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Understanding & Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)

The workplace environment and employee benefits play no small part in an employee’s health and wellbeing. In fact, employers have the potential to play a significant role in offering their population resources and assistance to manage—and even improve—their mental, physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. EPIC Brokers recently conducted a research study of employers to delve into their experience beyond health insurance—to understand how wellness programs are being leveraged. Read on for key findings of the survey in our recently published 2023 Trends in Workplace Wellness report. Our Trends Report shows that most employers believe wellness in …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/social-determinants-health-wellbeing/

Way to Wellness Newsletter | November 2023

… conditions than the general population. Help point your staff in the right direction by simplifying the concept of healthy eating. Use the following tools to help your staff eat smarter! 2023 TRENDS IN WORKPLACE WELLNESS REPORT Download the 2023 Trends in Workplace Wellness Report Today Find Out More Copy the Employee-Facing Email Food Deserts & Healthy Food Access Download the Word file, then copy and paste the graphic and text into a fresh email to deploy to your workforce. Post the Monthly Wellness Tips Healthy Food Choices Share the monthly tips PDF to your intranet, HR portal, or post it …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/way-to-wellness-newsletter-november-2023/

World Mental Health Day: Feel Empowered About Your Mental Health… Every Day

Viewpoints from Erin Milliken and Kerry Connor Mental health and emotional wellbeing are two terms that are used interchangeably in our day-to-day lives. Though both are related, it is important to understand the differences and techniques to improve both. Mental health involves overall psychological wellbeing – which includes a person’s emotional wellbeing and is based on how a person feels, acts, and thinks through life’s challenges. Emotional wellbeing refers to an individual’s ability to handle and express emotions when facing challenges. For instance, when a person faces a mental health struggle like anxiety or stress (typically …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/world-mental-health-day-feel-empowered/

There Are Options When Your Healthcare Premium Blows Up

Viewpoints from Craig Hasday With record-breaking general inflation rates, the specter of significant medical insurance cost increases has been looming over employers and individuals alike. This comes in the wake of Kaiser Permanente’s high-teen renewal increases released recently. The good news is that it seems these increases may be significantly lower than initially expected. Nevertheless, many employers are still grappling with medical insurance cost increases that are dramatically higher than what they experienced during the years of COVID-driven cost suppression. It is crucial for employers that are facing unaffordable increases in their medical insurance costs to …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/healthcare-premium-options/

Compliance Matters Newsletter | October 2023

Let our team help you navigate the ever-changing benefits compliance landscape each month. Check out this month’s latest alerts, additional updates, and resources – hot off the press: Employee Benefits Compliance Alerts IRS Employer Health Plan Coverage Affordability Considerations Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) significantly decreased the affordability percentage from 9.12% in 2023 to 8.39% in 2024. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) employers must offer coverage to employees that is “affordable” or risk facing penalties. Employers have the option to use one of three IRS affordability safe harbors to provide more predictability when determining whether …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/compliance-matters-newsletter-october-2023/

Navigating HIPAA Compliance

While Plan Administrators handle various daily operations within their health and welfare benefit plans, certain essential operational features are outsourced to external service providers. These operational tasks often involve handling protected health information (PHI). Since 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has governed the standards for safeguarding and transmitting PHI between covered entities and business associates. When a Plan Administrator enlists a service provider to execute tasks for their benefit plan, that service provider assumes the role of a business associate. Under the same regulations as covered entities, business associates are required to protect PHI. The exchange …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/navigating-hipaa-compliance/

Way to Wellness Newsletter | October 2023

Conflict Resolution Conflict is a normal part of any healthy relationship. Whatever the cause of disagreements and disputes at home or work, there are methods that can help you constructively resolve tension and keep your relationships healthy and strong. To help your employees effectively resolve conflicts, share these resources: Copy the Employee-Facing Email Conflict Resolution Download the Word file, then copy and paste the graphic and text into a fresh email to deploy to your workforce. Post the Monthly Wellness Tips Conflict Resolution Share the monthly tips PDF to your intranet, HR portal, or post it in common office …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/way-to-wellness-newsletter-october-2023/

What Does Blue Shield of California’s New Unbundled Pharmacy Model Mean to Employers?

… quo. So, what does this news mean to employers? Employers seeking lower costs should proceed cautiously. This new model is a great opportunity to request stronger guaranteed discounts, rebates, and even trend guarantees. These types of guarantees are not generally available in traditional carve-in models, where medical and pharmacy benefits are bundled together. Pharmacy carve-out is likely necessary, and a market check is essential even if there is no intention to change PBMs. By negotiating for these guarantees, employers can ensure they are receiving the best possible pricing for their employees’ prescription medications. Additionally, employers should request the …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/blue-shield-unbundled-pharmacy-model-and-employers/