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Medicare Part D Notice Requirements

Quick Facts Employers that sponsor group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage to Medicare-eligible individuals must disclose the creditable or non-creditable status of the drug coverage for the upcoming calendar year. The notices must be provided each year before October 15, which is the start date of the annual Medicare open enrollment period. Model creditable or non-creditable coverage notices are available from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Overview The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) requires employers that offer prescription drug coverage to notify Medicare-eligible individuals as to whether …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/medicare-part-d-notice-requirements/

Properly Handling Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) Rebates

Quick Facts The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health insurers to spend a minimum percentage of premiums on medical care, called the medical loss ratio (MLR). The minimum federal MLR standards are 80% for small group policies or 85% in the large group market. Insurers, including HMOs, must rebate (refund) any excess premiums to the policyholder by September 30 of the following year. Employers that receive MLR rebates must handle the funds in accordance with applicable plan terms and federal guidance. Background The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health insurers and HMOs to spend at least a certain percentage of …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/properly-handling-medical-loss-ratio-mlr-rebates/

Communication Basics in a Not-So-Basic World

… excellent tools to help support your message as long as they are relevant and provide an important visual reference for your audience. Callout boxes are another effective way to visually draw attention to key points or information. Remember – plan ahead and start with the end in mind; identify what your audience needs to know, key points they need to remember, and why they should care. These things will help you prepare, design and deliver your message concisely and effectively. The EPIC Communications & Engagement team works closely with our clients to help make meaningful, engaging employee communications. Check out our recent

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/communication-basics-in-a-not-so-basic-world/

Covering Coronavirus: Risk Considerations Volume 1, Issue 21

EPIC Risk Advisory Bulletin Volume 1, Issue 21 In this issue, we take a focused look at: Supply Chain and Business Risks FMCSA Extends Emergency Declaration Insurance Products and Coverage Information Business Interruption Update PPP Loans: What’s Next? News of Note Human Resources and Employee Benefits Contact Tracing: Considerations for Employers Remote Workplace Investigations Temporary Cal/OSHA Change: CA Mask Shortage Benefit Program Renewals: Looking Ahead Workers’ Compensation Webinar Presumptive Compensability Legislation Update Insights from Across the Firm The information presented here is intended to provide a high level overview of critical areas of concern for businesses around coronavirus …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/covering-coronavirus-risk-considerations-volume-1-issue-21/

Brace Yourself for More from the Opioid Addiction Crisis

Just as the first cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) made their way into New York City in March, I wrote about efforts made by dental insurers and medical carriers to address the opioid epidemic in our country. The COVID-19 pandemic started tearing its way through the world soon after. Flash forward to summer, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported nearly 71,000 American drug overdose deaths in 2019 according to preliminary data – a new record that predates the COVID-19 crisis and was primarily driven by fentanyl, other synthetic opioids, cocaine and methamphetamine. For more …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/brace-yourself-for-more-from-the-opioid-addiction-crisis/

Don’t Let COVID-19 Stop Your Preventive Dental Care

COVID-19 has significantly impacted dental care in America. A 2018 study by Guardian shows that even before this pandemic, one in four Americans with employer-provided dental insurance hadn’t had a dental cleaning in the prior 12 months and almost 50 million had not visited a dentist in the prior 24 months. During the current crisis, dental care has screeched to a halt. In the best of times, a dental visit is avoided by many. In the worst of times, Americans don’t seem to feel it’s worth the risk of exposure to the virus. Viewpoints from …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/dont-let-covid-19-stop-your-preventive-dental-care/

EPIC Adds Nancy Webster

Addition further strengthens EPIC’s Employee Benefits Operation in the Southwest Region EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today that Nancy Webster has joined the firm as Senior Principal. Webster will report to KJ Wagner, President of the Southwest Region. In her new position, Webster is responsible for new business development, and the design, placement, and management of employee benefits insurance programs and solutions for mid-market and large clients. Webster joins EPIC from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., where she spent 18 years of her career and became Area …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/epic-adds-nancy-webster/

Looking Back at the Year and Forward to Family Benefits

… COVID-19 and are rising to the occasion to improve racial equality. Shifting daily operational policies, implementing paid leave benefits, all while having difficult conversations about racism, has not been easy. Still, I truly believe the hard work will yield great results for years to come. As we move into employee benefits open enrollment season and decisions are being made for the year ahead, human resources leaders should do an audit and proactively make enhancements to their family benefits packages. Here are three questions to consider: Does your program address racial disparities in maternity support? A tough but important question …

https://www.epicbrokers.com/insights/looking-back-at-the-year-and-forward-to-family-benefits/