#Healthcare – Total Benefit Solutions Inc

Affordable Dental Insurance: A Key Player in Oral Health

October 20, 2023October 20, 2023Ed MacConnell

Dental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, and a recent survey has shed light on the satisfaction levels of Americans with their dental insurance plans. The results, published in a press release by AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans) on September 26, 2023, provide an insightful perspective on the state of dental insurance in the United States. The survey, conducted by Global Strategy Group (GSG) on behalf of AHIP, focused on individuals who have dental insurance and have visited dental specialists, including dentists, oral surgeons, and orthodontists, in the past year. The findings from the survey paint a positive picture of Americans’ experiences with their dental insurance plans. Key… Read More

The Secrets to Patient Loyalty in Healthcare

October 18, 2023October 18, 2023Ed MacConnell

The healthcare industry is undergoing a transformation like never before. In an era of insurgent competitors and changing payment models, the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a pressure test, accelerating the pace of disruption and digital adoption. Now, there’s a unique opportunity for healthcare to make loyalty central to its mission. From earning consumer trust to establishing brand relevance, the industry is evolving in profound ways, reshaping patient experiences to boost retention and a sense of belonging. Both healthcare providers and payers are re-engineering how they connect with their customers to earn their loyalty during this time of unprecedented change. At first glance, the concept of “loyalty” in healthcare may seem… Read More

Small Business, Big Benefits: Health Coverage for All

October 17, 2023October 17, 2023Ed MacConnell

In the United States, the landscape of healthcare is a complex one, with various options available to individuals and families. One of the most significant sources of health coverage for Americans is employer-provided coverage. This type of coverage is a health plan, or a selection of health plans and other benefits, purchased by an employer and offered to eligible employees and their dependents. It’s a system that plays a crucial role in ensuring that millions of hardworking individuals and their families have access to quality healthcare. Affordable Access to Care The primary advantage of employer-provided coverage is its affordability. Employees’ contributions to their health coverage are tax-free, which means that… Read More

2023 Rule Alert: How Will It Affect Fixed Indemnity Plans?

October 13, 2023October 13, 2023Ed MacConnell

In today’s world, the rising costs of healthcare have left many Americans grappling with the financial burden of medical expenses. While comprehensive health insurance is essential, fixed indemnity health insurance has emerged as a valuable supplemental resource, offering financial protection to individuals when they need it the most. This blog explores the concept of fixed indemnity health insurance and its importance in providing financial peace of mind to Americans. Fixed Indemnity Insurance: This supplemental insurance differs from major medical plans. It pays a fixed sum directly to you when specific medical events, like doctor visits or hospital stays, occur. While it doesn’t cover all the essential health benefits mandated by… Read More

Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Extension!

October 3, 2023October 3, 2023Ed MacConnell

In a recent development, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Departments of Labor (DOL) and the Treasury have issued a letter urging employers, plan sponsors, and carriers to consider extending the enrollment period for employer-sponsored health plans. This extension is aimed at helping individuals who have lost their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage due to the resumption of normal eligibility and enrollment procedures. Traditionally, Medicaid coverage requires annual renewal of eligibility. However, during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, these renewal requirements were temporarily halted to prevent members from losing their coverage. Unfortunately, this pause in eligibility rules came to an end on March… Read More

MLR Rebate Checks Unveiled: A Must-Read for Employers

September 29, 2023September 29, 2023Ed MacConnell

Every year, insurance carriers are required to meet specific Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) thresholds, ensuring that a significant portion of collected premiums goes toward medical care and improving healthcare quality. For the large group market, this threshold stands at 85 cents for every premium dollar collected, while in the small group market, it’s 80 cents. If these thresholds are not met, employers are in for a timely financial boost, in the form of premium credits or checks. MLR Rebate Deadline: September 30, 2023 The clock is ticking. If your insurance carrier falls short of the MLR threshold, they are obligated to distribute MLR checks to employers by September 30, 2023.… Read More

Does a Health Savings Account (HSA) have Reimbursable Expenses?

February 6, 2023February 1, 2023Ed MacConnell

Employees can use the HSA to pay for Code §213(d) medical expenses, expenses such as expenditures for medical care, to the extent that such amounts are not reimbursed by insurance or any other source. Medicines and drugs (other than insulin) can be qualified medical expenses only if they are prescribed. Under the CARES Act, employers can also allow for reimbursement of OTC drugs. With certain exceptions, qualified medical expenses do not include payments for health insurance premiums or coverage contributions toward self-funded health coverage. However, the expense for coverage under any of the following will be an HSA-qualified medical expenses: HSA funds may not be used to pay insurance premiums… Read More

What is an expected benefit Health Reimbursement Arrangement?

October 6, 2022September 1, 2022Ed MacConnell

An excepted benefit Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) allows employers to finance additional medical care, like vision or dental coverage, coinsurance and copayments for individual health insurance coverage, short-term limited-duration insurance, or other health care costs not covered by their primary group plan. Excepted benefit HRAs cannot be used to reimburse individual health insurance coverage premiums, group health plans premiums (other than COBRA or other group continuation coverage), or Medicare premiums. However, an excepted benefit HRA can be used to reimburse premiums for individual health insurance coverage or group health plan coverage that consists solely of excepted benefits. This type of HRA, like the individual coverage HRA, allows rollover of unused… Read More

Understanding the Health Care Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act

September 19, 2022August 16, 2022Ed MacConnell

The Inflation Reduction Act includes several landmark health care provisions that would lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare, reduce Medicare drug spending and extend enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage. On Thursday, August 11, a panel of KFF experts held a web briefing to explain these provisions and how they would affect people and federal health spending, followed by a Question and Answer session. Click here to open article and view Web Event video. The legislation for the first time would require the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers over the price of some high-cost drugs in the Medicare… Read More

What is copayment?

August 24, 2022August 4, 2022Ed MacConnell

A fixed amount ($20, for example) you pay for a covered health care service after you’ve paid your deductible. Let’s say your health insurance plan’s allowable cost for a doctor’s office visit is $100. Your copayment for a doctor visit is $20. If you’ve paid your deductible: You pay $20, usually at the time of the visit. If you haven’t met your deductible: You pay $100, the full allowable amount for the visit Copayments (sometimes called “copays”) can vary for different services within the same plan, like drugs, lab tests. and visits to specialists. Generally plans with lower monthly premiums have higher copayments. Plans with higher monthly premiums usually have… Read More

New Prescription Drug Reporting Requirement

August 18, 2022August 2, 2022Ed MacConnell

As previously reported in December 2021, Section 204 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (“CAA”) requires plan sponsors of group health plans to submit information annually about prescription drugs and health care spending to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) on behalf of the departments of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Labor (“DOL”), and the Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”). The first deadline is December 27, 2022. CMS recently updated guidance related to this reporting requirement that provides some helpful clarification. Employers with fully insured or self-funded (includes level funded) group health plans, including grandfathered plans, church plans subject to the Internal Revenue Code, and governmental plans. The term “group… Read More

What are HDHPs & HSAs?

August 9, 2022July 22, 2022Ed MacConnell

One way to manage your health care expenses is by enrolling in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) in combination with opening a Health Savings Account (HSA). How High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts can reduce your costs: If you enroll in an HDHP, you may pay a lower monthly premium but have a higher deductible (meaning you pay for more of your health care items and services before the insurance plan pays). If you combine your HDHP with an HSA, you can pay that deductible, plus other qualified medical expenses, using money you set aside in your tax-free HSA. So if you have an HDHP and don’t… Read More

COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available for Young Children

July 15, 2022July 1, 2022Ed MacConnell

A recent CDC announcement recommends that children six months through five years of age should get an age-appropriate dose of the Pfizer‑BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Independence covers the cost of administering vaccines and booster shots with no cost-share (such as co-pays, deductibles, coinsurance) for members regardless of where the vaccine is given. For Medicare Advantage members, the cost and administration of the vaccine and booster shots will be covered by Original Medicare so long as the health care provider administering the vaccine participates in the Medicare program. Please click here to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. As always, please contact your Total Benefit Solutions Inc health… Read More

IRS Announces Medical Mileage Rate Increase

June 28, 2022June 24, 2022Ed MacConnell

To offset high gas prices, on June 9, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced an increase in the 2022 standard medical mileage rate for the final six months of 2022. Effective July 1, 2022, the new rate for when an automobile is used to obtain medical care is 22 cents per mile for the remainder of 2022, which is an increase from the rate of 18 cents per mile effective January 1 – June 30, 2022. Mileage to and from a medical service is generally an eligible expense under a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account, Health Reimbursement Arrangement, or Health Savings Account. Click here to learn more. As always, please… Read More

CMS Change to LIS/Dual Special Enrollment Period

December 20, 2018December 20, 2018Ed MacConnell

CMS Change to LIS/Dual Special Enrollment Period

Change of Income? When and How to Notify the Marketplace.

November 9, 2018March 20, 2019Ed MacConnell

One of the benefits of getting your Health Insurance through the Marketplace is the tax credit applied to your premium, which makes your costs much more affordable. However, when determining how much your tax credit will be, you use an estimate on your income for the following year. Life is always changing, so if your income changes, if your Family size changes or even being offered Healthcare in some other way it is IMPORTANT to alert the Marketplace of these changes or you may end up owing money back to the Government when you file your taxes at the end of the year. Here we will talk about which types… Read More

How To Find a Doctor You Trust

November 9, 2018November 8, 2018Ed MacConnell

How to Find a Doctor You Trust Get a list of in-network providers: Call your insurance company or look at their plan materials for a list of doctors in their network. You’ll usually pay less to see a doctor in your network than a doctor who’s out-of-network. You can also call your Broker and they can help assist you in getting the names of Doctors near you that accept your plan. Do your research: Ask friends and family if they recommend their doctors. You may even be able to read online reviews for doctors in your area. Online reviews are a great way to gauge things such as bedside manner and wait… Read More

“I’m paying for Health Insurance I don’t even use!”

November 9, 2018November 8, 2018Ed MacConnell

You hear it all the time: “I’m paying for Health Insurance I don’t even use!” But, Health insurance isn’t only for when you’re sick! You can use it to maintain your healthy status, you can use it for Preventative Care and you can also use this time to learn how your coverage works before you get sick. Also, many Health Insurance Plans offer things such as discounted gym memberships and rewards for healthy lifestyle choices (such as quitting smoking). Some plans even offer vision or dental benefits, so you can take advantage of an eye screening or 6 month dental check-up. Take advantage of free insurance benefits anytime Get preventive services,… Read More

Quick Update: Retirement Plan Contribution Limits and ACA Reminders & Numbers

November 7, 2018Ed MacConnell

Important Open Enrollment Information While we highly suggest those of you applying for Healthcare Coverage through the Marketplace speak with a Trained and Licensed Broker to make sure you are getting the right coverage for your particular situation, we know some of you prefer to apply directly. So with that in mind, we wanted to send out a reminder that every Sunday from 12am until 12pm during Open Enrollment (Except December 9th), scheduled maintenance will happen on the Healthcare.gov site. This means during those periods you may not be able to access the site to… Read More

Ways to Save Money on Your Prescription Drugs

November 2, 2018Ed MacConnell

Prescriptions costs are skyrocketing. We all know that. But did you know that there are several ways for people to save money on their monthly medications? As health insurance plans are becoming more catastrophic in nature, that means that people will need to become better health care consumers. Sometimes that means using the tools that the insurance company offers at no charge. Sometimes it means using discounts and other resources that are available outside the health plan. Here are a few ways, some already widely known and others not so much, to help drop down your costs at the Pharmacy. While this is not a comprehensive list of money-saving ideas, it is… Read More

Important Info! HSA Limits for 2019

November 1, 2018Ed MacConnell

What is an HRA and How It May See A Major Change Soon..

October 30, 2018Ed MacConnell

Before we get into how rules for HRAs may be changing, we should discuss what an HRA is and how it works. A Health Reimbursement Account (sometimes referred to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement) is an employer-funded group health plan that reimburses employees, tax-free, for qualified medical expenses up to a certain amount per year. This type of policy does not replace Medical Insurance and is usually coupled with a High-Deductible policy. Unlike an Health Savings Account (HSA), the Employee can not help to fund the account. Like HSAs though, there are maximum allowed contributions. In 2018, an Employer can fund an HRA up to $5,050 for a Single Employee and $10,250… Read More

“Can I use my HSA for…….?”

October 16, 2018Ed MacConnell

Health Savings Accounts and You Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) aren’t new. They’ve been around since late 2003. Initially they were created along with the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act to replace the Medical Saving Account System. Initially these plans were designed to help with Drug Costs under Medicare policies; However, as Insurance Premiums increased, more and more Employer and Individual Policies offered High-Deductible Plans to help curb costs. Due to that, HSAs were thrown into the spotlight as a way to use Pre-Tax Dollars to cover out-of-pocket Medical costs. In 2017, a reported 22million Americans have an HSA. Each year, that number continues to climb. Many people still have a… Read More

President Trump Signs Prescription Drug Gag Clause Legislation

October 16, 2018Ed MacConnell

President Trump Signs Prescription Drug Gag Clause Legislation On Wednesday, President Trump signed into law S. 2553, the Know the Lowest Price Act, and S. 2554, the Patient Right to Know Drug Price Act. The legislation was passed by the House and Senate last month with bipartisan support and will ban “gag clauses” that prevent pharmacists from telling customers when they can save money on their prescriptions by paying out of pocket for the retail price of the drug, rather than using their insurance and making the co-payment. These bills comprise portions of President Trump’s “America First” prescription drug initiative that were released as part of a blueprint to lower drug prices in May.… Read More

IBC 2019 Member Renewal Notices

October 15, 2018October 15, 2018Ed MacConnell

October 25th: Independence Blue Cross Member Renewal Letter details Due to the subsidy disruption in some counties, Independence will be sending renewal notices in 2 waves. On October 25th 2018: • Members who do not receive a subsidy will receive their renewal notices for 2019. The notice will include benefit and premium updates for 2019 and provide a personalized URL for a website that enables them to renew plans as-is (EZ Button), or make a change to their current plan. • Members who have a subsidy will receive a letter advising that Independence is waiting for more information from the federal government regarding their subsidy dollars. Upon receipt of this information, the renewal notices will be sent.… Read More

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