Take Action now!
By taking the time to review you monthly expenses you can feel more in control and reduce your fixed montly expenses. Do it.
Residence
You living space is typically the largest monthly expense. If you haven't refinanced yet, the rates are the lowest in decades. I contacted Scott Sheldon at
SonomaCountyMortgages.com The process was not easy but Scott is great at what he does. He kept me informed at every step of the way. He's not just Sonoma County, anyone in California can use his services and it saved me a lot each month.
If you don't own a place or can't refi, think about taking on a roommate.
Food
If you haven't written out a budget, you might be surprised, in most cases, the cost of food is your second greatest monthly expense. Most financial planners suggest not eating out side the home as often. How much do you pay for coffee each week? Plant a garden. Shop in bulk and use coupons.
Insurance
Of course our favorite topic. Review your home owners insurance. When was the last time you compared coverage? By raising your deductible you can reduce your costs.
Who do you use for auto insurance? There are so many adds on TV, that I'm confused. They all claim to offer the least expensive coverage. Any suggestions here?
Our service is to offer you a free and easy way to compare your health insurance coverage. Our site,
GreenInsuranceServices.com will instantly send you quotes from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California so you can compare cost and benefits. We've been able to help people cut their health insurance cost in half. Take the time, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Credit Cards
If you carry a balance on a card or cards, contact the company and see if they will offer you a lower rate. If you've got a lot of credit card debt contact a credit counseling agency. They can really help you reduce your debt.
Cell phone and internet
Here are two more places to negotiate lower monthly cost. Is it 611 you call for customer service? Ask for a cheaper plan based on your usage. The same goes for cable TV.
Share your ideas
Everyone is in the same mode it seems. How can I reduce my expenses? Well, here are some places to start. Take the time to do the few things we've suggested. A small monthly savings really adds up over an entire year.
Individual, Family or Group Dental Insurance
Is Dental Insurance available to individuals and families in California? Yes. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California do offer plans in our communities, but. Are they worth the money?
Both Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have contracted with thousands of dentists in the state. Your job is to find a contracted dentist in your community that you feel comfortable using.
Cost versus Benefits
Individual plans start at about $40 a month and $90 for a family. Cleanings are covered from the begining but fillings and other major benefits have a waiting period of six months to a year. Most plans also only pay a fixed amount of money per proceedure and you are responsible for the balance. Also all plans have a maximum annual benefit.
Group Dental
If you're lucky enough to work for a company that offers dental insurance, you've got the best coverage available.
Delta Dental is the gold standard in California. Their plans can include braces and periodontic coverage.
Last month I went to a periodontist. They offered discounts for cash and interest free financing. It seems, along with everyone else, dentists are feeling the effects of the poor economy.
Our role
If you want to get Dental coverage, send us an email or call. We'll email or mail a brochure and application. Many people are making resolutions for the new year. Getting dental insurance is on some lists. We also offer you the ability to compare your current coverage of health insurance with new plans to see if there is cheaper coverage available. Visit us at
GreenInsuranceServices.comWe can help you with the resoluction to reduce your montly expenses in the new year.
Resolutions
It's almost time again to make New Year resolutions. We suggest you take time during the Holidays to resolve to cut your monthly expenses.
Here are some ideas we have and would like to hear from you, too.
Energy: The new smart meter keeps track of your energy use. PG&E's site has an energy audit tool. You answer several questions and the site gives you suggestions about how you can save money by using energy more wisely.
Waste: recycling and composting can reduce the need for large garbage cans. You can contact your garbage company and request a smaller can and pay less. If you compost, you can enrich your soil and start a small vegetable garden in your yard.
Insurance: How much are you paying for insurance. Home owner's insurance should be reviewed. If you house, like most, has lost value you may be over insured. Our favorite, of course, is the cost of health insurance. Our site,
GreenInsuranceServices.com is an easy place to compare the cost of health insurance and offers an online application.
Car insurance is also another place to look to reduce your premium.
Other places to reduce your costs are; cell phone contract, cable TV cost, internet connection.
Have you taken the time to review your monthly expenses? Share your ideas with us. We'll pass on your great ideas.
Parents
At GreenInsuranceServices.com, we speak to a lot of parents from all over the country who's children live in California and don't have health insurance. Many are students or young adults who either can't afford their own insurance or think going without health insurance is ok. Many parents offer to pay for the health insurance coverage and we help them select a good affordable health insurance plan.
GreenInsuranceServices.com
Our site can be accessed from anywhere at anytime and is easy to navigate. Applying for health insurance online is the fastest and easiest way to get a health insurance plan going. Once you enter the site, click on "get a quote". We display health insurance options from Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross. The site allows you to click on plans that look good and compare coverage side by side. Once you made your choice click on the "apply now" button and you go directly to the company you've selected's secure site.
Like most sites, you create a user name and pass word. That way, if you need to stop the proecess and return later you have that option and you'll pick up where you left off.
Call to action
This is a good time of year to get started with health insurance or compare plans to change your curret coverage. Insurers offer their latest plans this time of year and have competitive premiums. You also start out fresh in the new year. Using our site is free and it's our hope that the site makes your shopping for health insurance in California easy.
Open enrollment
This year, the open enrollment period for Medicare is longer. It runs from October 15 through December 7. You still have time to explore your options.
There was a time when you chose you're medicare supplement and you were stuck with your choice with few exceptions of changing plans. Thank goodness that has changed. Now you can explore your options and change plans if it makes sense to change.
At GreenInsuranceServices.com we offer plans from Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California and AARP. Call, send an email, contact us and we'll send you a complete enrollment packet. You can also compare plans and get a wealth of information at Medicare.gov
Criteria for making a choice
Cost and benefits are the obvious areas for choosing a Medicare Supplement policy. You might also want to consider what plans are available in you area. What plans does your doctor accept? You can also check with your local pharmacies and hospitals to see what Medicare plans they accept.
The new changes in the laws that govern health insurance in California and the country make health care more accessable and offer a host of wellness benefits that are free or low cost.
Open enrollment for Plan D
Open enrollment for plan D, the prescription benefit is coming up so you'll have time to review those costs and benefits, too.
At Philly.com there's a lenthly article summing up the recent Government announcement that PSA tests aren't worth taking. At Philly.com look under health, "Prostate Cancer:Experts discourage Vitamins and PSA tests".
Over tested over madicated
One of our goals at GreenInsuranceServices.com is to lower the cost of health insurance for individuals and families in California. It seems there is very little one person can do to reduce health care costs that translate into higher premiums. But there are things you can do.
ASk Questions
Too many people are afraid to ask their doctor questions. If you're seeing your doctor and he or she suggest a test, or image or medication, it's important to ask what the benefits are for the test. In recent articles studies show that doctor's order tests so they avoid a future law suit, not because it's absolutely necessary.
Doctor's a busy and don't have the time to suggest life style changes that could be as effective as a new drug. They also are encouraged by drug manufacturer reps to prescribe the latest new drug that is more costly to the consumer, when an older, generic drug will have the same benefit.
Shopping for health insurance?
Most health insurance is being purchased online. Our site is free, easy to use, and lets you compare costs and benefits from major health insurance companies in California. Get a quote today. www.GreenInsuranceServices.com
Small Group or Large Group
In California group coverage starts with two people on a payroll. Small group is any group less than fifty employees. The rules for group coverage change with groups with more than fifty employees.
This time of year is when many groups re-new their coverage or shop for a new plan. Blue Shield of California is introducing a new series of group health insurance plans with fewer choices, but easier choices for plans that are best for your group.
Criteria
When underwriting group health insurance plans, insurers take many factors into consideration. They are; nature of the business, zip code, employee population, ages, sex, health risk to employees.
At Green Insurance Services.com we work with many small groups. We offer FREE quotes from all the largest group carriers in the state. If you want a quote to compare coverage, contact us at GreenInsuranceServices@gmail.com
We need your location, nature of your business and a census of your employees being covered. We need to know if it's employee only or if they also cover family members. It's easier to compare if you let us know if you have a PPO plan or an HMO plan and your deductible and co-pay.
Hospitals
Places you want to avoid, at least as a patient. More people die in a hospital than anywhere else.
Unfortunatley I have a friend who had a serious motorcycle accident and he is approaching seventy days in the hospital. If you haven't had the opportunity to visit your local hospital, give it try. They're a real eye opener.
They never close
Caring for patients is a constant chore. The rooms in modern hospitals have to be equiped for very sophisticated equipment and all the equipment has to be in top notch order. To my surprise, every room has a computer on an elevated stand. The nurses and doctors can see the patients records and add notes as they visit the patient.
Everyday details
Each patient gets three meals a day. They are also able to request beverages and snacks during the day and night. The hospital I visited Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital , is a trauma center. They have a heleport and busy emergency room.
Each day someone comes in and cleans and mops the room and bathroom. If the room needs mantanence there is staff that are called to make repairs.
Many patients need to be transported to specialty areas in the hospital. My friend has to go to the imaging department each monday when they image areas that may have blood clots. There's a specialty transport bed that has power wheels to make moving easier.
Each day towels and sheets have to be changed, washed and replaced for each room.
It appears there's a pretty tight schedule for medicating patients. Usually after breakfast, the team of nurses and assistants bring whatever madications that have been prescribed by the teams of doctors are taken to the patients. At the same time vitals are taken and charted.
It is no wonder health care is so expensive and these costs are reflected in the premiums we pay for health insurance.
I hope you never have to spend time as a patient in a hospital, but odds are we'll all have to spend some time in a hospital bed. Automobile accidents are a number one reason people spend time hospitalized and that can happen to anyone at anytime.
Our job at GreenInsuranceServices.com is to make it easy for you to buy the health insurance you'll need if you have to spend time as a patient in a hospital. The cost of daily care is enormous.
Personal comfort or medically necessary?
In California most insurers do not pay for medical equipment. Anthem Blue Cross does state some equipment may be covered as stated in the policy.
If you suffer an injury to effects your mobility or physical activity you may need medical equipment that would provide movement or support. Examples include, walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, toilet seat extensions, braces, special beds and transport equipment.
Medical does not pay for these pieces of equipment either.
I found a wheelchair on Craig's List. There is an entire secondary market for durable medical equipment. A friend needs a specialized wheelchair the hospital does not provide. I found a zero gramity wheelchair on Craig's list. It's an amazing wheelchair. It has a seatbelt, leg supports, brakes and fully reclines to provide the zero gravity effect.
Unless you've had the experience or been around someone who is dealing with a disabling disability you may not be aware of how much equipment is available to help the patient function easier.
Simply the act of taking a shower can be an ordeal. Transfering from a bed to a chair, going from a chair to a shower chair and back again can take hours and can be exhausting.
At GreenInsuranceServices.com we'd enjoy hearing about your experience with durable medical equipment. We'll publish a list of suppliers and links to the secondery market for equipment.
How HSA's work
A friend was hired by a small local company sixty days ago and is now eligible for their group health insurance. They offer a high deductible HSA compatible plan from Blue Shield of California. They employer contributes one thousand dollars each year to each employees Health Savings Account (HSA).
Above the line deduction
My friend called to ask how this insurance works. The health insurance is pretty straight forward. Doctors visits are unlimited with a $30 co-pay. If she incurrs any medical expenses in the calendar, she can submit a request to her Health Savings Account company and be re-imbursed for any medical expenses not covered by the insurance company. She can also make additional contributions to her account and take a deduction when filing next years taxes. There is a line on the IRS 1040 that allows for the deduction and reducing your gross income. HSA accounts also grow on a tax free basis and you don't lose your account at the end of the year, HSA's continue to grow and are portable if you change employment.
A good HSA administrator
Some banks have teamed up with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California and offer theirr HSA accounts. We think the banks charge too many fees. We recommend to our clients hsaadministrators.com They charge an annual fee but no transaction fees and offer many options of investments. They also make getting re-imbursed very easy.
Do you have questions about HSA plans? At GreenInsuranceServices.com we offer many HSA compatible plans for individuals, families, and small businesses.