A Smile Can Make Your Day
The Right Dental Plan Makes a Difference

by Michael Sigal
A smile can make your day. With consumers wanting more choice and flexibility from their benefit package, helping your clients select the right dental plan may be just the way to keep employers and consumers smiling and happy.
    Dental benefits are the second most requested specialty benefit after prescription drug benefits, and are the best selling. Yet, only about 50% of the United States population is covered by some form of dental benefit. A recent national survey indicates that roughly 40 million workdays are lost each year due to dental related problems. The right dental plan can help your clients improve productivity by reducing absenteeism caused by oral health problems and give added choice to their employees.

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Employee Benefits

updated 6/10/09
Oral Cancer Screening
Ameritas Group now offers Type 2 coverage on oral cancer screening for patients 35 years and older. For more information, visit www.ameritasgroup.com.

Improved Dental Website
Delta Dental of California, Pennsylvania, and affiliated companies launched a redesigned Website (www.deltadentalins.com) to improve user experience and site navigation. New pages provide targeted information for consumers, dentists, brokers, employers and benefits administrators. The site also includes a dental plan shopping guide and a list of Delta Dental plans available by area.

updated 6/03/09
Discounts for Business Expenses
Aetna enhanced customer access to discounts and savings through its Aetna Resource Connection program. The program, available to brokers and those employers with 1-300 employees, leverages Aetna's buying power to provide discounts and savings to customers to help them save time and money on their monthly business expenses. Customers can learn more about the program by visiting www.AetnaResourceConnection.com. Aetna Resource Connection offers discounts and savings on payroll & human resources, operations, marketing and financial services. Participating vendors have been selected based on what they offer, the quality of the organization, and the savings they can bring to customers. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

updated 5/27/09
Worksite Marketing
Transamerica Worksite Marketing introduced Trans$ure. This interest-sensitive whole life policy, which is designed for clients seeking an alternative to universal life, comes with several rider options. For more information, visit www.transamerica.com.

updated 5/13/09
Voluntary Wellness Benefits
Guardian Life introduced enhanced wellness features for all Guardian medical plans:

• Online Health Assessment
• Personal Health Record
• Rich Online Content and Personalized Messaging
• Onsite Biometric Screening (Optional Service)

For more information, visit www.guardianlife.com.

Extra Features With Group Life & Disability Insurance
Guardian Life is offering new value-added features to its group life and disability portfolio, which are not often available to smaller companies. Guardian voluntary life plans will now include WillPrep Services that give plan members access to online planning documents and professional assistance. For employers who need to assist employees who travel overseas, Guardian has introduced TravelAid, a network that can provide 24/7 multilingual emergency response, medical evacuation and repatriation, travel alerts and destination information, pre-travel immunization information, and document replacement services.

updated 4/29/09
Disability
Guardian is offering value-added features to its group life and disability portfolio, that are not often available to smaller companies. Volu
ntary life plans will now include online planning documents and professional assistance with advanced healthcare directives, estate taxes, financial and healthcare power of attorney, guardianship and conservatorship, trusts, and wills. Guardian is also offering TravelAid. The emergency response network of global resources can provide 24/7 multi-lingual emergency response, medical evacuation and repatriation, travel alerts and destination information, pre-travel immunization information and document replacement services. For more information about Guardian, visit: www.GuardianLife.com.

Disability Risk Calculator
The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) is offering a free online tool to help people determine their risk of having a serious illness or injury that could prevent them from earning an income for an extended period. For more information, visit www.WhatsMyPDQ.org.

Affordable Dental Plan
Guardian is offering six new dental plans that offer a new twist to the traditional dental PPO. They offer $3,000 and $5,000 maximums coupled with high deductibles, providing benefits for more costly and substantial needs. Additionally, members can fund eligible dental expenses not covered by the plan through a health savings account or flexible spending account. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

updated 4/8/09
Family Dental Plan
Assurant is offering a group dental plan designed to help families maximize their dental benefit dollars. Plan members are not limited by individual maximums, but instead have a higher family maximum to share as they choose.  For more information, visit www.assurant.com.

updated 4/1/09
Disability
The Hartford Financial Services Group has employed nurses to manage STD claims for some large employers for the past four years. Now, the company is making this the standard service for new clients with 50 or more workers and will be moving existing clients to this claims experience over time. “We have seen great results with nurses as our first point of contact for sick or hurt employees because they resolve complex issues at the earliest stages of an illness or injury, as well as offer compassion and comfort at a difficult time,” said Glenn Shapiro, vice president of claims for The Hartford’s Group Benefits Division. For more information, visit www.thehartford.com.

updated 3/18/09
Very Small Group Short-Term Disability
Aflac lowered the minimum worksite size requirement for its short-term disability policy from five full-time employees to three full-time employees. For more information, visit aflacforbusiness.com for more information.

updated 2/18/09
Small Group Dental
Anthem Blue Cross simplified and streamlined its Small Group Dental plan portfolio. The new portfolio includes features such as, Dental PPO plans and Dental HMO plans, a variety of annual maximums of at least $1,000, and a large network. For more information, visit www.wellpoint.com.

updated 2/4/09
Absence Management for Large Groups
MetLife introduced MetLife Total Absence Management. It offers a unified approach to tracking and managing planned and unplanned employee absences. Customers with 1,000 or more employees that have MetLife Insured Group Disability are eligible to implement the new Total Absence Management Solution with effective dates of January 1, 2010.  For more information, visit www.metlife.com.


updated 1/28/09
Worksite Universal Life
Employee Benefit Solutions, a marketing division of American General, enhanced its most popular individual worksite product. The universal life insurance product is now named “Platinum Universal Life.” It now offers guaranteed issue underwriting to employee applicants. Maximum coverage amounts have increased, allowing employees to qualify for up to $500,000 and spouses to qualify for up to $200,000.
For more information, visit www.aigebs.com.

updated 1/14/09
Nationwide Dental Network
A new report by NetMinder shows that Delta Dental maintains the largest network of dentists in the nation, a position the nation’s largest dental benefit system has held for more than five decades. For more information, visit www.deltadental.com.

Universal Life at the Worksite
Employee Benefit Solutions, a marketing division of American General, enhanced its most popular individual worksite product, a universal life insurance product now named “Platinum Universal Life.” The product now offers guaranteed issue underwriting to employee applicants. Employers can also elect either contingent guaranteed issue or simplified issue underwriting for their plan. Additionally, maximum coverage amounts have increased, allowing employees to qualify for up to $500,000 and spouses to qualify for up to $200,000.  Optional riders are also available. For more information, visit www.aigebs.com.

updated 12/24/08
Dental HMO/Pre-Paid Coverage
Guardian enhanced its DHMO plans by increasing access to more affordable treatment options for business owners and employees. Guardian will pick up the cost of office visit co-payments for members and their dependents once a plan has been in force for three years—an added benefit designed to reward persistency and promote dental office visits, which can result in better oral health and save money for employers and employees, over the long run, by avoiding the necessity of treating more complex problems that can arise without regular preventive care. For more information, visit www.GuardianBenefits.com.

updated 12/10/08
DHMO Plan
The Guardian enhanced its dental HMO (DHMO) with more affordable treatment options. The plan is offering an increase in the number of annual periodontal cleanings to four without evidence of medical need and a continuation of benefits for orthodontic treatment for people whose treatment was still in progress when they switched DHMO carriers. In addition, Guardian will pick up the cost of office visit copayments for members and their dependents once a plan has been in force for three years
www.guardianlife.com

Self-Funded Benefit Solution
Beginning December 1, 2008, HealthSmart will become BenefitMall's integrated self-funded solution for employer groups with 50 or more enrolled employees. HealthSmart will be providing a fully integrated self-funded program designed to improve member health and reduce costs. For more information, visit www.healthsmart.com.

Payroll Prepaid Debit Cards
Solved LLC is offering a prepaid card that allows an employer to send out payroll payments in seconds, globally. It eliminates the expenses associated with paper checks. For more information, visit www.solvedonline.biz.

updated 11/26/08
New Web-Based Enrollment
Colonial Life has a new web-based Harmony enrollment system. The system can enroll all of an employer’s benefits anytime, anywhere. Colonial Life benefit representatives can use the system to enroll employees in person, over the Internet, or by phone. The Harmony enrollment system tracks enrollments through a reporting dashboard that provides daily information on all aspects of the enrollment. For more information, call Colonial Life at (949-452-9201) or visit www.coloniallife.com.

Spanish Language Enrollment
Unum is offering Spanish-speaking customers customized employee education and enrollment materials as well as bilingual call centers and claim support. For more information, visit www.unum.com.

Voluntary Benefits
Aetna introduced “i.Choose,” dental, life, accident, and disability insurance purchased on an employer-paid or employee-paid basis. Traditionally, voluntary plans are defined as benefits in which employees pay at least 50% of the total premium. However, i.Choose can support any contribution percentage. Aetna will expand the i.Choose portfolio of products as market demand increases.
For more information, visit www.aetna.com.

Annual 401k Checkup
People enrolled in Securian Retirement 401(k) plans can track their savings progress on their plan statements. In clear language with simple graphics, the Annual Checkup gives retirement plan participants an estimate of how close their savings rate will bring them to their goals. For more information, visit www.securianretirementcenter.com.

updated 11/19/08
Vision Insurance
GroupLink Inc. introduced the CLEAR Vision Insurance portfolio as a result of an exclusive partnership with Davis Vision Inc., a managed vision care network. GroupLink producers can now offer the Davis network to groups with as few as two lives. Customers will have access to a national network of nearly 45,000 providers in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Saipan, Guam, and the Dominican Republic. For more information, visit www.grouplinktpa.com.

updated 10/29/08
Absence Management
Guardian Life is offering an absence management program to help business owners and benefit managers comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

Dental
Lincoln National Corporation is offering a website link to its newly expanded panel of dental providers. For more information, visit www.LincolnFinancial.com.

Updated 10/15/08
Online Enrollment
Standard Insurance Company introduced a Web-based tool that streamlines the benefit enrollment process. The Standard handles the initial setup and creates a tailored enrollment process for each employee based on individual eligibility. Employers can use the tool's billing and reporting options to get the information they need in real time. For more information, visit www.stancorpfinancial.com.

Family Medical Leave Management
The Guardian introduced an absence-management program to help business owners and benefit managers comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

updated 10/01/08
Dental, Disability, and Life For Smaller Employers
MetLife enhanced its dental, disability and life insurance products for employers with as few as 10 employees.  The products include features that are popular among larger employers.  For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Spanish Language Vision Care Site
VSP launched a comprehensive Spanish-language website (www.vsp.com/espanol). It helps people find eye doctors, learn about their health risks, and find out how vision is connected to overall health.

Group Voluntary Long Term Disability
Standard Insurance Company introduced long-term disability insurance for educators and other school employees. School employees can select the features that fit their income-protection needs. For more information, call 971-321-3162.

updated 7/23/08
Vision Insurance Plans
Standard Insurance Company introduced vision insurance products for employers with as few as 10 employees. Available on an employer-paid and voluntary basis, the plans contain a variety of provisions to help employees save money on vision-care services. For more information, visit www.standard.com.

Online International Major Medical
Petersen International Underwriters is offering an online international major medical insurance program. Producers can direct their clients to their unique link. In less than five minutes, the consumer can be bound with coverage. For more information, visit
www.piu.org.

Online High Limit Accident Insurance
Petersen International Underwriters is offering an online high limit accident program. The program allows the agent to sell accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage and receive commissions without completing a paper application.  Instant approval is available for limits up to $1 million. Higher limits are available after an underwriter reviews the electronic application, normally within one business day.  For more information, visit www.piu.org.

Cancer Plan
AIG Employee Benefit Solutions launched the LIVESTRONG SurvivorPlan. It provides a broad array of resources designed to help patients stay healthy and take control of their treatment upon receiving a cancer diagnosis. The policy is being offered to the employer market through AIG Employee Benefit Solutions. The plan helps offset the costs of deductibles, coinsurance, travel expenses to and from treatment centers, lodging, meals, and childcare. For more information, visit www.aiglivestrong.com.

updated 6/25/08
Disability
The Guardian Life enhanced its Retirement Protection Plus program, which offers disability income insurance protection to help protect retirement plan contributions. It will cover up to 100% of retirement contributions made to a qualifying defined contribution plan. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

updated 6/18/08
Group Dental
Transamerica introduced TransSmile Value, Advantage and Preferred Plans to provide benefits for common dental needs. Quoting is simple and agents can build a custom plan for takeovers by calling the Marketing Support team at 800-400-3042. 
updated 6/11/08
Maternity Depression Program
WellPoint Inc. launched the Maternity Depression Program offered by its affiliated health plans. It offers new moms depression screenings, education, and support to help them get behavioral health treatment during and post-pregnancy. For more information, call 866-785-2789.

updated 5/21/08
Travel Assistance Benefits
MetLife enhanced its travel assistance benefit by adding identity theft solutions. Administered by AXA Assistance USA Inc., Travel Assistance is an optional feature available with MetLife’s Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) products and Business Travel Accident (BTA) insurance -- all part of MetLife’s portfolio of group life products.  For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Group Doctor Disability
The Hartford Financial Services Group is offering affordable group long-term disability (LTD) insurance for doctors. The LTD policy provides benefits of up to $15,000 a month. It includes two standard benefits to help protect doctors’ earnings from a progressive disability, such as arthritis, and from the loss of sight or a limb. For more information, visit www.thehartford.com

updated 4/14/08
Individual Disability
Guardian Life enhanced the individual disability product, ProVider Plus. The “own occupation,” non-cancelable, guaranteed renewable features-have not changed. Enhancements include specialty language, whereby physicians and dentists are insured for very specific areas of medicine, has broadened with the new offering. It also features new 10-Year and to age 67 benefit periods, a lower 15% loss-of-income threshold, and a dollar for dollar 12-month loss of income benefit. There is also a proportionate benefit paid for up to the entire benefit period after the insured returns to work, but continues to have at least a 15% loss of income. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.
updated 3/12/08
Prescription Discount
Free drug discount cards are available online for the uninsured. Participating pharmacies include Walgreens, Rite Aid, Eckerd Drugs, Publix, CVS Pharmacy, Winn Dixie, BI-LO, King Soopers, Fred's Pharmacy, Drug Fair, and K-Mart as well as thousands of independent pharmacies. For more information, visit www.FreeDrugDiscountCard.com.

Limited Benefits with Critical Illness Payouts
Symetra Life expanded its limited benefit medical package to include payments for certain types of critical illnesses. Insureds can receive a lump sum payment from Symetra when they first get diagnosed with a covered serious condition. For more information, call 425-256-5049.

updated 2/27/08
403(b) Plan Management
A company called “403b ASP,” introduced a 403(b) plan management solution that offers the flexibility to continue to work with multiple investment providers. For more information, call James Olson at 813-874-0671, ext. 204 or visit www.403basp.com.

updated 2/12/08
Disability
CIGNA is providing personalized claim information online for covered employees who are out of work due to a disability. The site allows consumers to determine how much disability insurance they need and file a claim online. For more information, visit www.myCIGNA.com.

updated 2/06/08
Dental Plans
BEN-E-LECT is introducing a suite of 10 fully insured dental plans with a single statewide rate and multiple PPO networks. The plans are available as employer-paid or 100% voluntary. With the Freedom Plans, employers can offer one dental option or the entire line to groups with as few as two employees. There are more options for deductibles, co-insurance, and maximum dental benefits ranging from $750 to $2,500. Seven dental plans are traditional co-insurance plans while three have a direct reimbursement option. For more information, visit www.benelect.com/products/dental_3.html.

updated 1/30/08
Cosmetic Dental Benefits
AlwaysCare Benefits is offering cosmetic benefits with a rider covering bleaching, porcelain crowns, and posterior restorations. Bleaching will be covered for each tooth or arch once every 36 months with a separate lifetime maximum of $500. Coverage of porcelain crowns and restorations on posterior teeth is also available. The rider is available to groups with 50 or more enrolled employees and 80% participation. For more information, visit www.AlwaysCareBenefits.com or call 888-729-5433 x2013.

updated 12/12/07
Dental Plans
Ameritas Group introduced a line of dental plans called “Sensible Choice.” They feature the following:

• Benefits that are easy to understand and use. Reimbursement is based on the dollar amount of expenses instead of on benefit type or procedure category.
• Employers can include tools to help keep plan costs predictable and rates stable, such as professional consultant claims review, alternate procedures, frequency limitations, and age limits.
• Employees or their dentists can submit claims to Ameritas for reimbursement. Sensible Choice plan members don’t have to pay the dentist up front.
• Ameritas Group plan members who see PPO dentists can choose from more than 70,000 provider access points nationwide. But they’re always free to use non-network dentists and will still be eligible for benefits.

For more information, visit www.ameritas.com.

updated 11/28/07
Severance Disability
Petersen International Underwriters enhanced its severance disability insurance plan. Enhancements provide for higher limits and longer durations. For more information, call Mark Petersen at 800-345-8816 or mark@piu.org.

Transamerica Worksite Launches Four New Products
Transamerica Worksite Marketing launched four products to its package of voluntary group offerings:

• CriticalHelp Plus -- a critical illness plan
• CancerSelect Plus -- a cancer-only plan
• TransSmile -- a dental plan
• TransChoice Plus -- a hospital indemnity plan

For more information, call at 800-00-3042.

updated 10/17/07
Dental
MetLife and SafeGuard Dental & Vision introduced dual option dental plans that combine the strengths of MetLife’s PPO with SafeGuard’s dental HMO. A consolidated account management team oversees enrollment, implementation, eligibility, billing and ongoing service, which simplifies plan administration for the employer. The offering is available to employers with 25 or more employees in California, Florida, and Texas. For more information, visit www.safeguard.net.

Integrated Medical & Disability Programs
CIGNA has found that people with integrated medical and disability programs, who have taken a short-term disability leave, are more likely to return to work. The study shows marked improvement in return-to-work rates of at least 5% and up to 37% compared to their counterparts in non-integrated, disability-only plans. Based on these findings, CIGNA has extended the discounts on disability and healthcare coverage when these programs are purchased together. For more information, visit www.cigna.com.

updated 10/3/07
Obesity Management
Nationwide Better Health launched an obesity-management program. The program, which focuses on lifestyle and behavioral changes, targets people who have tried to lose weight numerous times. Dedicated health coaches teach employees to follow an individualized meal plan, control portion sizes, and avoid emotional eating. They also learn to increase physical activity through safe, appropriate exercise and lifestyle pursuits. For more information, call 866-404-6924 or visit www.nwbetterhealth.com.
Updated 9/19/07
Dental Network
Guardian Life’s dental network experienced double-digit growth making it the largest dental network in several cities and states, including California, Florida, New York Metro area, Rochester, NY; Buffalo, NY; Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas. Guardian is a top three dental network nationally. Guardian’s dental network has grown to more than 60,000 dentists nationwide. For more information, visit www.GuardianDental.com.

updated 8/15/07
Dental
MetLife's Preferred Dentist Program network has surpassed 100,000 participating dentist locations, making it the largest dental PPO in the country. MetLife's PDP dentist turnover has been less than 1.5% per year over the past four years. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

updated 8/1/07
Wellness Resource
“flexSCAN” will provide wellness services through the Word & Brown General Agency. “Wellness360” offers health risk assessments, online diet and fitness programs, medical information, and electronic personal health records. For more information, visit www.flexscan.com, www.mywellness360.com or www.wordandbrown.com.

Dental Implant Coverage
Ameritas Group is offering comprehensive dental implant coverage options, which can be added to most traditional indemnity group dental plans. It provides for all phases of the dental implant process including bone augmentation, implant placement, implant repair, and implant maintenance. For more information, visit www.ameritasgroup.com.

Disability Insurance Rider
Mass Mutual is offering an own-occupation rider at an extra cost. Policyowners may benefit from a variety of policy discounts. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com/halfapaycheck.

updated 7/11/07
Voluntary Dental
Principal Financial Group launched “Principal Dental Series II.” New consumer driven features enable employers to stretch their benefit dollars while employees get personalized coverage. The maximum accumulation benefit allows dental plan members to roll over a portion of their unused annual maximum into the following year, much like rollover minutes on a cell phone plan. A new lifetime deductible feature means claimants only meet one deductible amount throughout their lifetime coverage with The Principal. For employers who want to encourage use of in-network providers, the split maximum provides a cost-effective alternative. For more information, visit www.principal.com .

updated 7/3/07
Disability Plans
Mutual of Omaha’s Disability Income Choice Portfolio offers four disability insurance plans. Consumers can purchase several types of coverage with a single application. They can add critical illness and hospital confinement coverages to their disability plans.
    The four plans include a combination of short-term and long-term coverages, along with a business overhead expense plan for small-business owners. For more information, call 402-351-5940.

Products Geared to Small Businesses
Standard Insurance Company introduced customizable insurance solutions for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Products include the following:

• Basic LTD is a simple, low cost version of the company’s long-term disability coverage. It is for employees who have a higher risk for disability, such as retail workers or those with physically demanding jobs.
• Disability Employee Choice is for growing companies with a diverse workforce.
• Preferred Segment offers LTD protection for highly compensated professionals.
• The Standard Select helps employers with as few as two employees.
• Core Benefits Solution provides affordable employee benefits for small employers. Products include retirement plans and life, disability, and dental insurance.

For more information, visit www.standard.com.

update 5/30/07
Disability
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. has a team of clinical professionals to help disabled employees' return to work safely. The Hartford also developed a free guide on creating programs to transition sick or injured employees back into the workforce. It is available at www.employerview.hartfordlife.com .
Updated 4/25/07

Benefit Broker Rewards
HealthPlan Services is offering a promotion that gives independent brokers rewards for as few as 25 covered lives. It offers rewards for policies issued between May 1, 2007 and Jan. 15, 2008 and that are in force through March 15, 2008 . Policies must be processed by HealthPlan Services through one of their medical, dental, disability, life, or long-term care carrier partners. For more information, visit www.loyaltypays.healthplan.com or call 877-360-2496.

Alternative Medicine
Guardian's group medical plan members now have greater access to discounts on alternative medical treatments in 38 disciplines including yoga, Pilates, personal training, massage/bodywork, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, chiropractic care, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, qi gong, tai chi, and holistic medicine. Members get discounts up to 30% off the cost of services and treatments at over 36,000 providers. Many Guardian medical plans had already offered coverage for alternative medicine, but clients now have more discipline choices, locations, and providers. For more information, visit www.GuardianAnytime.com.

Dental Rollover. Guardian Life placed more than $220 million in client accounts since introducing its dental maximum rollover program in 2004. More than $170 million was rolled over to customer accounts in 2006 alone. Members can rollover a portion of their unused annual maximum into a personal maximum rollover account in case they need more extensive dental care in the future. Traditional dental plans require members to use their benefit dollars or lose them. For more information, visit www.guardianlife.com.
Dental for Retirees. MetLife is offering a full
service dental plan for retirees. It bundles standard and enhanced dental plans along with participant marketing, enrollment, customer service, record-keeping, and billing services. Retirees pay 100% of the premium. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.

Laser Vision Correction. Ameritas Group introduced LASIK Advantage, which will be available to customers on June 1. It is available with virtually all Ameritas Group dental plans. LASIK Advantage will cover various types of LASIK procedures, as well as photorefractive keratectomy procedures. For more information, call 402-309-2500.

Critical Illness. Star Marketing and Administration Inc. (Starmark) introduced its critical illness plan. The ancillary offering enables employers to complement their Starmark health plan with added protection for their employees. If an employee is diagnosed with critical illnesses, a lump-sum payment helps cover expenses, such as family earnings replacement, experimental treatment, childcare, health insurance deductibles, co-pays, and travel expenses. For more information, call 800-522-1246, ext. 33057, or visit www.starmarkinc.com.