Healthcare News & Stories

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have introduced new requirements that aim to protect consumer interests. The requirements, which help ensure greater transparency when working with health insurance agents and brokers, are part of the 2024 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP). These enhanced consumer protections were introduced in response to various complaints and disputes about who can act on an individual’s behalf. The rules apply to all enrollments by agents, brokers, and web-brokers, regardless of which platform they use.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently released changes to how health insurance agents and brokers can market to customers. These changes aim to improve your experience when sourcing Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.  Ensuring agents and plan providers follow the new guidelines helps you to make a more informed decision about your coverage.

At Health Plans of NC, our experienced and professional team of locally based health insurance agents are here to help you. We've recently launched a new website to make it even easier for anyone living in North Carolina to access the best health insurance plan.  You can request a quote online in seconds simply by providing your zip code. It's a great way to get a quote fast, and we'll assign you to one of our knowledgeable North Carolina agents here to help you find the right plan for your health needs and budget. But if you want more control over your chosen agent, we recommend you look at our new 'Find an Agent' feature. This tool gives you the power to choose which insurance broker you use. 

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.

Expat health insurance, also known as expatriate medical insurance, offers health insurance coverage for anyone temporarily living outside of their home country. You can usually tailor your policy to suit your health needs, regardless of where you live. These plans can be an excellent option to provide private health insurance, which can be helpful if it's difficult to source quality healthcare where you live. 

If you're lucky enough to be planning a trip, you may be thinking about whether purchasing travel insurance is necessary. To help you decide, consider the costs of not purchasing insurance if something goes wrong and whether you've got the funds to support you. For example, paying for additional accommodation costs if your travel arrangements are delayed or replacing essential items if your luggage is lost or delayed. Learning about what travel insurance covers can help you decide whether it's necessary for your upcoming trip.

Short-term health insurance provides temporary coverage that typically lasts from a few months to a year. This type of health plan isn't regulated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so they're not required to provide the minimum essential health benefits other plans mandated by the ACA do. If you're in between health insurance plans, short-term health insurance can be an affordable option if you're looking for health coverage. Depending on your circumstances, short-term plans can even be more affordable than a major medical plan.