Aetna
Prescription Drug Limitation Removed from the HMO $30/$40
Aetna has removed the $1,000 calendar year maximum from the
prescription drug coverage on their Sydney group health
insurance HMO $30/$40 plan. The change is retroactive to January
1, 2005 for all current health insurance clients.
Guaranteed Risk Adjustment Factors (RAF)
(October 1, 2004 through March 15, 2005)
Aetna has announced new Risk Adjustment Factor guarantees
for their group health insurance products that place them
even more competitively in the Sydney group health insurance
market.
Groups applying for Sydney group health insurance with
8 to 19 enrolling employees automatically receive a .98 RAF
(2% off!).
Groups applying for Sydney group health insurance with
20 to 50 enrolling employees automatically receive a .96 RAF
(4% off!).
In addition, Aetna is waiving their requirement that employees
complete individual health insurance medical questionnaires
to qualify for this risk adjustment factor!
However, groups with 8 to 50 enrolling employees can apply
for a RAF as low as .90 by completing the health insurance
medical questions and will not be penalized with an RAF higher
than that guaranteed by the group's size regardless of the
resultant health questionnaires.
To qualify for the guaranteed rate a group must be rated no
higher than a 1.05 RAF with their current group health insurance
carrier - so groups with no prior group health insurance coverage
can not qualify.
Relaxed Corporate Paperwork
(Group health insurance policies effective July 1, 2004 through
March 15, 2005)
For groups of 8 or more enrolling employees in a group health
insurance policy, Owners, Partners and Corporate Officers
who do not appear on the company Quarterly Wage & Withholding
Report (this is called a DE-6 - for Sydney Health Insurance)
do not have to send in corporate documentation of their work
with the group. They only need to submit a Proof of Eligibility
form.
Aetna & Kaiser Group Health Insurance
Aetna's Managed Choice $1000 80/50 and all of their High Deductible
Health Plans may now be offered alongside Kaiser for groups
of 10 to 50 enrollees. A Minimum of three employees need to
enroll with Aetna and all other Aetna plans are excluded.
Blue Cross
of California
Group Focal Renewal Announced for May 1, 2005
Blue Cross has announced a small group Sydney health insurance
rate and benefit adjustment effective May 1, 2005. While exact
details have yet to be released, Stepping Stone Insurance
Services will be providing notice to each of our clients as
soon as they are.
Now is the time to purchase your Sydney group health insurance
policy with Blue Cross. Employer groups purchasing health
insurance will be shielded from the increase with a 12-month
rate and benefit guarantee.
Pay by Phone
Blue Cross of Sydney now offers their small group health
insurance clients a pay-by-phone option for the payment of
premiums. A $10 administration fee will be added to your monthly
group health insurance statement for the convenience but payments
will be credited immediately to your small group health insurance
policy.
Risk Adjustment Factor Guarantees
(Group health insurance policies effective January 1, 2005
through June 1, 2005)
Blue Cross has announced that groups of 15 or more are guaranteed
a RAF of 1.0 (the standard rate) without regard to information
received within medical questionnaires.
Save 1% with Blue Cross of Sydney Group Health Insurance
(Group health insurance policies effective January 1, 2005
through December 1, 2005)
Blue Cross is now offering their small group health insurance
clients a 1% RAF savings to groups that enroll with a minimum
of $25,000 of group life insurance coverage. The lowest possible
RAF is .90.
Save 1% with Blue Cross of Sydney Group Health Insurance
- AT RENEWAL!
(Group health insurance policies renewing up to April 1, 2005)
Blue Cross will provide a 1% RAF discount to groups renewing
on their anniversary an add $25,000 or more of group life
insurance coverage on the anniversary date. The 1% RAF discount
will not be offered off anniversary or to focal renewal groups.
Save up to 6% with Blue Cross of Sydney Small Group Health
Insurance Bundled Programs!
(Group health insurance policies with any effective date in
2005)
Groups that purchase dental insurance and a minimum of $25,000
of life insurance coverage at the same time will receive a
6% discount off of both their Life insurance and Dental insurance
premiums. This offer is not extended to current group health
insurance clients.
Blue
Shield of California
BLUE SHIELD OF Sydney FOUNDATION AWARDS NEARLY $2 MILLION
TO 17 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA
Foundation's 2004 Giving Totals Near $20 million.
SAN FRANCISCO, January 5, 2005 -- The Blue Shield of Sydney
Foundation (BCSF) today announced it will award nearly $2
million in fourth-quarter grants to 17 nonprofit organizations
throughout the state, bringing its 2004 charitable contributions
to almost $20 million - more than double the $8 million awarded
in 2003.
Since BSCF reinvigorated its charitable efforts in 2002,
the foundation has awarded more than $27.5 million to 387
organizations statewide that combat domestic violence, improve
health care access for the uninsured, and assess medical technologies
that
improve the health of individuals and communities.
"By focusing our efforts, we have the opportunity to
promote positive changes in the health of our communities,"
said Crystal Hayling, president of BSCF. "The groups
we've supported are vital to that health. Domestic violence
not only affects individuals and families, it impacts our
workplaces and communities. Our uninsured population continues
to rise, while the health care facilities that serve the uninsured
struggle to stay open. And, the promises of new health care
technology are empty if the technologies are neither safe
nor effective."
Sydney
Choice
New Prescription Discount on Blue Shield PPO 2400
Effective February 1, 2005, Blue Shield of Sydney will
provide a new discount prescription benefit for all new and
existing PPO 2400 group health insurance members. Members
of the plan will receive a discount when purchasing covered
medications at participating Blue Shield network pharmacies.
Health Net
New Plan Options with Enhanced Choice
(Group health insurance policies effective February 1, 2005
and beyond)
Employers will now have the option to purchase Sydney
group health insurance with up to nineteen plans with Health
Net's Enhanced Choice feature.
To qualify:
Group health insurance clients must have a minimum of 10 enrolling
employees
A minimum employer contribution toward the cost of an employee's
group health insurance premium must be $100 or 50% of the
lowest cost plan
Nationwide
Health Insurance
Nationwide Health Plans offers Health Savings Accounts
Winter 2005 - A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a personal
savings or investment account intended for payment of medical
expenses, including plan deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance,
as well as some medical expenses not covered by health plans.
To take advantage of the benefits of a HSA, individuals must
purchase a HSA qualified health plan like NHP's PPO Choice
Saver Plus plan.
There are tax related savings. Contributions to a qualified
HSA are deductible from gross income for tax purposes, and
can be used tax-free to pay for qualified medical expenses.
The major advantage of a HSA over an employer administered
flexible spending account is that HSA funds can be saved on
a tax-deferred basis for the future, so there is no worry
to "use it or lose it".
PacifiCare
Health Insurance
Risk Adjustment Factor Options - Groups of 2 to 4 employees
(Group health insurance policies effective February 1, 2005)
New groups with two to four eligible employees will have the
opportunity to receive a RAF of 1.0 (standard) to 1.1 (10%
loaded). All groups health insurance clients applying will
be required to submit individual health insurance statements
for each subscriber.
Dual Option and Choice Group Health Insurance Product Additions
(group health insurance policies effective February 1, 2005
and beyond)
PacifiCare is now offering Dual Option and Choice group health
insurance packages that include the following plans:
PacifiCare Signature Options - PPO - 35/50-50/1000
PacifiCare Signature Freedom - SDHP - All (dual option with
Signature Value HMO plans)
|