Americans have been inundated by the media’s take on the health care reform bill even before the bill passed back on March 21, 2010. Between the many amendments and all the opposing and supporting positions voiced daily in the media, who can blame the average citizen for being confused as to how it may or may not affect you, your family or your employees. This is why this information that has been put together by Banyan Administrators is so valuable.

As stated in our last post, there are many areas that still remain undefined due to the complexity of the bill. Since certain aspects of the legislation will be implemented several years from now, some details of the bill may not be provided for some time. These reports are provided to us as a guide to understanding future requirements. Please be assured that Banyan Administrators and the Group Insurance Trust will continue to report on the evolving impact of health care reform as clarity develops.  Please click on the link below to view the presentation. Also included is the link to the first presentation from last month in case you missed it.

Banyan Health Care Reform 2010 summary years 2013-2018

Banyan Health Care Reform 2010 summary years 2010 -2012

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The fact that the new employee was related had, in fact, no bearing on how the matter was handled. What was relevant, however, was the firm’s written policy, clearly spelled out in its benefit plan subscription agreement (an employer’s master application and agreement with the Group Insurance Trust or other carrier), that new employees had to complete a two-month waiting period before being eligible for benefits. Naturally, the firm’s owner was disappointed that his relative would have to wait the same as any other new hire. Nevertheless, he was also appreciative that Banyan had helped him keep his firm in compliance with both HIPAA and ERISA rules. The Department of Labor (DOL) is concerned about fair treatment of employees and issues of discrimination immediately arise if employees are not treated equally.

Because Banyan service center representatives had the information at their fingertips in their computer system, they were able to provide an explanation to the firm’s owner on the phone. Even if the owner had not contacted Banyan proactively, Banyan would have flagged the employee’s enrollment form when it came in because it did not meet the employer’s established policy. An important feature of Banyan’s computerized recordkeeping is to help member firms prevent unintended regulatory violations.

At the same time, the Trust provides flexibility by offering member firms a broad range of options in setting their own policies. A firm can choose to add new hires to their existing plans on the first of the month following the day of hire or up to six months after, provided they are consistent. Existing rules are subject to change as the Patient Protection and Health Care Affordability Act (health care reform) is implemented and the specifics of the law are ironed out. The Trust and Banyan will continue to monitor evolving regulations and keep you informed as health care reforms solidify.

Generally, employers may change their benefit waiting period and other employee eligibility policies during the annual open enrollment period. It makes sense to review these policies each year to ensure that they are consistent with your firm’s hiring practices. If you are not sure about your company’s benefits eligibility policy as stated in your ProtectPlus Subscription Agreement, or if you are not sure whether the subscription agreement is consistent with your employee handbooks or other new-hire materials, call the Banyan Service Center at (877) 480-7923 or email cpaprotectplus@banyan-llc.com. A Banyan member service representative will be happy to answer your questions.

Banyan Administrators, LLC, Managers of the CalCPA ProtectPlus program, have thoughtfully put together the following presentation, which is designed to help our members understand the bill’s most significant reforms. The presentation walks you through the first two years of the bill – 2010 through 2012. However, there are many areas that still remain undefined due to the complexity of the bill. Please be assured that Banyan Administrators and the Group Insurance Trust will continue to report on the evolving impact of health care reform as clarity develops.  Please click on the link below to view the presentation.

Banyan Health Care Reform 2010 summary years 2010 -2012

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Approximately 3 months before your 65th birthday you will receive a letter from Banyan Administrators, LLC outlining your options. ProtectPlus is not a Medicare supplement and in most cases we do not recommend maintaining your ProtectPlus coverage once you are eligible for Medicare. However, factors that may affect your decision include: the size of your firm, whether or not you have a younger spouse and/or dependent children and when you plan to retire. You may contact Banyan Administrators, LLC  at 877-480-7923 to discuss your options.

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Presentation Highlights:
•    Move Employees between health plans
•    Remove Life or Disability from all employees
•    Declare which health plans you will be offering (any combinations)

About this Change
Susan Young, executive director of the Group Insurance Trust commented,

In light of Seabury’s long service to the Trust, deciding to move our account wasn’t easy. However, in seeking the best possible service for our members, we wanted to take advantage of Banyan’s skills.

Starting November 1, 2009, Banyan will be responsible for the following:

• Customer service
• Billing
• Payment processing
• Record-keeping
• Marketing support
• Receiving and accounting for participant contributions
• Maintaining records of eligible participants
• Preparing financial reports for GIT staff and trustees
• Banyan will also process all enrollment and change applications
• Maintain an interface with Anthem Blue Cross
• Help new firms and new employees set up their accounts, and manage employee eligibility

For many ProtectPlus members, of course, the primary and often the only point of contact with the plan administrator is when they call or email with a question. Banyan brings to this customer service role a history of serving 220 organizations and group plans beginning in 1994, including other MEWAs (Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements) in its home state of Pennsylvania that have similar needs and concerns as the Group Insurance Trust. Scott Fair, executive vice president of Banyan, is very clear about “how important customer service interactions are in presenting the face of an organization.”

Banyan Customer Service Center
The Banyan customer service center is staffed by Banyan representatives—all  are licensed brokers—who are there to answer your questions whether by phone or email. Moving all these services to a higher level, Banyan brings with it a high degree of technological sophistication, so that relevant information will be more quickly and easily accessible. For a benefits  administrator this can mean resolving an eligibility issue online, and for Trust staff, the ability to monitor plan performance more closely.

More Advanced Technology
“Banyan has the ability to track data and follow member questions in a way  that ensures questions and concerns are resolved in a timely fashion,” says Judy Graziani, director of marketing. “Additionally, the Banyan customer service system can quickly identify a returning caller, access historical case notes, and provide prompt assistance whether for a new or existing service inquiry. No more need to provide annoying repetition of the details of an on-going issue.”

Judy Graziani notes,

Another great feature of the Banyan system is that it gathers data on issues that arise frequently. This information will allow the Trust to make more informed decisions regarding plan benefits and service issues.

Improved Services
Fair emphasizes a number of new and/or improved services that will be implemented over the coming months including “both online, multi-media presentations and mailings to help members understand their choices.” Stressing his firm’s technical capacities, he also mentions that they will  be creating more online capabilities.

For instance, Banyan will be introducing web services that allow a benefits manager to access and update the firm’s account, and firms will even have the ability to transfer some of these responsibilities to individual employees if it so desires. As an added benefit to human resource departments, Banyan has contracted with the Bureau of National Affairs to make available a host of online reference and legal materials to participating ProtectPlus firms at no extra charge.

Starting November 2
You can contact Banyan Administrators with any questions regarding eligibility, billing, or customer service issues. In addition, Banyan Administrators customer service representatives will be available to answer any questions;

Customer Service: (877) 480-7923
Fax (877) 237-4519, or
Email: cpaprotectplus@banyan-llc.com.

Mailing Address:
Banyan Administrators, LLC, Program Manager for the CalCPA ProtectPlus Programs
1215 Manor Drive, Suite 200,
Mechanicsburg , PA 17055.

This is a short presentation that covers the new invoices provided by CalCPA ProtectPlus, and how to understand them. Click the image below to view the presentation.

Presentation Highlights:

• Format
• New Invoice – December 15th
• Employee Monthly Premiums
• Benefit Totals & Payments
• Payment Stubs

Contact Info

Here is an introductory presentation to Banyan Administrators, the new administrators of CalCPA ProtectPlus, and some highlights of the improvements you can expect to see over the next couple of months as we make this transition. Click image below to view presentation.

Presentation Highlights:
Improvements

• Simplified enrollment process
• Improved program invoice design
• Enhanced communication capabilities – new web features
• Streamlined administration leveraging web-based technology

What’s Next

• Detailed Administrative Guide
• Annual Open Enrollment Communications

New Contact Info