EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR BUSY LIFE.

Do you ever find yourself too busy to exercise? Is working a full time job making it difficult for you to find the time to stay active?

Working a full time job is one way to keep someone busy. Trying to find time for yourself, or time to work out can be quite a challenge. After all, spending the majority of your day at work and battling rush hour can take a lot of energy. Yet, there still is no excuse for taking care of yourself. Living a healthy lifestyle is important, and sometimes it can feel like work gets in the way of that. So if you find yourself willing to try something new in order to stay active while working full time, follow some of these great tips!

1. Get Up Early

Waking up early can be a drag if you aren't a morning person. Hitting the "snooze" button is almost unavoidable. While it may take some will power and extra motivation, getting up earlier to work out can have an amazing impact on your day. For one, exercising in the morning is a great way to start the day, get your blood pumping, and give you that feeling like you are ready to take on the world. You will even find that by working out in the morning that you may be sharper throughout the day.

2. Ride Your Bike or Walk to Work

One fun way to try and stay active is to walk or ride your bike to work. While this option may not work for everyone, those that live in close proximity to their job should give it a try. Enjoy the scenery, get some fresh air, and have some time to clear your mind before starting your day at the office. The best part is that you will be saving money on gas!

3. Take Periodic Walks

While on the job, you want to be productive as you possibly can. So taking a long walk might be a bad idea. However, try breaking that long walk into shorter ones throughout the entire day. Use a bathroom break to walk around the building for a few minutes. Doing this every couple of hours will add up, and by the end of the day you might be surprised how much you have walked. Try wearing a pedometer to help keep track of your steps and help you reach any daily goals you might have.

4. Join a Gym Close to Work

If you work close to a gym, consider getting a gym membership there. You can go for a work out on the way in or just after you get off. Waiting until you get home to exercise is another option, but after having along day on the job and having to battle through rush hour can leave you feeling exhausted by the time you get home.

5. Use Your Lunch Break

Going on your lunch break is one of everyone's favorite parts of the day. If you plan on eating at nearby restaurant or are picking up food to take back, try walking instead of driving. Or if you joined a nearby gym, try going there during your lunch break to save time. Just be sure to shower before heading back to the office, no one wants to sit next to the sweaty person.

Here at MHG Insurance Brokers, we look forward to sharing tips and information with you that may help keep your stress levels down, and your quality of life up! Whether you are purchasing health insurance for the first time or already have a plan in place, or are simply looking for better coverage, we want to help you find an affordable health plan that works for you. Please feel free to contact us here by calling 954-828-1819, or visiting mhginsurance.com!

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your health insurance refuses to cover a certain medical bill that you thought would be covered? Bills such as visits to a provider who was once in your network, and without notice was removed from the network is a prime example. Sometimes mistakes are made, and just because your insurance carrier denies your claim, doesn’t always mean that you will be left to foot the bill. There are steps that you can use to take action and try to ensure that you will receive the coverage that you have been paying for. By filing an appeal or disputing a health insurance claim, you can hopefully change the outcome.

Internal Appeal vs. External Appeal

There are different types of appeals processes. You can use an internal appeal where your insurance company will review the case and make the decision. If the internal appeal process does not work you can use an external appeal where an independent third party will review and then have the power to make the decision, meaning the insurance company will not have the final say.

Ask for Help!

We are here to help you! Being insurance brokers, we work for you, not the insurance company. We protect you best interest and help you in any way we can. Many times, we have the relationships built, know the loopholes, and have past cases that are similar that we can use to help get a favorable response.

Don’t Take No for an Answer

Sometimes, the insurance company’s representative on the phone is simply following their basic protocol. The agent may not have the authority to make decisions beyond there guidelines, so ask for their supervisor. If the supervisor doesn’t give you a positive answer, ask for the department that can escalate your case for review.

Reach Out to Contacts

We reach out to contacts at your insurance carrier. Sometimes, relationships can help you get the answer you want to hear or point you in the right direction. Also, our relationships with people at the insurance company may benefit you in the form of exceptions for your case. Some of our contacts have that authority. Remember, sometimes it’s who you know! If that’s not enough, we ask about filing an appeal. Identifying similar cases may help in finding a loop hole or scenario that you can benefit from. This can determine the likelihood of getting an approved appeal.

Be Patient

Disputing a health insurance claim is a lengthy process. It can take up to 90 days to conduct the appeal, so patience is a virtue.

Prevention

The best way to avoid disputing a claim is to read your policy and the updates that are sent to you. Do your research and learn exactly what you have coverage for, who is in your network, etc. If your doctor recommends a procedure, you will be better prepared to ask questions.

Sometimes there are things in your plan that you don’t understand, or words that you have never heard before. For help with tricky health insurance lingo, read our previous blog, “Health Insurance Terms 101.” If you are interested in purchasing health insurance, or have any questions about your plan, or which plan would be best for you and your family, contact us at 954-828-1819 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com. We have the insurance specialists to assist and advise you on the best coverage for you and your loved ones at every stage of life.

You’re fired! Two words no one wants to hear. Losing your job is a reality that some of us may have to deal with one day, whether we like it or not. The main reaction of someone losing their job is questioning where their income is going to come from. How will I pay the bills? How will I buy food? With careful planning, should that day arise, you would have saved some money and created a safety net for yourself until you land another job. Even with savings set aside to cover the necessities, one thing that is sometimes put on the back burner is a loss of benefits offered by your employer. We have some options you may want to consider.

COBRA/State Continuation

If you loved the coverage that your employer offered, there is good news. You may be able to keep your plan through COBRA continuation coverage. COBRA is a federal law that was implemented to let you pay to keep you and your family on your employer’s health insurance after your employment has been terminated. This applies to employees of companies that employ 20 or more employees. State continuation sometimes called mini Cobra in essence serves the same purpose which is to extend employer coverage after separation. Main difference is Cobra is a federal program while state continuation is mandated by the state. It is good to note that this is only for a limited time, usually a maximum of 18 months. Also, you typically pay a higher premium than the one you were paying while employed because your employer is no longer contributing towards your premium.

Marketplace

If you have lost your job for any reason, whether you were laid-off or you quit, you can buy a plan from the healthcare marketplace. Now I know what you’re thinking, the marketplace is only open during open enrollment. However, losing your job qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. This gives you the opportunity to purchase a plan that is acceptable under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), thus keeping you from paying an extra tax/penalty the following year for not having proper insurance. You may also qualify for tax credits and subsidies based on a number of factors.

Short-term Medical Plan

If you lose your job in the middle of the year, you still have some time before open enrollment begins. This will leave a gap in your medical coverage, which not only leaves you unprotected, but also liable to pay the healthcare tax. If you don’t want to purchase an ACA private healthcare plan, you can purchase a short-term medical plan which can give you coverage for up to one year. Though you should know, short-term medical plans do not meet the minimum benefit requirement and will not prevent you from paying a penalty.

Spouse’s Insurance

If your spouse or domestic partner’s company offers health insurance as a benefit, there is a good chance that they offer the same coverage to you. You may have to pay more than they do in order to be on their plan, partly because employers are required by law to cover 50% of the insurance premiums for employees and 0% for spouses even though they may choose to pay more.

MHG has the insurance specialists to advise and assist you in choosing the best health insurance that suits you, your family, or your group. Our team of brokers have the experience to get you the coverage that fits you and your budget. Recently get a nice tax return? Read our previous blog, “What Should I Do With My Tax Return?”. If you are interested in reviewing your health insurance options, please contact us at 954 828 1819 or visit our website at mhginsurance.com.