Improving Benefits Communications to Employees

Posted on February 6, 2012 by admin

Most employees do not know how much they themselves pay toward their own and their dependents’ health insurance premiums.

Below are some strategies for improving your benefits communications and making employees more satisfied with their benefits decisions:

  • Set goals
  • Define benefits within a broader context
  • Engage management
  • Make it relevant
  • Make it accessible

Your communications should cover:

  • Benefit overviews and updates
  • Legal updates
  • Comparison charts
  • Provider directories

Most importantly, don’t forget to get employee input. Ask them which communication methods and materials are most effective.

Contact Group Services for help in making your benefits communications more effective.

 

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Winning Strategies to Manage Benefits Seminar Presentation

Posted on February 3, 2012 by admin

Group Services would like to thank all the presenters and everyone who attended the “Winning Strategies to Manage Benefits” seminar.

The informative seminar introduced innovative ideas and people that can help you improve your business.

Presentations can be downloaded by visiting the Group Services web site.

Please contact us to learn more about our benefit administration services. We improve the profitability and success of organizations and people by applying the tools and expertise.

 

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Low-Cost Options Enhance Life Benefits

Posted on February 2, 2012 by admin

Adding options to your group life insurance program can be a cost-effective way to enhance your benefits package.

Here are some options available for enhancing your life insurance benefits:

Portability – Employees can retain coverage after retirement by paying premiums directly to the insurer.

Accelerated Benefits – Help ease the financial burden that often accompanies a serious illness, accelerated benefits allow terminally ill insureds with a life expectancy of six months or less to receive an advance payout of a percentage of their group life insurance face amount.

Waiver of a Premium – Also known as “continued protection,”waives premium payments for disabled employee after a specified waiting period.

Contact Group Services for more information on group life insurance programs.

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Tips for Small Employers Looking for Group Health Coverage

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin

Below are tips for small employers when selecting health care coverage:

  1. Don’t limit yourself to traditional plans.
  2. Be sure to reevaluate the coverage.
  3. Listen to employee opinions.
  4. Don’t assume one size fits all.
  5. Don’t do it alone!

Group Services offers a full range of health care and wellness plans for employers of all sizes.

Please contact us to learn more about our health insurance plans.

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Time to Revisit Pay Structures

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

As the economy starts to improve and more employees start to retire, these labor market chances will have a dramatic impact on compensation.

Organizations should consider the following give compensation-related initiatives:

  • Review your employee communications to ensure the organization’s goals and strategic plans are understood by the staff and that everyone is working towards the same overall objectives.
  • Conduct a comparative analysis to identify where your pay is in relationship to competitors talent. These are companies you could possibly lose staff to as well recruit from.
  • Evaluate internal mechanisms for setting performance expectations.
  • Communicate compensation arrangements and how they recognize and reward those that deserve it.

 

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Winning Strategies to Manage Benefits Seminar

Posted on January 10, 2012 by admin

Group Services hosts Winning Strategies to Manage Benefits seminar on Thursday, Feb. 2 at the Stoney Creek Inn, Moline, IL from 9:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Lunch included.seminar

Keynote presenters include:

  • Brian Meharry, CPI-HR
    Convergence of Payroll, Benefits and HR Administration
  • Judi Harrison, Orriant Wellness
    Effective Wellness Plans
  • A. R. “Tony” Wendler, Delphi-Florida
    Medical Advocate Program (MAP)

The seminar will cover the following topics:

  • Convergence of payroll, benefits and HR administration
  • Issues surrounding effective maintenance and use of employee data
  • How to implement effective wellness plans
  • Ways to lower health care costs through the Medical Advocate Program (MAP)

Register online for the Group Services Seminar today! Attendees will automatically be entered for a chance to WIN* an iPad2 in a drawing.
*Winner must be present to receive.

 

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Health Care Reform: What’s Happening in 2012

Posted on January 3, 2012 by admin

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health insurance exchanges, won’t go into effect until 2014. However, some portions of the law will begin taking effect this year.

A new health plan model. Starting January 1, accountable care organizations (ACOs) can enter into contracts with Medicare.  ACOs can furnish high-quality services will be rewarded based on standards that they help develop, based on solid medical evidence.

New plan disclosures. Starting on March 23, health insurers and group health plans must provide two documents designed to help plan members understand their benefits.

  • a standardized summary of benefits
  • coverage and uniform glossary of health insurance terms

A new fee. For policy or plan years ending after Sept. 30, 2012, issuers and employers sponsoring certain group health plans must pay a fee of $1 per member per year.

Read more information on the Patient Protection Act and how it might affect your benefit plans.

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The Impact of the U.S. Health Care Reforms on Young Adults

Posted on December 15, 2011 by admin

The U.S. health care reforms have enabled nearly 2.5 million young adults to join or remain on their parents’ health insurance plans.

September last year the health care reforms allowed young adults to stay on their parents’ private insurance plans through age 26.

Eventually the law broadly is aimed to provide medical insurance to more than 30 million uninsured Americans.

“Young adults were twice as likely to go without insurance… they were taking real risks,” says Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“Today, 2.5 million more young Americans are no longer living with that fear. Mothers and fathers can breathe a little easier.”

Read full article.

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What You Need to Know about Self-Funded Health Insurance Plans

Posted on December 12, 2011 by admin

Group Services offers a free guide to help companies understand the risks and advantages associated with self-funded health insurance plans.

Download a copy of the self-funded guide.

Featured highlights of the guide:

  • The difference between fully insured and self-funded health insurance plans
  • Which companies are the best fit for self-funded health insurance
  • How reinsurance (stop-loss insurance) works

Employee benefit administrators at Group Services understand the complexity of choosing the best health insurance plan that meets the needs of companies and its employees. With the guide, it will provide insightful information to determine when self-funded plans make the most sense.

Visit the Group Services web site to instantly download the complimentary self-funded health insurance guide.

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Implementing Wellness Programs in the Workplace

Posted on December 9, 2011 by admin

Wellness programs have received a lot of attention lately because healthcare costs continue to rise faster than inflation.

Wellness programs aim to improve employee health by encouraging or rewarding healthier behaviors.

Most wellness programs focus on physical fitness, but today that has broadened to include topics such as:

  • Nutrition
  • Mental health and chronic disease prevention
  • Workplace environment
  • Wellness programs can be simple and easy as an employee weight loss contest.
  • Regardless of the scope of your program, it needs to have concrete, achievable goals.

Learn more about wellness education and programs by contacting an employee benefits administrator at Group Services.

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