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Who To Call For Health Insurance

Q What If My Red And White Health Card Is Lost Stolen Or Damaged

Health Insurance Assistance Service

To report your lost, stolen or damaged health card you can call the ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161, for TTY service please call 1-800-387-5559.

To replace your red and white health card, you will have to switch to a photo health card. To convert your card:

  • Go in person to your local ServiceOntario centre.
  • For information regarding ServiceOntario centres in your area, go to ServiceOntario.ca/locations or call the ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161.

    If you find your reported lost or stolen health card, keep it only until your new photo health card arrives in the mail and then destroy the old health card because it will no longer be valid. Make sure you have your new photo health card before destroying the old health card.

    Get A Human On The Phone

    It seems simple, but sometimes just getting a real person on the line is the hardest part. The best time to call your insurance company is probably early morning because 11am to 3pm are their busiest hours.

    Pro tips:

    • Saturday mornings are a good time to get through with less wait time.
    • Have your insurance card handy so youll have the details of your plan ready when you get to talk to someone. The card should also list different phone numbers depending on what you need, so make sure youre calling the best number for your particular situation.
    • Some health insurance companies have apps and/or chat linesyou should be able to find your insurance providers customer service options on their website. If you have a relatively simple question, these alternatives may be a faster way to get answers than calling.

    If you call, youll most likely be put on hold for at least a few minutessometimes it can take much longer. Unfortunately, theres not much you can do but wait it out. If you are on hold for an excessive amount of time , you can try to contact someone higher up in the company or register a complaint with your state insurance commissioner.

    Types Of Health Insurance Plans

    When purchasing health insurance, your choices typically fall into one of three categories:

    • Traditional fee-for-service health insurance plans are usually the most expensive choice. They offer the most flexibility in choosing health care providers.
    • Health maintenance organizations offer lower co-payments and cover the costs of more preventive care. Your choice of health care providers is limited to those who are part of the plan.
    • Preferred provider organizations offer lower co-payments like HMOs but give you more options when selecting a provider.

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    Health Coverage For People With Disabilities

    If you have a disability, you have three options for health coverage through the government.

    • Medicaid provides free or low-cost medical benefits to people with disabilities. Learn about eligibility and how to apply.

    • Medicare provides medical health insurance to people under 65 with certain disabilities and any age with end-stage renal disease . Learn about eligibility, how to apply and coverage.

    • Affordable Care Act Marketplace offers options to people who have a disability, dont qualify for disability benefits, and need health coverage. Learn about the .

    Requesting A Policy Change

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    Thinking about making a change? Your State Farm agent would be happy to assist you. But you can also initiate a change yourself.

    Pick from two simple options if you need to file a health insurance claim.

    • Take your bill to your State Farm agent’s office.
    • Call our Health Response Center at 866-855-1212 to request a claim form.

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    Compare Health Insurance Plans Easily

    With Progressive® Health by eHealth, you can buy medical, dental, and vision insurance plans for everyone in your family. As a trusted provider, eHealth enables you to get the health coverage you need at a reasonable price, with more than 13,000 options from 180+ carriers.

    With eHealth’s free and easy-to-use plan finders and comparison tools, you can find the health insurance plan that best suits your budget and needs. Once you apply, eHealth manages your application from start to finish, advocating on your behalf to ensure your health coverages are granted promptly. Get a health insurance quote today and give your family the care they deserve.

    Ensure your application is accurate and submitted on-time thanks to eHealth’s team of licensed insurance agents.

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    Contact eHealth’s knowledgeable service team with any questions you have about your health insurance options. They’ll help you get the right coverage for you and your family.

    Q Am I Eligible For Ontario Health Insurance

    You may be eligible for the Ontario Health Insurance Plan if you are included under one of the following categories:

    AND, generally speaking

    • you make your primary place of residence in Ontario
    • you are in Ontario for at least 153 days of the first 183 days immediately following the date you establish residence in Ontario
    • you are in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period.

    Tourists, transients or visitors are not eligible for OHIP coverage.

    Your ongoing eligibility for Ontario health insurance coverage is based solely on you having an OHIP-eligible citizenship or immigration statuses, and on you:

    • making your primary place of residence in Ontario, and
    • meeting the requirement of being physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period.

    The above is only a summary of the OHIP eligibility provisions of Regulation 552 for your reference. You should consult the actual regulation for the specific requirements applicable to you. The provisions in Regulation 552 prevail over this summary.

    Everyone, including babies and children, must have their own health cards. Always carry your health card with you. You should be ready to show it every time you need medical services.

    If you have questions about when your OHIP coverage will begin, please contact ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161 or visit your local ServiceOntario Centre.

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    Health Care Insurance Purchased Through The Marketplace

    If you purchased health care insurance through the Marketplace, you should receive a Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, at the beginning of the tax filing season. The information shown on Form 1095-A helps you complete your federal individual income tax return. If Form 1095-A shows coverage for you and everyone in your family for the entire year, check the full-year coverage box on your tax return. Among other things, Form 1095-A reports the total monthly health insurance premiums paid to the insurance company you selected through the Marketplace. It lists the amount of premium assistance you received in the form of advance payments of the premium tax credit that were paid directly to your insurance company, if any. If you received a Form 1095-A with incorrect information, see our Corrected, Incorrect or Voided Forms 1095-A questions and answers to find out how it affects your taxes.

    If you purchased coverage through the federally facilitated Marketplace and you set-up a HealthCare.gov account, you can get a copy of Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement online from your account. Visit your Marketplaces website to find out the steps you need to follow to get a copy of your Form 1095-A online. You can use either the information from your online account, if it is available, or the Form 1095-A that is mailed to you to complete your tax return.

    Questions To Ask Your Health Insurance

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    When calling your health insurance company, it’s important to find out a few things, such as your deductible amount, your copay or coinsurance amount, any special requirements to receiving coverage , and logistics .

    The questions below will help you gather each of these data points! We recommend asking these questions, jotting down the answers, and sharing them with your therapist who can help you understand what each of these mean.

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    How To Cancel Medicaid Or Chip Programs

    • Income Adjustment: Expect the state to notify you If your household income increases or state qualification standards change, and you, therefore, are no longer eligible for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program. If you lose your Medicaid or CHIP coverage, you will have a 60-day special enrollment window to buy a Marketplace plan, assuming you can afford to do that after receiving common government subsidies. Nearly 90% of those with Obamacare get subsidies.
    • Notify Your Caseworker: If you must cancel your Medicaid or CHIP plan because you get a new job or your child turns 19 and ages out, you will have to research the process in your state. State rules vary significantly. Start by calling your state Medicaid department caseworker. Typically, you will have up to 30 days to enroll in a Marketplace plan before losing your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.

    Group Health Insurance Options For Your Small Business

    As a small business owner, you can shop for group health, dental, and vision insurance for your employees through eHealth. You need at least one full-time employee other than your spouse to qualify for a small business plan, and you contribute toward employee premiums. As of 2016, per the Affordable Care Act, businesses with 50 or more full-time employees must offer affordable health insurance or pay a tax penalty.

    Start investing in your employeesget a quote for group health insurance today.

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    Your Bc Services Card

    Each B.C. resident enrolled with the Medical Services Plan is eligible for a BC Services Card with a unique lifetime identifier for health care called a Personal Health Number. This number remains the same, regardless of any changes to personal status. You should carry your card at all times, to have it available to be presented whenever you need health care services.

    The card is also a valuable way to confirm your identity and personal information. Please visit gov.bc.ca/bcservicescard for more information about replacing your card, changing your personal information, and privacy and security features.

    Q Are Internationally Adopted Children Exempt From The 3

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    Effective April 1, 2009, changes were made to Regulation 552 of the Health Insurance Act which provides an exemption from the three-month waiting period for Ontario health insurance coverage for children adopted internationally by Ontario residents.

    Exemption from the Waiting Period for OHIP

  • A child under the age of 16, who is adopted outside of Canada by Ontario residents, will be exempt from the three-month waiting period for Ontario health insurance coverage if they meet the following 2 requirements:
    • The child has an OHIP-eligible citizenship/immigration status. OHIP-eligible citizenship/immigration statuses are listed in Regulation 552 of the Health Insurance Act more information can be found on this topic under the fact sheet OHIP Eligibility.
    • The adoptive parents can provide confirmation that they have received director approval, provided by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, of their international adoption under Ontarios Intercountry Adoption Act.
  • A child under the age of 16, who will be placed for adoption in Ontario from another country, will be exempt from the three-month waiting period for Ontario health insurance coverage if they meet the following 2 requirements:
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    Failing To File Tax Returns Will Prevent Advance Payments In The Next Year

    The IRS reminds taxpayers who received advance payments of the premium tax credit that they should file their tax return timely to ensure they can receive advance payments next year from their Marketplace.

    If advance payments of the premium tax credit were paid on behalf of you or an individual in your family, and you do not file a tax return reconciling those payments, you will not be eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit or cost-sharing reductions to help pay for your Marketplace health insurance coverage in the next year. This means you will be responsible for the full cost of your monthly premiums and all covered services. In addition, we may contact you to pay back some or all of the advance payments of the premium tax credit.

    If you have a question about the information shown on your Form 1095-A, or about receiving Form 1095-A, or about a letter you received, contact your Marketplace as shown in the table below or visit HealthCare.gov/taxes.

    Small Business Health Options Program Marketplace

    The Small Business Health Options Program Marketplace – also known simply as SHOP – helps small businesses provide health coverage to their employees. While the SHOP Marketplace was previously only open to employers with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, starting in 2016, some states may make the SHOP Marketplace available to businesses with up to 100 employees. If you have more than 50 employees and don’t know if you can use the SHOP Marketplace, contact your state Department of Insurance or the SHOP Call Center.

    The SHOP Marketplace – which is also open to non-profit organizations – allows you to offer health and dental coverage that meets the needs of your business and your employees. SHOP offers flexibility, choice, and online application and account management. You can enroll in SHOP any time of year. Theres no restricted enrollment period when you can start offering a SHOP plan.

    Businesses that offer health coverage through the SHOP Marketplace may be eligible for the small business health care tax credit.

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    Q What If I Forget To Bring My Health Card When I Go For Health Care

    You may be charged for a health service if you do not have a health card. The ministry requests that the provider reimburse you for the service if it was an OHIP insured service and you can later show that you were covered by OHIP at the time of the service.

    Your health care provider may ask you to fill out a Health Number Release to indicate your consent to the ministry providing your health number to them.

    Q Do I Need To Do Anything With A Deceased Person’s Health Card Or Health Coverage

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    The health card of a deceased person must be returned to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. You will need to complete a and then mail it with the health card of the deceased person to the ministry. You should include a copy of the death certificate. Copies of this form are available by :

    • Visiting your local ServiceOntario centre.
    • Printing a copy of the form through
    • Contact ServiceOntario INFOline at toll-free: 1-888-376-5197 or 416-314-5518

    Alternately, you can send a letter to your local ServiceOntario centre providing the deceased person’s name, date of birth, sex and health number. Enclose a photocopy of the death certificate and the actual health card.

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    File A Complaint With The Ftc

    If you receive telemarketing calls after your phone number has been in the national registry for 31 days, you can file a complaint using the same website and phone numbers. To file a complaint, provide the date of the telemarketing call, phone number, and name of the company that called you. The Federal Trade Commission advises that it is not necessary to register cell phone numbers on the DNC registry despite email claims circulating on the internet telling you to do so. You may also file a complaint if you receive a call that used a recorded message instead of a live person, even if your phone number is not on the registry.

    How To Cancel Health Insurance Purchased From A Private Insurer

    Contact Your Provider: If you want to cancel health insurance you bought from a private insurer, youll need to contact that insurer for directions. Different carriers have different cancellation protocols. Some insurers may send you a form to fill out others may want a more formal written confirmation to end coverage. Call the customer service number listed on the back of your health insurance card to get the details you need to follow.

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    Q What If My Photo Health Card Is Lost Stolen Or Damaged

    You can call the ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161. For TTY service, call 1-800-387-5559 to report your lost, stolen or damaged health card.

    If the card is a photo health card you will be sent a new one right away but if there are additional changes to your information, like an address change or name change, then you need to visit a ServiceOntario centre.

    For information regarding ServiceOntario centres in your area call the ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-866-532-3161.

    If you find your reported lost or stolen health card, keep it only until your new photo health card arrives in the mail and then destroy the old health card because it will no longer be valid. Make sure you have your new photo health card before destroying the old health card.

    Q Doesn’t The Government Already Know About This Death A Death Certificate Has Been Issued

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    It is important to notify the ministry as soon as possible when an insured person dies. The attending physician forwards this information to the ministry but this may take some time and the doctor is not responsible for the collection and return of the health card. The person who is looking after the affairs of the deceased must return the health card to the ministry.

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