Health Care Reform News & Trends from URL

4/21 UPMC | Learn Why it Matters to Improve Workplace Health Disparities

Join UPMC on Thursday, April 21 at 1 p.m. for a discussion with UPMC’s top thought leaders on social determinants of health (SDOH) and how they affect businesses. Register now.

4/26 Capital Blue Cross ASO 101

Join Elyse Frey (URL's Group Health Manager) and Ashley Keith (Capital Blue Cross Sales & Account Executive) on April 26th at 2pm EST for an ASO overview.

We will discuss:

What is ASO
What is a Surplus
How does the plan work for Employees & Employers
New Incentives
New Products

5/17 Aetna Product Training & Updates Lunch & Learn

Join URL and Aetna for a lunch and learn on May 17th at 11:00am EST for Aetna Product Training & Updates.

We will discuss:

AFA product reminders
Underwriting updates
CVS locations/network
Cross sell discounts
Wellness/Value Adds
Product incentives and more

6/7 Lunch and Learn on Voluntary Benefits: What You Need to Know

Join Elyse Frey (URL's Group Health Manager) and Matt Kuntz (Colonial Life's Regional Broker Manager) on June 7th at 12pm EST for a 2 CE credit lunch and learn about voluntary benefits.

This session will cover the increasing need for voluntary benefits and review typical worksite products. We will also discuss other important pieces in understanding VB including underwriting, sales cycle, implementation, and enrollment.

Attendees can expect to gain an understanding of the following:

The history of voluntary benefits
Different types of voluntary benefits products and how they help fill the medical insurance gap
The value of voluntary benefits for employers and employees
How to position voluntary benefits
Implementation timelines and enrollment methods

6/28 Geisinger Funding Alternative Lunch & Learn

Join URL's Elyse Frey and Geisinger's Patricia Gruber on June 28th at 11am EST for a lunch and learn as we provide an overview of Geisinger Funding Alternative (GFA).

We'll discuss:

What is GFA
How does it work
Surplus or credit
GFA plan designs
GFA new business checklist
GFA start to finish

Harrisburg Update

HB 2515 (Farry) - Amends the Workers' Compensation Act, in interpretation and definitions, further providing for the definition of occupational disease. Read more.

NAHU | HHS Extends Public Health Emergency Another 90 Days

HHS extended the public health emergency by an additional 90 days, setting a new expiration date of July 15. This impacts several areas, including the “Medicaid unwinding” that is widely anticipated to take place at the end of the public health emergency. In the announcement of the extension, HHS said it would give states 60 days’ notice prior to termination or expiration of the emergency. Read more.

NAHU | CMS Releases Strategic Plan Cross-Cutting Initiatives Aimed at Expanding Coverage, Improving Outcomes, and More

Last year, CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure announced in a blog post that the agency would craft a “strategic plan” focused on improving health equity, expanding coverage and improving health outcomes. This week, CMS released a list of “cross-cutting initiatives” (CCIs) to carry out the strategic plan. Read more.

Aries Pennie Special Enrollment Period Bonus (qualify through 6/1)

Help your clients with their Pennie special election period (SEP) needs and earn more the Pennie SEP bonus! Read more.

Highmark | Introducing the 2022 New Highmark Incentive (qualify through 1/1/2023)

Highmark is excited to announce the 2022 New to Highmark Incentive. Read more.

Capital Blue Cross | See What We're Sending to Employer Groups

What's Inside: FDA authorizes second booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine for older and immunocompromised individuals; Employee assistance program supports mental health, enhances plan value; Learn about the maternal health equity crisis and what we can do about it; Proper drug disposal avoids dangers for employees, families; Looking to give your wellness program a free boost? Check out Blue365; What levers can employers pull to help control health care costs?; April is Alcohol Awareness Month and more. Read more.

Geisinger | Broker Bulletin

In this edition of Geisinger's Broker Bulletin see topics including: New and updated Broker of Record form; New and updated Provider Search document; Meet the Broker Care Team and more. Read more.

GlixRx | Introducing the GlicRx Discount Card

Your clients are paying too much for prescriptions. Group health HMO/PPO employer sponsored plans offer the best coverage for prescription drugs, so when clients who have been covered this way the majority of their life try transitioning to a HSA or Medicare insurance it can be very eye-opening and expensive. This is your target market for a prescription drug discount card. The discount card is free to you and your clients. It only takes a moment to sign up, or simply have cards pre-printed for convenience. If you are a group health agent and want to get your card out to thousands of employees, all you have to do is send a personalized link. The individual can sign up with your agent code, giving you the credit. Read more.

UPMC | Coming Soon: SaveOnSP

UPMC Health Plan, Express Scripts Inc., and SaveOnSP are pleased to provide the SaveOnSP specialty cost-share assistance service for Health Plan members. The service - which will begin on July 1, 2022, will target specific high-cost specialty medications and leverage funds from manufacturer patient assistance programs to lower cost sharing for members who enroll. Read more.

Update on Pennie’s Medical Assistance Account Transfer Automatic Eligibility Initiative

As you may know, Pennie has been working diligently to implement an auto-eligibility system that would give customers transferring from Medical Assistance to Pennie a more streamlined process for enrolling in health coverage. Unfortunately, Pennie has decided to delay the implementation of the auto-eligibility feature until we are fully confident the data transfer will ensure a seamless transition for qualified customers. Read more.

Pennie | Broker Workgroup

Pennie | Path to Pennie

Those who have indicated they are uninsured on tax form REV-1882 will soon receive an official notice from Pennie with instructions on how to enroll in coverage. These notices will begin to be distributed in early April and will include unique access codes for recipients to claim their new Pennie account. Learn more at: Path to Pennie | Pennie. Read more.

Pennie | What Effective Date Will My Client Receive?

Check out this Special Election Period Quick Reference Chart. Read more.

Pennie | 2022 Producer Commissions

Pennie is proud to work with insurers to make sure Pennsylvania producers have access to commissions information in advance of the start of the annual Open Enrollment Period and for any changes to commissions throughout the plan year. Beginning with plan year 2022, insurers that offer health plans through Pennie are required to notify their appointed producers of the commissions fee schedule. Read more.

Pennie | Website Walkthrough

Looking for help with the Pennie portal? Take a look at these "How To" videos created to walk you through.