Of all the reasons to enroll in Medicare coverage, making health care more affordable is perhaps the biggest for millions of beneficiaries. One of the benefits found in Medicare Advantage plans is a maximum-out-of-pocket (MOOP) limit, but is there anything similar that will help with out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D? https://living.medicareful.com/understanding-medicare-part-ds-true-out-of-pocket-limit Questions? As always contact your Total Benefit Solutions Inc, health insurance specialists at (215)355-2121!
Companies with fewer than 20 employees that offer group health coverage that pays secondary to Medicare (those not subject to the MSP rules) may be able to pay for the Medicare Part B, Part D, and Medicare Supplement Insurance premiums for their active employees. This is known as a Medicare Premium Reimbursement Arrangement. However, this is not an option for companies with 20 or more workers that are subject to the Medicare Secondary Payer provisions. All companies, regardless of size, can pay the health insurance or Medicare premiums for their retired employees, but no company can payfor individual health insurance coverage for their active employees . Our best practice: A… Read More
On March 28th, 2019, a Federal District Court in the District of Columbia struck down significant portions of the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Association Health Plan (AHP) Final Rule. Specifically, the Court found the DOL “failed to reasonably interpret” ERISA when issuing these rules: • expanding the definition of “employers” to include disparate groups of employers with no other commonality of interest other than geographic location; and • bringing working owners without employees within ERISA’s framework. This ruling effectively eliminates the expansion of AHPs to certain employers and working owners who do not meet the original parameters to be a part of an AHP. Click below to download the complete… Read More
The Wall Street Journalrecently reported on proposed changes by the Trump Administration “that could raise health insurance costs for millions of Americans who get coverage on the job or receive subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.” As they explain, the two sides continue to bicker about the Affordable Care Act: “Republicans say subsidies for consumers are inflated; Democrats see another effort to sabotage the health law.” The proposed changes they are referring to are found in the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2020. This is an annual notice released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that sets the standards for issuers and exchanges for the coming year.… Read More
Choosing an insurance plan for employees can be challenging due to the flood of options now available. One of the biggest decisions you will have to make as an employer is between fully-insured and self-insured health plans. A fully-insured plan is a more traditional option where the company pays a premium to the insurance carrier. With a self-insured (self-funded) health plan, employers can operate their own insurance plan which can save money and give them more control over their funds. Reference based pricing, or RBP is a fairly new method to price claims option for a self-funded plan. Gaining in popularity because the employer is setting the price bar, NOT… Read More
Nearly half (44%) of respondents say their employer doesn’t offer opportunities beyond health benefits for employees to meet their health goals, and 62% say they feel their employer does not serve as a resource for their healthcare-related questions
SHELBY LIVINGSTON : Modern Healthcare . A federal judge’s decision to vacate the Labor Department’s 2018 rule expanding access to association health plans could cause thousands of people covered through such plans to lose their insurance. Whether and how soon that happens depends on the Labor Department’s appeals decision and the likelihood of the judge granting a stay of his order in the interim. A Justice Department spokesperson said March 29 the department disagrees with the ruling and is considering all options, but will “continue to fight for sole proprietors and small businesses so that they can have the freedom to band together to obtain more affordable, quality healthcare coverage.” Since the rule was finalized in… Read More
WASHINGTON — A federal judge has struck down a small-business health insurance plan widely touted by President Donald Trump, the second setback in a week for the administration’s health care initiatives. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates wrote in his opinion late Thursday that so-called “association health plans” were “clearly an end-run” around consumer protections required by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Click here to read the story
The Keystone Proactive HMO plans have become very popular but the number one question we get is ” how do I know what tier my doctor is in?” Finding your primary doctor’s tier on the Keystone Proactive HMO is actually fairly easy. This short step by step video will show you how! Need additional help? Call your Total Benefit Solutions Inc account manager at (215)355-2121 and we can do it for you or search a full list of physicians, facilities, hospitals or medications for you or your employees! Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. Where we work for your benefit!
There’s no question the health insurance industry is evolving. New technology is empowering employees’ health decisions. There’s big data. Online enrollment. More choice. And, of course, there’s still the Affordable Care Act. Here are five insurance issues everyone should watch.
Dental costs can take a huge bite out of seniors’ finances, even if they have Medicare. And many Seniors have to tap into their Retirement Funds to cover treatment.
When looking for a job, the benefits offered to an Employee are definitely a big factor in consideration of accepting an offer of employment. Most people are willing to choose a company with a slight pay decrease if the benefit package compensates for the lost wages. With unemployment the lowest it has been since 2000 in the United States, attracting new talent isn’t as easy as it used to be and Employers are looking for ways to snatch up qualified applicants. When you think of benefit packages, you usually think of the basics: Health Insurance (with possibly an HSA, HRA, or FSA included), Dental and Vision coverage. “Good” benefit packages… Read More
We are pleased to share that Mercy Health System, St. Mary Medical Center, Saint Francis Healthcare and Independence Blue Cross (Blue Cross) anticipate coming to an agreement on a new, long-term contract this week, meaning there should be no interruption to your care or coverage at the following facilities: Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Mercy Philadelphia Hospital Nazareth Hospital St. Mary Medical Center Saint Francis Healthcare in Delaware We thank you for your continued support and patience throughout this process, and apologize for any anxiety or inconvenience this negotiation may have caused you or your family – that was never our intention. We look forward to continuing to provide you the care… Read More
Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement, typically referred to as an HRA, can be utilized by employers to reduce their overall healthcare costs without placing additional financial burden on their employees. An HRA allows the employer to pay for eligible expenses with pre-tax dollars. The employer decides what expenses are eligible, within the IRS guidelines, leaving a lot of flexibility in plan design. Typically an HRA is coupled with a High Deductible Health Plan and the HRA pays for either the entire deductible or a portion of the deductible. With this type of a plan the premium savings often outweigh the potential claims that the employer would have to pay if every employee… Read More
Ever wonder exactly which benefit notices your company was required to distribute to employees? Ever notice that some of them are only needed when your business is a specific type of business or organization or size? Wonder no more thanks to our partners at HR360! Download your complimentary copy of the 2-19 employee guide below that includes links and descriptions to all of your required notices for employers between 2-19 employees! Have more specific needs or a cheat sheet for a larger organization? Ask us today how partnering with total benefit solutions and HR360 can deliver this type of powerful information that you need, when you need it. Stay ahead… Read More
MURPHY MOVES NJ TO STATE-BASED HEALTH EXCHANGE TRENTON — New Jersey will move to a state-based health care exchange starting in 2021 as a result of an executive order signed Friday by Gov. Phil Murphy.The Democratic governor made the announcement at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston on the 9th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act. He said offering access to high quality, affordable health care is one of society’s greatest responsibilities and a “basic right.
Each year, Medicare makes changes to the Part A and B out-of-pocket expenses, monthly premium for Part B, and premium adjustment thresholds for Part B and Part D. Here are the figures for 2020..
A bill has been introduced in New Jersey in both the Senate and Assembly that, if passed, would prohibit insurance carriers or other insurers subject to the insurance laws of New Jersey or any other state from offering, issuing or renewing any stop loss insurance policy of any kind to small employers. Stop loss insurance provides reimbursement for catastrophic, excess or unexpected expenses and is used by small employers to self-insure part of the health insurance coverage they provide for employees. Under New Jersey law, in connection with a group health plan, a small employer means an employer with 2-50 eligible employees on business days during the preceding calendar year. If passed,… Read More
It’s easy to loose track of the actual costs associated with smoking. When you look behind the scenes, you will realize why the utilization of Smoker Cessation Programs are important and how Employees and Employers can benefit from this type of Wellness Program . Healthcare $3,400 in excess expenses each year in the form of premium pricing, deductibles or copays/insurance due to conditions associated with one person’s use. Smoke Breaks (Average) 1.25/hrs per day 6.25/hrs per week 291/hrs per year Family Health Parents who smoke have a higher rate of children with Respiratory and ENT issues. They are also more likely to become smokers themselves. Lifetime Costs On average, a… Read More
From retirement and health plans to unlimited paid time off, work flexibility and hot new benefits such as student loan repayment and professional development, these 10 companies are leading the pack when it comes to innovation in the field. Here’s what they are doing differently. Netflix Their unique offering: Unlimited paid time off Perks include: Up to one year of paid time off to new mothers and fathers, and unlimited-time-off for vacation and sick days. Why they do it: “Netflix’s continued success hinges on us competing for and keeping the most talented individuals in their field. Experience shows people perform better at work when they’re not worrying about home,”… Read More
PEOs & the Philadelphia Area As you may be aware Independence Blue Cross recently introduced a PEO offering into the Pennsylvania market/Greater Philadelphia area through a partnership with Clear PEO. As a leading independent broker in the Northeast, Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. has experience with PEOs and helping group clients find the best choices to put you in the strongest possible position to shop and compare PEO’s and traditional health benefits. In fact, Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. has already been partnering with established PEO’s for a number of years. THE BASICS OF PEOs PEO is an acronym for Professional Employer Organization and it is a business entity that helps service… Read More
Is your health plan group ERISA compliant? Health plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) must make available information about the plan to participants. The plan participants have a right to know about plan rules, financial data, plan operation and plan management. Many small employers fail to realize that they need to meet this requirement. The departments of labor have been coming to more employers and asking for this document more often, but typically the DOL audit is the direct result of an employee ( or former employee) grievance. When a member first becomes covered under an ERISA-covered health plan, the individual must receive an SPD (Summary Plan… Read More
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