Whitaker Financial Services

OAKLAND, Calif. The California Department of Insurance issued a Cease and Desist order effective immediately against Aliera Healthcare, Inc., and Trinity Healthshares, Inc., for violating California law by misleading California consumers regarding their products and transacting insurance business without a certificate of authority from the Insurance Commissioner. The Department warns consumers that these misleading lookalike health plans marketed as health care sharing min...istries do not comply with California laws to protect consumers. These plans were marketed as cheaper alternatives to traditional coverage when, in reality, they do not provide comprehensive coverage for pre-existing conditions and other coverage as required by state and federal laws. Up to 11,000 Californians may belong to unapproved plans offered by these two entities. Consumers who bought these plans thinking they purchased comprehensive health insurance deserve the full protection of our laws, said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Consumers should know they may be able to get comprehensive coverage through Covered California that will protect their health care rights. Consumers who purchased coverage through Aliera Healthcare, Inc. or Trinity Healthshares, Inc. should contact Covered California at 855-295-2023, to determine if they have experienced a qualifying life event that entitles them to a special enrollment opportunity. Consumers are encouraged to contact the Department of Insurance’s Hotline at 800-927-4357 to learn about their options or to file a complaint if they were faced with unexpected costs or other problems with Aliera Healthcare, Trinity Healthshares, or any other health care sharing ministry plan. The Department’s Cease and Desist Order alleges that Aliera and Trinity provided misleading training to sales agents, promoted misleading advertisements to California consumers, and sold products that do not cover preexisting conditions, abortion and/or contraception, or comply with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which is in violation of Insurance Code section 10112.27, Insurance Code section 10198.7, and the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Deceptive marketing practices may have pressured some consumers to purchase a health sharing ministry plan, thinking they had missed the deadline for purchasing coverage through Covered California. The Cease and Desist Order prohibits Aliera and Trinity from immediately transacting insurance in California, including advertising or receiving any money, commission, fee, rebate, payment, remuneration, or any other valuable consideration whatsoever, in connection with any insurance transactions.

Californians could see the most dramatic expansion of mental health and addiction coverage under state law in decades, if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bill that is likely heading to his desk in coming weeks. The bill SB 855 by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco would significantly expand what treatments are considered medically necessary for health insurance coverage. Current state law requires health plans to cover medically necessary treatment of just nine serious mental illnesses; the new law would expand that coverage to include a much broader array of mental health issues, notably substance use disorder and addiction, among others.

OAKLAND, Calif. The California Department of Insurance issued a Cease and Desist order effective immediately against Aliera Healthcare, Inc., and Trinity Healthshares, Inc., for violating California law by misleading California consumers regarding their products and transacting insurance business without a certificate of authority from the Insurance Commissioner. The Department warns consumers that these misleading lookalike health plans marketed as health care sharing min...istries do not comply with California laws to protect consumers. These plans were marketed as cheaper alternatives to traditional coverage when, in reality, they do not provide comprehensive coverage for pre-existing conditions and other coverage as required by state and federal laws. Up to 11,000 Californians may belong to unapproved plans offered by these two entities. Consumers who bought these plans thinking they purchased comprehensive health insurance deserve the full protection of our laws, said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Consumers should know they may be able to get comprehensive coverage through Covered California that will protect their health care rights. Consumers who purchased coverage through Aliera Healthcare, Inc. or Trinity Healthshares, Inc. should contact Covered California at 855-295-2023, to determine if they have experienced a qualifying life event that entitles them to a special enrollment opportunity. Consumers are encouraged to contact the Department of Insurance’s Hotline at 800-927-4357 to learn about their options or to file a complaint if they were faced with unexpected costs or other problems with Aliera Healthcare, Trinity Healthshares, or any other health care sharing ministry plan. The Department’s Cease and Desist Order alleges that Aliera and Trinity provided misleading training to sales agents, promoted misleading advertisements to California consumers, and sold products that do not cover preexisting conditions, abortion and/or contraception, or comply with the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which is in violation of Insurance Code section 10112.27, Insurance Code section 10198.7, and the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Deceptive marketing practices may have pressured some consumers to purchase a health sharing ministry plan, thinking they had missed the deadline for purchasing coverage through Covered California. The Cease and Desist Order prohibits Aliera and Trinity from immediately transacting insurance in California, including advertising or receiving any money, commission, fee, rebate, payment, remuneration, or any other valuable consideration whatsoever, in connection with any insurance transactions.

In support of International Women's Day on March 8th, (and everyday) let's support all women in our workplace! "Even in 2020, the reality is that women still tend to have more responsibilities outside of the workplace than men. To alleviate the stress that comes with these additional responsibilities, I urge you to create a work environment that feels supportive. This means understanding the importance of work/life balance, setting reasonable expectations on workloads and deadlines, and distributing tasks evenly among employeesor redistributing them if you notice individuals working incredibly early or late to complete their projects."

33% of all Californians are already on Medicaid. And now this - at an annual cost of $93 million.

In #SoCal’s city of Loma Linda, residents live up to 10 years longer than those in other parts of the country. What’s their secret? Here’s why living in a #BlueZone may boost its residents’ lifespans. #HealthyWaysCA #GetMoreCA #WeNeverStop http://bit.ly/2Wbgo1J

It's always a pleasure when our friend/client Lissa Kreisler stops by the office. Love you, Lissa!

Put down your phone to reduce anxiety...

Aetna Medical Director denied claims without looking at medical records?

Whitaker Financial Services has an immediate opening for a customer service representative in our downtown Willow Glen office. This is a full time position with benefits. Experience in the employee benefits industry is preferred, but we'll train the right person. Good computer skills and a great attitude is a must! Please PM me if this is a fit for you or if you know someone.

Paul Ryan pulls HR 1628 - the Affordable Care Act is here to stay... "Obamacare is the law of the land," Ryan said. "We're going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future." Ryan said that he does not believe the ACA system will survive, but that Tom Price, the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, might be able to find ways to stabilize it. Stay tuned for more news on this topic.