to supplement their primary employment, about 28% of Americans who worked in freelancing in 2020 did freelance work as their full-time occupation. And Upwork, an online freelancing platform, believes that these numbers will continue to grow as more people turn to freelance. Regardless of whether this trend is a part of an overarching lifestyle choice, as many social pundits suggest, this shift does have significant implications for areas like health care coverage.

Selecting the right health insurance can be time-consuming and often overwhelming. There is a vast range of medical health insurance available via the Health Insurance Marketplace and private insurance agencies.

Getting help finding the right plan for your budget and health needs is possible by using a health insurance agent or a government navigator.

In the United States approximately 16 million workers are self-employed. Self – employment can provide an entryway to entrepreneurship and small business ownership as well serving as a preferred option for those wanting more flexible schedules than corporate life can typically provide.
In 2020 it was estimated that approximately 41% of the American workforce worked in a freelance position as a self-employed person. Although many people take on freelance gigs to supplement their primary employment with a single company, about 28% of Americans who worked in freelancing in 2020 did freelance work as their full-time occupation. Regardless of whether this trend is a part of an overarching lifestyle choice as many social pundits suggest, this shift does have significant implications for areas like health care coverage.
In recent US history, most of those in the paid workforce have relied upon employer-sponsored health care plans to help them meet their health insurance needs. As the US experiences this shift from more traditional forms of work into this evolving freelance, or gig, economy there is an increased need for individual health care plans that are not attached to a specific employer.

Many people find aspects of shopping for health insurance confusing. There are multiple options for medical health insurance available through both the Health Insurance Marketplace and private insurance agencies. You may also have heard of the roles of “health insurance agents” and “government navigators.” If you are unaware of navigators, people engaged in this occupation are paid by state and federal programs and are not allowed to accept compensation from health insurance companies. If you are unclear about these terms and the roles of those who work in these capacities, you aren’t alone.
What are the similarities among agents and navigators?
A licensed health insurance agent and a government exchange navigator, though distinct things, do engage in similar activities. Here is a list of similarities:

Fall has arrived, and with it, the Open Enrollment period for your health insurance plan. Here are important tips to keep in mind as you select your coverage. The Annual Open Enrollment starts November 1, 2022. 
What Is Open Enrollment?
Open Enrollment is a specially designated period of time that you have to enroll yourself and any family members in a health insurance plan. During the open enrollment period, you have the ability to:

Better ACA subsidies have been announced, making health insurance coverage significantly more affordable for millions of people.
An average of three out of five eligible uninsured Americans can access $0 plans after advance payments of tax credits
An average of four out of five current HealthCare.gov consumers will be able to find a plan for $10 or less per month after advance payments of tax credits  

In response to the COVID-19 national emergency, President Biden has signed into law the American Rescue Act of 2021  making health insurance coverage significantly more affordable for millions of people. This includes increasing the number of people eligible for subsidies and offering zero-dollar premiums for people with lower incomes. Starting April 1, more Americans will be able to qualify for a lower monthly premium through Affordable Care Act (ACA) health plans. 
Can I benefit from The American Rescue Act?
Whether you have private health insurance, lost coverage due to job loss, or are unable to afford a plan, the American Rescue Act may benefit you. The new law also allows people who previously made too much for subsidies to now qualify for premium subsidies.

Health insurance can be complicated. Whether you’re purchasing health insurance for the first time or just needs some help navigating the marketplace, we have the answers to your most pressing questions.
1. When can you buy health insurance?
If you buy your health insurance through the marketplace, not through your employer, there are a few times you’re able to purchase a plan. The first is during Open Enrollment, which occurs each November and runs through December 15th.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides relief for Marketplace Premiums making plans more affordable to consumers. The law increases subsidy amounts and extends subsidy eligibility to households that were not eligible before.
Because of the COVID-19 Special Enrollment period currently in progress, the American public has the opportunity to apply for coverage or make changes to their existing coverage without the need of a qualifying life event.
This special enrollment period ends August 15, 2021.

You never plan to get sick or have a medical condition. So when the unexpected happens, having health insurance can give you peace of mind.
Health insurance also helps you maintain good health. People with health insurance are more likely to stick to routine care or check-ups when something seems a little off.
Here are a few stories from members sharing how health insurance has helped them in times of need:

If you missed open enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance, you now have another opportunity to sign up. 
On January 28, President Biden issued an Executive Order on strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act: 
“In light of the exceptional circumstances caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consider establishing a Special Enrollment Period for uninsured and under-insured Americans to seek coverage through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace.” 

Ready to enroll in a healthcare plan or update your coverage during the 2021 Annual Enrollment Period?
Health Plans of NC Independent Agents provide full service by addressing all of your questions when choosing a healthcare plan at NO COST TO YOU– including applying for financial assistance to reduce your cost. Why spend time searching for answers online when you can speak to someone directly and get quick and concise answers?
Our agents are with you through the entire enrollment process from plan comparison and selection, subsidy applications if applicable and any document uploads required. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for you to choose a plan that fits both your budget and healthcare needs for you and/or your family. We even have multilingual agents (Spanish and Korean) that can make the process go more smoothly.