CalCPA ProtectPlus

The Group Insurance Trust has always made a priority of providing CalCPA  members the first-class service that they deserve. This goal is expressed in the quality benefit plans offered by the Trust, the range of choices, and the customer service that supports the use of those plans on a daily basis. Aiming to enhance this experience even further, the Trust has recently contracted with Banyan Administrators, LLC, to handle the administrative services formerly provided by Seabury & Smith.

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. (continue reading…)

Having recently completed what looked like a paperwork endurance contest,  GIT staff and trustees were rewarded in  May when the Trust received a financial strength rating of B++ from insurance  company rating agency A.M. Best. In a press release announcing its positive evaluation, Best stated that the rating reflected the Trust’s “synergy with CalCPA, favorable level of capitalization and positive operating performance.”

The release went on to say that the Trust’s risk-adjusted capital position “remains favorable,” and is built upon “its historically positive operating results.” This gives a tremendous boost to all the GIT plans, affirming that they are as reliable as they are valuable.

Extended Rate Guarantee
On the heels of this good news, the Trust has announced that it will guarantee current 2009 premium rates for any newly enrolling firms through December 31, 2010. In terms of cost, there will never be a better time to switch to ProtectPlus than now. As CalCPA members you have available a variety of high quality health insurance plans that are already  competitively priced. By acting now, you and your employees can maintain current 2009 rates throughout 2010. Add to this the fact that ProtectPlus rate actions have averaged 7 percent over the past six years, which is significantly below average annual rate increases industry-wide,  and you should have all the incentives you need to enroll now. (continue reading…)

This is Part 2, of a three part article.  For Part 1, an introduction, see Employers, What You Need to Know About the Federal Stimulus Package: Part 1.

This article was written by Connie Chuang and Gage C. Dungy, attorneys with the labor and employment law firm of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore.

Qualified Individuals on COBRA/Cal-COBRA Can Now Receive a 65% Federal  Subsidy for Health Insurance Premiums for up to Nine Months.

Employees who were involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009, will be eligible for a 65% federal subsidy of their COBRA/Cal-COBRA health insurance premium payments.

For example, an employee who normally pays $1000/month in health insurance premiums under COBRA/Cal-COBRA, would only be required to pay $350/month (35%) because the other $650 (65%) would be covered by this federal subsidy.

The federal subsidy ends after one of the following circumstances occurs (whichever comes first):

• Nine months after the first receipt of the subsidy;
• The employee becomes eligible for coverage on another employer’s plan (or Medicare); or
• The maximum period of COBRA/Cal-COBRA coverage ends.

The subsidy plan became effective on the day the federal stimulus package was signed into law.  However, for individuals whose health insurance premium payments are paid on a monthly basis, the plan becomes effective on March 1, 2009.  Although the time period for qualification dates back to September 1, 2008, the federal subsidy does not apply retroactively before the effective date of the law. (continue reading…)

Understanding the Medicare system that serves as the primary health insurer for almost everyone in this country who is 65 or older is vital in planning your health insurance needs. If you are approaching that age, you should start familiarizing yourself with the system before you retire.

You need to know how various parts of Medicare work, how they relate to the supplemental insurance policies (Medigap) and how they interact with your workplace group insurance plan.

In addition, understanding the relationship between Medicare and your group health policy becomes more important and more complicated if your spouse is covered under your plan at work. HIPAA, COBRA and CalCOBRA provisions may determine the availability of his or her coverage. (continue reading…)