NEW CLIENT SHARES NIHP’S COMMITMENT TO SERVICE
All of us at NIHP would like to welcome the E.D. Etnyre Co. as a new client. The 116-year-old company, based from its beginnings in Oregon, Illinois, is a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of equipment for road construction and maintenance. Their products include bituminous distributors, bituminous transport tanks, self-propelled chip spreaders, live bottom trailers, street flushers, and sprinklers. Etnyre also produces and markets a complete line of heavy-duty trailers with capacities from 10 to 100 tons.
The company is service focused, which helped them select NIHP as a partner. According to Craig Shurson, the company’s EHS manager, "Etnyre prides itself on providing exceptional service to our dealers and customers. While comparing TPA services, we observed many of those same traits at NIHP. We look forward to working with them for many years to come."
Thanks, Craig, for the positive feedback. We look forward to working with you – and the entire Etnyre family – too!
TRANSITIONAL REINSURANCE DEADLINES APPROACH
Counts due November 15
Fees due January 15
As we reminded you in the last E to E, the first installment of the Transitional Reinsurance Fee is due in January of 2015 and enrollment counts are due in short order: November 15. Be sure to give us a call if you have any questions related to your counts…we can help you with necessary calculations.
The Transitional Reinsurance Program of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is designed to help stabilize premiums in the individual market in 2014-2016. It is intended to collect fees from group health plans to partially reimburse insurers in the individual Exchange/Market who may disproportionately cover high-cost individuals.
REMEMBER: Counts are due November 15.
First installment is due in January of 2015. Costs include:
- $63 per participant for 2014 ($52.50 per covered life due in January 2015 and $10.50 per covered life due late in the 4th quarter of 2015).
- $44 per participant for 2015 ($33 per covered life due in January 2016 and $11 per covered life due late in the 4th quarter of 2016).
- The fee for 2016 has not yet been determined.
You may pay the entire fee in January or you can split it into two installments, one due in January and the other in November.
Contact us with any questions you have specific to your plan. Our experts understand all the details of the reinsurance policy and are eager to help guide you as you comply with these deadlines.
FURTHER READING
The Transitional Reinsurance Program – Reinsurance Contributions
Transitional Reinsurance Fees: Frequently Asked Questions for Self-Funded Group Health Plans
Reminder News Alert – Transition Reinsurance Program Overview, Deadline Approaching
DO YOU NEED AN HPID ASAP?
NEW HEALTH PLAN ID NEEDED BY NOVEMBER 5 FOR MOST SELF-INSURED PLANS
If your company sponsors a self-insured health plan and you paid claims of $5 million or more in the last fiscal year, you probably need to obtain a health plan identifier (HPID) by November 5, 2014. (If you have had lesser claims, the deadline moves to November 5, 2015.) This 10-digit ID will be used to help identify a health plan in certain "standard" HIPAA transactions. It will be unique for each health plan but will be in the same format. There is no charge for a health plan to obtain a HPID.
Some large employers may actually need multiple IDs, since an HPID is required for each "controlling health plan" that has 50 or more participants. Whether your request is large or small, our customer service specialists are ready to help you determine exactly what your next steps should be.
HHS has created a quick reference guide that provides step-by-step instructions to obtain an ID. We recommend you avoid waiting until the last minute to apply, since the HPID application process includes several steps and cannot be completed in a single session – several steps require you to log out and wait for an approval code in your e-mail before continuing. You will also need two company representatives, a Submitter (to create the application) and an Authorizing Official (to approve the application) to complete it. So get started soon!
FURTHER READING
Health Plan Identifier (from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
HPID: What’s it all about?
Two November deadlines for self-insured health plans
MORE APPs TO HELP YOUR WORKFORCE STAY HEALTHY
In the last edition of E to E, we shared several smart phone Apps our staff found helpful in pursuing a healthier lifestyle. After learning that at least half of you use job-related Apps, we researched several more (listed below). If you have employees battling high blood pressure, diabetes, dermatology disorders, or other health conditions, these Apps can provide motivational support and up-to-date information that will benefit their wellness efforts. Check them out!
- iBP Blood Pressure: Enables blood pressure tracking for numerous users and sends results to multiple email addresses (user and the user’s doctor).
- Glucose Buddy: Allows users to log glucose numbers, carb consumption, and insulin dosages; also provides a way to set reminders to test glucose levels.
- LoveMySkin Mole Map: Helps users document and monitor moles for early skin cancer detection.
- Dosecast Free Edition: Allows users to schedule reminders to take medications, while automatically adjusting for time zones; can be configured daily, weekly, or monthly.
Do you have a healthcare-specific App you’d like to recommend to our readers? Let us know!
A Quick Review of Last Issue's "Quick Poll"
In the August 2014 issue of E to E we asked readers, "Do you use job-related Apps on a regular basis?" Specific survey results are noted in the chart, below.
October Quick Poll – Vote
Is your business confident you will meet upcoming deadlines for reinsurance fees and health plan identifiers (HPIDs)?
(Click a response to vote. Answers are strictly anonymous.)
Then, visit the
NIHP website to view this issue's quick poll results.
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