What many Employers expect and what they get from their Insurance Professional are not always the same.
 At the time of the sale there are a lot of promises made and over time many that are forgotten along the
way.

 

So what are reasonable expectations?  You shouldhear from your agent at least twice
per year.  One at the time you are written, once during the year to make sure things are going well and then
again on renewal which completes the cycle.  You should be able to reach your agent or their staff by
phone/email anytime you need something and expect quick turnaround to your call or
inquiry.

 

At SBG, we lead with our service rather than follow.  We know your benefit
pricing is the same from our carriers and from any other agent/broker.  In other words, our pricing is not
something we can use to differentiate us from our competitors.  Our service, however is the method we use to
look and feel different.

 

We are very proactive with the insurance companies we work with.
 This gives us the lead in new products and new developments as they come down line.  This leads to greater
savings to our clients as the newer products are usually less expensive and can be packaged in a more
efficient formant.

 

Check with you agent and make sure you are getting all they offer.
 Make sure they are keeping you up to date with the latest technology and benefit programs from the various
carriers in our area.

 

Just a few thoughts to up the ante on your
expectations...

 

 

Tags: Tallahassee Insurance | health insurance | Blue Cross and Blue Shield | United Health Care

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Health Maintenance Organizations...have been around since 1937.  Kaiser was the first in the U.S. and is
still around.  There are several kinds of HMOs with Kaiser being one of the most successful.
 

 

Staff Model HMOs  control costs the best by controlling the process.  This means they
are overseeing what doctor you can see and when you are approved to see a Specialist.  The ''gate keeper''
approach has been one of the biggest concerns of this type of HMO.

 

Other HMO plans have
been more like a traditional Point of Service Plan with the exception of your need to use the HMOs directory
of doctors.  There is no out of network coverage available.

 

With the increasing cost of
Health care, people are asking are the HMOs still doing the job they once did to better control cost.  All
insurance plans are going up in cost but some at different rates of increase.  Are HMOs holding the line
better?

 

This is debatable and hard to determine.  Health Savings plans and Health
Reimbursement Accounts are becoming somewhat more popular. There goal is to slow the rise in health care by
transferring some of the risk back to the employee. This has an initial savings that stays with the plan but
hasn't proven yet to slow the rate of increase.  More data is still needed.  

 

The one
thing that has become evident, however, is that when it is truly the employees money, they are more cafeful
about how and when their money is spent.  That is ultimately the whole
idea.

 

 

 

Tags: health insurance | Tallahassee Insurance | Dental Insurance | individual health insurance

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What is Health Care Reform?  Who is leading the charge?
 Is the Public Option in or out?  These are the important questions being touted now.  Can Congress come to
an agreement would be another...

 

If we started with
some of the amendments both Parties agree on, meaningful reform could pass immediately. There is much to agree
on.  For example, the concept of Portabiity is popular, waiving pre-exisiting conditions is another, revising
COBRA is a simple one as the Federal Government created it in the first place.  Covering the real uninsured
and insentivising those who can afford health insurance is certainly a measure that would improve the flow of
needed dollars in to the system.

 

Much work is to be
done.  The Public Option is not the answer.  There is no benefits and costs would skyrocket the cost of the
healthcare system.  The Public Option is greater control by the Government of the total system at a time when
Medicare and Medicaid are going broke.  

 

Let us as
a Nation focus on what we know is meaningful Reform and hold off on Legislation that would increase cost at a
time when our Country is out of money.

 

  
 

 

Tags: Tallahassee Insurance | health insurance | Dental coverage | Tallahassee Individual Health Insur

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          Obama is coming back for Round 2 on the Health Care Debate.  Experts are not sure
whether the Public Options is on or off the table.  This seems to be the real dividing line between
Congressman and the public.

          Blue Dogs say they will not accept the Public Option
but reconize reform is necessary.  What type and how much will be debated.    The Democrats on the far left
say they are pusing for the Public Option no matter what.  They argue that is the point of Reform.  />
          The Republicans are pushing hard for their own reform measures.  While keeping the
structure in the hands of the private sector, they agree also that some reform would be good. 
/>          Most of the agreement stems around waiving preexisting conditions, extending the time
line on COBRA benefits, guarantee issue of both group and individual health insurance and some tax reform
measures.

Tags: Tallahassee health insurance | health insurance | Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Tallahassee Insurance

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Those employing fewer than 25 employees offer benefits
less than 50% of the time.  This is a recent statistic by a major insurance company offering benefits to all
types and sizes of businesses.  Where as those with greater than 25 employees offer benefits in over 90% of
the cases.

 

Why such a disparity?  Part of it is
the perception that the bigger companies get a better deal.  This used to be true in Florida but not since
Small Group Reform in 1994.  Many small businesses not currently offering benefits have not shopped the
market lately to price the newer plan available to them.  With Health saving Accounts and Health
Reimbursements and low cost options many plans are very affordable.

 

style="white-space: pre;"> Why buy health insurance in the first place?  Obviously to keep us from
going bankrupt.  Also, to reap the benefits of the discounts the major insurance companies afford us.  This
is often not fully realized when considering the purpose for the insurance.

 

style="white-space: pre;"> Major Insurance Companies and Hospitals negotiate for better pricing.  This
helps us at the time of claim.  Discounts off retail pricing at just about any Hospital in America are
between 70-80%.  The Hospitals need those insured to help offset the uninsured and the underinsured from
Government Insurance plans such as Medicare and Medicaid.

 

 

Tags: Tallahassee individual health insur | Tallahassee Group Health Insurance | health insurance | Tallahassee Insurance

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Tags: Tallahassee Insurance | health insurance | Individual health | Disability Insurance

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          Many of the healthy people, who choose to be non-covered are the younger single
men.  They see no real need to be covered.  They are usually single, less than college educated and believe
they will be taken care of at the Hospital. 

          Individual health insurance is
very affordable for young men.  We are talking about $110/monthly for a high quality low deductible  PPO
plan.  These young guys would rather have the money from their employer than have them pay for their
health insurance.

          As a nation, we must educate this segment of the uninsured
population, why they are better off with health insurance than not securing a quality plan.  Reasons such as
receiving better care, preventive coverage, catastrophic care if needed and protecting their
insurability. 

Tags: health insurance | Individual health | Tallahassee Coverage | Dental Plans

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          Confusion and mis-steps is the only thing  Congress can seem to do
concerning health care reform.  Some had said it might be easier to start over.  The town hall meetings is
adding a great deal of pressure to the House Memebers as they hear from their
base.

          Reform that willl benefit the consumer without adding more cost
would be a great starting point.  Can Congress grasp this concept without all the pork and added cost. 
With the Stimulis plan, Cap and Trade, America is getting the idea that the only plan on the minds of Congrees
is spending and control. 

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For those looking for affordable health insurance, who are not a part of a group, individual
health insurance is available from several good brand name companies in Florida.  Blue Cross and Blue
Shield and Aetna to name two.

Why purchase individual health insurance?  Most people feel health
insurance is a necessity.  Many your men think they are invinable and often wait until they are married to
get covered.  At this age, insurance will never be more affordable.  These men can lock in their health by
selecting a good plan while they are healthy.

Check with one of our agents to see how affordable helath
insurance really is.  We offer a wide variety of deductibles and Health Savings Plans to fit almost any
budget. 

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           What is hidden in the over 1,000 pages of the current Health Care Reform
Bill?  Has anybody in Congress read it?  Is anybody in Congress going to read it beofore they vote for
it?

          As with the Stimulous Bill, reading the Bill was apparently optional.  Partisan
politics ruled the day when this Bill passed with flying colors.  Some regrets by many have surfaced as
Americans are asking why more money and why so little return on our hard earned
money?

          ObamaCare is riddled with gotchas.  A health Pannel of Govermenent
Beaurocrats may decide if your life is worth saving.  Your aging Mother may not be worth the money necessary
for that hip replacement.  This is already happening in Oregon with their State run health
system.

          Let's make sure we tell Congress to just say no to this Bill.  ''Real''
reform, not a complete revamping of a very good system would make much more sense.

Tags: Tallahassee Insurance | Dental Insurance | Disability Insurace | health insurance

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Tags: Town Hall | health insurance | tallahassee | Dental Insurance

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       You  keep hearing about the uninsured.  Who are they?  How many people in
America are really uninsured?

      Sources say, 9.1 million people who earn over $75,000 a year
chose to be without health insurance.  This is over 20% of the 47 million Congress tells us are uninsured. 
50% of the uninsured are illegals.  We insure them at the time of claim...in the ER.

      When
you boil it down, somewhere between 5-10 million are trult without health insurance and cannot afford it. 
This is a different picture than the 47 million we are continually told exist.

      

Tags: insurance | health insurance | benefits | Uninsured | tallahassee

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Tags: health insurance | Disability Insurance | Tallahassee Insurance

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