If you want you or your loved one to qualify for Medi-Cal long-term care (LTC), it may get tougher in upcoming years. This on the heels of thousands who were dropped from Medi-Cal (mostly due to paperwork issues) in July 2023. There is a push to simplify Medicaid LTC eligibility rules and make them more consistent. If it goes into effect, this will also make it harder for middle-class homeowners to qualify for long-term care. January’s Panel Discussion on Long-Term Care On January 9th, 2024, Paragon Health Institute held an online panel discussion about the future of long-term care with sever ..read more

Your life’s been full of decisions up to this point, but brace yourself: If you’re turning 65 with existing healthcare coverage, you’ve got more decisions on the horizon! If you want to know whether you’ll be able to keep your coverage (and which health insurance plan will be the primary one), read on. Are you nearing 65 while enrolled in a different healthcare plan? At 65, you become eligible for Medicare, and it’s not uncommon to reach eligibility while covered either by your employer’s plan or your spouse’s plan. If this is you, you’ll need to think about whether you should merge your curr ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic was anything but positive by any conceivable metric. Yet, out of the midst of the disruption and inconvenience emerged at least one silver lining. As the world scrambled and sheltered, a remarkable increase in the use of technology to provide essential healthcare services was taking place. In other words, out of the chaos of COVID arose the champion of telehealth. This unprecedented shift from traditional to digital healthcare services not only showed the resilience of the healthcare industry, but it also demonstrated the power of technology and innovation. As the old s ..read more

This year, Susan Polk Insurance has reached an important milestone celebrating 30 years of membership with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. A lot has happened in the health insurance industry since then, but we’ve been there through it all, serving SLO and guiding you through the changes. We were there in… 1991: Major Risk Medical Insurance Program We were there when the MRMIP guaranteed access to health insurance, and also when the AIM program offered coverage to women already pregnant. These two programs were funded by the tobacco tax enacted by Proposition 99. 1995: The Interne ..read more

Have you been thinking about getting a pet? Pets are fantastic companions, but it turns out that “man’s best friend” is even better at taking care of his human than we thought. Studies have shown that pets boost our emotional wellness, keep us safer, and they improve our health. In this article, we’ll go over statistics and anecdotal evidence to prove these facts. We’ll also provide some great ideas on where to look for your next pet and introduce you to George, our office mascot. Keep reading to learn more. Walking a Dog Improves Heart Health Heart health is increasingly important as you ..read more

According to new data from Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has topped 28 million in 2022. That accounts for the largest number of Medicare beneficiaries ever and almost half of all Medicare enrollees. However, the number of Medicare Advantage enrollees in a given locality varies not only from state to state, but from county to county. For instance, the KFF data cites that only 19% of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in Monroe County, Florida, but in Miami-Dade County, that number stands at 78%. San Luis Obispo County is o ..read more

Insurance can seem complicated at first, especially if you don’t have a career as an insurance agent or the time to read over 2,000 pages of healthcare law (not to toot our own horn, but we have). At Susan Polk Insurance, we strive to educate our clients and help them understand insurance because we know it doesn’t come easily to most people. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What do health insurance acronyms mean?,” you’re in good company. A study by Duffy & Duffy (a NY-based medical malpractice law firm) showed that the average Californian struggles with health insurance literacy. In fac ..read more

Through Covered California’s American Rescue Plan (link below), Central Coast residents in the regions of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo now have access to quality health insurance coverage for as little as $1 per month for those who qualify and enroll. Below is the full press release including information on how you can enroll. Covered California Urges Central Coast Residents to Sign up for Health Insurance to Benefit from Lower Premiums Now Available Through the American Rescue Plan The American Rescue Plan provides new and expanded financial help that dramatically lower ..read more