Online enrollment platforms are great, but communication and understanding are terribly important for the end-user.
I always say, "technology is great, when it works." Online enrollment platforms have been around for years, and the technology that powers them has grown and advanced at an exponential rate. Who would have guessed that we would be enrolling in our employee benefits directly from our own phones and tablets, without being given the huge enrollment packets from HR?
Topics: employee benefits, benefit communication, independent employee benefits advisors, online enrollment, benefit plan enrollment
By Carol Taylor, Employee Benefit Advisor
D&S Agency, a UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Linda Rowings
Chief Compliance Officer, UBA
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Elizabeth Kay
Compliance and Retention Analyst
AEIS, a UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Carol Taylor, Employee Benefit Advisor
D&S Agency, A UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
A Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) must contain:
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
On August 22, 2014, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury released an interim final rule and a proposed rule that provide some new accommodations to employers that have religious objections to covering contraception under their group health plans. The agencies also released a fact sheet on the rules and an alternate form that religious organizations (like religious hospitals, universities and charities) may use.
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, religious objections, contraception, religious opposition to contraception, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Mathew Augustine, GPHR, REBC
CEO, Hanna Global Solutions
Topics: employee engagement, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, HRA administration, talent retention
With Fall open enrollment around the corner, most employers will need to provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to eligible individuals. Here are some highlights of the requirement (as of August 2014):
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
Recently, UBA Partner Mike Humphrey, Senior Benefits Advisor at The Wilson Agency, shared some great insights for those who are considering doing a dependent audit. He points out three reasons why you shouldn’t do these audits and offers a much better approach to reining in costs associated with covering dependents that should no longer be on your plan. Humphrey’s long tenure counseling large employers shows once again that sometimes quick-fix solutions for eliminating wasteful spending aren’t worth it in the end, no matter how well intended. Instead, simple changes to the up front enrollment process can avoid a lot of headaches and keep costs in line.
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits