Ron Bliss guest col: Special help being offered to those having to switch from NHCO plans

If you are some of the many who took a Nevada Health Co-Op plan for 2015 and are having problems, there is help.

Affordable Healthcare Pros is helping customers who are having problems with their plans in light of the announcement that NHCO is going out of business as of Dec. 31, 2015.

A number of our customers have come to us with problems involving billing and claims and we are assisting them to help get their issues resolved. However, we are also happy to help others who are not our customers.

If you fall into this category, call us at a special number we have set up specifically for you at 1-844-424-2776 (1-844-4AHCPRO), and we can provide assistance. Note: if that number does not work, you may call 775-338-3647 directly.

At a minimum, you will need help re-enrolling for 2016. Unlike other plans, you cannot simply roll over your plan to 2016. You will need to find another carrier and we can help you do that.

Nevada Health Co-Op was the No. 1 producer in Nevada, but went the way of other co-ops around the nation. Only a few, which were created with the hope of providing competition for the established insurance companies, survive nationally.

Call or come by to see us and we will not only help you through your problems the final two months, but also get you set up in the best-possible plan for 2016.

Our office is located at 2307 N. Carson Street in Carson City, but we help clients throughout Nevada, California and Utah.

Re-enrollment season began Sunday, Nov. 1 and will extend through Jan. 31, 2016. The penalty for not having health insurance for 2016 has been increased to $695 per adult and $347.50 per child or 2.5 percent of gross income, whichever is greater.

Ron Bliss is a former long-time sports writer who has been doing health insurance since 2009. He is certified on both Covered California and the Nevada Health Link and can sell products on and off both exchanges. Affordable Healthcare Pros also offers a variety of dental plans to include dental-vision-hearing plans in both states, as well as a wide variety of Medicare supplements and other health supplemental products to include critical illness, short-term care, disability, plans to cover in-home or nursing home costs, accidents and hospital indemnity policies.