Lay and Williams Health Insurance Team
Your Health Insurance Team
Monday, September 26, 2011
Katy TX - Grand Parkway
Grand Parkway Groundbreaking
Construction recently began on the Segment E expansion of the Grand Parkway (SH 99) in Katy. On Sept. 13, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held on the road that will link I-10W to US 290. TxDOT recently awarded four construction contracts, totaling approximately $321 million, for the project. The project is designed to ease traffic congestion and spur economic development in northwest Houston and is expected to be completed in 28 months.
Numerous state officials participated in the ceremony, including Texas Transportation Commissioner Ned Holmes, TxDOT Interim Executive Director John Barton, State Senators Dan Patrick, Tommy Williams and Joan Huffman and State Representatives Bill Callegari, Allen Fletcher and Jim Murphy.
Friday, September 9, 2011
HHS announces Affordable Care Act funding opportunity to create jobs by building, renovating and repairing community health centers
$700 million in grants from the Affordable Care Act will help build and expand health centers, create jobs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the availability of approximately $700 million to help build, expand and improve community health centers across the U.S. to provide needed care to low-income Americans. The funds, authorized by the Affordable Care Act, will support renovation and construction projects, boosting centers’ ability to care for additional patients and creating jobs in those communities. Community health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff and new funds made available today will help create thousands of jobs nationwide.
This announcement has two funding opportunities for community health centers. One will provide approximately $600 million to existing health centers across the country for longer-term projects to expand their facilities, hire more employees and serve more patients. The second funding opportunity emphasizes shorter-term projects and will provide approximately $100 million to existing health centers to address immediate facility needs.
“For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment. These funds will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Health centers improve the health of the nation’s vulnerable populations and underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services. Currently, more than 8,100 service delivery sites around the country deliver care to nearly 20 million patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Community health centers also provide high-quality jobs in communities nationwide. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff including 9,600 physicians, 6,400 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,400 nurses, 9,500 dental staff, 4,200 behavioral health staff, and more than 12,000 case managers and health education, outreach, and transportation staff. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. The funding opportunities announced today will infuse critical dollars into health centers and their surrounding communities, enhancing health centers’ ability to serve more patients and creating thousands of jobs across the country.
Over the next five years, the Affordable Care Act provides $11 billion in funding for the operation, expansion and construction of community health centers across the country. This expansion of sites and services will help community health centers to increase the number of patients receiving care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
“Strengthening the foundation of community health centers is vital if we are to continue providing high-quality care for those who need it most,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.
For more information on this funding opportunity announcement, please visit www.grants.gov.
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act and Community Health Centers, visit http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/increasing_access_.html.
To learn more about HRSA’s Community Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.
To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
The Health Resources and Services Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA is the primary Federal agency responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the availability of approximately $700 million to help build, expand and improve community health centers across the U.S. to provide needed care to low-income Americans. The funds, authorized by the Affordable Care Act, will support renovation and construction projects, boosting centers’ ability to care for additional patients and creating jobs in those communities. Community health centers are an integral source of local employment and economic growth in many underserved and low-income communities. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff and new funds made available today will help create thousands of jobs nationwide.
This announcement has two funding opportunities for community health centers. One will provide approximately $600 million to existing health centers across the country for longer-term projects to expand their facilities, hire more employees and serve more patients. The second funding opportunity emphasizes shorter-term projects and will provide approximately $100 million to existing health centers to address immediate facility needs.
“For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment. These funds will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Health centers improve the health of the nation’s vulnerable populations and underserved communities by ensuring access to primary health care services. Currently, more than 8,100 service delivery sites around the country deliver care to nearly 20 million patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Community health centers also provide high-quality jobs in communities nationwide. In 2010, they employed more than 131,000 staff including 9,600 physicians, 6,400 nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, and certified nurse midwives, 11,400 nurses, 9,500 dental staff, 4,200 behavioral health staff, and more than 12,000 case managers and health education, outreach, and transportation staff. Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added more than 18,600 new full-time positions in many of the nation’s most economically distressed communities. The funding opportunities announced today will infuse critical dollars into health centers and their surrounding communities, enhancing health centers’ ability to serve more patients and creating thousands of jobs across the country.
Over the next five years, the Affordable Care Act provides $11 billion in funding for the operation, expansion and construction of community health centers across the country. This expansion of sites and services will help community health centers to increase the number of patients receiving care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.
“Strengthening the foundation of community health centers is vital if we are to continue providing high-quality care for those who need it most,” said HRSA Administrator Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.
For more information on this funding opportunity announcement, please visit www.grants.gov.
To learn more about the Affordable Care Act and Community Health Centers, visit http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/increasing_access_.html.
To learn more about HRSA’s Community Health Center Program, visit http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html.
To find a health center in your area, visit http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
The Health Resources and Services Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA is the primary Federal agency responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. For more information about HRSA and its programs, visit www.hrsa.gov.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
New Guidelines Provide Additional Women’s Preventive Care with No Cost Sharing
New Guidelines Provide Additional Women’s Preventive Care with No Cost Sharing
On August 1, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an amendment to the Interim Final Regulations for preventive care under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The amendment applies to non-grandfathered individual insurance policies as well as non-grandfathered insured and self-insured group health plans.
The amendment provides additional guidelines for women’s preventive services. Health plans will need to cover women’s preventive services, including birth control, without copayments or deductibles. The guidelines reflect the recommendations made last month by the independent Institute of Medicine.
For plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012, non-grandfathered plans will be required to cover the following additional preventive care services for women with no cost sharing:
Annual well-woman visits
Screening for gestational diabetes
HPV DNA testing for women 30 years and older
Sexually-transmitted infection counseling
HIV screening and counseling
FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling
Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
Domestic violence screening and counseling
For more detail on the amendment and the additional preventive care services for women, visit: www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines/.
For more information on the existing PPACA preventive care guidelines, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/center/regulations/prevention/taskforce.html.
Plans may impose cost sharing on brand name preventive drugs if a generic version is available and is just as effective and safe for the patient to use. Cost sharing would not be permitted on the generic drug.
Religious Exemption
The regulations do not provide for a religious exemption. However, the regulations permit the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish exemptions from these guidelines for coverage of contraceptive services for group health plans of religious employers. A religious employer is defined as an organization that meets all of the following criteria:
The promotion of religious values is the purpose of the organization
The organization primarily employs individuals who share the religious beliefs of the organization
The organization primarily serves people who share the religious beliefs of the organization
The organization is a nonprofit organization as described in the Internal Revenue Code Sections 6033(a)(1) and 6033(a)(2)(A)(i) and (iii).
No religious exemption is available for individual policies; they must cover contraceptives with no cost sharing.
Next Steps
There is a comment period for this amendment that ends October 3, 2011. Please continue to visit us and we will post any new developments to this site.
On August 1, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an amendment to the Interim Final Regulations for preventive care under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The amendment applies to non-grandfathered individual insurance policies as well as non-grandfathered insured and self-insured group health plans.
The amendment provides additional guidelines for women’s preventive services. Health plans will need to cover women’s preventive services, including birth control, without copayments or deductibles. The guidelines reflect the recommendations made last month by the independent Institute of Medicine.
For plan years beginning on or after August 1, 2012, non-grandfathered plans will be required to cover the following additional preventive care services for women with no cost sharing:
Annual well-woman visits
Screening for gestational diabetes
HPV DNA testing for women 30 years and older
Sexually-transmitted infection counseling
HIV screening and counseling
FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling
Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
Domestic violence screening and counseling
For more detail on the amendment and the additional preventive care services for women, visit: www.hrsa.gov/womensguidelines/.
For more information on the existing PPACA preventive care guidelines, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/center/regulations/prevention/taskforce.html.
Plans may impose cost sharing on brand name preventive drugs if a generic version is available and is just as effective and safe for the patient to use. Cost sharing would not be permitted on the generic drug.
Religious Exemption
The regulations do not provide for a religious exemption. However, the regulations permit the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish exemptions from these guidelines for coverage of contraceptive services for group health plans of religious employers. A religious employer is defined as an organization that meets all of the following criteria:
The promotion of religious values is the purpose of the organization
The organization primarily employs individuals who share the religious beliefs of the organization
The organization primarily serves people who share the religious beliefs of the organization
The organization is a nonprofit organization as described in the Internal Revenue Code Sections 6033(a)(1) and 6033(a)(2)(A)(i) and (iii).
No religious exemption is available for individual policies; they must cover contraceptives with no cost sharing.
Next Steps
There is a comment period for this amendment that ends October 3, 2011. Please continue to visit us and we will post any new developments to this site.
Friday, July 29, 2011
New FaceBook Application - Free Health Insurance Quote
Lay and Williams Health Insurance has just installed a new application on our Facebook page that will allow you to get a Free Health Insurance Quote for Individuals or Families.
Click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/LayAndWilliamsIns?sk=app_256788244332875
We would like some feedback if you try it please give us some feedback.
Click on this link: http://www.facebook.com/LayAndWilliamsIns?sk=app_256788244332875
We would like some feedback if you try it please give us some feedback.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Google helping small businesses in Central Texas get online
Google helping small businesses in Central Texas get online
Google wants to help Small Businesses in Texas get on the Web. Every Small Business in TX should look at this, especially if they currently do not have a website.
This is a good way to advertise on the Web get your company exposure. Just think if you could come up the biggest add in the Yellow Pages, that is what you want to put on the web at a portion of the cost. The first year is free than about $6/month to keep your website going. Where can you spend $6/month and get that much exposure?
Google wants to help Small Businesses in Texas get on the Web. Every Small Business in TX should look at this, especially if they currently do not have a website.
This is a good way to advertise on the Web get your company exposure. Just think if you could come up the biggest add in the Yellow Pages, that is what you want to put on the web at a portion of the cost. The first year is free than about $6/month to keep your website going. Where can you spend $6/month and get that much exposure?
Humana - Health Insurance plans in TX - Lay and Williams Health Insurance Services - Fort Worth, TX (Texas) | 817-451-8783
Humana - Health Insurance plans in TX - Lay and Williams Health Insurance Services - Fort Worth, TX (Texas) | 817-451-8783
We are Authorized Humana Agents in Texas for Individuals, Families and Group Health Insurance plans. Please contact us for a Free evaluation of your Health insurance needs. (call us at 1.800.281.8783 or visit us at www.layandwilliams.com).
We are Authorized Humana Agents in Texas for Individuals, Families and Group Health Insurance plans. Please contact us for a Free evaluation of your Health insurance needs. (call us at 1.800.281.8783 or visit us at www.layandwilliams.com).
SCAM - 1-514-316-9415
I received a call from 1-514-316-9415 a recorded message stated "This is the Bank of America Credit Card Department. Your Debit card account has been frozen, please enter you account number to activate your Debit card".
Since I do NOT have an Account With Bank Of America it was easy for me to hang up. The night before on the Clark Howard Radio show he was talking about this same scam. He said if you enter your account number they will take it and drain your account before you wake up the next morning.
You should hang up and then block the number.
Since I do NOT have an Account With Bank Of America it was easy for me to hang up. The night before on the Clark Howard Radio show he was talking about this same scam. He said if you enter your account number they will take it and drain your account before you wake up the next morning.
You should hang up and then block the number.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Health Care Reform - Sharing Risk with Providers
This is an interesting article on how the government is counting on holding down Health Care Cost by sharing the Risk with Health Care Providers.
Click on this link: to view the entire article from Insurance News.
Click on this link: to view the entire article from Insurance News.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Letter: Our bill restores health rights - Leavenworth, KS - Leavenworth Times
Letter: Our bill restores health rights - Leavenworth, KS - Leavenworth Times
If this passes it would be a Good CHANGE! We would go back on HSA Accounts and Flexible Savings Accounts where you could actually use your account the way it was designed to help your your medical expenses, this time they would add Over The Counter Medications.
If this passes it would be a Good CHANGE! We would go back on HSA Accounts and Flexible Savings Accounts where you could actually use your account the way it was designed to help your your medical expenses, this time they would add Over The Counter Medications.
Health Reform II: Lawmakers Revive FSA “Use It or Lose It” Battle
You might find this interesting if you have a FSA Account at your job.
http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2011/7/Pages/Health-Reform-II-Lawmakers-Revive-FSA-Use-It-or-Lose-It-Battle.aspx?nul#.Tin6_ijlC2Z.google
Lay and Williams Health Insurance Services
http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2011/7/Pages/Health-Reform-II-Lawmakers-Revive-FSA-Use-It-or-Lose-It-Battle.aspx?nul#.Tin6_ijlC2Z.google
Lay and Williams Health Insurance Services
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The basic health care services
The most important factor, and the first you need to consider when it comes to determining which health insurance policy to purchase is the type of policy choose. Indemnity, HMO, PPO and POS medical insurance plans all have different priorities when it comes to how your health care is viewed and, therefore, treated. Some important topics that differ from one type of plan to another include your:
Doctor visits
Preventative care
Diagnostic tests
Hospital
Extended care
Emergency Treatment
Prescription drugs
Home health care
A really good medical insurance policy will include all these critical areas of coverage. However, a really good medical insurance policy is also really expensive. You will probably need to prioritize your health care to get what you need and want in a health insurance policy, without paying for coverage that is unnecessary for your needs.
An example: A typical fee-for-service (indemnity) plan will be relatively comprehensive except for prescription drugs and preventative care coverage. This is ideal for someone who values the security of extensive coverage over the elimination of routine costs, like doctor visits.
If a plan makes up for its lack of coverage in one area by covering services you find essential to your health care, it may be wise to live with this particular deficiency in the policy. Please contact us we are here to help you find a plan that fits your needs.
Doctor visits Preventative care Diagnostic tests Hospital Extended care Emergency Treatment Prescription drugs Home health careA really good medical insurance policy will include all these critical areas of coverage. However, a really good medical insurance policy is also really expensive. You will probably need to prioritize your health care to get what you need and want in a health insurance policy, without paying for coverage that is unnecessary for your needs.
An example: A typical fee-for-service (indemnity) plan will be relatively comprehensive except for prescription drugs and preventative care coverage. This is ideal for someone who values the security of extensive coverage over the elimination of routine costs, like doctor visits.
If a plan makes up for its lack of coverage in one area by covering services you find essential to your health care, it may be wise to live with this particular deficiency in the policy. Please contact us we are here to help you find a plan that fits your needs.
Visit us at www.layandwilliams.com or call 1.800.281.8783
The deductible, co-payment and co-insurance
It is important to understand that the cost of health services is not completely eliminated by paying the monthly premium. There are other costs associated with major medical insurance coverage that you have to meet.
The first cost we'll discuss is the deductible. The deductible is a pre-arranged dollar figure that you'll have to satisfy (pay) before the health insurance company begins to contribute any money to your health care costs.
Your deductible can be a significant out-of-pocket expense, particularly because it must be satisfied each year before the company pays. (So paying $1000 this year for medical services will not decrease your deductible next year.)
Deductibles can range from a few hundred dollars to a several thousand. While some health insurance policies do not involve deductibles, others involve them only in certain cases. Again, the higher the deductible, the lower your monthly premiums.
The other expenses you will encounter are co-payments and your co-insurance. All medical insurance policies will require that you agree to one or both of these types of charges. A co-insurance payment means that you will be required to pay a certain percentage of your health care costs, while a co-payment means you'll be required to pay a certain, pre-set dollar amount for each medical service you receive before your medical insurance kicks in.
These are usually charged in addition to your deductible. In either case, the medical insurance company will pay a substantial amount of your medical costs in comparison to your financial responsibility.
The point of having medical insurance is, after all, to alleviate the financial burden on you and your family in case of medical emergencies and/or a chronic illness.
The first cost we'll discuss is the deductible. The deductible is a pre-arranged dollar figure that you'll have to satisfy (pay) before the health insurance company begins to contribute any money to your health care costs.
Your deductible can be a significant out-of-pocket expense, particularly because it must be satisfied each year before the company pays. (So paying $1000 this year for medical services will not decrease your deductible next year.)
Deductibles can range from a few hundred dollars to a several thousand. While some health insurance policies do not involve deductibles, others involve them only in certain cases. Again, the higher the deductible, the lower your monthly premiums.
The other expenses you will encounter are co-payments and your co-insurance. All medical insurance policies will require that you agree to one or both of these types of charges. A co-insurance payment means that you will be required to pay a certain percentage of your health care costs, while a co-payment means you'll be required to pay a certain, pre-set dollar amount for each medical service you receive before your medical insurance kicks in.
These are usually charged in addition to your deductible. In either case, the medical insurance company will pay a substantial amount of your medical costs in comparison to your financial responsibility.
The point of having medical insurance is, after all, to alleviate the financial burden on you and your family in case of medical emergencies and/or a chronic illness.
Visit us at Lay and Williams Affordable Health Insurance
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