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Indiana Ag News Headlines |
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Over 6,500 Hoosiers Now Covered by INFB Health Plans
Indiana Ag Connection - 09/27/2022
Indiana Farm Bureau announced Indiana Farm Bureau Health Plans, a suite of more affordable health care offerings, has nearly 3,000 enrolled plans at the end of August 2022, which equates to over 6,500 Hoosier lives covered.
From Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, 2022, enrollment in INFB Health Plans totaled 2,921 active plans. The current breakdown of coverage for those plan holders includes:
- 2,328 Traditional Health Plans, (both individual and family plans);
- 435 dental and vision plans; and
- 158 Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans.
On average, a plan offered through INFB Health Plans can provide savings of 50% to 70% for families when compared to the Affordable Care Act plans that aren't subsidized by the federal government.
"More affordable, reliable health care continues to be one of the most important aspects for farm families throughout the state," said INFB President Randy Kron. "Our members have really embraced this offering over the last year and a half because it addressed a significant need. INFB Health Plans is a great choice not only for farmers, agriculture professionals and small ag businesses, but also for folks outside of the ag space who are looking for an additional option to the current health care marketplace."
Michelle Cuthbert of Marion County has been an Indiana Farm Bureau member for 11 years and signed up for INFB Health Plans last year. She is a consulting registered nurse who does research for patients who have had organ transplants.
As a consultant, she doesn't have insurance through her employer. Michelle would spend hours every year during open enrollment calling around for decent health coverage. She first held ACA plans that would go up by hundreds of dollars yearly. During her last year with the ACA, she paid $2,200 a month. After that, she switched to a health care sharing community, where the premiums were much more affordable but lacked a lot of coverage.
"My most recent plan was better than the ACA plan from an affordability standpoint, but a lot of the preventative care wasn't covered, and I was uncertain if they would cover more costly procedures," Cuthbert explained. "I worried it wasn't the best coverage to have as I was getting older."
At that point, Cuthbert called her Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance agent, and he recommended INFB Health Plans. She is now saving over $1,800 a month from what she would have been paying with the ACA, and about $200 compared to her previous plan.
"It's the best coverage I've had in probably 15 years," said Cuthbert. "INFB Health Plans paid for my annual physical, labs, mammogram and colonoscopy, and I'm so grateful. This is how it should be. You shouldn't have to worry about paying for preventative medicine. I now have peace of mind, especially if something major would happen."
Similarly, Edward Fox of Jasper County, doesn't work on the farm, but has INFB Health Plans. His coverage is paid through his employer E.J. Farms Trucking, a cargo and freight company. He pays a premium of $150 a month via an employee contribution.
"I had heard about Indiana Farm Bureau, but I didn't know they offered health coverage until my employer offered it as an option," said Fox. "Now I'm paying half of what I was paying when I had a national health insurance plan."
INFB Health Plans was a good fit for Fox's current health care needs.
"I usually don't have any health issues, so I really just need coverage for yearly visits and my regular blood pressure medication. I also didn't have dental insurance before and with INFB Health Plans, now I do."
Existing INFB members may apply for INFB Health Plans at any time, however, membership is required prior to applying for coverage, and individuals must be a member of INFB for at least 30 days to apply for a Traditional Health Plan or a dental/vision plan. Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans do not require the 30-day waiting period.
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