Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona
Michael Higgins Insurance offers BCBSAZ individual, small group, large group, Medicare supplement, short term health insurance, and term life insurance.
Open Enrollment for individuals and families begin 11/1/2022-01/15/2023. Coverage begins 01/01/2023 if the online application is submitted by 12/15/2022.
To view 2023 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona individual and family health insurance plans and prices, and apply online, please click HERE.
Short Term Health Insurance: We offer two different short term health insurance plans from two different carriers. The IHC Arizona short term health insurance plan offers $2 million in coverage per year for up to three years of continuous coverage. The Pivot Arizona short term health insurance plan offers $1 million per year in coverage for up to three years of continuous coverage. The main difference between the two plans is price of course, though each company offering distinct benefit options the other does not. As an example, Pivot offers plan options with maximum benefits under $1 million, and IHC is a flat $2 million per year.
PIVOT: Short Term Health Insurance $1 Million
IHC SHORT TERM HEALTH INSURANCE $2 Million
Short Term plans offer coverage up to $1-$2 million on average. Depending on the plan selected policyholders may see any provider they like. Short Term plans do not cover pre-existing conditions present within the last five years. Short Term plans are true health insurance policies, they should not be confused with discount plans or scheduled benefits plans that offer a certain dollar amount per condition. Arizona Short Term policies are much less expensive than ACA Obamacare plans by about half.
Arizona Short Term Temporary health insurance plans do offer….
- Budget-friendly health insurance products that are on average 50% less than Obamacare (ACA.)
- Plans with doctor office co-pays.
- Low deductible and zero deductible plan options.
- Prescription drug options.
- Non-insurance discount benefits like tele-medicine included with many plans.
- Child-only policies.
- Options for college student athletes.
- Quick applications – most plans can be purchased in 5 minutes or less, with coverage beginning almost immediately.
Of Interest:
THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE HAS BEEN REPEALED. The tax penalty ended 12/31/18.
153,700 Arizonan’s paid the IRS individual mandate tax before the Trump administration ended the tax, totaling $69,770,000. The average fine was $454.00.
82% of Arizona households that paid the IRS tax penalty made less than $50,000 per year. The individual mandate required that most individuals have ACA creditable coverage, otherwise pay a tax penalty (which ended in 2018.) The repeal of the individual mandate simply means that there will no longer be an IRS tax penalty assessed to those that choose not to purchase an ACA policy. The ACA is still the law of the land. Subsidies will still be available to those that qualify.
The federal courts have ruled that subsidies paid to insurers to lower deductibles and out of pocket expenses for certain individuals with ACA plans purchased through the exchange (www.healthcare.gov) are not allowed under current law. The federal government will no longer reimburse insurance companies, around $8 billion a year, for these deductible payments. Those receiving the lower deductible benefit will continue to receive this benefit, insurers simply increasing premiums to make up the shortfall. The reduced deductible subsidies are different from the subsidies to help pay the monthly premium. The reduced premium subsidies are not affected by the court ruling and will remain in place.
Please call Mike Higgins for a Blue Cross of Arizona small group quote, 602.405.8769.
Reducing the distortion of the health insurance market by the federal/state government is of utmost importance. Health insurance is a financial tool, nothing more, nothing less. Health insurance does not provide health care, it manages risk. A common misconception regarding health insurance is that healthy individuals pay for those less healthy, sharing in their cost of care. In reality, health insurance requires that you pay while healthy in order to reduce financial risk when sick. If you knew exactly when you were going to become ill, and how much treatment would cost, you could simply set aside money on your own in preparation. Of course, no one knows the future, what illness may arise, or what costs will be involved, hence the need for health insurance. The ACA failed to manage risk because it was never intended to do so. The ACA was designed to dramatically expand Medicaid, and in this respect was quite successful.
84% of the 9.6 million newly insured through the ACA are enrolled in Medicaid, not private individual plans such as those offered by BCBSAZ and others. Though the ACA went into effect on March 23rd, 2010, 30 million people remain uninsured today. Dramatic changes in law will be required to address the national implosion of the ACA yet do so within the confines of a nation with over $30 trillion dollars of debt.
Benjamin Franklin started the first commercial insurance company in the USA in 1752. Back then, home fires were common. Franklin, understanding risk, charged those in wooden homes more than those in brick. The ACA is void of such risk management, instead requiring that all applicants of the same age be charged the same amount no matter their health status. The implosion of the ACA shows that this approach does not work, yet a working alternative will be hard to come by.
The death spiral of the ACA individual health insurance market in Arizona is here and is in full force in Maricopa County. Across the country the situation is much the same, or worse. Though the market has stabilized somewhat, ACA premiums are still very high. A 60-year-old will pay approximately $1500 a month for a PPO with a $3200 deductible. This is why Arizona Short Term health insurance plans are an attractive alternative, especially now that coverage can be locked-in for one month or up to three years! There are even short-term health insurance plans specifically designed for those approaching Medicare within a few years, helping to avoid the exorbitant ACA premiums before retirement.
If you are one of the tens of thousands of individuals and families that have lost coverage, it is recommended that you consider purchasing a short-term health insurance policy. Short term policies are much less expensive than ACA policies, offer very good protection, but do not count as ACA creditable coverage. Short term plans do not cover pre-existing conditions present within the last 5 years. Short term policies are medically underwritten. The applicant must answer several general medical questions to see if they qualify for coverage, and most do qualify.
Not Affected/BCBSAZ: Those currently insured with a BCBSAZ Grandfathered, or Grand mothered individual or family plan will NOT lose coverage, and it is highly recommended that such policies be kept in force. The federal government will now allow those with Grand mothered plans to keep such plans through 2023, and most likely beyond. Grandfathered individual policies are those purchased on or before the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on March 23, 2010. Grand mothered individual plans are those purchased after March, 23rd, 2010, but before January 1st, 2014.
BCBSAZ will continue to offer group policies to small and large groups. Small group policies require a minimum of two enrolled, cannot be husband and wife if the only two enrolling (per federal law) and at least one employee must be W-2. Premium assistance for up to three years from the Arizona Department of Revenue may be available for groups with 25 or less employees. To qualify for AZDOR funds, the company must be based in Arizona, in existence at least one year, and have not offered group coverage in at least six months. Please call Mike Higgins at 602.405.8769 for further details.
THANK YOU: Michael Higgins has been ranked, once again, as a Top 5 broker according to Ranking Arizona magazine. Ranking Arizona is the largest business opinion poll in Arizona. 1.5 million participants vote each year, with recommendations based on quality of service, and with whom they would recommend doing business.
Please call 602.405.8769 for an employer group quote. Small group quotes are available via email, typically within an hour.
Michael Higgins Insurance, LLC., an independent Arizona health insurance agency, specializes in individual, short term temporary health insurance, Medicare supplement, term life insurance, and group health insurance. With decades of experience in the Arizona health insurance market, obtaining the right policy for you is most important to Mike. He will take the time necessary to solve your Arizona health insurance needs, suggesting different approaches or programs that may be beneficial.
Instant Term Life insurance quotes and coverage are available with no medical exam, Term Life Quote
Short-term policies are an alternative to child-only policies, and for those seeking coverage for up to three years. The short-term links are at the top and side of the page, and you may apply online if you would like.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
There is a lot of confusion in the individual and family market and Mike Higgins has the answers… 602.405.8769, any time, any day.
email: mike@higginscompanies.com