Meet Lori-Ann Rickard, JD CPC,CAC:

Ms. Rickard has specialized in advising clients for twenty-seven (27) years. She is an accomplished litigator and expereinced corporate lawyer. She is the President of Rickard & Associates, P.C. which serves health care clients throughout the country. As former partner of the Detroit law firm Clark Hill, Ms. Rickard is an experienced public speaker and educator. She also served as corporate counsel for St. John Health System, whose parent corporation, Acension Health, is the largest non-profit health system in the country. While at St. John, Ms. Rickard implemented a broad based compliance program for all of St. John Health System's 20,000 employees and 2,500 physicans. Ms. Rickard speaks throughout the country on healthcare issues. Ms. Rickard has published several books and authored numerous articles.

She is a recongnized leader in the ever-changing field of healthcare law. Ms. Rickard has been honored as "Best Lawyers" and "Best Attorney's". Rickard & Associates , P.C. (586)498-0600.

3 Things to Know About ObamaCare

As we enter the last month of the year, what should patients know about ObamaCare?

First patients must understand the deadlines. Patients have until December 23, 2013 to sign up in order to have coverage effective January 1, 2014. Additionally, patients must have health insurance by March 31, 2014 in order to avoid a financial penalty for not carrying insurance.

There are many different avenues for patients to sign up for insurance. The federal goverment website is healthcare.gov. The website can now handle more than 750,000 users per day. If the patient gets a screen that asks them to wait, they can try at a different tine and should be able to get through to enrollment without any wait. Patients can also sign up through navigators or by calling 1-800-318-2596.

Second, small business won't be able to use the federal goverment's website until Novemeber 2014. The federal goverment announced last week that the "SHOP" (small business exchange site) was delayed for another year. Patients who run or work for a small business may still select insurance, however,they will need to use a broker or enroll directly through the insurance company.

Lastly, patients should know that Obamacare does not affect the majority of patients. Medicaid or Medicare patients will not see any changes in their insurance as a result of Obamacare.

Enrollement for Medicare ends this Saturday, Decemeber 7th 2013. It is important to explain to seniors that they should not get confused between the Medicare enrollement deadline this Saturday and the ObamaCare deadline later this month.

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