Jacob Faturechi Insurance Services

You have until December to check your Medicare plan. You really should.

If you are in the United States legally, you can qualify to buy health insurance through the Covered California "Marketplace" with or without assistance. Enrollment in a Marketplace plan (with or without premium tax credits) is not a public benefit under the public charge final rule. For children under age 21 and pregnant women, enrollment in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) won’t be considered to be a public benefit under the public charge rule.... Please feel free to contact me with questions.

I would say you should check your Medicare plan every year. In Los Angeles, multiple Medicare Advantage plans for 2021 are even offering a rebate.

By popular demand, I created a video introduction to my services. Let me know what you think.

There are rumors swirling about changes in healthcare that would affect the trans community. I am not aware of any real change and the rumors pertain to things that are inapplicable to California.

Since the Social Security office is closed, people turning 65 or retiring may need individual help enrolling in Medicare. If you know someone who needs assistance, please have them contact me.

California has already been at the forefront of using tele-health technology. With the expanded authorization from the federal government, even more people may have access to use tele-health. It is quite likely that your California insurance already allows for tele-health usage. The great thing about tele-health is not just the convenience, but also the ability to avoid getting sick from being around other sick people.

If you have symptoms of a cold or flu, I highly recommend you use the telemedicine option your health insurer has for you. Oscar and Blue Shield have doctors available through your phone. Pretty much all plans have a nurse helpline for you to use. If you have questions, let me know!

The Center for Disease Control has announced that it is a good idea to make sure you are prepared for a flu pandemic. A flu pandemic is when a new strain of the flu virus starts spreading rapidly. The flu can have severe consequences for the young, elderly or otherwise immune compromised. It is always a good idea to make sure you isolate yourself from disease vectors like other people's saliva. Wash your hands often. Avoid crowded places. Wear a mask if you need to.

Open Enrollment for Covered California ends January 31. If you do not have health insurance by the end of the month, it will be close to impossible to buy insurance for the rest of the year.

Update regarding Covered California accounts: Covered California's system is apparently in the middle of synchronizing account information with tax information from the IRS. If you are the primary contact for a Covered California account, but not the primary tax filer, your policy may be reissued causing problems in using your insurance. You may be issued new policy numbers or account numbers. People who are married and filing jointly should try to list the same person as the... primary contact on their account as the primary tax filer on their IRS forms. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or problems you may have.

A number of my Covered California have received cancellation notices from their insurance company due to some sort of computer error. It appears to only be affecting families with dependent children. If you receive such a notice or have any difficulty using your insurance, please contact your agent so we can get it straightened out. It is a good idea to check that your January payment has been deducted.

The type of insurance that people forget to buy the most is Long Term Care. You want to buy LTC coverage before you turn 50. Optimally, you want to plan for it while you are buying life insurance when you have your first child. This is the official federal government site to help you understand LTC options. https://longtermcare.acl.gov/index.html