According to HealthDay News, a study covering millions of children age 17 and younger showed that overall visits to pediatricians in the U.S. fell by 14% from 2008 to 2016, with sick visits dropping by 24%. At the same time, however, well-child preventive visits increased by 10%. Researchers mention increasing out-of-pocket costs and the increased [...]
With businesses operating remotely and personnel working from home, it’s easy to miss certain important deadlines in this COVID-19 era, such as providing your COBRA Administrator with timely termination of coverage notices so that employees who have a COBRA qualifying event, such as termination of employment or reduction of hours, receive COBRA Election notices within [...]
There are many concerns that cause top executives to lose sleep, but the events of the past couple months have tested business owners and decision makers in ways that can only be described as unprecedented. The uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus coupled with a burning desire to get back to business have created an increasingly dynamic [...]
Whether you refer to it as Reference Based Pricing, Medicare Reference, Cost Plus or something else, the important thing is to understand what it is and why it’s being used to lower health plan costs. Health plans with reference based pricing provide high quality coverage at a lower cost by using Medicare fee schedules as [...]
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) signed into law on March 18th included two temporary expanded paid leave options that are mandatory for employers with fewer than 500 employees. Additionally, there are tax credits available for employers that have paid employees with one of these two emergency leave provisions (outlined below). The chart below [...]
Coverage for COVID-19 Testing and Treatment Earlier this month, the administration announced that testing for COVID-19 was deemed an essential health benefit for coverage purposes. However, it is not considered preventive and is therefore subject to any deductible, copay or coinsurance applied to diagnostic testing under your plan. Testing and treatment provided at approved locations in accordance [...]
According to a new Harvard University study, 73% of employees surveyed are caring for a child, parent or friend. More importantly, 80% of those admit that caregiving has had a negative impact on their productivity at work and kept them from doing their best work. Employers are beginning to take a more proactive role in [...]
A fee-based model that gives individuals unlimited access to a primary care physician without their insurance being billed is being heralded as the right prescription for healthcare. Most patient needs, such as consulting, tests, drugs and treatment are included, and no insurance billing is involved. Sources estimate there are about 1,000 direct primary care practices [...]
With student loan debt topping the list of concerns for so many young workers, more and more employers are looking for ways to help. While several large employers are doing things to help them reduce principal and save on interest, one large employer is allowing employees to trade up to 5 vacation days for a [...]
If your plan isn’t managing eligibility at enrollment, you’re probably throwing money away! Managing eligibility in a self-funded environment can place a big burden on HR Directors, not only at enrollment, but throughout the year. Employee benefit elections, dependents and beneficiaries must be monitored consistently and then there are new hires and terminations to deal [...]
