Modify or Repeal...What's the Best Road?

In this time of uncertainty over health care reform, we have seen some substantial changes. No one really knew what to expect as lawmakers themselves admitted that they wouldn't be able to tell the full impact until the law was in place and rolling right along. 
Within the landscape of all of this, we see many people being helped by the new laws. These are the people who needed health insurance. The aged and the chronically ill were no longer being told "no" and they are now getting the proper care they need to either get better or at least deal better with the issues they face. Children are now getting the care they need within the plans being offered. Children being able to have their teeth taken care of and/or get their eyes checked regularly. (There is nothing in place to help the obesity problem in our country, but that's for another blog).
Since the law went into effect, we see so many people seeing the flaws in the process. Everything from out of sight premiums to their primary care physician no longer in the mysterious "network" within the public exchange plans being offered. When flaws show their ugly heads, everyone has a way to "fix it". Many in Washington, DC are still fighting for repeal of the whole thing. They are still saying, "It's not too late". Other are saying it's fine but that some things should change and adjust to make it better. Who is on the right track? What will make this process best for everyone? Well, let's look at both sides and then you can decide.

REPEAL IT! Those who shout "repeal" are wanting to scrap the whole thing and make it their own. I can think of millions who signed up because they needed proper care for health concerns and before the law came into effect, their pre-existing condition kept them from that. Sure, they could get seen and treated if it was a severe accident/emergency, but we're talking about an illness that could slowly kill them over time without treatment. What would a repeal do for those people? I'd like to think I look at everyone when it comes to making sweeping decisions. I'm certain that one of the reasons the ACA came into effect is for these people and it is helping them. I don't want to think that those people would be negatively impacted by a full on repeal of the law. A full repeal would effect others as well, but that's what we have to consider (in my opinion) when we talk about scrapping a plan and starting over. However, you want to start a repeal process? SOAP BOX...Stop calling it "Obamacare". That's not what it is. It's PPACA, which is short for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

FIX IT! Have you ever had a car start "acting funny" on you? You're not sure what's wrong but you know something is. So, you take it to the mechanic and they run some tests and diagnostics to see if they can pinpoint the issue and fix it. The ACA "fix" option is kind of like that car. It has so many working parts and I'm sure we all have our particular thing we'd like to see adjusted. Fixing it could be the better option (SOAP BOX...let's PLEASE stop calling it "Obamacare". That's not what it is. As far as "fixing it" goes, let's start there. OFF SOAP BOX). The shell itself is in place. We've got the framework for something special that could be amazing for millions and now we need to find ways to make this as painless as possible. The biggest issues you hear are certain doctors not being in the network of the public exchanges, premiums are too high, medications are not part of the plans, and the fines and fees associated with being required to have health insurance that meets the guidelines set out by the government. Do I have answers to all these things? No. Are there people out there who could put some great ideas on the table to consider what options there are in fixing some of these things? Yes. Maybe even you and me.

At the end of the day I see a "fix" mentality being a better idea for everyone. So many people, including myself, have had to adjust how they do things because of the requirements of the law. Business owners, individuals, insurance carriers, and even the government entities like the Department of Labor and the IRS. I'd like to believe that in the end we all would like something we can be proud of and know that it is helping people in the right way fro them without being a burden on those who may not need it or are fine with just having "the basics" met for them.

The key for you is to be sure you have people around you and that you can contact to help you as things change (and they will change). You will need to be informed and keeping up on your own may not be in your job description. That's where people like myself come in. I stay informed so that when you have a question about your health plan situation, I can be there to help and guide. I don't want to see anyone struggle with this process. That's why with my colleagues and self-study on what's going on with this every day I know we can (at least) keep people aware and informed and be there when others need us.

If you need some options and answers now, I am a phone call/text away (205-370-8453) or you can email me at gene@generamsay.com.

Top image comes from here.
PPACA image comes from here.

The Dangers Of Speaking For Yourself

It's never just about you

In my business of insurance and benefits, I come in contact with people every day. People ask me questions, I give them information, and then they usually make some level of decision as to what their next move will be.
Every now and then, I come across the person with no questions and a surly attitude about the entire insurance "scam" process by saying the six words destined to come back around and spank them firmly on the tookis..."IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME".
Just typing that hurts. However, in some cases they might be right (to a certain degree). I can't predict the future any more than they can, however, I know of people who have never spent a day in the hospital, have never been to see a doctor, never taken a medication, or had anything happen to them physically or mentally that they needed to be concerned with.
Should someone like that really see the need to insure themselves. I think so but I can see where they are coming from. Call it luck, good genes, or born under a favorable sign. Whatever it is, the "charmed ones" feel invincible and impervious to painful situations where they will ever need a shred of insurance. They even go so far as to be very cavalier with their aging process and inevitable death as they say, "WHAT DO I CARE...I'LL BE DEAD".
This is where I take my chance to speak up and remind people that it's not all about them.The discussion could go on for days with just a simple phrase of "But what if?" They can reply back and I'll reply with the same phrase until one of us just agrees to disagree and move on.
The harsh reality about insurance of all kinds is the fact that it really is not all about the person in the place of decision. In all insurance aspects, other people in the lives of the decision-makers come into play. Let's look at a few insurance pieces and I'll show you what I mean:

1 - Health insurance. This is the big one. Sure it's expensive, but so is health care. By saying no to health insurance you are telling all those around you that should something happen to you you are counting on them to help you pay the exorbitant hospital bill. By saying no to health insurance, you are telling all your future creditors that you don't care if you have to file for bankruptcy.

2 - Disability insurance. Disability insurance allows you to have an income while you are away from your job due to some illness or injury. Unless you are able to accumulate sick days or have a pretty big savings account (which is a form of insurance), a disability can ruin you...and those around you. Things happen every day that keep people from doing their jobs. Some of those things last a couple of days while others can last a year or more...or indefinitely. From the time it takes a working person to go from injured to getting any government assistance to gain income, it could be two years or more. What do you think happens in that time? Your stuff starts getting taken from you. So when things start to fall apart, where does the wise one now turn for help? That's right...others. Those people he didn't think about to begin with are now his lifeline to survival.

3 - Life insurance. I go over this one until I am blue in the face. While the insured doesn't care what happens to them when they die, others and the law do. The "hefty bag" answer is not an option. A "Weekend At Bernie's" comedy is not in the cards. Life insurance has never been about the insured. It's always been about who they leave behind when they die. Even for the single 20-something, life insurance says to their friends and family that they will financially take care of their final expenses and leave the money so that things may be done properly and in order.

As I type this, I am reminded of one word this all boils down to...RESPONSIBILITY.

My last statement is this: the next time you have a decision to make, ask if anyone else will directly or indirectly be effected by this decision at some point and how making the right one can make for a better situation for everyone involved.

It's never just about you.

Would you like to talk about insurance options for yourself? How about for others in your life who need to consider the options they have?

I try to be a phone call (205-370-8453) or an email (gene@generamsay.com)

Since I used RESPONSIBILITY (it's ok to admit that sometimes you just don't want it) as the key word in here, I thought a funny take on it would be in order:

2011 NAHU Leadership Conference...and "The Star Spangled Banner"

A couple months ago, I was helping to prepare for the Alabama Association of Health Underwriter's Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.  As part of the program of events, I was asked to use some of my musical contacts to acquire a group to perform "The Star Spangled Banner" to help get things going.  I contact my old high school and their band director was more than happy to get a small contingent together to play a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem.  However, day two would have no such pomp and circumstance and it was requested that I provide a solo version on my trumpet.  I was more than happy to oblige.  I prepared and did well.
Apparently I had done well enough that the main coordinator of the conference contacted the person in charge of setting up the Region 5 & 6 Leadership Conference which was to be help in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The next thing I know I am taking my local chapter President-Elect status and my musical abilities to New Orleans to kick off the conference there.  Needless to say I was both flattered and little nervous.
People are always amazed that I still get nervous after all my years of playing.  I'd be scared to know what it would feel like NOT to be a little nervous.  I feel nerves enhance what we do and show a deep level of concern that we really want to put our best out there for others to see.
This conference would be a combination of the two things I feel very strongly about...music and my abilities as a health and life insurance professional and an up and coming President of the Birmingham Association of Health Underwriters.  My rendition was well performed and well received.  When the cheers and thanks died down, I was in full "learn mode" so I could capture all I could from other NAHU leaders from all over the Southern US.
Feel free to check out the few pictures from the conference I loaded below:



Let me tell you what struck me the most that many of you reading this can relate to:
1 - No matter how much we believe in something, it's only until others give that positive experience feedback that we make a difference. Have you ever been a part of something and felt like you were the only one who really cared about what was going on in the group?  Have you ever tried to get others involved, only to be summarily turned down and made to feel that what you were doing was essentially a waste of time?  It's kind of like that with NAHU/AAHU/BAHU.  Until others hop on the train we won't truly see that together we can do something special for ourselves and our clients in our insurance industry. The rules apply to any group or organization.
2 - There will always be naysayers.  Don't fight their arguments, build your own beliefs and let them be heard.  They are everywhere.  The people who say, "No" and "Waste of time and money" and my favorite..."What's in it for me?" We all have those people in our work or our organizations.  While we look for solutions, they sit by idly and just fold their arms and grunt.  Forget them.  Get a plan and some people who will help you and watch the naysayers either hop on or disappear.  Either way is a better way.
3 - Some expect to just be entertained.  Do you really learn anything and make a difference by just watching?  Nope.  Last I checked life was not a spectator sport.  Neither are the things that matter to us.  If we want what we do to be viewed with importance and have a sense of excitement to it, then WE have to get going.  We can't just expect to "sit and get".  In fact, what you find many times is that those who have the "What's in it for me?" mentality would make great additions to a project or idea even they might have.
So, thank you for the invitation.  It may have been to provide a rendition of our National Anthem, but I got much more out of it that I hope I can take and use now and for years to come.
My question to you is this...would you like us to help each other?  Maybe you have an idea or a need and you're having a tough time getting your head wrapped around to starting it.  Contact me and I'd love a brainstorming session.  It doesn't even have to be about insurance.  Anything at all and we can get a ball rolling that may change lives and attitudes for the better.  I'd love to be a part of it if you'd like me to be. I'm always a phone call (205-370-8453) or an email (gene@generamsay.com) away.

"What If" Insurance. It Could Save a Life

Many people I talk to about voluntary insurance say they are not impressed with some of the offerings.  Many times I even tend to agree.  The reason being that I am a big proponent of the hierarchy of need concept for most working Americans.
The first and most important benefit any working American needs is health insurance.  More bankruptcies are filed each year because of the unforeseen emergency hospital stay, surgeries, etc.  The whole reason for health insurance is to be sure the hospitals and doctors get paid to make you all better.  You never know when a catastrophic accident or illness will strike.  In many ways, health insurance is the biggest "what if" in the insurance market.  But this is not the kind of insurance I am talking about here.
The next most needed insurance I would say is a toss up.  I can make a good argument for either disability or life insurance to land in the number two spot.  For this article I will choose disability insurance as my next to discuss. This is the sort of thing that replaces your income if something should happen to you away from your job that would summarily keep you from coming in and doing your job.  One question I always ask is, "How long could you go without a paycheck"?  The majority of people usually answer, "Until my next paycheck".  Disability insurance could be the difference in someone losing their home or not due to an unforeseen illness or injury who needs income to keep the bills paid until they get on their feet again and can work.  This is the next most needed bit of "what if" insurance.  But I'm not talking about this either.
Next in line would be life insurance.  This is the ONLY insurance ever guaranteed to pay anyone a dime.  It's necessary, if for nothing else, for final expenses and/or burials.  This is not a "what if" in any book.  It's a necessary part of our lives.  We need to be responsible to take care of the inevitable "final day".

After all these needs get met, THEN we get into those insurance products that many professionals feel are "unnecessary" or are fluff in someone's insurance portfolio.  The insurance I want to focus on here is another "what if" piece of insurance.  The insurance I want to make an argument for is accident insurance.
Just like it's name sounds, this is a product that covers you in the event you have a "what if" moment in the area of an accident.  It works hand in hand with both of the above other pieces of needed "what if" insurance in that it can help pay a lump sum benefit based on the severity of any accident and it can also be used to handle co-pays and deductibles you will surely have with an ambulance ride and/or an emergency room visit.
True story:  A few years ago we are sitting and discussing insurance offerings as a place of business.  We had been sitting with each employee all day and were winding down.  One gentleman sat with a benefits counselor and got the same information on life insurance, disability coverage and the like.  At ever turn we were met with opposition and the unnecessary need for these insurance products.  As we were wrapping up, the client wanted to look at the accident insurance one more time because he rode a motorcycle to and from work and he knew the dangers he might run into.  Six weeks later, the "what if" hit home as he had a near fatal motorcycle accident on his way home from work.  The accident put him in an ambulance, the emergency room, in surgery for almost every bone in his body, and a hospital room.  This man dies after a 30 day stay in the hospital as his body just could not heal.  The accident policy paid a claim to his wife and four children in excess of $50,000.00.  Since they had health insurance, that coverage helped.  But because he refused all manner of discussions about life insurance, this piece of "what if" insurance saved his wife and children from a financial nightmare on top of the emotional devastation of a "what if".
So, the next time you think there might be an insurance hole to fill based on your way of life or just for piece of mind...think about "what if" and then make the call.

Something funny for you...

Welcome to The Ramsay Bugle...Blog Style!

Hello all.  This blog is new for me for 2011.  In an effort to be of the best service and provide my friends and fans with the most and best information, I needed a platform that would allow me the flexibility you need and an avenue where I can bring the most information to you.  This new blog will also allow me the ability to post more things without attacking your inbox.
I will continue to do the Constant Contact newsletter for everyone on my email list.  If you are not on that list, I will be posting many of the main articles that I send to everyone in that venue.  Why not just do the blog?  When I asked all of my friends and fans what THEY wanted, many came back with just keeping the newsletter with others stating that an online blog would be a good idea.  The newsletter is once a month and does take some doing to put together.  The blog I can write and/or post as I am inspired and have time.  Many of my friends and fans follow me on Twitter (@RGRamsay), Facebook (Gene Ramsay - The Insurance Man), and LinkedIn.com.  Those people will be notified every time I post here.  So basically, if you want to stay connected with me on all levels, follow me here by subscribing to this blog and connecting with me on the various social networking sites as well as getting on my email list.
Thank you to all of you for asking for this and being willing to be a part of my life in business and otherwise.  I hope to bring everyone here timely and valid info with regards to the insurance industry as well as other things I am involved in as they happen.  I feel it is KEY (for those out there who want to know me for business purposes and social purposes) for me to share on this blog who I am and what I do.  I can state all day long that you should work with or connect with me in some capacity so you know what you're getting when you contact me.
Lastly, if you ever have questions or comments, feel free to contact me through here.  I always try to be a phone call or an email away...so let me know what I can do to serve.
Step into my office...