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Hi, this is George Geldin of
Geldin Insurance Services with a California individual
insurance update for February
17th, 2014. This has been a tumultuous time
during this initial open enrollment period. By one
carrier's account, last year, in 2013,
they had approximately 5,000 individual applications
and right now, during the open enrollment period,
they've had over 200,000 applications.
With this tremendous volume of business, the insurance carriers have been
overwhelmed and are having a difficult time enrolling people
efficiently and accurately, as well as making changes for subscribers,
billing appropriately, and
just simply doing normal service issues for everyone.
We've seen the wait times for assistance
on their dedicated service lines balloon to as long as
two hours or more. Obviously, this is very, very frustrating for everybody.
What does this mean to you?
I think first, you need to be alert.
You need to be alert with all the materials you get in the mail,
communications you get in the mail from your carrier to make sure
that everything you're receiving is accurate.
And, if it's not, then you have to move to
make sure it is accurate and make sure the corrections are made.
Also, I think it's very, very important
to find that well of
patience within you, because everybody is overwhelmed
with this tremendous workload
and no one is able to do the work
that they normally do as effectively as they had in the past so we just all have
to kind of work together,
and just be patient.
It's easy to say, it is harder to do.
The other thing that's very important are the deadlines that are
approaching.
Here are the deadlines for open enrollment, this open enrollment period.
So, you must apply by March 15
for an April 1st effective date for your individual insurance.
This is on exchanges as well...On Exchange meaning
through Covered California, as well as
directly to the insurance carrier. If you apply after March 15th,
by March 31st, you will get a 05/01
effective date on your health insurance. The last day to apply during this
Opening Enrollment Period
is March 31st, 2014
unless there is a special qualifying event
(I feel like Bob Dylan here) unless there is a special qualifying event,
there are no new enrollments
or plan changes until the next open enrollment period for 2015.
The 2015 open enrollment period begins
on October 15,
2014. So,
if you're not set with your health insurance are not set with making
changes on your health insurance,
look into it and we're here to help you.
So, have a a wonderful day, afternoon, evening, whenever you're seeing this.
Be well and happy and we'll keep pushing for you. Thanks for your attention!