click to edit master title style positive trends shaping the future of employer health plans january...
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Click to edit Master title stylePositive Trends Shaping the Future
of Employer Health Plans
January 2012© 2012 All Rights Reserved
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Click to edit Master title styleEvolving Priorities
Key Trends Affecting Benefits in 2012 and Beyond
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Leadership/Executive Level Priorities
• “That is so 2010, so 2011!” – Managing risk– Investments– Talent
• Focus shift continuing in 2012 – Talent Management– Leaders continue to change their Talent Management strategy
• What can, and what should, be done
– Emerging concern is growth – Attracting staff with the right skills
• More work with governmental and educational systems to recruit• Recruiting & integrating young employees
– Retention• Increased use of non-financial rewards • Development opportunities for workers to reach full potential
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HR/Thought Leader Priorities
• #1 Challenge: Showing employees they are valued while dealing with health care reform
• 36% shifted more health plan costs to employees– 22% continue to shift – 18% are redesigning– On-going with Health Reform
• 25% of HR professionals still have a reduced HR staff• Top Concerns
– Managing benefit costs– Increasing employee engagement– Retaining quality employees
• 80% agree – A “caring employer” is important to attract and retain workers – Financially secure employees are more productive
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Indicators of Growth & Reactions
• Jobs outlook– Conclusions from latest January reports and
identifiable trends
• Private Sector Shifts– 90% of CEOs expect sales to improve
• Most optimistic since 2002
– Mergers & Acquisitions on upswing
• Mood shift
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Employee Attraction & Retention
• High Percentages of Employees Want Different Jobs– Why a New Employer is Viewed as Desirable
• Shifts in Particular Segments• Employers Should Develop Retention Strategies• Role of Demographics
– Younger – Seasoned
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Click to edit Master title styleConnecting with the New Workforce
Will Technology Make Social and Work Lives Collide?
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Generational Communications
Baby Boomers
Generation XGeneration Y
Tail-EndersPaper
Web-based
Text
Communication
Strategy
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Making the Connection
• Who is the Target?• Generational Breakouts
– Very young– Millennials– Gen X– Tail End Boomers– Aging Boomers
• How to Connect with Millennials– What stereotypes can we assume about the Millennials?
• Connecting with Technology Natives vs. Non-Natives
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Click to edit Master title styleBenefits Communication Focus
How are Plan Sponsors Communicating More Effectively?
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“Health Care Literacy”
• Concept Defined• 50% of U.S. population has limited health care literacy
– Consider how to engage your audience • Experts say to focus on “Why?” or “How?” Messages
– Very, very ill people need the most assistance• Illness impairs our normal rational thought processes
– Cost to system • $106 billion to $238 billion annually
– Examples• Unnecessary care, misunderstood Rx, etc.
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“Health Care Literacy” Study
• Study recommends– Standardization of terms and explanations– Active voice– Short sentences – Clear Language Certification Process
• Not dumbing down
– Use of focus groups • Employee communication testing & feedback• What if use not realistic?
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Health Care Literacy & Best Practices Approach
• Government Study Recommendations– Different approaches
• Younger – Sound bites– Assumptions?
• Writing level / comprehension level – Most plan materials– Necessary writing levels
– What percentage of adults can navigate the current health care environment? Why?
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Recommendations to Improve Health Care Literacy
• Focus on simple and attractive items
• Multilevel communications needed– Rule of 7
• Integrate technology
• Conversational pieces are most successful– YouTube example
• Pictures, graphs, flow charts (appeals process?), tables (changes in status?), video/audio, FAQs
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Click to edit Master title styleValue & Quality:
Improving Health Care and Outcomes
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• Government is developing reporting requirements for use by group health plans
• Reporting initiatives are designed to:– improve health outcomes – implement activities to prevent hospital discharge
readmissions– implement activities to improve patient safety and
reduce medical errors– implement and design wellness programsQuery: How will reporting achieve these goals?
Health & Wellness
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Health Reform: Reporting on Care Management
• Requires employers to report on plan benefits and provisions that improve health outcomes
• Federal Agencies expect reporting on:– Quality
– Effective case management
– Care coordination
– Chronic disease management
– Care compliance initiatives.
• Carrier or TPA can and will likely assist• Expected realities?
Drawing on Experience: How to achieve measurable results in the real world
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Plan Reporting on Care Management
Federal initiatives already impact health care delivery for everyone
• Accountable Care Organizations = managed care / narrow networks
• Changes by the agencies include monitoring home care settings in preference to a hospital, hospice or similar setting for Medicare
– Congress and federal agencies emphasize “reform” is not rationing
– Instead, they say the focus is on “considering alternatives” as consistent with realization what we are doing is not working
• Are other approaches cost effective?
• Do these approaches reduce hospital readmissions?
• Overall, do these approaches demonstrate better outcomes?
• Magnifies Federal concerns
– Danger of infection
– Medical errors
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Click to edit Master title styleAlternate Health Plan Funding(Beyond Fully-Insured)
Emerging Captive Designs, The Case for Self-Funding, and Long-Term Planning
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Interest in Use of Captives for Benefits
• Captive concept– Leverage of an existing captive leverage
• Note on taxes
– Group captives
• Compare to Other Funding Alternatives – Associations– MEWAs– Self-funding– Co-ops
• Brief review of federal concerns regarding captives & overcoming them
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Interest in Use of Captives for Benefits
• Emerging use of captives– Which Employee Benefits?
• Medical -- volatile but possible• Low incidence, low cost• Manage-able benefits
– Emerging concept: Group medical captive with Board “to implement” best practices & wellness
• Positioning for transition
– Proposals & Pricing– “Stickiness”
• Contractual obligation• Financial buy-in
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Self-Funding: The Basics
• Risk– Possibility of loss– Economic in nature or an unfavorable deviation from
expectations– Insurable risk involves only pure risk
• Methods of Handling Risk– Avoidance– Loss Prevention and Control– Retention– Transfer
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Comparing Self-funded Plans to Fully-Insured Plans
• What’s in a Premium?– Projected claims experience– Claims history– Trending– Age/Sex factor of group– Pooling level– Plan design– Administration and reserves
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The Role of Claim Experience
• Fully Insured: Carrier “Owns” Your Experience
• Self Funded: You “Own” The Experience• Claims Experience Identifies:
– Plan Status– Utilization Patterns– Trend Impact
• A Self-funded Plan is Managed by Understanding and Using the Claims Experience– Do not use self-funding if you are not willing or
able to take on the increased involvement in plan design and on-going management
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Plan Liabilities
Expenses
ReservesClaims
Regardless of the funding method, these liabilities always exist.
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PROS and CONS of Fully-Insured Plans
PROS
Fully-funded and guaranteed benefits Monthly costs stable No separate account for reserves
Less financial risk Insurer takes financial risk
Plan design flexibility Future year guarantees are possible
Fiduciary Responsibility Insurer has fiduciary responsibility
Terminating program No additional cost. Incurred claims are
covered
CONS
Acknowledged claim experience Worse than average claim experience may
cause unexpected higher costs Year 2+
Limited cash flow opportunity If claims are less than premiums, insurer
profits from excess funds Insurer overhead could be higher for
insured than self-funded
State mandates increase costs
State premium taxes
New federal carrier taxes on insured
groups (not self-funded)
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PROS and CONS of Self Funding
PROS
Cash flow advantages Pay as you go approach Utilizing the float on claim payments
Cost savings No state/federal premium tax or state
mandates (new Exchange rules may alter this)
Interest on reserves Lower administration fixed costs One time “savings” of approx. 25%
Plan control & design flexibility Easier monitoring of claims costs Claims data provided
Stability of self-funding Employers rarely return Claims are claims: why pay more?
Fiduciary Responsibility Fiduciary options available Employer need not assume full
liability
CONS
Owning claims experience Worse than average claim years or
experience & unexpected costs
Budgeting the program
Increased employer involvement
Terminating program Return to fully-insured is “ugly”
Fiduciary Responsibility: Employer has fiduciary responsibility Stop Loss insurance market Contract limits on Stop Loss Aggregate Stop Loss attachment
corridor of 25% usually produces
higher employer maximum liability
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Self-Funding Components• Claims Payment Ability
– Coordination of Benefits– Adherence to Plan Documents– Financial Accuracy– Coding Accuracy– Payment Accuracy– Timeliness of Payment– Electronic Submissions
• Administrative Abilities/Cost– Capitated or based on percentage of claims– What is included in basic fee– What networks are available– What is the access fee for networks– Actuarial & Underwriting included– Legal assistance and support– Printing
• Reporting Capabilities– What is included in reports– Any electronic capabilities– Payment details- to what level– Frequency of reports– Ad hoc availability/cost– Privacy– Comparison statistics
• Two Types of Stop Loss Protection
– Specific protects employer with sick employee
– Aggregate protects employer with sick group
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Specific Stop Loss
$50,000
$75,000
$60,000
$70,000
$25,000
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
Claimant A Claimant B Claimant C Claimant D Claimant E
Specific Deductible
Claimants C and E exceeded the specific deductible of $60,000
The insurer will reimburse claims above $60,000 (total of $25,000)
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Aggregate Stop Loss
Attachment Point
Cumulative claims exceed the $600,000 aggregate attachment point; the insurer pays for claims that exceeded $600,000
$100$150
$200$250
$300$350
$400$450
$550
$650
$750
$50
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
$1,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
(In T
ho
usa
nd
s)
Monthly Cumulative Claims
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Bundled vs. Unbundled
• Bundled = One Stop Shopping for all components. – Aetna, BCBS, CIGNA, Humana, United Healthcare– Seamlessness
• Unbundled = All plan components handled separately
Claim Adjudication: Third Party Administrator (TPA)
Stop Loss Insurance: Through Stand-Alone Stop Loss Carrier
Pharmacy Benefits: Through Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBMs)
Network Services: Through Stand-Alone Network Provider
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Bundled vs. Unbundled
Advantages• All services handled by one carrier• Typically are national carriers with
national networks• Network discounts are usually the
greatest with national carriers
Disadvantages• Plan Administration fees are
generally a lot higher than a TPA• Not as flexible as many TPAs in
custom plan designing• Tend to have a lower level of service
when compared to TPA
Bundled
Unbundled
Advantages• Lower administration fees • Greater flexibility (custom network &
plan design)• More hands-on service approach• Access to more stop loss carriers• “Better” for high-touch populations
Disadvantages• More carriers/vendors to track &
manage• Risk not tightly managed• Network discounts are generally not
as high as bundled carriers
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Total Plan Cost Projection
• Year One: Self-funded cost very attractive:– 2-3 months of little to no claim activity– No additional state taxes on premium– Possible administrative savings– Caution: Fund first year cost assuming full 12
months of claim activity to establish IBNR reserves and lessen that second year “maturity” increase
• Over a ten year period, a plan could expect to see:– 2-3 worse than expected years– 1-2 better-than-expected years– 5-7 as-expected years
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Click to edit Master title styleWellness
Helping Employees Improve Their Lives
(While Helping You, Too!)
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Wellness FocusStress-Related Concerns
• Stress decreases benefit satisfaction• Results
– Missed deadlines– Missing whole project assignments– Poor work quality– Reduced patience
• Burnout is a blow to the spirit• Solution?
– Employers are considering stress management with all aspects of work environment and benefits
– Pushing vendors to deliver promised resources– Pushing employees toward the resources
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Evolution of a Wellness Focus
• First Generation – 1980 – 1995ish
“A claim is a claim is a claim” so soft-sell
• Second Generation – 1995 to 2004ishUsing data to identify/price expected number of heart attacks
• Third/Current Generation – 2004 to current
Using data to predict who is most likely to have a heart attack and intervene to:
– Improve health
– Reduce expense
– Manage in the long term
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3737Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2006 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System
Behavior & Lifestyle: Weight Gain ’86-’06
No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%
And theConsequences:
Hypertension
Type 2 Diabetes
Osteoarthritis
Stroke
Coronary Heart
Gallbladder
Sleep Apnea
Respiratory Issues
Some Cancers
Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults (BMI>30%)
1985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006
Healthcare Cost Drivers and Their Impact
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• In 2014, new opportunities for employers to leverage wellness and prevention programs– PPACA enhances current rules regarding wellness
programs• Increase in applicable to wellness incentives from 20% to 30% of
total premium
• Compliant program: measurement, intervention, measurement
• Can extend to family with same process
– Government may increase the incentive up to 50% of the cost of coverage if the increase is determined to be “appropriate”
What does this mean for employer costs?
Wellness as a “Loophole” for PPACA
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Current (Pre-2014) Considerations
• Consumer involvement directly impacts the bottom line
• Transparency tools – Improve consumer connectivity with cost of care – Impact of their behavior and decision outcomes
• Incentive-based Plans increasing in popularity– Just 20% shift now
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• Consumer expectations - Complete coverage for routine care
• E.R. instead of the family practitioner
• 100% Hospitalization
• $20 Copay
• $5/$10 Rx Programs
Plans Insulated Consumers From Actual Cost
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Why ‘Targeted’ Wellness?
GOAL 1: Keep people healthy
GOAL 2: Help these people understand and prevent risks
GOAL 3: Support or Provide Interventions
Healthy/Low Risk At-Risk
HighRisk
Early
Symptoms
Active
Disease
COSTS
A ‘Healthy Plan’ has assessment, efforts to change, re-assessment, penalty or reward
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One Approach: Link Incentives to Plan Design
• Three Level HRA/HSA Funding
• Assume a Deductible of $2,500 – (flexible)
• Target reimbursement of $1,500
Level 1 – $500
Traditional employer funding
‘No strings attached’ to the first $500 of employer money
Level 2 - $500
Wellness Commitment
The next $500 is based on employee participation in Wellness initiatives/activities
•$100 HRA (health risk assessment)
•$100 Work ‘walk club’
•$100 for biometric screening
•$100 bmi<25%
•$100 chol. <225
Level 3 - $250 - $500
401k Wrap(works best with HSA)
Employer matches up to $250 of employee committed $$ to personal wellness initiatives (health club membership) or straight funding
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Health Reform & Wellness:Be Aware of Some Reactions
• Be aware of plan contribution approach of some other employers – Affects spouses who work for other employers; affects
families
• Consider Estimates of Workforce Participation– 65% Rule of Thumb:
• If not subsidized so a person’s cost is about 35%, many individuals do not elect health plan coverage
– Some employers will not be satisfied with federal standard of employee share at 9.5% of compensation
• Wellness gets turned on its head to shift costs– Better to focus on positives!
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Absenteeism & Presenteeism
• 75% of CFOs believe absenteeism & presenteeism create the same level of concern as group health plan costs
• Delicate balance– Flexibility versus consistent absence management– Philosophy & effect on outsourcing– Driving vendors to excellence
• Increasing integration and management of time off is trend (and the pitch)– 6-10% ROI sought– 11%+ ROI promised– Savings through consistency, pure costs, time saved,
tracking/reporting better– 50-75% of employers want better employee experience
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Ties with Wellness: Increased Interest in Integrated LOA Benefits
• Disability with Integrated STD /LTD / FMLA / Workers Comp
• Now often paired with “Leave Outsourcing Services”• Management of all federal, state, and voluntary time off
obligations– FMLA leave– LTD / STD (including self-funded)– Sick time– EAP– Workers’ Comp – State leave– State disability benefits– Military leave– Sabbaticals– Jury duty– Vacation– PTO
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How LOA Outsourcing Works
• One-stop phone number – Toll-free
• Outside management of all requests, paperwork, deadlines, approvals, return to work
• Consolidated reporting / valuation• Additional “Hidden Value” that attorneys like
– Even-handed application of rules– No knowledge by vendor of “trouble employee”– Insulates employer somewhat from leave-related
information
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Click to edit Master title styleStrategic Planning for Reform
Making the Right Decisions at the Right Time
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2014 & Big Changes to Group Health Plans
What is the Strategy for Complying? For Avoiding? For Leveraging?
• Employer Mandate, Essential Plan, Costs, Penalties• Affordability• 90-Day Max. Waiting Period• Automatic Enrollment • Benefit Mandates • No Pre-Ex Exclusion• State and Federal Exchanges• Wellness Safe Harbor • Cadillac Tax (2018)
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Status of Federal Health Reform & Moving Forward
Congress & Possible Repeal?• Senate has little appetite to repeal• Realities of repeal process
Supreme Court & Possible Overturn?• Lawsuits proceeding on individual mandate
– Supreme Court will decide by next summer• Employer regulation is a separate issue
Essential Plan Guidance Limited to Small Employers (under 100)
Timing and Rollout Proceed – 2012 and Beyond to 2014*
* See detailed guidance, timelines, and webinars at www.hubhealthreform.com
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The 3 – 5 Year Strategic Benefits Plan
Awareness Engagement AccountabilityE
duca
tion
Val
ue-b
ased
Out
com
es-b
ased
Participation
Dat
a C
olle
ctio
n
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Knowing What is New (or “What’s in a Name”)
Anything New Under the Sun?• Reform & Cost Containment… in Theory • Accountable Care Organizations
• The truly federal solution• Health systems’ reactions
• Exchanges• January 1
• Catastrophic Options • Ah, to be young again
• Multistate Plans• Reform Promise: “Buy Insurance Across State Lines”• Consider the Reality
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Price the Financial Impact & Formulate Long-Term Approaches
• Determination of pricing & cost sharing across benefits, plan options, and tiers– Family contributions by employers will be curtailed or eliminated
• Model budget impact of participant & employer contributions– Recruiting costs– Using independent contractors / outside service providers
• Begin selection of plan options – 60% to 90%? Base with buy-up options, base + true
supplement, base + indemnity?– Network re-design and disruption / impact on providers?– Bells & whistles -- bundled or unbundled
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Develop an Understanding of Insurance Exchanges & Impact on Your Plan
• Private insurance exchanges – Administrative tool -- so-called “defined contribution” and choice
• State and Federal Exchanges– Fragmentation in market– Anticipated products & pricing– Advantages of a single federal exchange– Communication, on-line enrollment, and enforcement tool – limited…
• Know or estimate impact on plan enrollment– Loss of young & healthy to catastrophic coverage
• Catastrophic available on each exchange
– Loss of frugal to government option (yes, there is a federal plan)• Consider change to your plan year away from January 1
– Annual enrollment date for exchanges
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Health Plan Design and Overall Compensation & Benefit Design Considerations
• Evaluating Full-Flex concept (iFlex?)– Possible solution for overall design management– Distraction via choice– Employer cost re-allocation
• Role of voluntary benefits– More robust than ever– Replacing employer-sponsored ancillary coverages– Important -- differentiation as employer-of-choice
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Price the Financial Impact & Formulate Long-Term Approaches
• Affordability– $3,000 annual penalty per affected person
• Will each person who waives your coverage then decide to sign onto the exchange to enroll in some other coverage? Will any? How many?
– Setting affordability is a key issue for backing into an employer budget
• Keep default plan at bronze
– Setting affordability with payroll-tax-like approach– Offering unaffordable plan – not popular
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Health Plan Design and Overall Compensation & Benefit Design Considerations
• Regardless of Size…Reviewing Emerging Product / Plan Choices• Evaluate self-funding & other funding options (for example,
group captives & baby steps)• Monitor “Exchange” product choices• Know which carriers are exiting• Prepare for managed care re-birth• Consider “Narrow Networks” • Change management: How will you prepare employees?
• Default Plan Selection – Contain Your Costs
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Additional Benefit Design Considerations
• Other benefit replacements• Supplements• “Non-insurance” programs tie to medical
care received• Buy-ups to silver, gold, and/or platinum
levels• Concierge medical access• LTC, other
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Financially Prudent Strategic Planning• Evaluating current health plans (and those of
competitors & clients)• Cadillac Tax (2018)
– Avoidance
• Project costs to 2018 • Redesign plan if necessary to avoid
– 40% excise tax applies to increment of the health plan’s cost over:
» $10,200 Single» $27,500 Family
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Deal with the Details• No Pre-Ex Exclusion
– Impact on employee retention• Wellness Safe Harbor
– Will you use an incentive? – Will you use 30%? – Possibly 50%?
• Waiting period– Trend to use 90-day max– COBRA or Exchange coverage for Executives
• Use careful planning for favorable tax treatment and to avoid discrimination allegations
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Sample 2014 Issues & Emerging Acceptable Compliance Strategies
Preparing for Administrative Issues• Coordination of delegated obligations with vendor
selection– Push responsibilities to vendors
• Comply with new employee disclosures… and continue communication strategy
• MLR rebates – maximize rebate; minimize administration• Enrollment form revisions• Administration Outsourcing & Vendor Selection
– Time tracking and payroll support are crucial for HR– Wellness, disease management crucial for reporting to agencies,
cost containment, and ROI• Employee rewards & preventive incentives• How will you select a vendor, design the wellness program, track
results, tie wellness to participant costs, measure ROI…?
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Click to edit Master title styleRisk Avoidance with a Positive Benefits Environment
Defense Wins Games
(And Gets the Crowd Fired Up!)
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Know their Motivation: Keep Courts & Agencies From Getting Involved
• Operate a plan that is consistent with the federal agencies’ visions of plan operation
• The agencies must respond to every seemingly legitimate participant complaint & may assist in lawsuits– Individuals don’t understand how plans may operate, and more
than ever are told to look to federal agencies for help
• The federal agencies are charged by law to conduct enforcement on a regular basis– The audit departments must validate enforcement efforts,
compiling and distributing reports within federal government
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Hallmarks of Compliance
• Focus: Excellence vs. How You Might Get Caught• Know Confluence of Two or More Rules / Federal or
State Laws– FMLA, HIPAA & Workers’ Compensation– Change in Status and Medical Eligibility Rules
• By law or by plan document or a combination• Know Your Obligations• Control over Plan Administration• Have Sufficient Required Written Materials • Meet Your Deadlines
– COBRA, for Example• Keep Required Documentation• Keep in Compliance When “Conducting Business”
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Look Your Best… Every Day• Start with document compilation and reviews
– Focus on same list of documents as agencies or court might– Focus on possible abusive practices (earlier slides)
• Focus on administration and actual practices– Make sure your administrative processes (and those of service
providers) are in order• Hold internal compliance discussions, focusing on any
failures to follow plan documentation, systematic failures (such as missing of deadlines), or other compliance gaps may exist
– “Shoot the gaps”– Avoid paper trails showing red flags on gaps– Correct failures as found
• Document good faith compliance on questionable issues or for gray areas
– Eligibility challenges or determinations– Discrimination testing
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Additional Tips for Conflict Resolution
• Be responsive • Meet all deadlines• Seek legal counsel
advice• Designate a point person
as single contact • Provide progress updates
to counsel, especially on any emerging concerns
• Be respectful and cordial
• Get information but don’t cross line into pushiness
• Make sure you have all requested items and fill in any gaps as soon as possible
• Ask about any alleged violations, and mitigate/ discuss with counsel
• Communicate
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Avoiding Common Lawsuit Triggers
• Do Not Allow People Into Plan If Really Are Not Eligible– It is more difficult to remove people who were added outside of
the normal course of eligibility
• Do Not Continue People Who Are No Longer Eligible– Tightly administer eligibility under the plan document, as well as
FMLA and COBRA– If you feel sorry for someone, they are more likely to need the
coverage and hence more likely to sue if you “lead them on” to believe their eligibility has not ended
• Do Not Set Precedents Because of Who is Asking• Do Not Approve Claims Not Covered By Your Plan• Do Not Pay Outside of a Self-Funded SPD / Contract
– Unless issue of reasonable interpretation of written plan terms– Re$ult: No Reinsurance
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Be Diligent Build a Budgetable Roadmap through 2014 Drive immediate savings Keep compliant:
Health Care Reform All Federal and State compliance requirements Drives a positive workplace & reflects “good business”
Focus on Improving the Health Status of the population which will: Identify health risk before major negative health events Keep employees healthier and more productive Improve Absenteeism and Presenteeism ROI
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Click to edit Master title style
Thank You!
www.hubhealthreform.com