Latest news with #HealthInsuranceMarketplace
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hurricane Helene Emergency Prescription Assistance Program ends May 31
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) — Hurricane Helene Emergency Prescription Assistance Program, which provided financial assistance for prescription medications and vaccines, will officially end on May 31, 2025. The program also provided temporary help with medical supplies and forms of equipment for uninsured individuals impacted by the storm. 'This federal emergency assistance program provided life-saving resources for our residents who needed it most,' said State Pharmacist Amanda Fuller Moore, PharmD. 'While this program is temporary, our commitment to supporting western North Carolina in their continued recovery is not.' As western North Carolina continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, NCDHHS recommends the following resources: Apply for health care coverage through NC Medicaid Access free or low-cost medications at participating free and charitable clinics, community health centers, and rural health centers through the NC Medication Assistance Program Access the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program, which provides free prescription medications to North Carolina residents who are uninsured and fall at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level Visit the federal Health Insurance Marketplace to apply for coverage Additional resources are available online at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How To Prepare Financially for a Career Break — for Travel, Study or Family
Many of us get our first job and then never stop working — out of a need to earn money. However, there are often times when taking a break is either a must or a want — whether to travel the world, pursue an advanced degree or care for family. And as America's work culture shifts in 2025, more professionals are considering these intentional pauses as essential for wellbeing rather than career-killers. Explore Next: Try This: Sabbaticals aren't just personally transformative — they can be professionally advantageous, too. You can return with greater leadership capacity and confidence in your decision-making abilities. Of course, if you're considering a career break, you have to face the realities when it comes to your paycheck — or lack thereof. Below is how to financially prepare for a career break in 2025 — and how to protect your future while you're away. Also here is how to launch a business during your sabbatical. The foundation of any successful career break is having enough money saved to cover your time away. Financial advisors typically suggest having six to 12 months of essential expenses before walking away from a steady paycheck. Start by calculating your monthly expenses during the break — and remember these may look different from your current spending. Then multiply by the number of months, add 20% for unexpected costs and start making automatic transfers to a high-yield savings account. Read Next: If there's one thing that derails career break plans faster than anything else, it's healthcare costs. Since most Americans get insurance through employers, leaving a job means finding new coverage during a time when you'll have reduced income. According to its website, Cobra coverage lets you keep your current insurance for up to 18 months, but you'll pay both your portion and your employer's portion of the premium — often a large increase. Look into joining a spouse's insurance plan if possible or purchasing coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Some professional associations offer group health plans worth investigating. And don't forget to price out the cost of travel medical insurance if your break involves international adventures. Before your break, try maxing out retirement contributions in your final working months. If you're married and your spouse is still working, consider a spousal IRA that allows contributions even when you don't have earned income. And whatever you do, resist the temptation to cash out existing retirement accounts to fund your break — the taxes and penalties will devastate your long-term financial health. When you return to work, plan to increase your retirement contributions beyond pre-break levels. Even a 1% to 2% increase can help make up ground over time. Starting a career break with substantial high-interest debt is like trying to run a marathon with weights strapped to your ankles. Focus on eliminating credit cards and personal loans with interest rates above 7% before your departure date. If you can't eliminate all debt, explore income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans or consider refinancing options for private loans. Planning your return to work is just as important as planning your departure. Set aside money for living expenses upon your return — and also try to think of what you need to transition back into a job. Do you have professional certifications or courses to refresh skills that might become outdated during your break? Are there any interview expenses or relocation costs you need to consider? How are you going to keep up with your networking and connections while you're on break? Making a thorough list before you leave will make your return much easier. Your credit score might be the last thing on your mind while you're studying abroad or caring for a newborn, but maintaining good credit will be important when you return to work. Set up automatic minimum payments on all credit accounts before leaving your job. Keep at least one credit card active with small regular purchases and monitor your credit report for errors. More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban: Trump's Tariffs Will Affect This Class of People the Most How Far $750K Plus Social Security Goes in Retirement in Every US Region How To Get the Most Value From Your Costco Membership in 2025 12 SUVs With the Most Reliable Engines This article originally appeared on How To Prepare Financially for a Career Break — for Travel, Study or Family Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What is an FSA?
(NewsNation) — Employer-sponsored health insurance plans offer savings account plans specifically for medical and dental expenses. One such plan is a flexible savings account, or FSA. It is an account to deposit money into to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs, such as deductibles, copayments and some pharmaceuticals. An FSA is limited to $3,300 per year per employee, and you must use the money within the healthcare plan year, making it a use it or lose it option. What is an HSA and is it a good idea? 'Don't put more money in your FSA than you think you'll spend within a year on things like copayments, coinsurance, drugs, and other allowed health care costs,' according to the Health Insurance Marketplace, which is government-sponsored. FSA contributions are not taxed, so you save a little money when paying for healthcare. FSAs are only an option for people with insurance plans through a job, not a Marketplace plan. Alternatively, health savings accounts, or HSAs, are an option for people who have a Marketplace plan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mehmet Oz confirmed to lead Medicare, Medicaid
(WHTM) – Former television host and Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead Medicare and Medicaid. Oz was confirmed by a 53-45 vote on Thursday afternoon. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million people through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. Oz lost Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race to John Fetterman in 2022 after beating Dave McCormick in the Republican primary by less than 1,000 votes. Oz's victory in the crowded primary came after Trump endorsed him in the final stretch of the race. Oz went on to lose the Senate race to Fetterman, who had suffered a stroke during the primary, by more than 263,000 votes. Prior to running for Senate in 2022, Oz hosted the Dr. Oz Show and was a frequent guest on Oprah Winfrey's show, providing medical advice that opponents called 'quack' medicine. Oz graduated from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Wharton Business School. Since losing the 2022 Senate race, Oz became a 'Global Advisor and Stakeholder' to the health supplement company iHerb and filmed an advertisement with Mike Tyson prior to his fight with Jake Paul. 'Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Country's budget,' said Trump in his announcement last year to nominate Oz. 'Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country. He will also cut waste and fraud within our Country's most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation's Healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire National Budget.' Trump previously said he plans to have Oz work closely with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, 'to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Knoxville woman gets dozens of scam calls offering fake health care subsidies
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville woman with health insurance through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace recently received dozens of calls from scammers claiming to offer a subsidy to cover living expenses. The callers claim to be from a legitimate sounding organization, such as 'Health Lifeline,' but it is not them. They typically offer a $500 subsidy, or even more. The money supposedly could be used for everyday costs, which you don't have to pay back. Apparently, the call aims to take you to a third-party website, or call center, in an attempt to gain your personal information. Evacuation ordered as crews fight 50-acre wildfire near Tellico Plains 'They go into their little spiel, I'm like, hold up, I've already done this. That's the reason we are calling, we want to give you your benefit, your subsidy card,' said Simone Brown. She is fed up with scammers who claim to be with the Marketplace, also known as Obamacare. She's received health insurance with Ambetter of Tennessee since 2023. Brown said she is pleased with her care and has had no issues. However, she received dozens of spam calls made in the past week. Out of curiosity, she's returned some of the messages. 'So you call them. They ask you a bunch of questions. You think, you are going to get this benefit card that you can use for anything. You can use it for groceries, you can use it to shop. You can use it to pay your utility bills,' said Brown. '$500. Sometimes it might be $1,500. It's different prices. It is never the same. They're just spitting all kinds of prices, all kinds of amounts. I'm like, which one is it?' 'That's when they go into the spiel. 'Well, we have your address as so and so, Let's see if we can straighten that out and get you your card. You have already applied. You have already been approved. We just got to get it to you.' And it's very irritating. It's scary, you know,' said Brown. Lawsuit: Alabama couple claims they were illegally arrested by Sevierville Police The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a warning about the 'Marketplace Benefit Subsidy Scam.' HHS said the fraudulent phone caller will pretend to be from the Health Insurance Marketplace, claiming they can help you get a larger government subsidy on your health insurance plan, often asking for personal health information and your Social Security number in exchange for 'benefits' – but it is a scam. During our visit, Brown received one of those scam calls. A woman's voice could be heard on the phone: 'This is an informational call. Just wanted to check and see what benefits you might be eligible to use. We have confirmed that you are from Tennessee.' Then the lady started asking Brown some personal medical questions to determine what she may qualify for. At that point, Brown dismissed the caller and hung up. 'Spam, spam, spam. I want it over. Just hang up and say I'm not interested,' said Brown. Two arrested in Newport after shooting investigation leads to car chase Health subsidy scams are rising and targeting Medicare and Medicaid members, as well as those who receive health insurance through the Marketplace. To protect yourself: don't share your social security, Medicare ID, or health information with strangers. A major red flag is the claim that the eligibility period ends 'today', putting pressure on you to make a decision, today. Don't fall for this scam. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
