Covered California’s Open Enrollment Deadline

shutterstock_309518777Residents of California that need federal premium assistance in order to buy brand-name health insurance can receive it under the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act by enrolling in Covered California. By enrolling in Covered California, residents may qualify for a private insurance discount or receive health insurance via California’s Medi-Cal program. However, there is a deadline for enrolling in Covered California. Enrollment opened up on November 1st, 2015 and will end on January 31st, 2016.

Covered California Open Enrollment Process

The following is the process that residents will go through in order to sign up for health insurance via Covered California:

  • Shopping and comparing plans—Residents simply need to enter some personal information in order to receive an estimate for how much health insurance will cost. The less a resident makes on an annual basis, the more financial assistance they will receive.
  • Applying for an insurance plan—Once a resident finds a plan that suits them, they can apply through Covered California. Residents will need to provide personal information that includes their ID, income information, social security number, zip code and proof of citizenship or lawful presence. Anyone that needs assistance during this step can simply click on the Find Local Help button located on the home page.
  • Review choices—Once residents have applied, they can review their private insurance options. Companies included in Covered California include Anthem, BlueCross, Blue Shield of California, CCHP, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente, LA Care, Molina Healthcare, Oscar, Sharp, Valley Health Plan, Western Health Advantage and United Health Care.
  • Begin payments—Residents will be able to make their first month’s payment online or they can choose to wait until a bill comes to their home via the mail.

Covered California can help ensure that all of the state’s residents get the healthcare insurance that they need at an affordable rate. Be sure to visit the Benefits Store today in order to receive more information about Covered California enrollment or about health insurance and the Affordable Care Act in general. Remember, the open enrollment date will end this month on January 31st.

Is It the Flu or a Cold?

shutterstock_272092772Winter is right around the corner, which means more and more people are going to be coming down with a cough. Dealing with a cough and a stuffy nose can be quite aggravating, especially if your symptoms begin to worsen. But are you suffering from the common cold or have you caught the flu? It can be difficult to tell the two apart sometimes, especially in the beginning stages.

The Common Cold

If you have a cold, the first symptom you’ll typically have is a sore throat, which usually only lasts for a day or two. Following the sore throat, you’ll experience nasal symptoms, such as congestion or a runny nose. This is usually accompanied by a cough during the fourth and fifth days of your cold. Expect your mucus to take on a darker and thicker appearance. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold, and it is very contagious in the first three days; however, it should go away within a week.

The Flu

Symptoms of the flu are similar to those of a cold, but they come on much more quickly. They include sore throats, coughs and congestion. However, unlike the common cold, the flu will typically also cause symptoms such as a fever, headaches, muscles aches and muscle soreness. Once you develop these symptoms, it’s a good indication that you have the flu. More severe versions of the flu virus can also result in diarrhea and vomiting. Some of the lesser symptoms, such as the cough and sore throat, will usually improve within two to five days. However, if you started off with a fever, it can return after a few days if you have the flu. The flu will also cause you to feel fatigue and weakness, and sometimes even extreme exhaustion, which never occurs with a cold.

Although the common cold and the flu share a number of symptoms, you can usually identify the flu by a fever and exhaustion. We advise you to get your flu shot soon and to contact The Benefits Store for professional service for all California Medical Plans.

Maternity Plans with Dental Coverage Encourage Better Overall Health

shutterstock_309488807Women that are pregnant or planning a pregnancy may not be thinking too much about the health of their teeth, but recent studies conducted by Cigna show that dental health should be more of a concern due to the impact it has on both the mother’s overall health and the baby’s. Because of this, employers should strongly consider adding dental coverage to their maternity plans.

The Importance of Dental Health for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy hormones can actually affect a woman’s dental health. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the physiological changes that women experience during pregnancy can result in the following dental health issues:

  • Gingivitis
  • Gingival lesions
  • Tooth enamel erosion
  • Loose teeth
  • Periodontitis

There’s also the risk of infection, including gum disease and tooth decay, and all of these issues can in turn affect the health of the baby. Then there are some of the daily routines that pregnant women often go through that can affect their dental health.  This can include taking certain prescribed medications, such as medications for high blood pressure, asthma or diabetes, which dry the mouth and can in turn result in gum disease, bacteria growth and tooth decay.

Why Maternity Plans Should Include Dental Coverage

The Cigna study showed that 63 percent of the surveyed pregnant women believed they had excellent dental health before pregnancy—this number dropped to 55 percent during their pregnancy. Also, 43 percent of those surveyed didn’t even bother going to the dentist for a check up during their pregnancy period. The main reason? They were worried about the costs. This is a problem since pregnant women are more likely to develop a dental health issue—which, left untreated, could grow into a bigger problem that will be more costly to treat. By including dental coverage in your maternity plans, you’ll be encouraging pregnant women to get a dental check up.

Dental health is often ignored during pregnancy—but it shouldn’t be, as pregnancy can affect the health of women’s teeth. For more information about maternity plans and California medical plans in general, contact The Benefits Store today.

How to Prevent the Flu

shutterstock_332896577Flu season is right around the corner, which means that you should begin taking steps in order to prevent coming down with the flu. The flu is highly contagious, after all, and the last thing you want to do is spend two weeks out of work or school trying to fight off its many symptoms. The flu can also be quite dangerous for anyone that suffers from certain health conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, a weakened immune system or even diabetes.

Getting a Flu Vaccine

The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated with a flu shot as soon as you can. Ideally, you should go get your flu shot during the fall—early fall if possible. However, you can still get vaccinated any time during the winter as well. The only danger is that you might catch the flu before you get a chance to get vaccinated.

Remember, getting vaccinated for the flu is a lot different than getting vaccinated for other illnesses. Unlike many other vaccines, you’ll need to get the flu vaccine every year. This is because the vaccine is designed differently each year in order to combat the flu strains that health experts believe will be most widespread. There are different flu strains that are more common in certain areas every year, which is why even though you may have been vaccinated for a certain flu strain last year you will need to get vaccinated again this year.

Other Flu Prevention Tips

In addition to getting your flu shots, you should also take care to be extra clean during the flu season. Because so many people may be carrying the flu virus, you should always wash your hands after you touch potentially dirty surfaces or shake hands with somebody. When you do touch potentially dirty places, avoid touching your face afterwards.

You should try to get vaccinated for the flu before winter hits. We will continue to provide you with advice concerning your health insurance, so be sure to contact The Benefits Store for information concerning all California medical plans.

December is National Safe Toys and Gifts Month

shutterstock_119731141Considering that December is a month jam-packed with holidays in which gifts are often bought for children, it’s not too surprising that December makes the perfect National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. Over the years, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has improved the safety of toys by leaps and bounds due to the implementation of extensive toy safety testing requirements. However, there are still a number of things that you should do to ensure that the toys you give as gifts are safe for children to use. The following are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

  • Avoid balloons: Balloons may seem like a lot of fun as a child, but they can be quite dangerous for children under the age of eight. This is because they can easily choke on or suffocate on balloons that are broken or deflated.
  • Avoid toys with small parts: If you are buying a toy for a child under three, avoid giving them toys that contain small parts so that they won’t swallow them, as they can cause choking.
  • Provide safety gear: If you are getting a riding toy for a child, such as a skateboard, a scooter, or roller skates, then make sure you also provide safety gear (such as a helmet and knee pads) that properly fit the child.
  • Throw away packaging: The packaging or plastic wrapping for many toys can become a safety hazard if you don’t discard it immediately.
  • Supervise battery charging: If you give a young child a toy that requires batteries, make sure that they understand that they need an adult to supervise the battery charging. Always read the instructions and warnings on any toy that comes with batteries. Some chargers don’t have mechanisms to prevent overcharging, which can be dangerous if a child attempts to charge a battery.

These are a few safety tips to keep in mind for National Safe Toys and Gifts Month. We want to provide you and your family with important health and safety information, so contact The Benefits Store for advice and information concerning all California Medical Plans.