Small Business Insurance Articles
Small business insurance updates. Latest news and changes regarding California small business insurance and resources for small businesses
Small business insurance updates. Latest news and changes regarding California small business insurance and resources for small businesses
With Health Care Reform (Affordable Care Act) (ACA), business owners want to know: •What's going to change? •How much will it cost? and, •What can I do to save money. We've created a short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcQ5j8mu_Bk that addresses these questions. The video also describes what will not change, including: •No requirement for small businesses to offer benefits; •Benefits continue to be a tax deductible expense for the employer and non-taxable compensation to employees; •Benefits continue to be an excellent way to attract and retain good employees.
We've prepared easy-to-understand videos that explain the new health care reform law (Affordable Care Ace, ACA, Obama Care). Topics include how to complete the required notices (Exchange, SBC & Glossary); an overview of individual and family coverage including Covered California; and problems of the current system that the ACA solves.
Given the rates SHOP released and the new rules for rating individual and small group health insurance, I am led to the conclusion that some small groups (and individuals) will likely pay much more than they currently do - while some may pay less.
Much is in flux with the ACA and we should accept that many good questions do not have answers – yet. Michael Lujan, Director of Sales and Marketing for Covered California advised us to “get the facts.” We should be comfortable saying: “here is what we know now and here is what has not been determined. We don’t have the information to answer all of the questions… at this time. ”
California’s Health Benefit Exchange (HBEX) also known as “Covered California,” sent an email to agents on Friday, April 5, 2013 to announce that they had selected Pinnacle Claims Management, Inc. to run the California SHOP exchange for small businesses. This shocked many in the insurance community including carrier reps, [...]
California insurance companies are engaged in a price war for small business health insurance. I never thought that I would ever write that sentence. However, it's true. As I previously reported on this blog, Health Net started the war in January 2013 when they offered ANY group with 6 or [...]
I've just written a helpful guide for people who continue to work and must decide whether they should enroll in Medicare or stay on their employer's group medical plan. It turns out that the decision is a bit complicated and the answer depends on: •who's paying for the group plan (employer or employee); •whether the employee also has dependents enrolled on the group plan; and - oddly enough - •how much the employee earns... The article is sprinkled with a few funny things - so it's not as dry as you might imagine. If you're in this situation or if you know someone who is, you should read the article. Learn more by clicking on the link above.
Health Net of California is guaranteeing small group employers (2-50 employees) with the lowest rate possible. New groups that enroll 6 or more employees in a Health Net plan will receive the lowest possible "Risk Adjustment Factor" (RAF) of 0.90. Health Net's RAF Special expires April 15, 2013.
The Federal government has re-branded its health insurance "exchange" as the "Health Insurance Marketplace." A video on the government's web site suggests that shopping in the Health Insurance Marketplace will be as easy as buying food in a grocery store. The government makes some pretty bold claims
In 2014, when the new market rules take effect, a business owner may be able to choose between the small group and individual market to purchase coverage for employees... Same product in two separate markets offered at different prices. A small business owner’s arbitrage opportunity would be to purchase health insurance for employees in the market with the lowest price.