52014Mar

Updates for Minneapolis Home Care & the Affordable Care Act

This month brings with it some important events for seniors and their families alike, some of which affect Minneapolis home care. As you surely know, healthcare in this country is undergoing a time of transition, and it is important to keep up with the news as frequently as possible to safely navigate these hurdles.

  • March 31st is the deadline to sign up for health insurance. If you have health insurance from Medicare, Medicaid, or an employer then this deadline does not concern you. However, if you are currently lacking any form of health insurance coverage, you have until the end of this month to protect yourself. Failure to sign up for health insurance will result in a fine, and if you miss the deadline you will be shut out of the insurance market for a whole cycle which would reopen in November. There are many different types of insurance plans, including bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.
  • Proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage for 2015. There is a proposition on the table to lower spending for Medicare Advantage by 3.5% in 2014. The potential cuts would cause unwanted change for seniors dependent on Medicare for their in home care, and many politicians on both sides of the aisle are questioning if the benefits of the cuts would be worth hurting some of the country’s most dependent groups. This is not the first proposal for budget cuts, with a 2% budget cut proposed in 2013, which was ultimately rejected.  Despite the potential budget reductions, enrollment for Medicare Advantage grew 2013-2014, and is likely to continue from 2014-2015.

For Minneapolis families, health care is an essential part of everyday life, so we encourage everyone to stay up to date with the health news with us here at Baywood Home Care.