During the last legislative session, Washington's Department of Health was charged with convening a task force on patient out-of-pocket costs. Senate Bill 6569 directed the task force to focus on two key areas:
1. Evaluating factors that contribute to out-of-pocket costs for patients and to the state.
2. Considering the health and economic impact of out-of-pocket patient costs to patients and to the state.
If you have particular expertise in this area and represent patient groups, insurance companies, pharmacists, pharmacy benefit managers, unions, business associations, or biotechnology representatives please consider joining this important task force.
Members of the task force will be asked to attend no more than four half-day, in-person meetings in the Puget Sound region between July 1 and Dec. 1, 2016.
To be considered for the task force, please respond to DOH Secretary John Weisman's letter by COB May 24, 2016 via email to C4PA@doh.wa.gov
Join telephone town hall to get answers to your questions about Social Security, Medicare
Join the King County Library System (KCLS) for a live telephone town hall meeting with specialists from the Social Security Administration and Washington Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). This free event will take place on Wednesday, May 18 from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Topics will include how to make the most of your Social Security benefits, health insurance and Medicare coverage.
A telephone town hall is like a radio talk show, but you simply listen on your phone! Experts will take live questions from the audience.
On the day of the telephone town hall you will receive a telephone call from the library between 10:25 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Please answer the call and stay on the line, as it could take a few minutes before the call starts. You will hear some introductory remarks and then be connected.
Be sure to include your telephone number in the registration to receive a phone call!
Brought to you by the Social Security Administration, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the KCLS Foundation and AARP.
Register here for the telephone town hall.
Topics will include how to make the most of your Social Security benefits, health insurance and Medicare coverage.
A telephone town hall is like a radio talk show, but you simply listen on your phone! Experts will take live questions from the audience.
On the day of the telephone town hall you will receive a telephone call from the library between 10:25 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. Please answer the call and stay on the line, as it could take a few minutes before the call starts. You will hear some introductory remarks and then be connected.
Be sure to include your telephone number in the registration to receive a phone call!
Brought to you by the Social Security Administration, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, the KCLS Foundation and AARP.
Register here for the telephone town hall.
Need help with Medicare? Events being held around the state through summer
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| Consumers get help at a SHIBA event in Washington state |
SHIBA can help you:
- Understand your health care coverage options and rights.
- Determine your general eligibility for health care coverage programs.
- Evaluate and compare health insurance plans.
SHIBA holds events around the state to help people who are just getting signed up for Medicare--called birthday events--and information sessions for people who are new to Medicare or simply have questions about it.
Upcoming events:
Upcoming events:
- May 5: Lacey Community Center
- June 18: Shoreline Conference Center
- June 23: Community Cultural Center of Tonasket
- June 24: Grand Coulee Senior Center
- July 9: Seattle Central Library
- Aug. 6: Kent Senior Activity Center
Find out more about these events and other events on the SHIBA calendar.
Gov. Inslee honors Cowlitz County SHIBA volunteer
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| From right: SHIBA Volunteer Coordinator Terri Osbourne, volunteer Elouise Maahs and volunteer coordinator Sarah Clark |
Elouise, who volunteers for SHIBA with Lower Columbia Community Action Council in Cowlitz County, was honored on April 11 at the Governor’s mansion, where she receive her award from Gov. Jay Inslee. A SHIBA volunteer since 2008, Elouise serves as a data specialist, where she records and processes client cases. In the past year she’s processed over 6,000 client cases. Eloise was nominated for her dedication and commitment to ensuring that seniors and people disabilities have their Medicare issues, complaints and appeals processed in a timely manner.
In addition to meeting the Governor on April 11, Eloise also stopped by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner/SHIBA and had the opportunity to receive congratulations personally from Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.
Read more about SHIBA, which provides free, unbiased, and confidential assistance with Medicare and health care choices.
If I switch health plans halfway through the year, can my deductible be transferred or prorated?
Insurance companies are not required to credit money consumers already paid in cost sharing from prior plans but sometimes they do for employer-sponsored replacement policies. If you lose employer-sponsored insurance in the middle of the year, and you've already met your deductible the year, you may want to consider COBRA for the rest of the calendar year and get an individual or family plan during open enrollment.
If COBRA is not an option, you likely will be responsible for a new, full deductible. Generally, health insurance deductibles are not prorated for partial-year enrollees, no matter how few months are left in the plan year. Individual or family qualified health plans run from January through December. There is no way to recoup the additional money you may spend towards your health insurance deductible when you switch plans mid-year after paying the first plan’s deductible. However, sometimes medical and dental expenses like deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance can be deducted from your federal taxes, which will lower the taxes you pay that year.
When you choose a health insurance plan, it will be important to understand what your insurance company covers without requiring you to pay your deductible. Then you can decide whether you want a plan with lower monthly premiums and higher deductible or one with a higher monthly premium and a lower deductible. Many health plans cover some services such as emergency room or routine doctor visits such as preventive care without requiring you to pay toward your deductible.
If COBRA is not an option, you likely will be responsible for a new, full deductible. Generally, health insurance deductibles are not prorated for partial-year enrollees, no matter how few months are left in the plan year. Individual or family qualified health plans run from January through December. There is no way to recoup the additional money you may spend towards your health insurance deductible when you switch plans mid-year after paying the first plan’s deductible. However, sometimes medical and dental expenses like deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance can be deducted from your federal taxes, which will lower the taxes you pay that year.
When you choose a health insurance plan, it will be important to understand what your insurance company covers without requiring you to pay your deductible. Then you can decide whether you want a plan with lower monthly premiums and higher deductible or one with a higher monthly premium and a lower deductible. Many health plans cover some services such as emergency room or routine doctor visits such as preventive care without requiring you to pay toward your deductible.
Deductible amounts vary by plan and can be separated into individual or family deductibles. Some health plans also cover other benefits like doctor visits and prescription drugs even if you haven’t met your deductible.
Your best course of action is to read your policy and contact the insurance company to find out more about the health plan’s benefits.
If you have questions about your plan or your rights as a consumer, you can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.
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