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Headline News |
Linking health plan to economy: Gov. Schwarzenegger argues that fixing the healthcare system would ease state budget woes, but legislators, analysts aren't so sure.
Los Angeles Times, November 10, 2007
SACRAMENTO -- Confronting the latest challenge to his effort to reshape California's healthcare system, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger argued Friday that the state's rapidly deteriorating financial outlook is extra impetus for action, not reason for pause. Read more...
Health insurer tied bonuses to dropping sick policyholders
Los Angeles Times, November 9, 2007
One of the state's largest health insurers set goals and paid bonuses based in part on how many individual policyholders were dropped and how much money was saved.
Woodland Hills-based Health Net Inc. avoided paying $35.5 million in medical expenses by rescinding about 1,600 policies between 2000 and 2006. During that period, it paid its senior analyst in charge of cancellations more than $20,000 in bonuses based in part on her meeting or exceeding annual targets for revoking policies, documents disclosed Thursday showed. Read more...
New Study: Health Insurance Mandates on Employers Hurt Low-Income Employees
PR Newswire, November 9, 2007
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new study presented as part of a Cornell University symposium finds that "Pay or Play" laws, which require employers to provide health insurance to their employees or a pay fine, will reduce employment for the least skilled members of the work force. Read more...
Schwarzenegger, Dems Move Toward Health Care Deal
(AP) SACRAMENTO, November 8, 2007
The two sides have compromised on key issues, such as how much employers should pay toward their workers' health coverage, although there is still significant distance between them when it comes to small businesses.
Movement came suddenly this week, after months of deadlock. On Monday, Democrats agreed to a requirement that all Californians obtain health insurance, the cornerstone of the reform plan Schwarzenegger unveiled in January. Read more...
Employers embrace consumer-driven health care
Employee Benefits Adviser, October 31, 2007
Employers are jumping on consumer-driven health care and advisers should note which sectors are most receptive to CDH. Overall, almost 43% of corporations offer some type of CDH option -- with almost 23% offering an HSA, over 11% offering an HRA and almost 9% offering a high-deductible plan without an account. Read more... |
| In Closing .... |
Greetings!
My closing comments this week concern just two issues, one critical to your business and one of a lighter nature.
First, I have been receiving a number of calls from you concerning the plan restrictions on small employers that Kaiser has announced for January 1, 2008. Many of you are rightly concerned that these restrictions will have a huge negative impact on your small group clients. All of you are concerned that these plan restrictions prevent your clients from controlling their health plan cost.
Nearly all of you have recognized this action by Kaiser and other carriers as a violation of California's small group reform laws enacted in 1993. But, of course, the carriers are threatening an agent's livelihood if an employer elects to enroll in a HDHP and install an HRA or MERP which is how these actions are enforced.
On November 28, BEN-E-LECT is holding a "Town Hall Meeting" via the internet to discuss these carriers' actions and enable interested brokers to share as well as listen to the facts about this issue.
A formal invitation with all the details about the webinar will go out to you in the next few days. Meanwhile, be sure to mark your calendars for November 28, 2007 at 11 am.
Now for the lighter side. Next week is Thanksgiving and without exception all of us have a great deal for which we are or should be thankful. I am thankful to live in the United States and for the brave men and women willing to fight and protect the rights and freedoms we all enjoy.
I am thankful to work in an industry where creative ideas and good service are appreciated and promoted. I am thankful for our staff and all of you who make it possible for BEN-E-LECT to make such a difference in the lives of so many people.
Finally, as I am sure you are, I am thankful for my family who make it so comforting to come home each night. Please enjoy your Thanksgiving week. Remember to thank those whose path you cross each day. Your "thank you" will be returned to you with interest.
I hope you enjoyed this week's edition of the Ben-E-News.
Sincerely,
Mark Reynolds, CEO and President |
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Featured Article |
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Demand for Oral Healthcare Increases, Making Dental Coverage More Popular
With periodontal disease associated with higher risks for life-threatening conditions including heart disease and diabetes, people are viewing dental care as important as medical care. More employers are adding some form of dental benefits as their employer-paid or voluntary offering. And as the public becomes more educated about the importance of oral health, dental coverage will only become more popular.
Brokers with a fresh approach who can help employers build a dental plan that saves money, provides value, and more options will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
BEN-E-LECT's new American Series Dental PlansTM do just that. These plans are a suite of 10 fully insured plans, 7 of which are traditional co-insurance plans with 3 additional plans utilizing the direct reimbursement option.
Available as employer-paid or 100% voluntary, the series give employers complete freedom to offer one option or the entire line to their employees with maximum benefits ranging from $750 to $2,500. Read more...
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| Featured Event |
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BEN-E-LECT
TownHall Meeting
"Carriers Restricting Access To Health Plans"
This special topic will be the focus of this TownHall Meeting, designed to keep you apprised of industry issues as well as new BEN-E-LECT products and procedures. Details to follow.
Wednesday
November 28, 2007
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