Tag: Employee Benefits

By Sonus Benefits,

6 Employee Benefits to Consider for 2022

Employee priorities have changed because of the pandemic, which has led employers to examine their employee benefits offerings for 2022. Key concerns brought up by employees include physical wellbeing, peace of mind, and financial health—huge issues challenging employers to consider benefits they might have ignored in the past.

Here are six employee benefits trends to consider for 2022.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

The balance of work and personal life is an essential consideration for employees in today’s workplace. SHRM states that US workers rank Paid Time Off (PTO) as the second most important benefit after healthcare. Also, according to Project: Time Off, employees who work for companies that encourage PTO are happier with their jobs. If PTO is something you want to consider for your employees, decide what works best for them and your organization.

Flexible work hours and location

When a whopping 40% of workers would consider quitting if their jobs offered no flexible hours or the opportunity to work from home at least a few days a week, it shows how vital remote work has become. Remote work benefits, such as time saved commuting, more personal time, better sleep, and better overall health can be attractive options to employees. Employers who want to attract and retain the best talent might offer flexible hours and remote work locations as an employee benefit.

Financial wellness

Financial stress skyrocketed during the pandemic, as 32% of people said the pandemic still affects their finances. Stressed employees are more distracted and less productive, making it a lose/lose situation for both employees and employers.

However, 80% of people who feel employers are committed to helping strengthen their financial resiliency are more likely to stay with their company. If, as an employer, you want to show your company is people-centered, a financial wellness benefit is something to think about.

Family planning

Currently, 10% of employers with 50 employees or less offer family planning and fertility benefits, and more than 30% of employers with 500 or more employees provide these benefits. Considering millennials are the largest generation in the US workforce today, and many are at the age where family planning plays an important role in their lives, offering family-focused benefits could be a smart move for employers. Employers who create strategic benefits plans that meet the current needs of their workforce will have an easier time attracting and retaining talent.

Student loan repayment

The number of people in the United who currently have an outstanding student loan debt is 44.7 million. A student loan repayment benefit aims to reduce the burden this debt has on employees and could attract millennial employees, as 28.9 million people in this age group are indebted borrowers.

Such a benefit would help with loyalty and retention, as 4 in 5 young people would commit to employers for 5 years if the employer helped pay their student loans. 

Mental health and wellbeing

During the pandemic, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression rose when the United States first went into lockdown. This is not an issue to ignore, both for the sake of employees’ mental health and an employer’s bottom line—depression, for instance, costs employers about $17 million to $44 million in lost productivity. With this in mind, think about expanding your employee health and wellness benefits to go beyond offering employee assistance programs (EAPs). An EAP is a type of employee benefits program that helps employees with personal and/or work-related problems that may impact their job performance and overall physical/mental wellbeing. For example, Joey Price, CEO of JumpstartHR, explained how companies are investing in mindfulness apps “to help employees balance the tension of work from home and life from home.”

Let your employees be the driver of your decisions

Now, more than ever, benefits that help with overall wellbeing and wellness are key trends to consider in 2022. But the best way to know what benefits your employees want? Ask them.

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

Is a Pharmacy Carve-out Right for Your Group Health Plan?

Pharmacy spend in the US is significant. Six in ten adults tell KFF.org they are currently taking at least one prescription drug and a quarter say they currently take four or more prescription medications.

PwC’s Behind the Numbers predicts a 6.5% medical cost trend in 2022, while drug cost trend reports show ongoing increases year over year and make up 20% of overall medical costs for employers.

Besides the cost burden on employers, employees can find that certain medications are not covered by their health plan. This increases pressure on employers to develop a sustainable strategy that provides cost-effective pharmacy benefits.

As a solution, many employers consider pharmacy carve-out plans as an option; however, carve-out plans are debated vigorously by health plan experts. By understanding what a pharmacy carve-out is and considering important factors, employers and brokers can work together to make the right decision.

What is a pharmacy carve-out?

A pharmacy carve-out is when an employer separates (carves out) their prescription drug benefits from their medical plan and contracts directly with a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). A pharmacy carve-out is commonly used under the self-insured model. In comparison, fully insured medical plans typically have the pharmacy benefit as a built-in feature (bundle).

Advantages

Pharmacy carve-outs can provide transparency, flexibility, control, and accessibility to employers in the form of:

  • Better control over pharmacy benefit costs.
  • Access to the costs and data to evaluate program performance.
  • Greater flexibility to customize solutions in plan design and clinical programs to help reduce costs.
  • Standardized language in the PBM contract to allow increased transparency into pharmacy benefits, allowing employers to better understand and control spending, negotiate better deals, and ensure the program performs as promised. The contract itself can allow:
    • Access to pharmacy claims data.
    • Audit rights, such as a claims audit, operational assessment, and rebate audit.
    • Annual review to ensure rates are competitive.
    • Service performance guarantees.
    • Credits to help cover administration expenses or costs incurred when switching to a new vendor.

Disadvantages

There are a lot of variables that affect whether a pharmacy carve-out is the right solution for your company. It’s critical to understand the disadvantages of carve-outs before making your next move:

  • Carved-out plans offer short-term savings, though the savings might not be beneficial to an employer over the long term.
    • A July 2021 study compared the costs of bundled and carve-out plans and found that bundled pharmacy benefits are associated with reduced medical expenditures over the long term, resulting in annual per-member, per-month savings compared with a carve-out.
    • Another study found that savings from a carve-out plan may seem beneficial on the surface, but medical costs are 7.5 times higher in the long run. Therefore, any savings promised by a carve-out should be weighed against potential increases in medical spending by employers.
    • Managed Healthcare Executive also reported carve-outs could deliver short-term savings, but not long-term savings, due to PBM vendors’ approach to utilization management. For example, many employees are denied access to their prescribed medications and are unlikely to have their denial overturned on appeal. This results in employees paying for medicine out-of-pocket, added costs for employers if they pay multiple vendors, and a poor member experience overall.

Besides long-term costs, carve-out contracts for medical and pharmacy require multiple vendors, increasing the administrative burden on the employer.

Thoughtful considerations

After reflecting on the advantages and disadvantages of carve-outs, making the decision may still be no small feat. Fortunately, you can ask yourself important questions to help you with your decision.

  1. How much are pharmacy benefits currently costing your plan?
  2. How are you currently overseeing the pharmacy benefits program?
  3. What changes would be necessary for the new arrangement?
  4. How will the fees from your medical health plan vendor be impacted?
  5. Is now the right time to search for a PBM vendor (and possibly a medical health plan request for approval)?

When deciding to carve-out pharmacy benefit programs, employers and brokers should work together to consider critical factors such as internal staff expertise, current and future costs, and appropriate timing. However, your top consideration should be, “Does this make the most sense for our organization and our employees?”

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

Protect Your Small Business from Cybersecurity Threats

Is your business doing enough to protect itself from cyberattacks?

Cyber-attacks on small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have seen a sharp rise in the last few years. A 2019 report by the Ponemon Institute found that cyberattacks increased by over 20% between 2016 and 2019.

Data breaches cost not only time but also money. The FBI’s Internet 2020 Internet Crime Report found that the total cost of cybercrimes in the US in 2020 reached 2.7 billion, and with an average cost of a data breach for an SBM being $149,000 (2019), small business leaders must take the necessary steps to improve their risk mitigation for cyberattacks.

The first step is to familiarize yourself with the many different types of cyber threats that exist.

What are the most common forms of cyber-attacks on SBMs?

  • Phishing: Phishing attacks come in the form of communications disguised as coming from a reliable source. They can be emails that look like correspondence from company leaders or departments like the CEO, CFO, or Payroll. They can also be made to look like they come from a legitimate organization and prompt you to download a file, open a link, or provide sensitive information which will allow attackers access to your device.
  • Man-in-the-middle (MitM): MitM attackers intercept a two-party transaction. This usually happens when someone uses their device on an unsecured network such as public Wi-Fi. Attackers intercept the connection and steal information from the vulnerable computer, such as credit card numbers, bank account information, or passwords.
  • Malware: Malware is an umbrella term for many different attacks such as viruses, trojans, and spyware. Malware can be downloaded on a device by clicking a link that will install software onto the device. This “software” is designed to steal information or data, control the device, or otherwise impede the device’s functioning. Here are a few common types of malware:
    • Ransomware will gain access to sensitive files or data and deny the victim access unless a ransom is paid, often threatening to expose it, sell it, or delete it entirely.
    • Trojans are an attack using software that plants itself within an app or a program—often used to give attackers access to the device.
    • Spyware is software designed to track users on their devices and send the sensitive information it collects to a third-party attacker.
  • Denial of service: Denial of Service (DoS) cyberattacks target and overload a server’s capacity and bandwidth, resulting in a server crash that takes it offline from actual customers who want to visit the website or purchase something from it. This is done by overloading the server with requests so it can’t process legitimate requests.

How can you protect your business?

There are multiple cybersecurity platforms available for businesses that are easily found with a quick Google search. There are also many options for free cybersecurity software that can be upgraded with subscription services. Aside from implementing company-wide cybersecurity software on all company-linked devices, there are some standard practices that any business should be using, whether or not they have access to protective software.

1. Create a password policy

According to the
Ponemon report, 54% of SMBs have no insight into their employees’ password practices. Terrible password habits equate to seriously increased vulnerability to cyberattacks. Consider implementing
1Password or other password protection software programs that can be downloaded on every computer associated with your organization.

Ensure your employees aren’t saving their passwords in easily accessed folders. Have employees use password-generating programs to increase their passwords’ strength and ensure they don’t use the same password twice. A common way for cyberattacks to find saved passwords on devices is to do a device-wide search for words that are 8, 12, 16, and 24 characters long, meaning that even if employees save their passwords in a nondescript file, it’s easy enough to identify them. This is where secure folders and password protection programs come in handy.

2. Create a software update policy

Another common issue that causes device vulnerability is outdated software. Create a policy that requires employees to update their software as soon as a new update is released. Software updates are often released to fix security issues and vulnerabilities, so it’s critical employees don’t wait to update their devices.

3. Education and training

Finally, organizations must educate and train their employees to identify and protect themselves from potential cyberattacks. Start with including a training session during onboarding to ensure employees start with good practices from the beginning. Hold company-wide training sessions, and ensure you revisit the topic throughout the year.

 

Take a proactive approach

You may not be able to stop cyberattacks from targeting your business, but there’s a lot you can do to thwart them. By taking a proactive approach, educating your employees, and developing up-to-date risk management policies, you can save your business from dealing with damaging costs, harm to your reputation, and potential lawsuits. Take action early, and rest easy knowing you are protected.

 

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Photo by thodonal

By Sonus Benefits,

Pet Insurance – A Pet Owner's Best Friend

Animal healthcare costs are rising, with $31.4 billion spent on veterinary visits and care in 2020. Because of this, pet owners tend to go into credit card debt and miss a payment on bills to pay for their pet’s care. In fact, a survey of 1,000 pet owners found that 45% of pet owners spend the same amount, or more, on their pet’s healthcare than they do on their own. 

If your employees have pets, chances are they consider them to be well-loved and beloved family members. Pet insurance may be a benefit you want to offer to your employees.

What is pet insurance, and what does it cover?

Pet insurance pays—in part or total—for veterinary treatment of a person’s ill or injured pet. It covers things like:

  • General wellness exams
  • Booster shots and vaccinations
  • Flea prevention
  • Medical costs for emergency care
  • Chronic conditions (e.g., arthritis)
  • Acute illnesses (e.g., allergic reactions)
  • Acute injuries (e.g., a bone fracture)

What is the main benefit of pet insurance?

Having pet insurance ensures that cost will be less of a factor when it comes to providing pets the best possible care. With the average veterinary visit being between $50 to $400 on average, and the average emergency vet visit costing between $800 to $1500, employees will not have to choose between paying a bill or going into debt to give their pet the care they need.

What are the other benefits of pet insurance?

1. Delivers peace of mind

Not having pet insurance can make employees who own pets more stressed if they don’t know how to pay for their pet’s care, either preventatively or during an emergency. By offering this benefit, employees may be less stressed by this financial burden—and when employees are less stressed, they are more healthy, focused, and productive. Also, research shows owning a pet helps soothe anxiety and reduce blood pressure.

2.  Encourages employees to own pets

Pets are a significant emotional investment and a significant financial investment as well—pets require not only health care but also:

  • Food and treats
  • Dishes for their meals
  • Collars and leashes (for dogs and/or cats)
  • Grooming and nail trimming
  • Over the counter medications
  • Items for mental stimulation (e.g., toys)

For your employees who don’t have a pet but are considering purchasing or adopting one, a pet insurance benefit makes the choice of buying or adopting a pet easier since employees know their pets’ health needs will be a bit easier to manage.

3. Demonstrates to employees that you care

There are pet-friendly hotels, apartments, and restaurants, and by offering pet insurance, you send the message to your employees that your workplace, in this regard, is pet-friendly. You also demonstrate and support the idea that pets are important family members and deserve to be loved and taken care of. That is a genuine, loving, and caring message, which can also positively impact hiring and retention.

Pet insurance—protection for a pet’s wellbeing

By offering pet insurance, you will create a positive relationship with your employees, and they, in turn, will know that their pets can get the best care possible. If you are interested in providing this supplemental benefit to your employees and want to learn more about how it works, talk to a trusted consultant or advisor.

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

Disability Insurance: Just the Facts

Insurance protects your employees and their families against any unexpected financial losses. Health insurance protects against unexpected health expenses, and life insurance gives your employees’ families financial security after an unexpected passing. But what about disability insurance? What is it, and why is it important to offer to your employees?

Here’s what you need to know about it.

What is disability insurance?

Disability insurance, also known as disability income insurance or income protection insurance, is a type of coverage that replaces a portion of your employees’ income if an injury or illness prevents them from working. Disability insurance:

  • Provides financial security for your employees and their loved ones
  • Gives funds to your employees to use for whatever they like

Is it the same thing as health insurance?

Not exactly. Disability insurance replaces a portion of an employee’s income lost due to not being able to work because of injuries or illnesses. In contrast, health insurance covers medical expenses that arise due to an injury or illness.

What does disability insurance cover?  

While people may think of major injuries as the only thing disability insurance covers, here are just a few of the things disability insurance might cover:

  • Arthritis
  • Back pain
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease

It doesn’t mean injuries like sprains and fractures aren’t disabling. What it does mean is the scope of injuries that can prevent people from earning an income is broad.

Why is disability insurance important?

A massive 68% of non-government workers carry no form of disability insurance. With this in mind, here is why disability insurance is essential to offer—and necessary for employees to have.

  • Injuries are all too common: The chance of missing months or years of work seems remote. But more than one in four 20-year-olds will experience a disability for 90 days or more before they reach 67, according to the Social Security Administration. Disability insurance covers those “what-if” or worst-case scenarios. 
  • Disability insurance covers risk: People tend to shrug off the risk because they think only about worst-case scenarios. But the leading causes of disability claims are:
     
    • Pregnancy
    • Cancer
    • Mental health issues
    • Musculoskeletal disorders affecting knees, back, and hips
    • Digestive disorders such as hernias and gastritis
    • Injuries including fractures, sprains, and muscle/ligament strains

Disability insurance covers the risk involved with being affected by injuries, situations, or illnesses.

  • It prepares employees for long-term challenges: It’s common to plan ahead and think about how far you can go without one or two paychecks. However, not enough people plan for possible long-term or future challenges. A study of consumer bankruptcy filings found that the primary reasons for bankruptcy involved illness or injury of themselves or a family member.

Also, workers’ compensation and Social Security do not cover most financial challenges:

Disability insurance gives employees an extra layer of protection to help prepare them and their families for any long-term challenges.

Consider offering disability insurance benefits

Absence of emergency savings and rising medical costs are a concern for many employees. Without added income protection, people may experience severe financial difficulty if they miss work due to injury or illness. Consider adding disability insurance benefits to your employee benefits package and be sure to talk to a trusted advisor to learn more.

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

Three Financially Focused Benefits Your Employees Will Love

In the last two years, employees across the country have had to adapt and adjust to a lot of challenges, many of which organizations had little to no control over. Employee burnout, stress, and wellbeing took major hits, putting more pressure on organizations to come up with solutions to help them face these challenges. According to the 2021 Employee Benefit Trends Study by Met Life, 86% of employees said finances are a top contributing factor to their stress now and into the future. While this may feel like an insurmountable problem for employers to take on, there are many solutions that can make a big impact for both the wellness of your employees and the health of your business.

1. Student Loan Repayment Programs

Today, 47 million Americans are carrying the burden of student loan debt. This year, student loan debt in America reached a staggering 1.7 trillion dollars. Despite the temporary loan forbearance the Biden Administration placed on federal student loan payments, student loan debt remains a top concern for many Americans in the workforce.

Employers looking for ways to help support employees who are paying off student loans should consider offering employee benefits aimed at just that—helping them pay off this debt. In December, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, enabling employers to contribute up to $5,250 in student loan payments tax-free, making it easier than ever for organizations to help.

Supporting employees burdened with student loan debt can be a strong tool for attracting and retaining top talent.

2. Retirement Planning

A 2019 study by GOBankingRates found that 64% of respondents expected to retire with less than $10,000 in their retirement savings. Employers can help employees prepare for retirement and reduce stress by offering benefits designed to enable employees to begin saving for retirement. Some plan options that provide tax benefits to both employers and employees include:

  • Payroll Deductible IRA – For employers who don’t want to implement a retirement savings plan, this plan offers a way for eligible employees to contribute to an IRA through payroll deductions.
  • 401(k) Plan – This plan offers an opportunity to employees to save through salary deferrals with the option of employer contribution.
  • Money Purchase Plan – This plan allows employers to make contributions to employee savings based on their discretion. There is no fixed amount nor requirement to make a contribution by the employer.

There are many types of retirement plans available to organizations, so do your research and choose the one that fits the needs of your business.

3. Education and stewardship

Understanding the basics of investing, saving, and money management is a challenge for many Americans, leading them to avoid this type of planning altogether. If your organization can’t offer benefits to help them save, consider offering a program to empower them through education.

Platforms like Skillshare and financialgym offer online courses to help anyone learn the basics of investing, planning for retirement and savings, and managing money. Knowledge and understanding can make a more powerful impact, in many ways, than simply offering a plan that no one understands.

Their financial wellness is your reward

Helping employees plan for retirement and effectively manage their savings and debt is a sure-fire way to improve their overall wellbeing by reducing stress and creating stability within their lives and futures. You may see an increase in talent attraction, employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction by offering a hand and enabling employees to create financial stability within their lives. What’s good for them is good for business.

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

What You Need to Know About Group Life Insurance

A study conducted by LIMRA and Life Happens found that 41 million Americans say they do not have life insurance coverage at all. When it comes to providing benefits for your employees, life insurance ensures they give their families much-needed financial security. All too often, however, life insurance is a misunderstood and confusing topic. We are here to help.

Here is what you need to know about group life insurance plans.

What is life insurance?

Life insurance is a contract between a person and an insurance company. A premium is paid, and after a person’s death, a lump sum, or death benefit, is paid to the beneficiaries the person designates. The beneficiaries can use the money for any purpose they like.

What is group life insurance?

Group life insurance is when an entire life insurance contract covers a whole group of people. The policy owner is the employer or organization, and the policy covers all the employees at the organization.

Are there different types of group life insurance?

Yes, there are two different types of group life insurance: employer-paid or voluntary. These are usually seen as term life insurance, which provides your employees coverage for the term of their employment.

Employer-paid life insurance

Employer-paid life insurance is when the policy is paid by the employer. This offers your employees a convenient way to receive life insurance coverage. This type of coverage, at times, offers them coverage portability or the ability for your employees to continue their life insurance policy when they no longer work for you.

Voluntary life insurance

Voluntary life insurance is an optional benefit offered to employees. This type of life insurance is paid for by the employee directly to the workplace’s insurance company via a monthly premium taken out of their paycheck. Like employer-paid life insurance, voluntary life insurance can also offer coverage portability.

Why is life insurance important?

As an employer, you may wonder why life insurance is important to provide to your employees, and there are several reasons:

  • It provides for lost income: Providing a group life insurance policy helps ensure that your employees’ loved ones will have some financial replacement for the lost paycheck in the case of their death. This allows the family time to get a footing in their new reality.
  • It reduces stress: Losing a loved one is already a difficult and emotional experience without the added financial burden of losing a partner or parent. Life insurance will help protect the family from the difficulty that awaits. For example, finding help for childcare after the loss of a parent is a huge stress for the surviving parent. Knowing they have financial support to afford it can ease the pressure.
  • It helps cover bills and debts: Life insurance will help cover bills or debts your employees leave behind, so they are not passed to your employees’ loved ones.

It doesn’t have to be confusing

Life insurance can be, admittedly, confusing. But it is a smart move for employers who want to add family-focused benefits into their employee benefits plan. Talk to a trusted advisor who will help you decide on the best group life insurance plan for your employees.

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

3 Ways to Set Yourself Up For Open Enrollment Success

Regardless of when your benefits package renews, there’s a lot to be said for employers who plan ahead. Undoubtedly, many changes caused by the pandemic have shifted the needs of employees and altered the ‘normal’ approach to open enrollment. However, planning has always (and will always) be a good idea—especially when it comes to group health plans.

Giving your organization time to plan and prepare will help you improve the absolutely critical process of implementing your benefits package, which has *major* repercussions on your return on investment (ROI). Start by following these three steps.

1. Consider changes to your benefits offering

Pandemic or no, employee needs are constantly changing. They have changed significantly over the past year and will continue to change as our country adjusts how we approach work. Since employee benefits are such a significant investment for employers, it only makes sense to meticulously review what benefits are most popular and what benefits don’t hold as much value.

Survey your employees and do your research. Since the start of the pandemic, some benefits have risen in popularity as employee needs have changed.

These include:

  • Virtual healthcare
  • Flex work, childcare, and elderly care
  • Financial wellness
  • Mental healthcare

Talk to your broker about your options and create a strategy that fits the needs of your employee population, as needs and wants can vary broadly. One size does not fit all for an attractive benefits package.

2. Open enrollment planning

Depending on the shifts your organization made since the pandemic, it’s important to consider how you will proceed with open enrollment this fall. Organizing a supportive and education-based strategy to guide your employees through enrollment can make a real impact on the employee experience during the process and increase plan utilization by employees.

  • Consider how to create a system that works for your employees wherever they are (on-site or remote).
  • Provide resources and support to employees as they make their decisions. These can include educational resources (such as this glossary of standard benefit terms), in-person or virtual support, and clear communication around deadlines and qualifications.
  • Get feedback from your employees before open enrollment about their experience last year and their concerns and needs for the upcoming season. Find common trends to help you fill in gaps that you may have missed in years past.

3. Preparing for implementation

Spend time reviewing and improving your plan of execution. This plan should include a detailed communication strategy, employee education, and year-round support. If you want to see significant participation from your employees, you need to engage with consistent support and education strategies. Ask your employees if:

  • They understand the benefits available to them. Do you offer an HSA or self-insured plan? If so, make sure your employees have a proper understanding of how these different plans work and what to expect when they participate.
  • They know where to go to ask for help. Do they have access to a support line? Are there online resources you are providing them?

Consistent and clear communication is a critical part of ensuring your employees participate in and get the most out of the benefit plan you’re offering. Consider which channels you will be relying upon (email, meetings, one-on-one support, a web page, etc.) to get the word out and offer support. Get clear on how and when you’ll use these channels and stay consistent in using them.

Preparation = success

The more you plan, the better you can guide your employees and your organization through the process of open enrollment. This isn’t the sort of thing you want to put off until the last minute or until your broker comes to talk to you.

Employee benefits are a crucial part of your employee engagement, retention, attraction, and ultimately, the business’s success. And as such, they require and deserve careful planning. By starting with these three steps, you’ll set your organization, and your employees, up for success.

 

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

A Crash Course in Group Health Insurance Plans

When it comes to health insurance, people want the right amount of coverage. They also want coverage for what they see as high value (doctor’s visits, medical procedures, etc.). There are many insurance plans out there—the traditional fully insured plan, the level-funded plan, the self-funded plan…and you may be wondering what the difference is between them, and where to even begin.

Welcome to our crash course in group health insurance plans.

Where it all began—fully insured plans

Fully insured plans are probably what come to mind when you think of group health insurance plans. Employers get the plan from an insurance company (carrier) and pay a premium to the insurance company. The yearly premium rates depend on how many employees are enrolled in the plan. When employees make a claim, the insurance company writes a check to the healthcare provider (hospital, doctor, etc.). Employees are responsible for paying the deductibles and co-pays defined in the plan.

A fully insured plan usually includes coverage for medical procedures, prescriptions, and doctor’s visits. Employers tend to go the route of fully insured for their business if they want to give their employees predictable benefits that remain consistent over time and provide the business with a regular monthly fee to manage cash flow.

New paths and steppingstones—level-funded plans

Level-funded plans are the go-betweens, the bridge between a fully insured plan and a self-funded plan (which we will discuss in a minute).

With level-funded plans, employers pay a set amount of money each month to the insurance company that funds a reserve account for claims and manages administrative costs and fees. Rates for a level-funded plan is defined by the number of employees and the estimated cost of anticipated claims. If the employer has a surplus of claims funds at the end of the year, they will receive a refund. If the claims are higher than estimated, they will receive a premium increase for any stop-loss coverage an employer has.

Employers usually choose level-funded plans if they anticipate employees not making many insurance claims and want to offer their employees insurance at an affordable cost. It also allows ease of access to utilization trends that show where employees might be overspending and allows employers to use education and wellness programs to improve claims costs.

Rise in popularity—self-funded plans

The popularity of self-funded plans is on the rise. A report published in 2020 found that 60% of workers in companies with three or more employees were on some kind of self-funded plan. But how does it work, exactly?

With self-funded plans, or self-insured plans, an insurance company provides administrative services. Like with level-funded plans, there is a fixed cost for administrative fees. But unlike level-funded plans, employers assume all the costs and financial risks in a self-funded plan. They pay for employee health claims from a bank account or trust fund set up for that purpose.

These plans have the highest amount of risk; however, employers can have stop-loss insurance that reimburses them for claims that exceed a predetermined level. There are two types of stop-loss insurance:

  • Specific stop-loss coverage, or individual stop-loss coverage, provides protection for employers against a high claim for any one employee. For example, if employers want a maximum liability of $150,000 per person, and an employee makes $200,000 in medical claims, specific stop-loss reimburses the employer for the $50,000 in excess claims.
  • Aggregate stop-loss coverage provides a set coverage ceiling on the amount of eligible expenses employers pay during that contract period. In other words, this is the coverage for all the employees total, not just for any one specific employee.

While self-funded plans can be expensive without stop-loss coverage, many employers find self-funded plans attractive. If they don’t need to pay fixed monthly premiums and they want to proactively manage claims costs with a hands-on approach, such as steering employees to high-value, low-cost providers and taking advantage of clinical wellness programs, self-funding may be a good fit.

One size doesn’t fit all

What’s right for one company may not be right for you. There are many different health insurance plans and different plan options, and taking a route doesn’t mean you take the route alone. Many advisors are well-educated in level-funding and self-funding.

Start a conversation with your broker to find out if this is in their area of specialty. Whether it is or not, do your research so you can fully participate in the conversations to determine what is the best for you and your employees.

 

 

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By Sonus Benefits,

Non-Insurance Solutions That Make a Real Impact

The world of employee benefits experienced significant growing pains since the pandemic hit a little over a year ago. With all the new challenges employees began experiencing (job loss, loss of childcare, financial instability, mental health, and so much more), employers learned, fast, that ensuring the wellbeing of their employees is essential.

Let’s break down some of the factors contributing to employee resilience and wellbeing that employers can effectively take action on.

Employee Wellness

It’s important to understand that while the term ‘wellness’ is singular, it encompasses a variety of factors that contribute to it. While someone may have good physical wellness, if they are experiencing hardship in other areas of their lives, their overall wellness will be affected. In this way, employers need to approach wellness holistically, focusing on more than one contributing factor in an employee’s overall wellbeing.

Financial stability

A 2018 report by the Federal Reserve found 40% of adults would struggle to pay off a $400 unexpected expense. According to the MetLife Employee Benefit Trends Study 2021, financial stress is both the top concern and the leading factor contributing to poor mental health among employees. A staggering 86% of employees reported financial stress was a leading source of anxiety now and going forward.

These numbers vastly differ between demographics, showing a disparity in the experience of white/Caucasian and Black and Latinx respondents. When asked if they had been worried about their financial health, 53% of white respondents and 70% of both Black and Latinx respondents said yes. These numbers are concerning not only because of the disparity they represent but also because they demonstrate the vast number of people suffering from financial stress.

Many employers function under the misconception that their employees are financially stable, but there is no way of knowing what kind of financial burdens employees may carry. They may be a single parent, a caregiver of a family member with medical needs, or struggling to pay off staggering student loan debts. Whatever the case, employers that offer financially focused benefits can help make a significant difference in their employees’ lives.

Consider offering financially focused benefits aimed at developing financial stability for your employees now and into their future:

  • Student loan support
  • 401(k) and other retirement savings
  • Monthly wellness stipends
  • Financial coaching and education
  • Childcare support

Mental health

One of the positive side effects created by the pandemic has been the increased availability of accessible mental health support. Organizations like BetterHelp and Talkspace provide access to qualified therapists that provide therapy services online or over the phone, and these services have taken off over the past year as more Americans have reached out for mental health help. Offering programs designed to overcome cost barriers that may deter employees from accessing mental health services is a great way to help support your employees’ wellbeing.

Flex time

Another way to provide support to employees is to offer flex time. Many organizations have started to use flex time since the pandemic began, along with remote work. According to the same MetLife study, 76% of workers are interested in continuing alternative working arrangements developed during the pandemic such as remote work and flexible schedules, but 90% of employers who said they implemented these alternative solutions are planning to go back to pre-pandemic working arrangements when possible. That is a concerning disparity that may result in employee frustration when they are forced back into the office, expensive commutes, and less flexibility to manage their personal lives.

68% of employees working remotely want their employers to allow them to make the decision for themselves. Over half of workers in their 20s, including Gen Zs and young Millennials, are happier with their working arrangements now than before the pandemic.

Flexible scheduling, remote options, and unlimited PTO programs allow employees to better manage their personal commitments with less stress, enabling them to maintain their overall wellness with greater ease.

Social justice

2020 wasn’t just the Year of the Pandemic, but a year of great social unrest and change. 42% of all employees say that social justice issues are a source of anxiety for them. These issues reach across demographics, location, age, and economic status. All employers must do what they can to provide support in this area.

Consider offering:

  • Paid volunteer hours
  • Paid holidays or time off during election days
  • Inclusivity training for managers and employees

In it for the long haul

Employee wellness was a critical issue long before the pandemic and will continue to be one well into the future. Employers who are serious about developing a company that can drive growth, attract, retain, and engage employees, and leave a positive legacy behind them need to be considering these issues consistently throughout the years.

What’s good for your employees is good for you: employees who identify as mentally and physically healthy are 37% more productive than those that aren’t. And that’s just one statistic that shows how caring for your employees creates a positive ripple effect within your organization, their community, and the world.

It’s a win-win for everyone.

 

Content provided by Q4iNetwork and partners

Photo by fizkes