CalCPA ProtectPlus

To give you a definition of what COBRA is and a brief description of the COBRA subsidy, here is some important information from the Department of Labor (www.dol.gov):

 What is COBRA?

COBRA gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to purchase group health coverage provided by the plan under certain circumstances.

If the employer continues to offer a group health plan, the employee and his/her family can retain their group health coverage for up to 18 months by paying group rates. The COBRA premium may be higher than what the individual was paying while employed but generally the cost is lower than that for private, individual health insurance coverage.

The plan administrator must notify affected employees of their right to elect COBRA. The employee and his/her family each have 60 days to elect the COBRA coverage; otherwise, they lose all rights to COBRA benefits.

COBRA generally does not apply to plans sponsored by employers with fewer than 20 employees. Many States have similar requirements for insurance companies that provide coverage to small employers. The premium reduction is available for insurers covered by these State laws.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as amended on December 19, 2009 by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 (2010 DOD Act) provides for premium reductions for health benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, commonly called COBRA. Eligible individuals pay only 35 percent of their COBRA premiums and the remaining 65 percent is reimbursed to the coverage provider through a tax credit. To qualify, individuals must experience a COBRA qualifying event that is the involuntary termination of a covered employee’s employment. The involuntary termination must occur during the period that began September 1, 2008 and ends on February 28, 2010. The premium reduction applies to periods of health coverage that began on or after February 17, 2009 and lasts for up to 15 months.

To read more about this click here.

Update on COBRA Extension

President Obama signed a bill [Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691)] extending federal funding for the COBRA subsidy and unemployment benefit on March 2nd, shortly after the Senate passed it with a 78–19 vote. The main purpose of the bill is to extend unemployment benefits and health care subsidies for the unemployed. The federal tax credit that allows the federal government to subsidize 65% of the cost of COBRA premiums is now extended from February 28, 2010 through March 31, 2010.  (continue reading…)

Many of us often have concerns about whether or not it is safe to take certain medications while taking other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. The effects of drug interactions may cause unexpected side effects such as allergies, heart palpitations or dizziness. It can make your other medication(s) less effective or it can also increase the effects of your medication(s) which can be harmful to your health – even life threatening.

You should make it a habit to read the label of prescription and over-the-counter medications – often times there are warnings of other medications that should not be taken at the same time. It is important that you learn about drug interactions which may be critical to your health and by having this knowledge you can reduce the risk of potentially harmful interactions and its side effects.

Anthem Blue Cross offers a great tool that allows you to search  for information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications. [Click here to check it out.] Of course, this is an online tool that can help you get some general information - but you should always check with your doctor and pharmacist for detailed information and instructions. Make sure to them all of the medications you are taking – even vitamins and herbal supplements since those can interact with medications as well. Some people have more than one doctor, so remember to always inform them of what medications you are taking, or better yet, bring the bottle to the appointment. That way they can see the exact information including the dosage you are taking. These are very simple precautions that we can take to insure ourselves a healthier life!

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Hospice is an agency or organization primarily engaged in providing palliative care (pain control and symptom relief) to terminally ill persons and supportive care to those persons and their families to help them cope with terminal illness. This care may be provided in the home or on an inpatient basis. A hospice must be: (i) certified by Medicare as a hospice; (ii) recognized by Medicare as a hospice demonstration site; or (iii) accredited as a hospice by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. A list of hospices meeting these criteria is available upon request.

There is controversy over whether it is safe or not to take medications past the expiration date. You will find people who will throw away the medicine on the exact date of its expiration and those who will take it years after it has expired. However, it is always best to safeguard your own health and that of those in your household by listening to common sense and discard of all expired medications. If a medicine’s expiration is in doubt, take it to a pharmacy or to a doctor – they are the experts and will be able to advise you appropriately.

An expiration date is assigned by the manufacturer of a drug to represent its shelf life. Medication breaks down over time – liquids separate into layers and solids may become powders. The expiration date is the time in which the medication is safe to take and will have the desired result. Expired medicine includes both over-the-counter medicine (i.e. cold medicine, vitamins, aspirin) and medicine that has been prescribed by a doctor.

Medications can expire before the expiration date if they are not stored properly. When air, humidity, heat, or sunlight makes contact with medications their potency and consistency regardless of expiration date can change. When storing your medications you want to store them in cool, dry, and dark places –somewhere in the neighborhood of 59 and 80 degrees. Storing medication in the bathroom or kitchen cupboards is very common, but those places are the last areas to store your medication. Those locations can have heat, humidity, and sunlight and medications will break down and lose potency under such conditions. In fact, when medication expires and it loses potency, it could be very dangerous, especially to those with health conditions where they are dependent on the medications such as high blood pressure medication.

Medicine storage areas should be cleaned out every six months to a year. Always keep your medicine in its original container – this keeps it safe and it will be easier to know if medicine has expired.

Remember, if a medication has expired, be aware of how to properly dispose of it. Flushing it down the toilet or pouring it down the drain might lead to contamination of your area’s water supply. Throwing it in the trash may eventually contaminate the soil. Ask your pharmacist if there is a recycling program in your neighborhood or call your local hazardous waste disposal department.

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The following information is from Medicare.gov.

If you are under age 65 and disabled, and have been entitled to disability benefits under Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board for 24 months, you will be automatically entitled to Medicare Part A and Part B beginning the 25th month of disability benefit entitlement. You do not need to do anything to enroll in Medicare. Your Medicare card will be mailed to you about 3 months before your Medicare entitlement date.

You may refuse Part B coverage. However, if you decide to pick up Part B coverage at a later date, but before you turn 65, you may have to pay a 10% surcharge in addition to the Part B premium. Also, please be aware that you will automatically be re-enrolled in Part B when you turn 65, even if you previously refused Part B coverage. You may again refuse coverage, but if you keep it you will not have to pay a surcharge.

Note: A Special Enrollment Period is available if you waited to enroll in Medicare Part B because you or your spouse was working AND had group health coverage through a current employer or union. If this applies, you can sign up for Medicare Part B:

• While you are still covered by an employer or union group health plan, through your or your spouse’s employment, or
• During the 8 months following the month when the employer or union group health plan coverage ends or when the employment ends (whichever comes first).

The Social Security Office can answer questions about applying or appealing Social Security Disability benefits. They can also answer questions about when you will be eligible to receive Medicare.

Your 24-month waiting period will be waived if you have been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). This disease is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

The following information is from IRS.gov and is very beneficial to those who have an HSA account.

Death of HSA Holder

You should choose a beneficiary when you set up your HSA. What happens to that HSA when you die depends on whom you designate as the beneficiary.

Spouse is the designated beneficiary.   If your spouse is the designated beneficiary of your HSA, it will be treated as your spouse’s HSA after your death.

Spouse is not the designated beneficiary.   If your spouse is not the designated beneficiary of your HSA:

· The account stops being an HSA, and

· The fair market value of the HSA becomes taxable to the beneficiary in the year in which you die.

If your estate is the beneficiary, the value is included on your final income tax return.

TIP: The amount taxable to a beneficiary other than the estate is reduced by any qualified medical expenses for the decedent that are paid by the beneficiary within 1 year after the date of death.

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Facility-Based Care is care provided in a hospital, psychiatric health facility, residential treatment center or day treatment center for the treatment of mental or nervous disorders, severe mental disorders, or substance abuse.

Do you suffer from headaches, fatigue, dizziness, dry skin, dry mouth or thirst? These are all signs of dehydration. Since water makes up about 60 percent of our body weight, it is important that we drink water each day. We can go without food for almost two months, but without water only a few days. Our body completely depends on water intake in order to function properly. Here are some ways that water helps our body:

• flushes toxins out of our vital organs
• carries nutrients to our cells
• helps us to feel full if we are trying to loose weight
• boosts our metabolism -especially if the water is ice cold because your body has to work to warm the water up, which burns a few calories in the process
• our heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood throughout our body if we drink enough water
• 85% of our brain tissue is water – by drinking water – our mind will be less stressed
• helps prevent muscle cramping and lubricates joints in the body
• helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles in our face since it hydrates skin cells and plumps them up
• helps to flush out impurities and improves circulation in blood flow which in turn leaves our face looking rested, clean and glowing
• helps dissolve waste particles and passes them smoothly through our digestive tract
• helps our body by diluting the salts and minerals in our urine that lead to kidney stones
• provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues (continue reading…)

From EatingWell:  April/May 2005, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

10 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes appropriate – Low calorie – Low cholesterol – Healthy weight – High calcium – High fiber – High potassium

Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat lasagna noodles
1 pound lean spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (*see Vegetarian Variation)
4 cups sliced mushrooms, (10 ounces)
1/4 cup water
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably chunky
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese, (2 cups)
8 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided (continue reading…)

The following information is from Medicare.gov.

Question: Will my Medicare Part B premium increase in 2010?

Answer:  Most Medicare beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 Part B premium amount in 2010. Beneficiaries who currently have the Social Security Administration (SSA) withhold their Part B premium and have incomes of $85,000 or less (or $170,000 or less for joint filers) will not have an increase in their Part B premium for 2010.

For all others, the standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $110.50 in 2010, which is a 15% increase over the 2009 premium. The Medicare Part B premium is increasing in 2010 due to possible increases in Part B costs.  If your income is above $85,000 (single) or $170,000 (married couple), then your Medicare Part B premium may be higher than $110.50 per month.  In 2010:

• New Part B beneficiaries will pay $110.50 (because they did not have the premium withheld from their Social Security benefit in the previous year).
• Beneficiaries who do not currently have the Part B premium withheld from their Social Security benefit will pay $110.50.
• Higher-income beneficiaries pay $110.50 plus an additional amount,  based on the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA).

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Non-Participating Pharmacy is a pharmacy which does not have a Participating Pharmacy Agreement in effect with the claims administrator at the time services are rendered. In most cases, you will be responsible for a larger portion of your pharmaceutical bill when you go to a non-participating pharmacy.

The Super Bowl is the second biggest day for food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving! Super Bowl menus are full of salt, sugar, fat and all the other bad things you can think of. But oh…they are so good right? “It’s only one day”, you may say. But you can actually put  on five pounds in one day of eating fattening foods…the types of foods that may be at that Super Bowl party you are going to this Sunday.

I heard this following information on the radio the other day looked it up on Dietdetective.com. It really put things into perspective and may make you think twice before taking that next bite!

• 1/2 A DIGIORNO PIZZA CHEESE STUFFED CRUST LIMITED EDITION BACON/SAUSAGE/PEPPERONI = 299 TOUCHDOWN DANCES IN THE END ZONE

That’s 975 calories per half.  Each dance should last for 15 to 20 seconds.

Fit Tip: There are frozen and delivery pizza choices with a lot fewer calories. If you choose thin crust and avoid meats and extra cheese you can drop the calories down to about 720 for half a 12-inch pizza.

• SIX T.G.I. FRIDAY’S LOADED POTATO SKINS = DOING “THE WAVE” 6,389 TIMES

Each potato skin (half a potato) is 218 calories. That’s a lot when you consider that an entire potato is 160 calories. But these potato skins are deep fried and topped with cheese, bacon and even sour cream.

Fit Tip: These are so easy to make yourself. Microwave the potato, then cut it in half and put it in the toaster oven with some cooking spray.

• LARGE MEATBALL SUB FROM QUIZNOS = CLIMBING THE STADIUM STAIRS FOR 109 MINUTES

It has meatballs, mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce on a hero roll, adding up to 1,020 calories.

Fit Tip: How about turkey meatballs (made with breast meat), low-fat mozzarella and a whole-grain hero.

• 6 KFC HONEY BARBECUE WINGS WITH DIPPING SAUCE = PLAYING PRO FOOTBALL FOR 59 MINUTES

Keep in mind, this is 59 minutes of actual playing time — standing on the sidelines or in the huddle doesn’t count. Each wing has 90 calories, and the dipping sauce is about 50 calories per container.

Fit Tip: You can certainly make your own chicken wings. Go skinless and bake instead of deep frying them.

• ONE PINT OF BEN & JERRY’S CHUBBY HUBBY ICE CREAM = CLEANING THE STADIUM AFTER THE GAME FOR 322 MINUTES

That’s almost 5 1/2 hours of cleaning — no breaks. And yes, that pint has 1,320 calories.

Fit Tip: There are so many very tasty low-calorie ice creams. For instance, Breyers All-Natural Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry is 110 calories per 1/2 cup or 440 calories for a pint, so you save nearly 900 calories. (continue reading…)

The following information is from IRS.gov and is very beneficial to those who have an HSA account.

You may enjoy several benefits from having an HSA. Here are some of the benefits:

• You can claim a tax deduction for contributions you, or someone other than your employer, make to your HSA even if you do not itemize your deductions on Form 1040.
• Contributions to your HSA made by your employer (including contributions made through a cafeteria plan) may be excluded from your gross income.
• The contributions remain in your account from year to year until you use them.
• The interest or other earnings on the assets in the account are tax free.
• Distributions may be tax free if you pay qualified medical expenses. See qualified medical expenses below.
• An HSA is “portable” so it stays with you if you change employers or leave the work force.

Qualified medical expenses.  Qualified medical expenses are those expenses that would generally qualify for the medical and dental expenses deduction. However, even though non-prescription medicines (other than insulin) do not qualify for the medical and dental expenses deduction, they do qualify as expenses for HSA purposes. (continue reading…)