This message was recorded by George Geldin.  This is a message regarding your Anthem Blue Cross non-grandfathered health insurance plan.

As you are probably aware, the non-grandfathered plans are all going to be transitioned to new, health care compliant plans effective January 01. 2014.  If you do nothing, Blue Cross will migrate your plan to the closest plan, in benefits, to the plan that you have currently.  They are going to send you a communication in the mail telling you exactly what that plan is and the rate of that plan.  Again, they are transferring your plan to the closest plan in BENEFITS to the plan that you have, not in rates, so there might be a big rate difference between the plan you have now and the new plan.  It could be higher, or it could be lower, because they are matching it by benefits, not rates.

You do not have to accept this.  You can switch to any of their open plans, effective January 01, 2014, with no health questions.  You can apply to any insurance carrier’s plans, for a January 01, 2014 effective date, as long as you do it by December 15, 2013.  So you have a lot of options available to you, and we’re here to help you and try to guide you through this.

If you feel you are eligible for a subsidy from the government to help pay for your health insurance, you would purchase that coverage through Covered California which is the state’s marketplace for health insurance.  Our office can help you with that and we can discuss if you are eligible or not, and we can discuss the benefits, the pluses and minuses, of going through Covered California.

All of the plans that are available through Covered California are also available outside of Covered California at the exact same rates, so there’s no price savings going through Covered California.  It’s just if you are eligible for that financial assistance from the government, that’s where you would go to purchase your health insurance.

At of the beginning of October 2013, we were still waiting for the Department of Insurance to approve the rates and plans for many of the plans that will be available outside of Covered California.  We expect to get the rates and plans for these options, by the end of October 2013, so we can show them to you and then you can compare them to what Blue Cross is offering  you, other carrier’s plans, and compare them to what you might be eligible for through Covered California.

I know this is confusing.  It’s a lot of information, a lot of things happening all at once, and we’re here to help you.  The best advice I can give you right now is to be patient, don’t panic, you have time to make changes.

Again, to make a new plan effective January 01, 2014, you just need to apply by December 15, 2013.  Actually, open enrollment is going to go through March 31, 2014 so even if you miss that date,  you can still apply for a new plan before the end of this open enrollment period.  If you don’t do it by December 15, 2013, instead of it being effective January 01, 2014 it would be effective February 01, 2014 if you apply before January 02, 2014, let’s say.

We’re here to help you and as new information comes out, we will try to keep you posted.  Stay in touch.  Thanks for your attention to this message.  Good luck, be happy and healthy.  Thank you!

If you would like assistance ensuring your health insurance coverage in 2014 and beyond, please complete the form below and one of our experts will be in touch with you right away!