Monday, December 24, 2012

Determining if Leave Counts towards FMLA


At Linton and Associates, we are always thinking of new things to inform the public about that could benefit their health, well-being, and wallets. Being that Flu season is in full effect, we thought that we would take the time to explain President Clinton’s mandated FMLA laws.

This blog posts explains the FMLA laws and touches on how your ‘leave of absence’ qualifies towards FMLA.

Breaking Down FMLA
Being that not everyone out there knows what the FMLA is we are going to start with a quick and simple explanation of it. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was established in 1993 by President Clinton.
In short, it allows you 12 weeks of paid absence from your full-time job. 

You don’t get to miss 12 weeks from your part-time gig at the burger joint. Pneumonia or not, if you miss that much time from a part time job, you are going to get let go.

During these 12 weeks, you receive full pay for your usual work week. While this is typically a five-day work week, if you have a job that often works you 6 or 7 days a week, then you will be compensated for those as well.

Of course, you don’t get to just take an FMLA leave of absence whenever you want. So when does your leave of absence begin to qualify towards the FMLA and those 12 weeks of paid absence?  

Determining if Your Absence Qualifies
We say qualifies because honestly who wouldn’t want sick pay? Sure, being sick is no good, but being the optimists that we are at Linton and Associates we tend to look for the light in the darkness. In this case, that light is the FMLA.

If you are forced to take a leave of absence from your career because of a serious illness or health issue, then you will qualify for deduction of time from your 12 weeks maximum allotted sick pay. 

If a very bad strain of the flu puts you on bed rest for two weeks, then you don’t need to be worried about not getting paid because the FMLA will kick in.

However, the FMLA is called the Family and Medical Leave Act for a reason. If a family member falls ill and you are forced to care for them or handle a family members passing or another tragic event in the family, then you also qualify under the FMLA and would be able to be paid. 

Monday, December 17, 2012

New Mexico’s Health Insurance Safety Net


With so many changes to health insurance and the laws behind regulating who gets what, it is important to continue our coverage of these changes to keep you well-informed.  

Among these changes are some alterations to the pre-existing health insurance safety net. 

The first thing we will be covering in this blog post what a health insurance safety net actually is and the purpose it serves.

The Safety Net
The health insurance safety net was created to help insure the small group of people who were ineligible for health insurance. The reasons for this can vary from an employer not providing it to lack of funding to afford it on their own.
Sometimes, it can even be the insurance company’s refusal to take them on as a client because of a pricey preexisting condition. 

These ‘high risk’ individuals as they are called could essentially lose money for the insurance company and though it may not be fair that is how it has worked for quite awhile. Luckily, the safety net has been able to help some of the people in the high risk pool.

Typically, each state has one of these safety nets in place. Here, in New Mexico, that safety net comes in the form of The Alliance. 

They are a unique, non-profit organization here in New Mexico whose sole purpose is to help people and small businesses that do not normally qualify for health insurance get insured. They offer a choice of insurance types -- from HMOs to PPOs -- among other great features including:
  •  Your choice in medical plans. They don’t throw you in what is cheapest. Instead, they give you options and that allows you to pick what best fits you and your lifestyle.
  • No health screening. This means that you don’t need to be worried about being rejected from a company because of a pre-existing condition. This is a good thing being that some companies have the gall to call pregnancy a pre-existing condition.
  • A very good benefits plan that will cover all of your bases. This means you get a physician, reoccurring visits to the doctor’s office, and even access to prescription drugs if you are sick.
  • You aren’t stuck with one plan. You have to option to change annually.
  • Probably one of the best features for small business employers is groups as small as 1 or 2 employees have been covered, and these only require 50% of eligible employees to be on the plan.

Getting health care can be tough in today’s day and age, but with The Alliance here to help you may not be as far away from a good health plan than you first thought.  

Monday, December 10, 2012

Getting Health Insurance with a Preexisting Condition


Health problems are a pretty big deal and it is no wonder why they can be absolutely terrifying even with health insurance coverage. What happens if you have health problems with no insurance though? 

It happens all over the country and while the health care reform is hoping to lessen the numbers of those that go without the option for health care, it can still be quite a challenge to attain the care you need for your conditions.
There are many factors as to why a company can deny your health insurance coverage, but typically it will come down to one simple factor. Just how much are you going to cost them? 

An insurance company wants you to pay in without them having to ever payout much. It is how they make their money and why many companies will deny coverage to those with preexisting health conditions.

Know Your Options
They key to getting health care when you already have some kind of health condition is to know your options and not give in easily. Obviously, your first step is to talk to your employer, find out if they have health care options, and determine what you need to do to get on the plan. 

Ask if your employer is considering adding a company health care plan in the future and respectfully make your case and explain your situation. A decent employer may be more understanding than you might think.

The reason why getting insurance through your job is your best option is because an insurance company by law cannot exclude you on a group policy because of your health condition. 

Of course, we aren’t all in the same position and many of you may not have the option to turn to your employer, so what now? 

Now you work because if you don’t work hard and push for yourself, you will not see any results and be stuck without health insurance.

You will have to contact a lot of insurance companies and be prepared to pay the fees and costly payments of having your very own policy. 

At Linton and Associates, we have prepared a list of health care providers in New Mexico that may very well be able to assist you with your dilemma. 

Be sure to check it out here. Remember that if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us and we would be more than happy to assist you in any way we can. 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Group Insurance vs. Individual Insurance – It’s Not a Competition




With the Health Care Reform passed, most everyone has had a few questions on how and why things are changing and how it will affect them. 

At Linton and Associates, we have tried to answer these questions for you, but in the end there are always more to be answered.

For instance, which is better -- group insurance plans or individual insurance plans?

 Honestly, it is not about which is better but about which is better for you. In this blog post, we are going to break down what group insurance plans are and what individual insurance plans are as well as help you to identify which best suits you because, come 2014, everyone will have to be insured.

Group Insurance Plans
Group insurance isn’t something that you, as an individual, just goes out and buys; it is the most popular of insurance plans and most commonly seen in practice at the office. Group insurance is the type of health insurance that is offered to you through a company.

You pay a small portion of the premium and you get what is called employee benefits. Since your boss is dealing with the insurance company, you don’t have to worry about them, excluding some type of healthcare from the plan because of a defect in your family history.  

So, why do insurance companies offer group insurance? Well, simply put, it’s because though there is a chance of loss to be factored in. 

For the most part, health care with employees promotes good health and makes them less likely to grow severely ill with regular doctor’s checkups and such.

Not to mention that all the employees paying a monthly premium makes for good money in the insurance world. In short, group insurance is a win-win – that’s a win for both the insurance company and the people.

Individual Insurance Plans
These plans are designed for individuals. Most often, the people who opt to purchase them are either self-employed or unemployed. These plans are expensive due to being high risk for most insurance companies, and these factors have actually led to many companies not offering this service any longer. 

However, if you are self-employed and cannot access a group insurance plan, there is not always a choice, which is why many Americans go without health insurance every year.

When it comes to choosing health insurance, it always comes down to what you need and have available. 

Many people would prefer employee benefits, but they do not always have the option and so they then can choose to try and qualify for the individual plan or just not have it at all.

Linton and Associates is a firm supporter of the health care reform because everyone should have access to insurance, so we are here to help with specific group insurance solutions and individual insurance solutions that will hopefully fit your budget and needs. 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Invest in Your Future with Retirement and Healthcare Knowledge


 It is hard enough to think about the next few weeks let alone your retirement years from now. But, it is important to educate yourself now about retirement and health care so you can make smart decisions that will impact on how comfortable you are in the future and how much enjoyment you can get from your retirement.

With this in mind, we have prepared a few tips to ensure a much smoother retirement process, especially where your healthcare is concerned.

Tried and True Investment Tips
Here are some things to think about when it comes to retirement planning and health care issues in the future:

  • So you’ve worked at some big business company for 30 years and are expecting a pension and full range of sweet benefits to be coming your way once you retire. Well, you just got laid off, the company just cancelled their 401k plans because well, have you seen the economy lately? It might not happen to you, but it could so whatever you do, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Have some other retirement options outside of work in process.
  • Work towards Medicare. Why? Simply put, in this economy, it is the smartest thing to do. Medicare is big and likely to stay afloat. It’s simple, critical, and the realist way of looking at things, but it’s the truth.
  •  Of course, you could always work a little longer. Sure, it’s not quite ideal and probably wasn’t part of the plan. However, things don’t often go to plan and this can help you to put away more of a savings to help live off of if that pension should fall through.
  • When considering your health in the long term, try and remember that eventually you could wind up with a care giver or in an assisted living home. Why does this matter? Mainly because these kinds of long-term care cost a lot of money. They offer insurance in this too. Sometimes though, it can be viewed as a scam because you can’t know for sure if and when you will need it and might end up paying into it for nothing. However, it is also an investment that could be very beneficial should you need it.

These are all things to keep in mind where health care and retirement are concerned. At Linton and Associates, we realize that the ideal situation isn’t always the real one.

 This is why we work to educate the people about the truth behind what is going on in the insurance world. We want everyone to make the most informed decisions about their insurance purchases and future.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

How Your Small Business can Benefit from the Health Care Reform


From the very beginning, there has been a lot of talk about the Health Care Act. There have been the naysayers and those in full support of it. 

People have called it many names and screamed that it is unconstitutional. That is until the Supreme Court declared it constitutional.

At Linton and Associates, we support the Health Care Reform because it can help to bring quality health care to those who previously did not have access to it. 

As for small business owners out there, it can help you, too. You just need to know what to do and how to reap the benefits. This blog will show you some of those answers.

Rules…Always Rules
The biggest and most obvious rule put into play by the Health Care Reform is, of course, mandated insurance, but that does not really affect businesses. It just impacts the individual employee, which is why we are bringing it up. Employers should keep in mind that it may be in everyone’s best interest for them to begin providing health insurance through the state exchanges.

Next, we have the rule that affects businesses with 50 or more employees. Now you may be thinking, “Why talk about a bigger business, should not this just be covering the smaller businesses?” 

What is big and what is small? Everyone has their opinions on the matter. Sure, 50 employees is quite a lot to someone with 10, but it’s nothing compared to one with 100. The bottom line is that this next part is important.

If your business has 50 or more employees, you absolutely must provide them with substantial health care (60% coverage at the very least and the fees cannot be more than 9.5% of the families salary).  If you do not follow this rule, then you will face fines and these are very steep fines as they start at about $40,000. Yes, that is a lot of zeros, so please if you have 50 or more employees or will by 2014, get them covered.

Contact us as we can help you get ready for these changes and set you up with affordable health care coverage.

Reaping the Rewards
Okay, so the rewards may not seem that great. However, there is a major way to benefit from this whole ordeal if you are a small business (which is defined as having fewer than 25 employees that average less than $50,000 a year).

Thanks to that tax credit from 2010 staying in play, it pays to insure your employees. You can get a substantial tax credit and build towards a nice return, which is always good. 

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Linton and Associates Guide to Health Care Terms




If you have been to a health insurance office, talked to a representative on the phone, or ever made a claim on your policy in order to have your insurance company cover something, then you have probably heard a few different health insurance terms at some point or another. 

But, did you understand them or did they perhaps leave you feeling baffled?

At Linton and Associates, we want our customers to be as informed about what their health care involves and what all the technical ‘stuff’ means. This is why we have prepared the is guide to some of the more commonly used health insurance terms and have even explained them for you in plain English.

Key Health Care Terms and What They Mean
There are many health insurance terms and, while we can’t cover them all, we are sharing the ones we find most common and relevant below:
  • Alternative Care is the action of visiting a chiropractor or homeopathic doctor for medical treatment. Not all health insurance will cover alternative care treatments.
  • The Carry-Over Deductible allows the last three months of the current years deductible to be brought over into next year provided you haven’t used it all up.
  • Co-pays are the fees you must pay when visiting your physician; it is typically a small amount anywhere between $10 and $40 per visit.
  •  A Deductible is typically the amount you pay per calendar year to be provided health insurance.
  • The Gate-Keeper is your primary doctor i.e., the expert you visit for all your medical needs and who decides if you get the prescription or referral that you are requesting.
  •  Indemnity is a term used to describe a plan that covers loss, injury, and damages incurred. The amounts that are covered will vary depending on the plan.
  • Insurance Broker is a company or individual that sells insurance policies. Linton and Associates is a great example of an Insurance Broker.
  •  Limitations are the coverage limits that each plan has and these vary from plan to plan.
  • The Waiting Period is the time that you must wait while employed with a company to fall under the company’s health insurance benefits. It is essentially a probationary period that can be compared to the type of waiting period that some companies call ‘training period.’

When it comes to medical insurance terms, the list is extensive. 

At Linton and Associates, we don’t like to keep our customers in the dark, which is why we hope that this glossary has some light on a few things. 

Remember, if you have any questions, always feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help you.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Choosing the Health Insurance that Best Fits You


There are many kinds of insurance available today and they all serve us in different ways. However, with so many choices, it is easy to become confused on which one is the best for you and your particular situation. Maybe you feel like you don’t need a lot of insurance to get by.

At the same time, it can really pay to have more than you really need in the event of a disaster. 

What do you do? What is enough? And, what is too much? In an effort to shed some light on the subject, this blog post breaks down some of the insurance plans and what they offer in relation to what you may or may not need.

Indemnity Plans, HMOs, and Every Insurance Plan In-Between
The pay for service indemnity plan is considered to be a more traditional health insurance plan than the others, yet it is a lesser known and used type of policy. This is mainly because the indemnity plans are known to be quite expensive.
More commonly, we have the Health Maintenance Organizations or HMOs as they are known. HMOs allow you to have a specific range of medical benefits and coverage, but these do require you to pay a fee called a ‘co-pay’ every time you visit a medical office. This co-pay is typically a small fee that is no more than $25.

You are assigned a specific doctor who, from that point on, serves as your go-to man or woman for all of your medical needs. This allows you to schedule an appointment for periodic health checkups, visit when you are feeling ill, and get referrals to specialists and prescriptions when these are necessary.

Preferred provider organizations, or PPOs as they are typically called, are only similar to HMOs because they are also managed care providers. 

There is small co-pay and you have a specific list of people you are allowed to see for treatment. However, you can visit an outside practitioner if the price is lower, but your co-insurance payment will be more.

These are just a few of the many types of health insurance offered. We broke down these select insurance types for you because we have found that many are similar to these types in some way or another.

It should be noted though that when shopping for insurance, it is important to check with all outlets, including your office, as many reputable companies do offer health plans for their employees and families. 

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about what type of health insurance might work for your specific situation. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Health Concerns on the Rise: Taking Action in Albuquerque


As an insurance company that serves the insurance needs of businesses and individuals alike, we have an invested interest in the well-being of others everywhere. 

We are the first to tell you that our very own City of Albuquerque also has an interest in preventing health decline.

All over the country, health decline has become a threatening issue. It is a sad thing, especially because with the right knowledge and a little effort, our lives could be reshaped for the better. 

In an effort to work alongside the health and wellness programs of our fine city, we, at Linton and Associates, LLC, have put together a list of a few simple guidelines that can lead to truly life-changing results.

Start Living Healthy
We all hear it all the time -- on the news, the infomercials and even the radio: “Try this new natural miracle weight loss” mumbo-jumbo. Truth be told, living healthy is as easy as it has ever been. 

By simply cutting out fast food and most sugar, you will find yourself living healthier. Of course, it’s not just about what you eat; it’s about what you do, too.

Being active is the next step to a healthy life, something that many find to be harder to achieve than eating healthy. However, it does not take a gym membership to stay active. It can be something as simple as walking your dog to the more strenuous trail running.

Eating healthy and staying (or getting) active are great ways to improve your overall health as a human being, but don’t stop there.

Being Health-wise
If you are a city employee of the City of Albuquerque, being health-wise has never been more achievable than right in this moment. The city offers many great programs dedicated to getting and staying fit in this fast food nation of ours.
For instance, the Live Younger Challenge is a great way to participate with others just like you and to get the encouragement and motivation you need to get fit. Here are some of the benefits:

·         Lose weight and work on sculpting yourself into who you really want to be.
·         Let out the stress of a long day’s work with a good workout.
·         Find yourself with more energy than ever before.

With benefits like these available at your fingertips, why not check them out? For more information on staying fit, visit the City of Albuquerque website today.  

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Having Business Insurance can Save You Money, Time, and More


Insurance can be a sore subject with some; it is definitely for one of those “what if” scenarios. If you wind up getting hurt, you will be glad to have medical insurance. 

Of course, it is possible to never have to use it and it just cost you money, but it is often regarded as being worth it. At Linton and Associates, we believe the same for business insurance and we have a local story to back it up.

A Reason to Have Business Insurance
A New Mexico state building was recently discovered to have an asbestos problem. Luckily, it was not life threatening. However, if you know anything about mold and such, asbestos is all around bad news and really could have endangered the lives of the 200 employees in the building. Luckily, it was discovered and is now scheduled for renovation.
Here’s the catch: the renovation is going to cost around $18 million. That is a lot of money and while the damages might not be as high with a local small business, it would still be a massive problem. So what do you do?

The Benefits of Business Insurance
Like other insurances, business insurance is important for those situations that, if they happened, could prove devastating.

 No business wants to have a day so bad that they get stuck repairing thousands of dollars in damages. 

However, it could happen and that is why we suggest all business owners get protection through business insurance, so that if what happened to the state building happens to them, they will be prepared.

Business insurance can protect you from all sorts of unwanted problems that tend to just happen with the age of a building not to mention the possibility of natural or unnatural disasters. 

All of these things maybe unlikely or considered to be a one in a million chance, but they can still happen and it is always best to be safe than sorry. 

Linton & Associates recommends that all business owners, local or not, call their local insurance provider and inquires about business insurance as it really could save time, money, and quite possibly even your business.

It provides peace of mind and has you prepared should anything occur. Thinking about the massive storm that is set to East Coast, this is a perfect example of something that could wipe out a business in less than 24 hours. 

That’s why it is important to have some type of business insurance to ensure your business can recover without the costs and damage weighing on your mind.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Homeowners Insurance is Rapidly Rising


Recently, you may have noticed a rise in your homeowners insurance. Maybe you were getting quotes for a new home for your first, second, or just another for your rental empire, or maybe you got your renewal notice and were shocked at the increase.

There has been talk that homeowners insurance prices are a lot higher than they used to be. As a homeowner or future homeowner, you might be wondering why the homeowners insurance costs are so high and continuing to climb.

Why Homeowners Insurance Costs are on the Rise
The costs associated with this type of insurance have been rising at an alarming rate because of an increased number of claims and the severity of the claims. Essentially, there have been a lot more claims made towards a homeowners insurance company and these claims tend to be on the larger scale.

When an insurance company has to pay out for these claims to fix the issue or problem, they lose money – not the optimum scenario for a business trying to sustain itself. 

Hence, due to the rise in these claims and the higher pay out that they have required, it has been costing many insurance companies the big bucks and forcing them to raise their prices for homeowners insurance.

When it comes to figuring out how to combat such costs, it can be challenging because all companies around the country have been forced to increase their rates. So, what can one family do to help? There are a few ways to approach this challenge.

First of all, when shopping around, always get quotes and compare them with others. Most companies will honor the quote they gave you; if they don’t honor it, then you really should not give them business. Second, insure your house, but not the land. 

Of course, if you plan on doing a whole lot of landscaping and having a pool and such, you might want to make sure those get covered.

Another great and simple ways to help to lower your homeowners insurance is to use the same insurance provider for everything. They will see you as a loyal customer and that really goes a long way.

Finally, you can also improve it by improving your credit score; believe it or not, your credit score affects pretty much everything so it’s a good idea to start paying off those cards. 

Remember to always go with a local and reputable company who is willing to work with you and perhaps even give you discounts for no claims.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Benefits of Fire Insurance


Nobody is going to want to hear this, but sometimes there is no good news. Recent polls have shown that some areas of Albuquerque are not as protected by the Fire Department as others. 

This isn’t because somehow the honest men working as firefighters aren’t good at their jobs; it is understaffing, pure and simple.

Take one look at the economy and you have already found the answer to ‘why.’ 

The standard response time for a firefighter is 8 minutes to 90% of the calls and ladder trucks need to be staffed with at least four firefighters.

So, even though Albuquerque’s firefighters will always work their fastest and hardest to save you, your family, animals and even belongings, it is always best to be prepared for the worst.

Prevention is the Best Preparation
It’s true that if there is no fire to begin with then it not only makes your own life easier but the firefighter’s as well. So, how can you do this? The answer is that you and your family need to practice fire prevention.

This could include anything from keeping paper products away from the burners on the stove to checking for faulty wiring can help. 

A combination of common sense, a working smoke detector, and the occasional look over of your home can go a long way in fire prevention.

Accidents can happen though and, in the event of a fire, be sure to quickly and calmly get everyone out of your home or small business. 

Do your very best to stay out of the fire department’s way and let them do their job to save your home. Finally, one last forms of protection is to have a fire insurance plan.

The Benefits of Fire Insurance
There are different ways that a fire insurance plan can be written up. The gist of it though is that under the unfortunate circumstance of your home or property burning down in a fire or even just receiving fire damage, you can be covered.

Insurance is a great way to have peace of mind. No one wants this to happen, but sometimes things just happen and it’s always good to be prepared for the worst.

Remember that prevention is the best preparation, but having a little extra protection in the form of a backup plan never hurt anybody. 

For more information on fire insurance and the services we offer, please fill free to contact us at Linton and Associates

Monday, October 8, 2012

Six Million May be Taxed through Affordable Health Care Act



Over the summer, the Affordable Health Care Act was found to be constitutional and was passed. While this Act ensures affordable healthcare to the vast majority of Americans, there is a small group that could be adversely affected by it and forced to purchase healthcare or pay a tax. 

This bill left a number of people disgruntled, believing that their rights were being imposed on; overall, however, the bill will help a many number of people.

Some people have been against the bill because of the fact that it mandates health insurance upon the American citizen. Originally, it was estimated that a mere four million people would be affected by this. 

However, recent speculation has that number at or above six million by the time the bill is fully in play in 2016 with many of these people being in the middle class.

The Bill Still Helps Millions of Citizens
Six million is a lot of people, but it is actually only a mere 2% of the country’s population. The other 98% of Americans are expected to not even notice a ripple effect from the Affordable Health Care Act. 

So, this begs the question:  Does the outcry of 2% of the American population matter when in the big picture so many will be helped?

In the military, there are acceptable casualties, so should this be treated the same? Is it not our civic duty to support this country? We all have different answers to these questions and it’s our own opinions so that is okay.

Remember though, in the end, the bill is constitutional and will help millions. After all, many Americans are already covered under employer health insurance programs, which have been made out to be more enticing to said employers through tax benefits.

Our children will be included on our insurance until the age of 26 to help them along until they can find employment that will help them cover their health costs. 

Medicaid and Medicare are also being revamped in order to make things better for the people of America. Many changes are coming to health care, and these are changes with regular people in mind.

What We Do
At Linton and Associates, we specialize in insurance and we strive to help families and employers. We do this by providing affordable insurance and standing by our word and promise to treat the customer like family. 

Here you will never be just a number; instead, you are a person with specific needs and unique requirements, and we understand and respect that. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

A Summary of the Affordable Care Act



Since its earliest beginnings and before the very first draft was drawn up, there had been controversy over the Affordable Care Act. It was a bill that, if passed, would make health care readily available to the masses, but, of course, to some this wasn’t viewed as a good thing.

There had been speculation over the tax increases this would cause -- after all, someone’s got to pay for the free healthcare, right?

Nothing is Free 
We will go on ahead and start with that. The bill isn’t called the ‘Free Health Care Act’ so where people are getting the idea that certain individuals will just be getting free health care thanks to a tax increase is just crazy and unwarranted.
Sure, Medicare will still exist and there have been alterations made towards it, but Medicare is there for everyone; after all, that is why we pay into social security. Then, of course, we have Medicaid for our elderly, which, thanks to the health care bill, have been heavily altered, making things better for everyone.

Nothing is free -- the health care bill doesn’t just give everyone free healthcare. In fact, it just makes healthcare more readily available to the general public. It does this mainly by creating insurance exchanges all over the country and then enforcing the companies involved in them so as to prevent underhanded and shady tactics that some insurance companies practice.

For example, denying a diabetic health care because they know it will cost them is not going to happen anymore if the bill is properly enforced.

What the Bill Does Well
Since we just covered what it doesn’t do (hand out freebies), we can now talk about what it does do. In every way, this bill makes getting health care easier for the average Joe, who may be working at a fast food joint while in college.

 It does this through the previously mentioned exchanges which basically allow Joe to buy insurance coverage at a rather modest price.

Next, the bill greatly helps to promote businesses (small businesses, in particular) to offer health insurance to their employees. The bill does this by offering the discounted insurance prices and the more lucrative tax benefits, thus encouraging employers to do the right thing.

Not to mention the fact that health insurance does help to promote good health among employees and basically anyone who has insurance.

Simply put, the health care bill has brought a more affordable insurance option to the American public and, in doing so, has greatly helped to promote public well-being. For more information on the health care act, you can read the law here.