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New Cigna + Oscar (C+O) small group sales and renewals will not be offered in 2025. At C+O’s request, all plans and rates have been removed from the quote engine. However, you can still quote or renew your C+O groups through December 15, 2024 by contacting us at quotes@claremontcompanies.com or 800.696.4543. Please note: the last day of coverage will be December 14, 2025.
For assistance, please contact our Quotes team at quotes@claremontcompanies.com or 800.696.4543.
Login To PrismIf you missed the recent Blue Shield of CA Q1-2022 Small Business Broker Road Show, below is a summary of the presentation. Access the recording (password: Blue123!), presentation slides, and questions and answers submitted during the event.
Please note: the release date for Q1-2022 rates, plans, marketing materials, January 2022 renewals, and forms is anticipated to be on October 7, 2021.
Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
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The Trio HMO and Tandem PPO networks continue to grow with the additions of Aspire Health, Sansum Clinic, and Brown and Toland Physicians.
Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
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Earn a $500 bonus for groups with 3 or more enrolled employees. Unlimited number of accounts. Effective dates from October 1, 2021 to December 15, 2021 are eligible for this program.
Expires December 15, 2021.
Submit your groups early and earn up to a $700 bonus for groups with 4 or more enrolled employees. Unlimited number of accounts. Effective date of January 1, 2022 is eligible for this program.
Expires January 1, 2022.
With Cigna + Oscar, your groups get quality care and all of these (EPO) plan features:
With rates comparable to Kaiser, and networks that include UCSF, Stanford, and Sutter, Cigna + Oscar brings together the power of Cigna’s nationwide and local provider networks, and Oscar’s member-focused tech-driven experience, to deliver small group health insurance that understands the unique needs of California small businesses and their employees.
To learn more about Cigna + Oscar, view our recorded webinar and web page.
Note: Only licensed and appointed agents who are contracted with Cigna + Oscar are eligible for the bonus. Check out the Cigna + Oscar Appointments Guide for full instructions.
Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
Healthcare is a significant investment for your clients, and it’s important that their employees understand coverage options and see value in their benefits. To ensure employees have the proper health coverage and are protected from unexpected expenses, it’s best if they thoroughly review their budget and healthcare needs. The three questions below will help employees prepare for open enrollment before signing up for pre-tax benefits.
Start with looking at how much was spent on healthcare last year. Reviewing spending habits will provide a foundation for the types of financial choices that might be made in the future and how enrolling in a pre-tax account could help.
It may be helpful to place healthcare costs into three categories:
If a spreadsheet or budgeting app was used, consolidate the medical expenses. Then determine, at a high level, what the healthcare expenses were. Make sure to understand how much was paid out of pocket by reviewing exactly what insurance covers annually, and factor that into the plan for healthcare costs. To be safe, add an extra 10-20% to the estimated costs to account for unexpected expenses.
If last year’s medical expenses are unknown, no worries. Review all of the insurance company and healthcare provider receipts and go through bank and credit card statements to identify healthcare costs paid out of pocket last year. Or contact the insurance and healthcare providers for documentation.
According to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, healthcare costs account for about 8% of annual household spending or nearly 7% of pretax income. Even if health insurance covers an expense, the budget for healthcare costs still needs to include health plan premiums.
To determine pre-tax income, look at a recent pay stub before taxes. To calculate after-tax income, look at a bank statement showing paycheck deposits.
These general guidelines will provide a basic understanding of healthcare expenses from the past year and help guide the decisions for open enrollment.
Next, determine if there will be any changes in expenses for the coming year. Specifically, consider out-of-pocket expenses which pre-tax accounts can help pay for.
An out-of-pocket expense is an amount paid after insurance has covered a service.
Determining out-of-pocket expenses can be more difficult. As a starting point, look at current benefits to determine any co-pay or co-insurance amounts. Also factor in the deductible – the amount needed to pay before insurance begins to cover costs. As a general rule, plans with a lower deductible require a higher premium.
For this reason, high deductible health plans (HDHP), also called low-premium plans, have become more popular. HDHPs can also be paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA), which can be a great savings tool for employees.
An HSA lets the employee put money away on a pre-tax basis for eligible healthcare expenses, including certain dental work, eyeglasses, and prescriptions. Contributions can come from the employee, employer, or a relative—anyone who wants to fund the account. Also, the funds roll over from year to year with an HSA, which makes it a great long-term tool for budgeting for medical expenses. Note there is an annual limit for how much they can contribute.
The employee should log into a benefits portal or ask their HR department for their company’s benefits information to find out what these out-of-pocket expenses are.
To determine a dollar amount for out-of-pocket expenses, multiply the co-pay amount by the number of expected healthcare visits. However, keep in mind that some healthcare visits are covered since they are preventative in nature.
For example, if there’s one physical per year, one dental cleaning, and 12 physical therapy visits, most likely only the physical therapy would require a co-pay. If the co-pay is $20, then multiply 20 by 12 for the out-of-pocket costs.
These are expenses for everyday household and personal care items such as adhesive bandages, thermometers, and pain killers.
While these items should be included in the initial review of expenses last year, it’s best to double-check and make sure they’re included.
After accounting for day-to-day healthcare costs, consider unexpected costs for medical emergencies (such as a procedure or medication that is not fully covered by an insurance plan) and create an emergency fund. While the size of the emergency fund will vary depending on lifestyle, monthly costs, income, and dependents, the rule of thumb is to save at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses. A starter emergency fund of $1,000 is recommended.
To budget for healthcare costs effectively, evaluate health insurance options to find the best plan for the employee and their family. For each plan, consider the type of plan (are preferred doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies covered?), as well as the cost of premiums, deductibles, copays, and prescriptions. Health history may also be an important factor when considering different coverage options.
With a healthcare budget in place, employees will be better empowered to make decisions that are good for their health and finances.
To learn more, check out these articles:
Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
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According to a June 2021 research study from One Medical, 65% of workers would give up bonuses, paid vacation, and flexible hours for better healthcare benefits.
One of the results of the pandemic is that many people now realize the importance of their health and the health of those they’re closest to. Given this shift, it’s no surprise that health and well-being have risen to the top of the priority list for many workers.
However, workers also want more from the companies that are responsible for their benefits. Many aren’t completely satisfied with their healthcare benefits and expect their employers to improve their healthcare options now that well-being is a top priority for them.
While 85% of HR leaders believe their company is invested in the physical and mental health of its workforce, just 32% of employees rate their healthcare benefits as “excellent” and less than two-thirds believe their company is invested in their physical health (64%) and mental health (63%). Other findings reveal that employees are, in fact, desperate for better healthcare. This should be a strong signal to employers that a change is badly needed – and soon.
The vast majority of workers noted the importance of affordability (89%), ease of using their benefits (89%), top quality and trustworthy providers (87%), fast (86%) and convenient (82%) access to in-person care, a focus on preventive health (85%), and seamless specialty care coordination (82%). While more than half (55%) of employees and HR leaders said their healthcare is too costly and thought companies should cover “more” or “all” of employees’ health care costs.
The study revealed 87% of employees agreed that providing a healthcare offering that is a good value, high-quality, and patient-centered increases job satisfaction, engagement, productivity, retention, recruitment, or the likelihood to recommend the company.
Companies that prioritize the health of their workforce and invest in better healthcare benefits will not only be doing what’s right for their employees, they’ll also be more likely to retain their workers and be better positioned for success in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Download the report to learn more.
Questions?
Contact The Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
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Many employers have shifted to either temporary or permanent work-from-home policies due to the pandemic. As a result, a large percentage of employees have spent more time at home and around their pets.
An essential part of the family, pets offer companionship and comfort, however, they also require care. And pet care can be expensive and stressful. To help address the costs and stress of pet care, employers should offer a pet wellness reimbursement account. The benefit acknowledges the importance that pets play in employees’ lives and comes at a time when quality-of-life issues have played an increasing role in how people select their employers.
Reimbursable pet expenses are determined by the employer and can be tailored to the employee’s specific needs. Benefit funds can be used for expenses such as food, grooming, training classes, pet insurance, boarding, and the purchase or adoption of a pet.
Plus, pet wellness reimbursement funds can be used for travel harnesses, dog walking fees, automatic feeders, and many other expenses to help employees that will be returning to the workplace with or without their pets.
Appreciated by all pet owners, pet wellness reimbursements are a fringe benefit that gives employees the financial flexibility to improve the lives of their pets and even their own.
With BASIC’s Fringe Benefit Accounts, employers can offer reimbursement funds for different lifestyle expenses including gender affirmation, fertility, pet wellness, and other similar expenses that aren’t included in traditional benefits packages.
To learn more, check out the BASIC website and contact us at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com for assistance when you’re ready to enroll a group in a BASIC plan.
Questions?
Contact The Claremont Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
¹2019 Employee Benefit Adviser “5 benefit perks to entice top millennial talent to your clients.”
²2019 HealthPocket Info Poll: https://www.healthpocket.com/healthcare-research/surveys/how-millennials-approach-health-insurance#.X_N5EC9h1TY
³2019 Mars Petcare “Better Cities for Pet” Annual Report.
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Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.
Join one or both of BASIC’s upcoming webinars and share them with your colleagues.
Presented by Joe Aitchison, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CHRS
This educational webinar for employers and human resource professionals will provide valuable information on the basics of FMLA and employer requirements, as well as the most common FMLA mistakes made by employers and their associated risks. Joe Aitchison will also cover best practices employers should adopt and give real-life examples from clients in a variety of industries.
Agenda
The 60-minute webinar will be followed by a Q&A and information regarding BASIC’s FMLA Administration options.
This webinar is approved for 1.0 HRCI and 1.0 SHRM-CP advanced credits for HR professionals worldwide. Credits are for live attendance only. Register now.
Presented by Chris Eckert, BASIC Vice President of Sales, and Andrew Waldowski, BASIC Regional Director
Don’t put up with stressful payroll problems that are holding your organization back. You have time to evaluate your payroll systems and vendor solutions before the end of the year.
Chris will cover BASIC Payroll Plus, their full-service Payroll, Timekeeping, Time Clocks, and Human Capital Management solution. During his demonstration, he will show the Manager & Employee Experience, PTO/Sick Leave Tracking, Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Payroll Processing, and Reporting capabilities.
Andrew will cover BASIC Gatekeeper, their proprietary in-house payroll software. The standalone in-house software interfaces with all major general ledger accounting systems giving tools necessary to process a simple or complex, multi-location payroll. Andrew will also demonstrate BASIC Gatekeeper Lms.net – Timekeeping Software as a Service (SaaS).
This webinar is not eligible for CE credits. Register now.
To learn more, check out the BASIC website and contact us at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com for assistance when you’re ready to enroll a group in a BASIC plan.
Questions?
Contact The Claremont Answer Team at 800.696.4543 or info@claremontcompanies.com.
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Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.
Produce detailed plan comparisons and multiple group enrollment scenarios in no time.
When you next log into PRISM, our (no-cost) quote service, or work with our expert quoting team, you’ll now find new Multi-Option Plan Mapping options that enable you to produce detailed plan comparisons and multiple group enrollment scenarios in no time. Paired with the recent enhancement of multiple Excel report exporting, it’s now easier than ever to present clients with comprehensive tools to build their benefits package.
Here’s a sample report:
The new enhancement can be found on your group’s Proposal Options page in PRISM. In the Multi/Dual Option section, select “Multi Option.” You can include the group’s current and renewal plans if running a renewal comparison.
Once the plan options are selected, click “Assign Plans” to select plan mapping options. “Current Plan Mapping” maps employees to the indicated plans based on current enrollment. “Bulk Mapping” maps all employees to the plan indicated.
Once plan mapping options are selected, you can output the proposal to PDF or Excel as usual.
To take advantage of Multi-Option Plan Mapping, sign in to PRISM. Or request a quote by contacting us at 800.696.4543 or quotes@claremontcompanies.com.
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Sue comes to Claremont with over thirty years of health insurance industry and group benefits expertise, including at Zenefits, Gallagher, Mercer, and several tech start-ups.
“Sue is passionate about helping brokers be more successful and leading the California broker community through her work at CAHU. She’s a great fit for Claremont.” said Mark Racioppo, Director of Sales.
In her spare time, Sue likes to perfect her weekly coffee bean roast. She also enjoys smoking/grilling for family and friends. Ask her about her favorite coffee rub!
You can reach Sue at sue@claremontcompanies.com or 925.296.8836.
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Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.
We’re excited to welcome Jake Mooney as the newest addition to the team. As a senior Broker Service Representative, Jake will assist clients and fellow team members in a wide variety of areas such as eligibility review, benefits strategies, carrier knowledge, workflow management, and mentoring.
Jake has over 20 years of experience in employee benefits and has worked in all aspects of the business, from carriers to general agencies to brokerage firms. “Jake has a passion for building relationships and creating the best possible experience for employers and brokers. His experience and service-oriented outlook are two of the many compelling reasons why Jake is now a member of the Claremont team and why we think our clients will benefit from working with him,” said Laura Hogsed, Assistant Manager, Service.
In his spare time, Jake likes to foster animals and does so for about 10 animals a year including three that he adopted. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he loves to travel, loves the local LA sports teams, and is a self-proclaimed Star Wars nerd.
You can reach Jake at jake@claremontcompanies.com or 925.296.8802.
Get The Latest News with Text Messaging!
Your success is important to us, and we’re actively working on new solutions to support you throughout the year. To get the latest news via text messaging in the future, simply provide your cell phone number here.