The Internal Revenue Service issued Announcement 2021-7, clarifying that amounts paid for certain personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, used for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19 PPE) are treated as amounts paid for medical care under § 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code).
ChoiceBuilder announced plan and rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. All rates are available for quoting!
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides 100% COBRA subsidies to Assistance Eligible Individuals (AEIs) from April 1 to September 30, 2021. In response to ARPA, the Department of Labor (DOL) was required to produce new Model Notices that need to be distributed to AEIs that notify them of this premium assistance and of the premium assistance expiration when applicable.
It’s important for people to understand their COVID-19 testing options should they need to get tested. To help you and your clients understand your options, check out Anthem's latest article on the COVID-19 Resource Center called, The Different Types of COVID-19 Tests.
Principal has exciting news to share. Beginning with May 1, 2021 effective dates, Principal will be able to quote down to 2 lives! Their updated guidelines are:
News doesn’t just happen on Thursdays. Starting on April 12, 2021, news updates* will go out in real time on multiple channels — Anthem's Broker Plus mobile app, the Producer Toolbox, and anthem.com/ca. Anthem will post news as it's available instead of waiting for Thursday.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the most recent COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This COVID-19 relief package covers a wide range of issues and includes new COBRA continuation coverage election, notice, and premium assistance requirements.
Over the last year, the world and the workforce have changed in unprecedented ways. Now, MetLife is sharing the workforce trends that are impacting brokers, their clients and other employers.
Cigna + Oscar announced rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Kaiser is excited to announce the launch of their new site. The updated employer/broker site at account.kp.org includes a fresh design and an intuitive site navigation so visitors could get where they needed to go.
TotalHIPAA is offering a free Business Associate Agreement on their new, redesigned website! When you are on their home page, click the bar at the top of the screen to download a copy of their BAA template.
Almost all Q2 2021 rates are available in bpQuote! Click the links below to read more about carrier-specific changes.
Complete our Calendar Card Request Form to get a 2021 B&P Calendar Card sent to your address! Our 2021 calendar is a 5x7 card with rounded corners and is printed on Shutterfly's thickest available cardstock.
Some Q1 2021 rates are available in bpQuote, with more expected to be released in the next couple of weeks! Click the links below to read more about carrier-specific changes.
We are excited to announce that Beere&Purves has signed a large group General Agency contract with Kaiser Permanente. You can sell Kaiser Permanente large group business with 101 to 300 eligible employees through Beere&Purves beginning with an October 1, 2020 effective date.
We revamped our Small Group Insurance Boot Camp to give you access to training materials from wherever, whenever!
Like all of the country, Beere&Purves continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and the impact around us. We take the health of our employees, broker partners and groups seriously.
As you may know, PG&E is planning a PSPS in the Bay Area and Beere&Purves could be affected. This is our service contingency plan if we lose power.
We are pleased to announce that Beere&Purves has signed a small group General Agency contract with Kaiser Permanente. You can sell Kaiser Permanente business through Beere&Purves beginning with a December 1, 2019 effective date.
We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Human Interest as our preferred retirement plan provider!
HealthConnect will be performing maintenance on the quote engine from 3 AM to 8 AM PST on Saturday, February 6th. bpQuote may have intermittent outages during this time.
bpQuote is adding Lab & X-Ray benefits to the Employee Rate Side by Side report. Users will see the Lab & X-Ray benefit included in this report beginning on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
Almost all Q2 2021 rates are available in bpQuote! Click the links below to read more about carrier-specific changes.
The Department of Insurance asked Aetna to make the following benefit changes to their 2021 plans, retroactive to January 1, 2021. These changes have been made to bpQuote.
bpQuote has enhanced the "Set" button in the Select Medical Plan Information section at the top of the Proposal Options page. The Set button will now save the plan order for any future requotes for the group. This should be helpful for proposals that do not utilize one of the default sort orders.
bpQuote has enhanced the Table Rates report so that you now have the option to select a Contribution period of Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Semi-Monthly, or Monthly. This enhancement has been added to the Benefits & Table Rates page at the front of bpQuote and to the Proposal Options page at the end of the quote engine while working on a specific group.
CaliforniaChoice was recently notified by Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Oscar and Western Healthy Advantage of benefit changes effective January 1, 2021.
Based upon DOI guidance, Aetna is updating the Rx Deductible from $750 to $0 for the following plans for 2020 effective dates. The effective date of this change for is retroactive to January 1, 2020.
HealthConnect will be performing maintenance on the quote engine from 6 PM to 11 PM PST on Friday, November 6th. bpQuote may have intermittent outages during this time.
Some Q1 2021 rates are available in bpQuote, with more expected to be released in the next couple of weeks! Click the links below to read more about carrier-specific changes.
The Internal Revenue Service issued Announcement 2021-7, clarifying that amounts paid for certain personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, used for the primary purpose of preventing the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19 PPE) are treated as amounts paid for medical care under § 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code).
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provides 100% COBRA subsidies to Assistance Eligible Individuals (AEIs) from April 1 to September 30, 2021. In response to ARPA, the Department of Labor (DOL) was required to produce new Model Notices that need to be distributed to AEIs that notify them of this premium assistance and of the premium assistance expiration when applicable.
The Resilience Compass streamlines the search for funding, training, workforce management, and strategy resources to help organizations recover from the pandemic.
Ease’s 2021 SMB Benefits & Employee Insights Report is a study of SMBs across the country, such as doctor’s offices, manufacturers, restaurant groups, and more. With this report, you’ll be able to benchmark against premium costs, contribution data, shifting plans makeup, and more to unlock insights that will empower you to better serve your clients and set you apart from your competition.
President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) on March 11th of this year. While this legislation covers a wide array of topics, below are some updates regarding our world of health insurance.
Starting March 1, 2020, Anthem suspended key health plan timeframes to give your clients more time to take advantage of HIPAA special enrollment periods, file and appeal claims, elect COBRA continuation coverage, and pay COBRA premiums.
TotalHIPAA is offering a free Business Associate Agreement on their new, redesigned website! When you are on their home page, click the bar at the top of the screen to download a copy of their BAA template.
As a reminder, Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) may face penalties if they do not offer affordable employer-sponsored minimum essential coverage. As stated in IRS Notice Rev Proc. 2020-36, for plan years beginning in 2021, the percentage is 9.83%.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee for plan years that end on or after October 1, 2020 and before October 1, 2021 will be $2.66.
The results are in! National data, trends, and insights are the perfect tools to start designing a strategy and setting the direction for an open enrollment season unlike any other. And that is exactly what Ease has done for you.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that St. Agnes Medical Center has rescinded its termination with an agreement to finalize a multi-year CA-Commercial Hospital Agreement (including Medicare Advantage) effective May 1, 2021. St. Agnes Medical Center is located in Fresno County.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Agreement with Marin General Hospital, located in the City of Greenbrae in Marin County.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Agreement with University of California Health System.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Hospital Agreement with Santa Clara Valley Hospital, located in Santa Clara County.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Hospital Agreement with Loma Linda University Health (“Loma Linda”).
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Hospital Agreement with Memorial Care Health Services (“Memorial Care”).
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Hospital Agreement with Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial HMO Agreement with Santa Barbara Select IPA, located in Santa Barbara County.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial HMO Agreement with Seaview IPA, located in Ventura County.
Anthem Blue Cross is pleased to announce that they have successfully renewed their Commercial Agreements with John Muir Health which provides services to members in Contra Costa County and surrounding communities.
Aetna announced plan and rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Aetna is continuing to navigate the challenges from COVID-19, and they want to ensure you are up to date on changes that impact you and your clients.
CVS Health and Aetna set out to reimagine what the health care experience could be - they are revolutionizing community-based health care by safely connecting people to care, when and where they need it, with CVS HealthHUB.
Aetna announced plan and rate updates for April 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
The Department of Insurance asked Aetna to make the following benefit changes to their 2021 plans, retroactive to January 1, 2021. These changes have been made to bpQuote.
J.D. Power ranks Aetna's Vision plan first in consumer satisfaction. And Aetna's Dental plan has ranked second (up from third place in 2019).
Now that the news is out about an imminent COVID-19 vaccine, Aetna wanted to share some additional information with you and your clients. CVS Health® will be part of this next phase as one of the distribution partners for administering the vaccine.
CVS HealthHUB locations are making it easier for your clients' employees to proactively manage their health. By connecting members to more health services, one-on-one guidance and health resources, they can better focus on chronic conditions.
The Aetna Vision Preferred team is excited to announce Aetna's new vision cost calculator, Know Before You Go! This is a first-of-its-kind out-of-pocket cost estimator designed to give members a feel for what they might pay before they even set foot in a store or doctor's office.
Based upon DOI guidance, Aetna is updating the Rx Deductible from $750 to $0 for the following plans for 2020 effective dates. The effective date of this change for is retroactive to January 1, 2020.
It’s important for people to understand their COVID-19 testing options should they need to get tested. To help you and your clients understand your options, check out Anthem's latest article on the COVID-19 Resource Center called, The Different Types of COVID-19 Tests.
News doesn’t just happen on Thursdays. Starting on April 12, 2021, news updates* will go out in real time on multiple channels — Anthem's Broker Plus mobile app, the Producer Toolbox, and anthem.com/ca. Anthem will post news as it's available instead of waiting for Thursday.
As the number of fully vaccinated people grows, Anthem wants to keep you informed. Current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than one-fifth of all Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and more than one-tenth are fully vaccinated.
Recently, Anthem let you know that they planned to reinstate certain health plan timeframes they suspended effective March 1, 2020, under federal guidance. Anthem will begin reinstating these timeframes on March 1, 2021. On February 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provided additional guidance on continuation of relief for employee benefit plans, including the duration of the "outbreak period."
Group administrators can now view an electronic enrollment file through Anthem's new Electronic Enrollment Tool (EET) in EmployerAccess. Available in late March, this new process delivers faster results than emailed PDF forms that needed to be filled out and returned.
Unemployment is an additional challenge many Americans are facing as organizations adjust to changes caused by COVID-19. Making health benefit decisions can be difficult for those who are without coverage because of unforeseen work circumstances.
Anthem's COVID-19 Resource Center now includes a COVID-19 Response Toolkit to help you and your clients respond to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anthem Blue Cross provided important updates on some changes, promotions and COVID-19 vaccines and treatment. Please see below for more information.
Anthem knows your clients have questions about COVID-19 vaccines and Anthem is available to help. Their latest blog article, What Do Experts Say About the Vaccine?, provides information, advice and recommendations from trusted health and medical professionals on a variety of vaccine topics. Experts from the American Medical Association (AMA), Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic weigh in on concerns about the quick development of the vaccine, post-vaccination activity, and more.
Do you know how COVID-19 vaccines were developed so fast? Learn more about the FDA’s clinical trial and approval process in Anthem's new vaccine safety flyer. Be sure to share it with your clients to help them understand the importance of the COVID-19 vaccines, how they were made so quickly, and what steps were taken to ensure that they are safe.
It’s important for people to understand their COVID-19 testing options should they need to get tested. To help you and your clients understand your options, check out Anthem's latest article on the COVID-19 Resource Center called, The Different Types of COVID-19 Tests.
The Employer Resource Center (ERC) is a personalized website created exclusively for each of your Large Group clients that makes it easy for them to find materials and resources about the products they’ve purchased from Anthem. Plan information and resources your clients need to help employees stay healthy and obtain the most from their benefits are all gathered in one place.
As the number of fully vaccinated people grows, Anthem wants to keep you informed. Current data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than one-fifth of all Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination and more than one-tenth are fully vaccinated.
Group administrators can now view an electronic enrollment file through Anthem's new Electronic Enrollment Tool (EET) in EmployerAccess. Available in late March, this new process delivers faster results than emailed PDF forms that needed to be filled out and returned.
Unemployment is an additional challenge many Americans are facing as organizations adjust to changes caused by COVID-19. Making health benefit decisions can be difficult for those who are without coverage because of unforeseen work circumstances.
Anthem's COVID-19 Resource Center now includes a COVID-19 Response Toolkit to help you and your clients respond to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anthem knows your clients have questions about COVID-19 vaccines and Anthem is available to help. Their latest blog article, What Do Experts Say About the Vaccine?, provides information, advice and recommendations from trusted health and medical professionals on a variety of vaccine topics. Experts from the American Medical Association (AMA), Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic weigh in on concerns about the quick development of the vaccine, post-vaccination activity, and more.
Anthem's Find Care member tool can now estimate dental costs for all Prime and Complete network dental plans. Members can find it through the Sydney Health app and anthem.com/ca. It’s one tool for finding a network dentist and comparing costs, locations, and office hours.
Do you know how COVID-19 vaccines were developed so fast? Learn more about the FDA’s clinical trial and approval process in Anthem's new vaccine safety flyer. Be sure to share it with your clients to help them understand the importance of the COVID-19 vaccines, how they were made so quickly, and what steps were taken to ensure that they are safe.
Starting March 1, 2020, Anthem suspended key health plan timeframes to give your clients more time to take advantage of HIPAA special enrollment periods, file and appeal claims, elect COBRA continuation coverage, and pay COBRA premiums.
ArmadaCare has moved beyond the C-Suite with other unique employer-paid supplemental plan options. Come find out how these plans can help solve business problems for your clients.
Many benefits address only one or two benefit categories: saving time, promoting well-being, supporting financially, or providing tax savings. Ultimate Health is a supplemental healthcare reimbursement plan designed to help companies address virtually every benefit category.
When you talk about an executive medical reimbursement plan, also called expense reimbursed insurance, it’s not rare to get questions like, “Is that still allowed,” or “I thought you couldn’t do that anymore?” Let’s tackle those questions and get to the bottom of it.
Ultimate Health by ArmadaCare is a supplemental healthcare reimbursement plan designed to help companies offer a broad range of coverage types that tailor to different life stage needs, a way to get back to 100% coverage levels, a tax-efficient compensation tool, along with health, wellness and travel support services.Ultimate Health is suitable for any size and type of company and can be added onto virtually any company base medical plan at any month of the year.
The new Plan Comparison Tool helps answer the question, “which option is best for me?” By telling CaliforniaChoice is a little bit about themselves, your clients can compare plans to find the one that best fits their needs.
You’re going to love the new calchoice.com! Log in, take a look around, and see firsthand how CalChoice has customized your experience to make managing your benefits easier than ever.
CaliforniaChoice announced that Delta Dental of California has elected to credit a portion of a group's September 2020 Kaiser Permanente premium for their pediatric dental coverage. This one-time credit for all eligible members enrolled on Kaiser Permanente plans during the month of September 2020 will be applied to an eligible group's March 2021 invoice.
CaliforniaChoice announced rate and benefit changes for April 1, 2021 effective dates with no underwriting changes. Rates are available for quoting!
CaliforniaChoice was recently notified by Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Oscar and Western Healthy Advantage of benefit changes effective January 1, 2021.
Great news! You can start the new year with some extra cash, thanks to bonuses offered by three CaliforniaChoice partners. You’ll earn bonus dollars on CaliforniaChoice members who enroll with Anthem Blue Cross, Health Net, and Kaiser Permanente only, based on the effective dates below.
Kaiser Permanente announced a new broker bonus program for December 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021 effective dates! Earn a $100 bonus per enrolled subscriber for all new small groups sold.
CaliforniaChoice announced rate and benefit changes for January 1, 2021 effective dates with no underwriting changes. Rates are available for quoting!
Starting with the December 1, 2020, effective date, your new and renewing groups have even more choices for health insurance coverage with CaliforniaChoice.
The global coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented situation affecting everyone. CaliforniaChoice, on behalf of Anthem Blue Cross, wants to help and support their customers during this challenging time which is why Anthem Blue Cross has elected to forgive a percentage of groups' Anthem April 2020 premium.
ChoiceBuilder announced plan and rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. All rates are available for quoting!
For business effective March 1, 2021, ChoiceBuilder is welcoming BIG groups to their program, all the way up to 500 employees.
Members enrolled in VSP through ChoiceBuilder will have more options for eye exams and prescription eyewear starting in January. That’s because VSP is expanding its network to include Walmart and Sam’s Club!
Beginning in January 2021, the ChoiceBuilder® Administrative Fee will increase by $5 for groups with 2 – 199 employees. ChoiceBuilder had originally planned this change to go into effect in December 2020 but they have delayed it to January 2021.
The global coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented situation affecting everyone. ChoiceBuilder®, on behalf of Anthem Blue Cross, wants to help and support their customers during this challenging time which is why Anthem Blue Cross has elected to forgive a percentage of your group’s Anthem April 2020 premium.
ChoiceBuilder announced plan and rate adjustments for January 1, 2021 effective dates. All rates are available for quoting!
As you focus on the well-being of your groups during this pandemic, ChoiceBuilder®, on behalf of Delta Dental, wants to help and support customers during this challenging time which is why Delta Dental has elected to provide a premium holiday for your group’s Delta Dental June 2020 premium.
Great News! Beginning with September 2020 invoicing, ChoiceBuilder® will no longer charge your group(s) a late fee if premium payment is not received by the statement due date.
ChoiceBuilder announced plan and rate updates for October 1, 2020 effective dates. All rates are available for quoting!
ChoiceBuilder worked with their ancillary partners to answer common questions regarding COVID-19.
Cigna + Oscar announced rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Great news: Cigna + Oscar has a new bonus program to share with you. Beginning April 1, 2021 in Northern California AND Southern California you can earn $350 for every Cigna + Oscar group with four or more enrolled employees with effective dates from April 1, 2021 through December 15, 2021.
Great news: Cigna + Oscar has expanded their Cigna LocalPlus® network in Northern California! With 63 hospitals and more than 23,000 primary care providers and specialists, Cigna + Oscar plans offer members easy access to even more quality providers like UCSF, Stanford, John Muir and Dignity.
Cigna + Oscar is expanding to 9 additional rating regions effective April 1, 2021.
Cigna + Oscar announced rate updates for April 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Cigna + Oscar received approval for their 2021 plans and rates from the California Department of Insurance!
Cigna + Oscar is working with the California Department of Insurance to approve their rates and plans. Cigna + Oscar was originally targeting an October 1, 2020 release but they are now looking to begin quoting effective December 1, 2020.
We are excited to announce the addition of Cigna + Oscar to the Beere&Purves small group portfolio beginning with October 1, 2020 effective dates. As your business partner, we continue to make sure you have access to carriers that will help you meet the needs of your clients and their employees, and Cigna + Oscar does exactly that!
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) sent the below ASKCCSB newsletter to Employer Groups on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
Covered California for Small Business announced rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
With the New Year comes many questions on how to order Member ID Cards.
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) sent the below ASKCCSB newsletter to Employer Groups on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
Covered California for Small Business announced rate updates for April 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) sent the below ASKCCSB newsletter to Employer Groups on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 2:00 PM.
Starting January 1, 2021, all members enrolled in a Blue Shield of California PPO will be matched with a Primary Care Physician (PCP) during open enrollment. Blue Shield will match that member with a designated PCP taking many factors into consideration such as cost, physician rating, location and claim history.
Blue Shield of California has announced that they will be applying a one-time premium credit for customers to help ease the financial burden during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kaiser Permanente announced a new broker bonus program for December 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021 effective dates! Earn a $100 bonus per enrolled subscriber for all new small groups sold.
Covered California for Small Business announced rate updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) sent the below ASKCCSB newsletter to Employer Groups on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM.
As Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) continues to address many of the concerns surrounding COVID-19, they wanted to inform you that they are extending their New Business Submission Deadlines through the remainder of the year. In an effort to provide additional time for Small Business Employers to enroll, the remaining submission deadlines have been extended to the 15th of each month.
As Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) continues to address many of the concerns surrounding the State Emergency enacted by the Wildfires, they want to inform you that they are extending their New Business Submission Deadline for September.
Covered California for Small Business has made renewals and new business submissions easier by allowing Agents and Employer Groups to bulk select and confirm employee renewals as well as new employee plan selections.
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) sent the below ASKCCSB newsletter to Employer Groups on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM.
Covered California for Small Business announced rate updates for October 1, 2020 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
With the MyCCSB Portal, it’s easy for your groups to access everything they need to keep their account up to date! As part of CCSB's commitment to providing resources to employers to manage their account, CCSB has created how-to-guides for processing adds and terminations for Employees.
Covered California for Small Business launched a new program aimed at helping hundreds of small businesses continue to provide insurance to their employees during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) is extending A Partnership That Pays bonus program from July 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021.
Covered California for Small Business (CCSB) is extending A Partnership That Pays bonus program from February 1, 2020 through June 1, 2020.
Delta Dental announced plan and rate updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates, rates are available for quoting.
Delta Dental's goal is to provide their customers with beneficial and meaningful financial support, highlighted by the following support for all of their small business program customers.
The Allied Benefit Suite announced that the Equitable Life rates will be changing effective June 1, 2020. They are now allowing groups of all sizes to get custom Life/AD&D quotes, which can save up to 50% off the shelf rate.
The Allied Benefit Suite announced that the Personal Protection Plan premium will be $7.50 PEPM for groups effective May 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020.
Allied Administrators is excited to announce the launch of their Producer Portal where California brokers can access and manage their Delta Dental Small Business Program book of business.
Start the New Year off right with benefits that shine! ABS is a premier set of benefits for small businesses including: Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and a Personal Protection Plan.
The Allied Benefit Suite has a snazzy new web page. Check it out now! ABS is a premier set of benefits for small businesses including: Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and a Personal Protection Plan.
VSP within the Allied Benefit Suite will have a rate pass in 2020. Rates are available for quoting in bpQuote!
With VSP taking over for EyeMed in the Allied Benefit Suite, any inforce groups with EyeMed vision should keep the following in mind.
The Allied Benefit Suite added VSP to the portfolio allowing you to bundle Delta Dental, VSP, AXA Life/AD&D, LTD, and the Personal Protection Plan!
EMPLOYERS provided updates regarding the Coronavirus outbreak and what it means for their clients.
Exclusive news and information to help your clients manage and grow their small businesses.
EMPLOYERS recently unveiled several automation enhancements that provide you with more self-service tools right at your fingertips. Their latest investment in technology allows your clients to quickly and easily submit their premium audits online!
It’s time to spring into action — earn a $100 gift card for every four new small business workers’ compensation policies bound with EMPLOYERS in the next four months!
Recent changes to California law (SB189) will require the following attention.
EMPLOYERS is now writing workers' compensation insurance in Louisiana. In addition to competitive rates and effective services, appointed agents also have access to instant online quoting through EACCESS ®— EMPLOYERS' online quoting system. EACCESS provides the ability to quickly and easily submit and quote new business (including multi-state policies) in numerous, targeted class codes.
Earn a $100 gift card* for every 3 new small business workers' compensation policies bound with EMPLOYERS.Small business is defined as below $25,000 estimated annual premium Incentive period includes new policies bound December 1, 2017 - January 31, 2018 Earn up to a maximum of $400Login to EACCESS for a full list of small business classes and start quoting today!*This promotion is only offered to select licensed and appointed EMPLOYERS agencies.
Workers' Comp ExecutiveNovember 30, 2017California employers – be they insured or self-insured – will be paying more to fund the state’s workers’ comp system next year. Insured employers will be paying nearly 4% of premium – a 28% overall increase for assessments over 2017 – while the rate for self-insured employers is up nearly 17%.
Most policy management problems, including coverage and premium audit issues, arise from discrepancies related to how Named Insureds are listed on policies. A Named Insured is a legal entity that EMPLOYERS® has agreed to cover and has been endorsed onto a policy. To help avoid problems, it is important that at the time of application, you confirm the following for each Named Insured: The accurate legal entity name is listed on the application (the legal entity name would be the name used in the execution of official business documents, such as IRS filings and business licenses.
Premium audits are required by the insurance carrier and are typically routine and relatively quick. At the end of your annual policy period, a final premium audit is conducted to determine if you paid the appropriate amount for your workers' compensation insurance based on your actual payroll, operations and job classifications.
Guardian announced rate updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
As a reminder, Guardian introduced the Guardian Pandemic Support Program* to help your clients with fully-insured Guardian dental and vision plans be able to manage costs by choosing either a premium credit or extended rate guarantee.**
Guardian recently introduced the Guardian Pandemic Support Program* to help your clients manage costs and provide employees with affordable, uninterrupted access to dental care as practices reopen for elective treatments.
Guardian has heard directly from many of you about how significantly the pandemic has impacted employers and their members’ ability to receive dental care.
Currently, 92% of small business owners are reporting a moderate to very high level of stress at this time, yet over 70% are still optimistic about the future. Guardian is committed to providing their small businesses customers with the support they need to help navigate the challenges of this unprecedented time.
Guardian announced rate updates for January 1, 2020 effective dates with some changes to underwriting. Rates are available for quoting!
EaseCentral, the leading HR and benefits SaaS platform powered by insurance brokers, has announced an integration with insurance provider The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America®, (Guardian).
Guardian has announced rate and underwriting adjustments for January 1, 2019 effective dates with no benefit changes. Rates are available for quoting!
Guardian has announced rate adjustments for January 1, 2018 effective dates with no changes to benefits or underwriting. Rates are available for quoting! RATES Average Increase: <1%CONTRACT UPDATEB&P can now write groups up to 99 lives! Groups will fewer than 51 employees can continue to be quoted in bpQuote. For groups of 51-99, please contact a member of your B&P Sales Team.
Beere&Purves' can now write groups up to 99 lives with Guardian Life Insurance Company!For questions, please contact a member of your B&P Sales Team - 888.722.3373.
Health Net announced rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates with no changes to plans or benefits. Rates are available for quoting!
Selling Health Net has never been easier with their Q2 2021 underwriting promotions.
Health Net's Small Business Group broker incentive program pays 1% supplemental commission for 12 months for each new eligible small group sold in 2021.
Health Net announced rate updates for April 1, 2021 effective dates with no changes to plans or benefits. Rates are available for quoting!
New ancillary product plans with effective dates of January 1, 2021 through March 1, 2021 are eligible for Health Net's new bundling savings and bonus program.
Health Net announced rate and plan updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
Health Net will mail notifications to employer groups and subscribers advising of the following telehealth changes effective January 1, 2021.
Health Net is mailing an important reminder to employer groups about a CMS notice they must provide their employees by October 15, 2020: Pharmacy plan creditable coverage.
Health Net finalized their 2019 Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) results. For California Individual and Large Group Plans in 2019, Health Net met or exceeded the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) standards. For California Small Group Plans with PPO in 2019, Health Net Life Insurance Company met or exceeded the 80 percent MLR standard. California Small Group Plans with HMO in 2019, Health Net of California, Inc. did not meet the 80 percent MLR standard.
Health Net's popular small group Sell HMO with 6 underwriting program has been given a plus to boost your Q4 2020 small group sales!
With upcoming registration deadlines approaching for CalSavers, you are probably hearing a lot about California’s retirement savings program.
Employers in California with 5 or more employees will be required to offer a qualified retirement savings plan starting as early as 2020, or face financial penalties.
We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Human Interest as our preferred retirement plan provider!
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the most recent COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This COVID-19 relief package covers a wide range of issues and includes new COBRA continuation coverage election, notice, and premium assistance requirements.
Kaiser is excited to announce the launch of their new site. The updated employer/broker site at account.kp.org includes a fresh design and an intuitive site navigation so visitors could get where they needed to go.
The Resilience Compass streamlines the search for funding, training, workforce management, and strategy resources to help organizations recover from the pandemic.
Kaiser announced rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates with no changes to plans or benefits. Rates are available for quoting!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Pfizer, allowing distribution of its new vaccine for COVID-19.
Kaiser Permanente announced a new broker bonus program for December 1, 2020 through January 1, 2021 effective dates! Earn a $100 bonus per enrolled subscriber for all new small groups sold.
From October 1 to December 31, Kaiser Permanente members can also get a flu shot at no additional cost from multiple retail locations, including Walgreens, CVS Health, and Walmart.
Kaiser announced rate and benefit updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting through June 2021!
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, Kaiser Permanente's playbook is meant to offer useful tools for you and your leadership teams to make workplaces as safe as possible and to support your groups and their employees.
Kaiser announced rate updates for October 1, 2020 effective dates with no changes to plans or benefits. Rates are available for quoting!
Over the last year, the world and the workforce have changed in unprecedented ways. Now, MetLife is sharing the workforce trends that are impacting brokers, their clients and other employers.
For many people, pets are more than a furry distraction—they’re important members of the family. And keeping them healthy and happy is a top priority for maintaining the pet’s quality of life. But even one unexpected trip to the vet can wreak havoc on an employee’s personal finances.
2020 was a roller coaster of challenges for small business owners. Navigating the impact of the pandemic meant most had to pivot and, in many cases, make hard choices to survive and succeed. Through all the ups and downs, small business employees were right there with their employers. The close-knit employer-to-employee relationships are the foundation of American small businesses. According to MetLife’s 18th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study research in 2020, seven in ten small business employers believe they have a responsibility for their employees’ well-being.¹ And, despite budget concerns, they’re looking for options to enhance their benefits programs.
At MetLife, brokers and customers are their top priority. As such, they want to help their mutual small business customers who may be facing challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MetLife announced that they have completed their acquisition of Versant Health, owner of the well-established brands Davis Vision and Superior Vision. MetLife expects to complete the integration of Versant Health's Davis Vision and Superior Vision into their product portfolio by the end of 2021.
The consequences of the pandemic continue to impact small businesses, as they try to support employees while also navigating economic uncertainty. According to the most recent MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index, 78% of small business owners view the current economic situation as average to somewhat poor or very poor.
Offering dental benefits with provider networks that include the dentists the employees want is essential for benefit satisfaction. But it’s not the only factor you should consider when evaluating dental networks. Asking three key questions can help you uncover how hard a provider network will work for your clients and their employees.
While 2020 has been anything but business as usual for America’s small businesses, their entrepreneurial resilience and optimism continue to shine through. MetLife’s new small business report, based on its 18th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, examines how the pandemic is impacting work-life dynamics and the strategic role for benefits.
The COVID-19 crisis not only increased employees’ concerns about their health and finances—it also highlighted some distinct vulnerabilities. For example, MetLife research showed that during the crisis, one in three employees felt like they didn’t have enough disability coverage to protect themselves or their families if they were unable to work due to short-term or long-term illness or injury.
MetLife announced today that they have agreed to acquire Versant Health, owner of the well-established marketplace brands Davis Vision and Superior Vision.
Principal has exciting news to share. Beginning with May 1, 2021 effective dates, Principal will be able to quote down to 2 lives! Their updated guidelines are:
Principal shared some important updates and reminders that will benefit both new and current Principal business.
COVID-19 is impacting everyone’s lives – including trips to the dentist. Most dental offices have been temporarily closed for non-emergency services. And Principal understands employers and their employees have had limited use of their dental benefits.
Increase your earning potential by working with Principal. Place new business and retain business with Principal, and you may be eligible for their group benefit bonus programs.
Principal has made some enhancements to their open enrollment guidelines effective 2020.
Principal's EAP vendor, Magellan, is offering free services to anyone who needs some support due to the wildfires in California.
Principal is giving you even more reasons to sell dental only or bundled coverages! Promotion is available for groups through January 1, 2020.
CaliforniaChoice, Covered CA for Small Business, Principal, and UnitedHealthcare all have 2019 bonus programs for specific effective dates. Click on the hyperlinks below each carrier to see the full details and program rules.
Increase your earning potential by working with Principal. Place new business and retain business with Principal, and you may be eligible for their group benefit bonus programs.
Help your clients keep their employees happy by offering a benefit of an additional 20% of their earnings through Principal's enhanced short-term disability insurance.
UHC announced plan and rate updates for July 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
UHC provided three important updates on their Specialty products, including updates on their Missing Tooth Clause, Ineligible SIC Codes and Dual Option Dental.
UHC provided three important updates on their Specialty products, including updates on their Dental Rate Cap, Enhanced Dental Options and adding Specialty off-cycle.
UHC announced plan and rate updates for April 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
UnitedHealthcare is offering a bonus to agents in California who sell new fully insured medical groups with up to 100 eligible employees with effective dates in 2021. Agents must sell a combined total of 25 enrolled employees in eligible groups to qualify for this bonus program.
UHC announced rate and plan updates for January 1, 2021 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
UHC announced plan and rate updates for October 1, 2020 effective dates. Rates are available for quoting!
UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits has taken several steps to help members access care, provide financial relief and ensure their collaboration endures beyond these extraordinary events. As the environment remains dynamic, UHC will continue to update their COVID FAQs so you have access to the latest information.
UHC provided three important updates regarding underwriting, premium credit relief, and Employer eServices.
UnitedHealth Group announced that they will be providing $1.5 billion in assistance and premium credits to customers nationwide.
VSP has announced a Rate Pass through December 31st, 2021, with no changes to plan benefits or underwriting. Rates are available for quoting!
VSP Vision Care is committed to doing all they can to help you and your clients navigate through the uncertainty, as we move toward recovery.
After an 11-year partnership, VSP has reached an agreement to acquire Visionworks, a full-service optical retailer.
VSP has announced a Rate Pass through December 31st, 2020, with no changes to plan benefits or underwriting. Rates are available for quoting!
VSP has announced a Rate Pass through December 31, 2019, with no changes to plan benefits or underwriting.
When your employees create an account on vsp.com, they'll get the most out of their VSP benefit and be eligible to win a $5,000 shopping spree.
Now through January 31, eligible VSP® Vision Care members get an extra $40 to spend on bebe, Cole Haan, Flexon®, and Salvatore Ferragamo frames.
VSP has a new EasyOptions package for groups enrolling 50 or more employees that allows each employee to select a covered upgrade after they receive their prescription from their VSP network doctor.
Now through August 31, eligible VSP® Vision Care members get an extra $40 to spend on Anne Klein, CALVIN KLEIN and Dragon® frames.
Once again, VSP Vision Care is raising the bar as the only vision care company to offer fully-covered standard progressive lenses—included as part of the VSP Choice, Signature, or VSP Individual Vision Plans.
