collingwest: (radius)

In March of 2020, when the CARES Act was passed, most people were focused on pay protections, primarily since they included sole proprietorships, a category that covers most so-called “gig workers.” A lot of its provisions also went into effect relatively quickly. But there was another provision in that act and the associated FFCRA that might have been missed, because it wasn’t about pay and it wasn’t effective until just this past Saturday.

Under that provision — which, at the time, I suspect many people, Congress included, may have hoped would not need to become an issue — health insurers are now required to cover over-the-counter COVID-19 tests without any sort of cost share. However, it’s not as easy as going down to the local pharmacy, showing your insurance card, and getting a test for free. There are some requirements that are involved.

Keep Reading... )

collingwest: (radius)

One of the lesser-known provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 is stricter disclosure requirements for group health plan broker commissions. On the surface, this seems like a great idea, especially in light of documents such as the oft-cited 2019 ProPublica/NPR report about broker compensation. What employer wouldn’t want to save more on healthcare costs by making sure that their broker isn’t making too much money off of them?

After reading the report, though, I’m left with more questions and concerns than I am with answers.

The report itself admits that its data is incomplete, stating that the investigating journalist only queried ten broker agencies, none of whom answered his questions. This makes almost no sense to me, considering that as of mid-2021, industry statistics showed 1.2 million insurance brokers in the United States — and even that figure omits the huge number of brokers who, like myself, work as independent contractors. Anyone with any level of statistical knowledge understands that this means the sample size was far too small.

That’s not the only problem with the ProPublica report. Keep Reading... )

Welcome

Jan. 4th, 2022 10:00 am
collingwest: (little sun)

Welcome to Radius!

I’ve worked in the field of employee benefits since 1999: first in human resources offices in both government and private industry; and then on the broker side focusing on small businesses. During that time, I’ve seen a clear need for better consumer education. That’s what this blog is all about: providing a resource for benefits information, using clear language that anyone — regardless of their level of expertise or experience — can read and understand.

Topics on the blog will include all aspects of employee benefits; while the focus will be primarily on health & welfare benefits, other topics such as total compensation and retirement benefits will occasionally be covered. Keep Reading... )

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