The Uninsured ­ A Golden Opportunity for Prospecting

By Dave Helwig

Can any more be said about our uninsured crisis? The issue has not
diminished in its reach or its affect on our healthcare economy. However,
there are still misconceptions about the plight of the uninsured that should
be recognized. Even though the resources invested in addressing the problem
have increased substantially, the number of uninsured Americans remains
significant. I take the viewpoint that the uninsured are viable prospects to
grow business, preserve our industry, and address one of the most pressing
social issues in our country.

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Health Insurance

updated 5/7/08
Home Test Kits
A line of test kits from BioIQ allows people to monitor cholesterol, blood sugar, and other important biometric information. BioIQ also offers corporate health screening programs. For more information, visit www.BioIQ.com

updated 3/19/08
Wellness Solution
SHPS developed a wellness program for mid-size and large employers. It includes screenings, a consumer website, and health coaching. For more information, visit www.shps.com.

updated 3/12/08
Disability for Young Professionals
Guardian is offering individual disability coverage, based on future earnings potential, for advanced degree students, medical residents, and those working in the first year of their profession. For the first time, pharmacy students are eligible. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

updated 2/20/08
Health Tourism
BridgeHealth International purchased the assets of Medical Tours International (MTI). MTI nurse coordinators and healthcare professionals have been arranging medical procedures at healthcare facilities throughout Costa Rica, Brazil, Panama, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, and India. For more information, visit www.medicaltoursinternational.com or www.bridgehealthintl.com.

Updated 2/06/08
Supplemental Health Coverage for Accidents
AIG launched AIG Accident Expense Plus, a health insurance product that provides accident medical coverage to fill the gaps in major medical policies. A critical illness rider provides benefits in the event of heart attack, stroke, or cancer. The following are some key features:

• Benefits are paid directly to the policyholder, not the provider.
• Policyholders choose the benefit amounts.
• Policyholders can choose any hospital, physician, or medical facility.
• Benefit payments are not coordinated with payments from the insured’s major medical plan.
• The plan covers individuals and their spouses and children.

For more information, visit www.aigag.com.

updated 1/30/08
Maternity Depression Screening
Blue Cross of California launched a program that provides depression screenings, education, and support to help new moms get behavioral health treatment during and post-pregnancy. The Maternity Depression Program also identifies members who are at high risk for depression. For more information, call 866-785-2789.

HRA for Small Groups
Flexible Benefit Service Corp. will provide self-funded health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) administrative services to Aetna’s small group market. The HRA will be available nationally for small group customers (groups with two to 50 employees). Group customers can choose among four reimbursement options. The HRA can cover eligible expenses, which include all section 213(d) expenses, expenses applied only to the deductible, all healthcare expenses (copays, coinsurance and deductible), or other limited healthcare-related expenses, such as dental, vision, and preventive care. For more information, visit www.Aetna.com.

Medicare Management
The TriZetto Group Inc. released CareAdvance Medicare, for care management of Medicare members. It does the following:

• Automates case and disease management activities.
• Provides case management support to Medicare beneficiaries
• Features a new Medicare health risk assessment for seniors
• Enables Medicare Advantage plans to align with new guidelines of special needs programs.
• Includes identification rules conditions and chronic diseases.
• Offers information systems on CMS and NCQA standards.

For more information, call 949-719-2200 or at www.trizetto.com.

updated 1/23/08
Medical Records
OptumHealth introduced portable lifetime personal health records. The system enables people who change employers, health plans, or doctors to retain access to their previous medical history based on their health insurance claims. As a division of UnitedHealth Group, OptumHealth is providing this portability service through its free, secure consumer Internet portal, www.healthatoz.com.

Medical Records
MediKeeper (www.medikeeper.com) is providing customizable health management tools including its flagship Personal Health Record. The goal is to make medical records secure, mobile, and accessible online. For more information, e-mail ryan.tarzy@medikeeper.com or call 858-240-2201.updated 12/19/07
Dental Plan
Guardian is offering dental plan enhancements covering cosmetic teeth whitening and has expanded its coverage of periodontal maintenance cleanings. Dental insurance companies usually do not cover cosmetic procedures, but demand from clients and brokers supported Guardian's decision to offer teeth whitening as a covered benefit. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), teeth whitening is the number one requested cosmetic service. Employees can get up to four periodontal maintenance cleanings per year, regardless of medical conditions. Traditionally, the employee needed a physician's certification that they had a disease with a known correlation to periodontal disease in order to qualify for more than two to three cleanings in a year. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

Supplemental Cancer Insurance
Physicians Mutual Insurance Company is offering a supplemental cancer insurance policy that can cover claims usually not covered by traditional, limited benefit or mini-med plans. For more information, visit www.physiciansmutual.com.

updated 12/5/07
Group Telemedicine
Healthcare Access Solutions, LLC launched “Consult a Doctor” (www.consultadr.com), a healthcare membership service designed to reduce healthcare costs by providing access to licensed physicians by phone or secure e-mail. Members can even get prescribed medication, if appropriate, for common illnesses and have it called into the local pharmacy or sent directly to the member by overnight delivery. Memberships and consultations can be purchased using funds from tax-advantaged health savings account funds.

Low Cost Prescriptions
Prescription Hope is offering a prescription assistance service to low income families and uninsured people. They can get access to more than 1,300 brand-name medications for only $7 per prescription per month with delivery to their home or doctors office. Patients get their medications in a three-month supply directly from the pharmaceutical companies about six to eight weeks from the application date. Included are commonly prescribed medications for arthritis, allergies, asthma, cancer, hypertension, and depression. The one-page enrollment application is good for one year. Eligible applicants cannot have Medicaid coverage, cannot have any prescription coverage, and cannot earn more than $19,000 for individuals or $31,000 for couples. For more information, call 877-296-HOPE (4673) or visit www.prescriptionhope.com.

Disease Management
When the expansion is complete on January 1, the CIGNA Well Informed program will be a standard service in all of CIGNA’s medical plans. CIGNA will conduct ongoing analyses to look for possible gaps in chronic disease management, care patterns, medication compliance, preventive care, and patient safety. Some of the conditions the program will target are coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, depression, and diabetes. For more information, visit www.cigna.com.

Personal Health Records
Kaiser Permanente introduced a personal health record system called, “My health Manager.” It includes online appointment scheduling and prescription refills. Users have 24/7 online access to lab test results, eligibility and benefits information, and children’s immunization records. With secure e-mail messaging, members can also communicate with their doctors at anytime, from anywhere. For more information, visit www.kaiserpermanente.org.

updated 10/24/07
Hospital Indemnity
Bankers Life and Casualty Company introduced the Senior Hospital Indemnity Product. The individual plan provides hospital and emergency room benefits to seniors on an indemnity basis. It is designed for seniors ages 65 to 84 to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. The plan pays benefits directly to the policyholder. It uses simplified issue underwriting; no medical exams or physician statements are required. Clients can select the amount and duration of the hospital benefit. The plan also pays a fixed benefit for emergency room treatment. Clients can choose optional riders. For more information, call 312-396-7461 or visit www.banklife.com.

PPO
Guardian introduced a program that locks in a single-digit medical premium renewal rate when companies sign-up. Guardian Premium Protect is a two-year medical PPO program with a prescription drug benefit, vision discount access, wellness resources, and high and low cost-sharing plans. For more information, visit www.guardianlife.com.

Medicare Advantage Guidance
Senior Market Sales Inc. rolled out its agent self-help Website, www.MAforAgents.com in time for the 2008 Medicare Advantage selling season. The site is designed to help agents organize frequent communications from carriers; download forms, agent contracts, and summaries of benefits; and get certified online. The company’s sister-website is www.PartDforAgents.com.

updated 10/10/07
Limited HealthCare Plan
AIG Employee Benefit Solutions launched “AIG Group Limited HealthCare,” a limited benefit insurance plan. Features include the following:

• Guaranteed issue.
• No pre-existing condition exclusion (except pregnancy).
• Benefits paid directly to the insured or provider.
• Coverage for spouse and children.
• Coverage for pregnancy provided conception occurs after the effective date of coverage
• A 24-hour nurse line.
• A discount vision, dental, and prescription drug benefit.
• A nationwide provider network with discounts at the point-of-service.
• Convenient claims processing.

For more information, visit www.aigebs.com.

updated 10/3/07
Medicare Products
Health Net Inc. unveiled new Medicare plans that promote heart health. Health Net's Healthy Heart product offering includes the following:

• A comprehensive medical and prescription drug Medicare Advantage HMO plan in Southern California.
• Special needs Medicare Advantage HMO plan (SNP) in Southern California for those with high cholesterol.
  For more information, visit www.healthnet.com.

updated 8/8/07
Healthcare Plans
Under Great-West Healthcare's new customer service model, advocates are assigned to help people in complex medical care or administrative situations. The call center is staffed with customer services representatives trained to adapt to callers' communication styles. There is also a self-service system via the phone or the Web. For more information, call 303-737-2065
updated 7/18/07
Online Dental Information Tool
Lincoln National’s new Website (www.jpfic.com) gives covered employees general oral health information and provides answers to frequently asked questions.

updated 7/3/07
HSA Plan
Kaiser Permanente has a new $1,500 deductible plan with an HSA. It covers all medical expenses once the $1,500 deductible is met. Members can give themselves 100% coverage by putting additional monthly savings into a tax sheltered HSA account. For more information, visit www.kaiserpermanente.org.

Retiree Rx
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. is working with the MemberHealth Inc. Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to provide comprehensive prescription drug benefits for retirees. Employers and union groups will get a variety of flexible solutions. CCRx has more than 61,000 pharmacies in its nationwide network. The program is one of 17 Medicare prescription drug plans approved to operate on a national basis. MemberHealth offers plans in 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, visit www.mhrx.com or www.communitycarerx.com.

updated 6/20/07
Freelancers Union to Make Healthcare More Accessible
Freelancers Union is offering health plans to independent workers and their families in 30 states through UnitedHealthcare's Golden Rule Insurance Company and its affiliated companies. Freelancers Union already provides health insurance to more than 15,000 New Yorkers. Self-employed workers in the following states now have a variety of health plans, including lower-cost high deductible and health savings account (HSA) plans: Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kan., Ky., La., Md., Mich., Miss., Mo., Neb., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Penn., S.C., Tenn., Texas, Va., and Wis.

To get cost and coverage information for health, dental, disability and life insurance plans, visit the Freelancers Union Website at www.freelancersunion.org.

Dental Plans
The AIG Employee Benefit Solutions group is offering several new dental products and features. The AIG Group High-Low Choice Dental plan allows employees to select from two plan options that meet their benefit needs and ability to pay. AIG Group Scheduled Reimbursement Dental is a low-cost-alternative that helps keep plan costs stable from year-to-year. New dental features can be added to many of the plans. A portion of each member's base annual maximum can be carried over and saved in an account for future years. A new bundled benefit offers supplemental dental coverage on selected orthodontic, implant, cosmetic or TMJ procedures. For more information, visit www.aigebs.com/learnmore/dental.

updated 6/13/07
Prenatal Care Program
Trustmark entered into an agreement with Matria Healthcare Inc. to offer the MaternaLink prenatal care program to group clients. The program is voluntary, confidential, and available at no additional cost to eligible employees and dependents covered by Trustmark Group Benefits, Starmark, and Affinity Markets plans.
Enrolled members receive the following:

• Three confidential pregnancy assessments.
• Pregnancy wellness information.
• A toll-free phone line staffed by maternity nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• An electronic maternity newsletter and health information library.
• An incentive for completing the program.

For more information, visit www.trustmarkins.com.

Consumer Directed Plan
Health Net of California launched a plan that combines the preventive care of a traditional HMO with components of a consumer-directed plan. Health Net's Optimizer HMO is a consumer-directed plan with no deductible. It comes with a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses and includes a special debit card. Members can track their HRA balances and out-of-pocket expenses online. Customers get $100 in their HRA by completing a health risk questionnaire. They get an additional $100 if they call a health coach through Health Net's Decision Power program within six months prior to a hospitalization. Optimizer HMO is available to employers with more than 51 employees and to labor and trust groups. For more information, visit www.healthnet.com .

updated 6/6/07
Health Debit Card
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America introduced a debit card and Web tools as part of its FlexPlan Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program. Clients can pay for eligible healthcare expenses with the Benny Pre-paid MasterCard card. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com .

updated 4/25/07
Individual Plans.
PacifiCare, a UnitedHealthcare company, enhanced its portfolio of individual and family health plans in California with competitive pricing and access to UnitedHealthcare's extensive network of physicians and hospitals in the state. PacifiCare's PPO and HMO plans now feature the following:
? Streamlined coverage levels.
? Doctor visit co-pays for low and high deductible plans.
? Simplified HSA-compatible plans with 100% coinsurance.
? Network discounts on medical care.
? Dependable customer service and prompt claims processing.
Brokers should call 800-232-5432.

updated 11/01/06
Medicare Medical Savings Account
WellPoint Inc. will introduce the first Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) in the Medicare market. Consumers can enroll in the plan beginning November 15, 2006 . The plans include a high deductible Medicare advantage health plan that covers Medicare benefits and a tax-advantaged MSA. ACS/Mellon Bank will serve as the custodian of the WellPoint Medicare MSA plans. For more information, call 888-211-9813.

Healthcare Payments
CIGNA HealthCare introduced ?HealthePass? to help patients anticipate and manage their healthcare costs, shorten provider revenue cycle, and help address patient bad debt. HealthePass will feature American Express' "hold-and-settle" process that reserves the patient's payment from their funding source, such as a health savings account or line of credit, and releases the patient payment at the same time the insurance claim is settled. HealthePass will be available at no additional cost for providers who accept credit cards. For more information, visit www.movingpix.com/preview/cigna/healthepass4.html.

Medicare Medical Savings Account
WellPoint Inc. will introduce the first Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) in the Medicare market. Consumers can enroll in the plan beginning November 15, 2006 . The plans include a high deductible Medicare advantage health plan that covers Medicare benefits and a tax-advantaged MSA. ACS/Mellon Bank will serve as the custodian of the WellPoint Medicare MSA plans. For more information, call 888-211-9813.

updated 10/18/06
HSA Resource Package
Great-West Healthcare unveiled its employer health savings account (HSA) resource package. It includes an employee readiness survey and an HSA employer resource guide CD. It is designed for employers of all sizes, but ideal for smaller employers that have limited resources to develop their own education and enrollment campaigns. For more information, visit www.greatwesthealthcare.coml.com.

Medicare Part D
WellPoint Inc. introduced its portfolio of Medicare Part D product options for the upcoming open enrollment period. The portfolio features the addition of two popular drug classes and reductions in premium costs. At the same time, the co-pay amount has remained the same in the most popular plans. WellPoint has added popular drugs to its most affordable plans, including Crestor, Lunesta, Paxil and Vytorin. The two most comprehensive plans will cover two generic classes of drugs widely utilized by Seniors ? benzodiazepines and barbiturates. These classes are not covered by most Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. Both plans provide coverage for these two generic classes of drugs during the coverage gap, so beneficiaries will always pay the generic co-pay. The company will continue to provide generic coverage through the ?donut hole? in its most comprehensive plan in 2007. For more information, visit www.wellpoint.com or 317-488-6390

Medicare Part D
CIGNA HealthCare is offering its Cignature Rx Medicare Part D plan. It includes the following:

• A cost comparison tool that allows brokers to demonstrate a beneficiary's potential savings based on their prescriptions.
• The option to complete and submit enrollments online.
• Marketing materials from the Cignature Rx Website.
• A self-paced training program available on the Cignature Rx Website.
• A competitive compensation structure.

For more information, visit www.cigna.com.

Updated 8/30/06)
CDHC Plans Available in all States
WellPoint Inc. will make its consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) products and services available in all states and to all markets, from the largest national employer to an individual member, beginning Jan. 1, 2007. Previously, these products were offered only to national employers' members. For more information, visit www.wellpoint.com.

Health-Savings Account
The Principal Financial Group will waive certain fees on health-savings accounts (HSAs) and health-reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) for a limited time. Set-up fees will be waived for the first 31 days for health-savings accounts established through Principal Direct Connect, a proprietary electronic contribution and transfer process. This only applies to Principal health-savings accounts sold with a new qualified high deductible health plan from The Principal. Monthly administration fees on health-reimbursement arrangements will also be waived for one policy year for all new insurance sales with effective dates between October 1, 2006 and January 31, 2007. The monthly fee waiver can be extended to a maximum of 15 months if the HRA is sold with an extended rate guarantee. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

(updated 8/02/06)
Drug Cost Analytical Tool
Partners Rx Management, LLC developed a tool that analyzes the spending in the top drug or therapeutic classes to determine how a payer’s trend stacks up to PRx’s trend. “Claims Replay” adjusts for differences in demographics and benefit design and enables users to make sound comparisons. A prospective client can determine the effectiveness of a pharmacy benefit management organization (PBM), not just by pricing, but by assessing how well all the components of drug therapy are managed. For more information, visit www.partnersrx.com.

Consumer Driven Healthcare
The Principal Financial Group is offering an enhanced health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) that can integrate with a health savings account (HSA). With this new offering, employers have flexibility to design deductibles, reimbursement percentages, and rollover options. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

Expanded Dental PPO Network
Assurant Employee Benefits and Aetna are entering into an arrangement for joint dental PPO network access and servicing. Aetna will add to its PPO offerings the dentists contracted with Dental Health Alliance, L.L.C., which is the dental PPO operated by Assurant Employee Benefits. Assurant Employee Benefits will begin marketing a network comprised of Dental Health Alliance and the Aetna Dental Access network. For more information, visit www.aetna.com or www.assurant.com.

(updated 7/05/08)
Healthcare Cost Comparison Tool
The Principal Financial Group introduced the “Treatment Cost Advisor,” an online tool designed to help members evaluate the price of specific procedures and medications. Employees provide information about their condition, age, gender, and location and then get estimated costs for procedures covering primary care, specialist visits, treatments, and other expenses. For more information, visit www.subimo.com.

Health Reimbursement Accounts
Putnam Investments introduced the Putnam Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) -- the first HRA service designed for labor union members. It provides supplemental medical funds for union worker retirees. Accounts accumulate during working years to cover post-retirement medical expenses. Union members and their employers make tax-deductible contributions to these accounts, which are invested in mutual funds. Gains on account investments are not taxed, even when the funds are withdrawn in retirement to pay for medical expenses. For more information, call 617-760-1108. E-mail: laura_mcnamara@putnam.com.

(updated 6/28/06)
Small Business Health Plan
UnitedHealthcare introduced UnitedHealthcare Benchmark Solutions for individuals and small businesses with two to 99 employees. Small-business owners get a menu of affordable health plan choices ranging from traditional benefits to consumer-driven health plans. It includes access to HSAs and HRAs. UnitedHealthcare members have access health coaching, cost and quality information on physicians and hospitals, account information, and access to the largest national network of healthcare professionals and facilities. For more information, visit www.unitedhealthcare.com.

MaternityCard for the Uninsured
Affordable Healthcare Options introduced “MaternityCard.” A client of www.MaternityCard.com can save up to 60% off of the rates that uninsured parents are usually expected to pay to physicians and hospitals.

(updated 6/14/06)
Low-Rate Health Plans for Small Businesses
Blue Shield of California is introducing four affordable PPO plans for small group employers, effective July 2006. Blue Shield Life is offering the Shield Spectrum PPO Plan 1000 Value and the Shield Spectrum PPO Plan 1500 Value. Those who want plans that can be coupled with a health savings account can choose Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plan 3400 and Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plan 4800 Individual/9600 Family. These plans will be offered alongside the company's suite of PPO products. For more information, call 310-568-2866 or email elise.anderson@blueshieldca.com.

(updated 5/31/06)
Small Business Health Coverage
Kaiser Permanente is launching a product for California small businesses that lets employees choose health coverage from seven different Kaiser Permanente benefit plans.The Kaiser Permanente “Choice Solution” is available to California business owners with two to 50 employees. The program offers two HMO co-payment plans, an HMO deductible plan, two POS plans, a PPO plan, and an indemnity plan for employees outside the service area, including those outside of California. The two POS plans allow employees to get their healthcare from a three-tier structure -- the Kaiser Permanente network, the participating provider network, or another licensed provider. For more information, visit www.kaiserpermanente.org.
Health Plan Quoting
Ben-e-lect and HealthConnect Systems are offering online quoting for consumer driven health plans alongside fully insured plans. For more information, call 888-886-7973, e-mail rfp@benelect.com, or visit www.healthconnectsystems.com.

Limited Benefit Plans
Brokers will be able to request proposals for limited benefit medical policies through BenefitPoint. The platform connects brokers to insurance carriers to make it easier to evaluate and purchase benefit packages for employer-sponsored plans. Symetra’s Select Benefits is a limited benefit medical and life insurance product that allows employers to offer health insurance benefits to the working uninsured. It provides essential medical coverage to eligible employees and dependents without deductibles, pre-condition limitations, or co-pays for services other than the policy’s prescription drug benefit. Select Benefits can be offered to part-time, seasonal or temporary employees, and workers who may not otherwise be eligible for coverage. Symetra’s medical stop loss insurance helps protect the self-insured employer from a potentially large claims or a single catastrophic claim. For more information, call 415-277-5700 or visit www.benefitpoint.com.
(updated 5/23/06)
Book on HMOs
In the e-book, “The Advocate,” author Chris Landrum, RN reveals insider information about how to get and interpret your medical records; how to make documentation work for you; how to get coverage for costly procedures your HMO may deny; and other issues. For more information, visit www.301url.com.
(updated 5/16/06)
Limited Benefit Plans
HM Insurance Group introduced a limited benefit medical product. As a group indemnity plan, HM Care Advantage is designed for employees to whom employer-sponsored health insurance has not been available. Employers can select the number of visits, tests or hospital days, and the amount of coverage for each benefit. They can also offer the plan on a contributory or non-contributory basis to employees. The core benefits consist of physician office visits, daily in-hospital, first day of admission, surgical and anesthesia services, and outpatient diagnostic testing. Bundled with the core benefits are health information resources, discounts for pharmacy, vision and fitness/wellness services, and COBRA administration. For more information, visit www.hminsurancegroup.com

(updated 4/26/06)
Consumer Driven HealthCare
UMB Healthcare Services has partnered with ConnectYourCare to provide custodial, investment and health payment card services for health-savings accounts (HSAs), flexible-spending accounts (FSAs), and health-reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). The partnership includes a consumer-driven healthcare portal and account administration, a multi-purse payment card, and banking and investments priced for one fee. The offering is marketed to brokers, carriers, and third-party administrators who want to offer a progressive consumer-driven healthcare solution that can be implemented in a matter of weeks. For more information, call 877-495-3341 or visit www.ConnectYourCare.com.

(updated 4/19/06)
Individual PPO Plans
Blue Shield of California is introducing “Essential plans 3000 and 4500,” (The numbers represent the deductible amount.) The plans offer a range of features, including dental and vision coverage. Blue Shield created the Essential plans for young self-employed California workers or children not covered by an employer-sponsored health plan. Premiums range from $75 to $100 per month (based on age, location and various other factors). With a modest out-of-pocket maximum that equals the deductible, even those who have been uninsured can get the coverage they need with an Essential Plan. Individuals have $10 co-payments for generic prescription drugs at network pharmacies. Blue Shield’s Essential plans do not provide maternity or brand-name prescription drug coverage. For more information, visit www.bscalife.com or call 800-443-8284.

Prescription Drug Plan
CIGNA Pharmacy Management (CPM) is launching preventive prescription drug plan options to promote medication compliance. Employees who need certain medications to prevent illness or address specified chronic healthcare conditions get a higher level of benefits coverage. One option allows employers to waive the plan deductible for more than 700 standard covered preventive prescription drugs. Members would be covered for these medications according to the coinsurance or co-payment requirement of the pharmacy plan without first having to satisfy a plan deductible. A second option allows plan sponsors offering CIGNA Choice Fund consumer-driven plans to provide this higher level of coverage as an incentive to encourage employees with diabetes, cardiac conditions, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to participate in a disease management program offered as part of the employer's health plan. For more information, visit www.cigna.com.

(updated 4/03/06)
Decision Support Tools for Healthcare
A.D.A.M. Inc. introduced its “DecisionAssist” and health risk assessment reporting tools to its portfolio of consumer-directed health solutions. The tools are designed to promote smarter healthcare decisions. Organizations that use the tools can analyze health risk data from their population to determine which high-cost areas should be targeted for health improvements programs, such as asthma, obesity, back pain, or diabetes. The tools help employers promote healthy habits, reduce absenteeism, and improve worksite productivity. For more information, call 800-755-ADAM (2326) or visit www.adam.com.
(updated 3/29/06)
Short-Term Medical
Golden Rule Insurance Company introduced its “Short Term Medical” plan to fill in coverage gaps for individuals and families. Consumers can choose one to six months of coverage and choose from a range of deductibles and payment options. They can drop the plans at any time without penalty or apply for another one. For more information, call 800-974-4472 or visit www.goldenrule.com.


(updated 3/22/06)
Healthcare Cost Comparison
Consumers can get pricing information for more than 55 hospital-based procedures with the new HealthGrades Medical-Care Cost Reports. They are being offered at HealthGrades.com for $7.95 each. Hospital ratings of 28 procedures and diagnoses at more than 5,000 nonfederal hospitals remain free on the Website. In-depth hospital, physician or nursing-home reports are also available at the Web site for a fee. For more information, visit www.HealthGrades.com.

(updated 3/8/06)
Variable Annuity
John Hancock has enhanced the “Principal plus for Life” rider, available on the company's Venture Variable Annuities. The enhancements provide more opportunity to lock in market gains and boost retirement income. There is a guaranteed return-of-principal over time in the form of regular withdrawals. Withdrawals are guaranteed for the life of the annuity's owner beginning at age 65. For more information, visit www.johnhancockannuities.com.

Vision Plan
Guardian introduced “Vision Access,” a free upgrade that will offer network discounts on vision exams and materials for dental insurance members who do not have vision coverage. Discounts include exams, frames, lenses, contacts, and laser surgery. Since it is not insurance, members do not have to submit claims forms. They simply pay the discounted charge directly to the network provider. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

(updated 2/22/06)
Consumer Driven MasterCard
Benefit Resource Inc. unveiled the “Beniversal” MasterCard, which offers direct access to multiple pre-tax accounts. The card debits the correct account to cover qualified expenses at the point-of-service -- perhaps a doctor's office or pharmacy or even a center providing daycare for dependents. The Website allows consumers to track and manage pre-tax accounts. For more information, visit www.benefitresource.com.

(updated 2/15/06)
Healthcare Debit Card
A healthcare spending account provider, SHPS, is offering a multi-purse debit card and related transaction processing services for its client's spending account programs. Electronic commerce provider, First Data, will process transactions for SHPS' entire suite of spending accounts on a single card, including flexible spending accounts and health reimbursement arrangements and account-based programs for dependent care, retirees, mass transportation, and parking. UMB Bank is the sponsor bank, supporting debit card access and transaction processing. For more information, visit www.shps.com.

(updated 1/25/06)
Online Decision Support Tools
Starmark, along with Trustmark Life Insurance Company, launched “Healthy Foundations.” The integrated online portal is available through the Starmark Website to help consumers make informed choices about their healthcare. Healthy Foundations, which is available with all health plans administered by Starmark, incorporates the following:

• The health insurance plan.
• Online health information and consumer decision support tools.
• Guidance to educate employees and help them become more informed healthcare consumers.
• Preferred banking relationships for those consumers with a health savings account (HSA).

For more information, call 800.522.1246, ext. 33057, or visit www.starmarkinc.com.

(updated 1/19/06)
Health Savings Accounts
HealthEquity Inc. and Preferred Health Systems are joining forces to offer a consumer-driven product including an integrated HSA-based health plan. HealthEquity's consumer-driven solution and the Preferred Health Systems high deductible health plans will be integrated. Health and Equity Advisors work with members to help them find the right care at the right price through the use of HealthEquity's proprietary technology. For more information, call 801-519-9656, e-mail mneeleman@healthequity.com, or visit www.HealthEquity.com.

Consumer-Directed Healthcare
Trustmark Mutual Holding Co. launched Healthy Foundations, an integrated approach to consumer-directed healthcare. Healthy Foundations incorporates the following:

• Qualified, PPO-based health plans.
• Preferred banking relationships or in-house fund administration.
• An Internet portal with health information and consumer decision support tools.
• Communication guidance to educate employees and help them become more informed healthcare consumers.

The tools include in-depth health content, personalized condition managers, fitness and nutrition guidance, a personal health record and more. Other tools enable consumers to search for lower-cost prescription and over-the-counter alternatives for drugs that treat common chronic conditions, and find in-network and out-of-network cost estimates for specific health conditions and related treatments. As part of Healthy Foundations, Trustmark also developed preferred relationships with banking partners. For more information,
call 847-283-4133 or visit www.trustmarkcompanies.com.

(updated 11/16/05)
HSA Investment Options
HSA Trustee Services and HSA Trustee Bank are offering the ?optionsXpress? brokerage platform to HSA customers beginning on January 1, 2006. One important feature of the HSA account is that there is no time frame to reimburse oneself for healthcare expenses paid out-of-pocket as long as legible receipts are maintained. Customers can use the HSA account as a savings plan and allow it to grow. For more information, call 866-hsa-2010 or visit www.hsatrusteeservices.com .

Website to Assist in UnumProvident Disability Claims
With news of UnumProvident's multi-million dollar lawsuit settlements, LawyersandSettlements.com is offering free case evaluations from U.S. lawyers specializing in Insurance Law. Consumers who may qualify for legal assistance include those with denied claims on disability insurance policies provided by or administered by Unum Life Insurance Company of America, The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company, and Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company.


(updated 10/26/05)
Healthcare Payroll Deduction Card
Great-West Healthcare issued the ?Clear Card,? a payroll deduction credit card for employers with consumer-driven or other high-deductible healthcare plans. The Clear Card, which is processed like any other credit, debit, or check card, helps members pay out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. The pilot program is being rolled out this month to various clients nationwide. For more information, visit www.greatwesthealthcare.com.

Health Discount Card
Agency Resource Group is offering a group health discount card program designed for group health insurance agents. It includes PPO level discounts on healthcare services, such as physician and hospital charges. Other national networks supply discounts on prescription drugs, dental, vision, hearing, and vitamins. Most discounts range from 20% to 60% and are offered with no previous medical conditions limitations and no eligibility requirements. On a full card (all benefits) the average retail rates usually range from $29.95 to $49.95, per primary cardholder per month. At these rates, the average producer with 1,000 primary cardholders earns over $345,000 per year. For further information, contact Mertel at mark.mertel@dhscorp.com and visit www.argcard.comwbclub.net.

Disease Management
SHPS and TPABenefits Inc. are providing a disease management product for third-party administrators, employers, and carriers. In addition to the HRA and disease management programs, SHPS' offerings will include wellness programs for maternity management, smoking cessation, and weight loss, plus the use of SHPS' case management nurses for those at greatest risk of disease. Members who log onto the Website will be able to take a SHPS' health risk assessment. Based on their responses, they may be referred to a disease-specific survey. For more information, visit www.shps.com or www.TPABenefits.com.

Canadian Pharmacy
While Medicare Part D might work well for those with incomes of less than $1,200 per month or those who spend in excess of $7,000 per year on medications, for many, enrolling in Medicare Part D will not amount to significant savings. For example, a person who spends $4,000 a year on drugs could be out-of-pocket an estimated $2,919 under the new plan including monthly premiums, the deductible, and medication costs. The same person who purchased medications from a Canadian online pharmacy would save on average 40% off US retail prices. At $4,000 a year, this would mean out-of-pocket costs of $2,400 -- a savings of $519 compared to enrolling in Medicare Part D. For more information, visit www.oneworldrx.com.
(update 10/07/05)

Medicare Prescription Drug Guide
AARP is providing a free guide, ?What You Need to Know About the New Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.? To get a copy, call 888-687-2277 or visit www.aarp.org.

Healthcare Financing Tool
E-Duction introduced a guaranteed-issue, interest-free financing tool. Employees get a guaranteed-issue credit line based on a percentage of their income. Any payments due are deducted automatically interest-free from the employees' payroll over a pre-determined number of pay periods. For more information, call Tom McCormick at 215-371-5112 or e-mail: TMcCormick@E-Duction.com.

Healthcare Debit Card
The ConnectYourCare FSA First solution allows brokers to transition employers to consumer-driven healthcare at their own pace. By first offering the ConnectYourCare debit card, funded through a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), employees can start planning healthcare expenses and experience the benefits of automated receipt substantiation process. Employees get health assessments, optional incentive programs, and access to online medical encyclopedias, healthcare guides, and hospital and prescription comparison tools. In a later phase, employers can introduce high deductible health plans with ConnectYourCare's HRA and HSA account administration using the same debit card. For more information, call 877-495-3341 or visit www.connectyourcare.com.

(updated 9/21/05)
Consumer-Driven Materials in Spanish
A company called ?1Point Solutions? is offering materials to educate Spanish-speaking consumers about consumer-driven health plans. The materials cover health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and health reimbursement arrangements. For more information, call (615) 242-1900.

HSA-Compliant Plans
Guardian is offering high deductible health plans that meet IRS requirements for use with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The HSAs can be offered by any qualified financial institution. For more information, visit www.GuardianLife.com.

(updated 9/21/05)
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
Aetna teamed up with Standard Plus Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Life, to market new, co-branded Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Medicare beneficiaries will be able to access the plans easily through Standard Life's network of 14,000 independent agents in 46 states. For more information, visit www.anico.com.

(updated 9/14/05)
Prescriptions
Cigna is offering members a Web-based CIGNA pharmacy management tool. Members can get real-time price quotes from any pharmacy in CIGNA's network of over 52,000 retail pharmacies nationwide and from the CIGNA Tel-Drug home delivery pharmacy. The quote is based on the member's benefit plan and reflects what the member can expect to pay out-of-pocket. The tool is available to all subscribers with CIGNA pharmacy benefits. For more information, visit www.myCIGNA.com.

(updated 9/02/05)
FSA First
The ConnectYourCare FSA First allows brokers to transition employers into a complete consumer-directed healthcare model at their own pace. Employers can start by offering the ConnectYourCare debit card funded through a Flexible Spending Account FSA. In year two, employers can introduce high deductible health plans with ConnectYourCare's HRA and HSA accounts using the same debit card from year one. By year three, employers can migrate to a full replacement consumer-directed healthcare model without changing their systems. For more information e-mail to info@connectyourcare.com or call 877 495-3341

Supplemental Medical
UnumProvident released ?MedSupport,? a voluntary insurance product that helps pay out-of-pocket expenses associated with hospital stays, outpatient surgeries, certain diagnostic tests, and emergency care. Coverage is designed to complement employer-sponsored healthcare benefits. For more information, visit www.unumprovident.com.

updated (8/24/05)
Discount Pharmaceutical and Specialty Services. The American Worker Plans introduced ?The Value Plan,? which includes a pharmaceutical access discount program. It includes participating discount panels of dentists, vision providers, chiropractors, hearing, and other specialty services. The program is administered by Coverdell, a division of Vertrue Inc. For more information, visit www.thevalueplan.com.

HSA-Compatible Pharmacy Program
Great-West Healthcare introduced a med pharmacy program for the company's health savings account (HSA) plan. The med pharmacy program allows plan members to purchase prescription drugs through 59,000 participating retail or mail order pharmacies nationwide. It also features discounts and automated claims processing, which reduces paperwork and speeds reimbursements. The program replaces The Pharmacy Card TPC, which provided prescription drug coverage under the medical plan associated with the HSA. For more information, call 303-737-1476.

(8/23/05)
Flexible Medical Plans. Health Net of California is introducing a flexible portfolio of plans tailored for businesses with more than 50 employees. The new portfolio offers several cost-effective network options, including the eight-county HMO Silver Network and the statewide Salud con Health Net, which provides affordable, culturally competent care primarily for Latinos. The portfolio includes four health savings account HSA-compatible plans, pharmacy, dental, vision and life insurance plans, and coverage for chiropractic and acupuncture services. For more information, call 818-676-7666.

Plan Choices. PacAdvantage's PairedChoice product now includes Aetna PPO plans. Aetna is offering four PPO plans -- three of which are Health Savings Account compatible, along side two HMO offerings from Kaiser Permanente and, as regionally available, Sharp Health Plan, Universal Care, and Western Health Advantage. For more information, call (877) 735-5742.

HSA Training. HealthEquity Inc. is offering seminars across the country on implementing consumer-driven healthcare programs. Course topics include communicating with medical providers, differentiating between generic and brand name prescriptions, accessing the health information, choosing a health plan, and stretching healthcare dollars. There is a special focus on HSAs. Online courses are also available. For more information, call 801-519-9656 or e-mail mneeleman@healthequity.com.

Generic Drug Discounts. CIGNA HealthCare members who are first-time users of generics can save up to $20 on their prescriptions with a new program by CIGNA Pharmacy Management CPM. CIGNA members who fill a prescription for a brand name medication for depression, stomach acid, arthritis pain, diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure will receive a letter encouraging them to speak with their physician to determine if a generic medication might be right for them. If they get a new prescription for a generic medication, their co-pay/coinsurance will be reduced by $5 to $20 at the pharmacy when they fill that new prescription.

Medicare Drug Guide. The Medicare Rights Center released a guide for professionals who assist older and disabled Americans with Medicare. It contains 101 questions and answers about the new drug benefit. For more information, visit www.medicarerights.org.

Patient's Rights Book
Attorney Jennifer Jaff has written a new book, ?Know Your Rights: A Handbook for Patients with Chronic Illness.? The book includes sample health and disability insurance appeals, an outline of what employers can ask in job interviews, and sample Social Security Disability filings. The book also discusses many issues that patients often do not know, including the fact that more than 70% of health insurance appeals are successful and just about every hospital has a program to help patients pay their bills. Jaff is intimately familiar with chronic illness. She is housebound due to Crohn's Disease, which she has battled all of her adult life. For more information, visit www.advocacyforpatients.org.

Low-Cost Medical Care by Phone. Dallas-based TelaDoc is offering fast, low-cost doctor consults by phone. TelaDoc, which is licensed in 50 states, provides members and dependents age 12 and over with reasonably priced, around-the-clock access to phone consults with primary care doctors. The doctors diagnose medical problems and prescribe medications when appropriate. The business is aimed at time-crunched people, those with HSAs, and those who lack health insurance. The service costs $4.25 a month and each call to a doctor is $35. For more information, call 800-835-2362 or visit www.TelaDoc.com.

HSA. CIGNA HealthCare is adding six mutual fund investment options to its CIGNA Choice Fund HSA. Beginning on January 1, 2006, participants can invest the money in their health savings account in up to six mutual funds from leading firms including, JPMorgan Funds, T. Rowe Price and Royce Funds. The addition of mutual funds is the latest enhancement to CIGNA's consumer-driven health plan portfolio.

HSA Accounts. Bank of the Sierra announces the launch of Sierra HSA. The product product allows people to set up debit card linked accounts. The pretax funds deposited into health savings accounts are available for qualified medical expenses. The individual account owner owns the tax-deductible funds. Unused funds are rolled over each year and stay with the account owner through retirement. For more information, visit www.bankofthesierra.com.

Healthcare Reporting Package. Great-West Healthcare is providing customer-reporting package, which shows employers how their medical and pharmacy benefits are used and identifies opportunities to control costs and improve workers' health and productivity. For more information, call 303-737-2065 or e-mal loren.finkelstein@gwl.com.

Consumer Driven Plans. Middle market and larger employers who purchase Aetna's high-deductible health plans and related health savings accounts (HSAs) can provide first-dollar benefits for preventive medications for employees who have increased health risks due to hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma or osteoporosis. Members may get coverage for drugs before meeting their deductible. Aetna offers an integrated Aetna HealthFund HSA product, combining the High-Deductible Health Plan and the HSA - to employers of all sizes. The company also sells HSA-compatible High-Deductible Health Plans on a stand-alone basis. For more information, visit. www.Aetna.com.

(6/29)
Over-the-Counter Coupons
Resolution Health Inc. (RHI) launched ?SMART-Switch,? a program that uses coupons to encourage patients to substitute over-the-counter alternatives for proton pump inhibitor and non-sedating antihistamine prescription drug classes. The coupons enable consumers to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses, said Earl Steinberg, M.D., M.P.P., president of RHI. Dr. Steinberg notes that the patient co-pay for branded prescriptions in these drug classes is often lower than the cost of an over-the-counter alternative. Even when patients are aware of OTC alternatives, many of them have an economic incentive to ask their physicians to prescribe the high cost medication. SMART-Switch reverses this market dynamic by making the over-the-counter drug the no-cost alternative. Each coupon is for a 30-day supply of the over-the-counter medication, redeemable at no cost to the consumer. Retailers are reimbursed when they submit the coupons to Resolution Health, using the standard coupon redemption system. RHI submits a member-specific Rx claim for the OTC medication, which is paid by the health plan. For more information, visit www.resolutionhealth.com .

(updated 5/05)
Mini-Medical. Reliance Standard Life introduced ?RSL Basic Care.? The voluntary group mini-medical insurance program is designed for hourly, part-time, seasonal, temporary, and irregularly scheduled employees who rarely have access to medical coverage. It covers doctor visits, X-rays, lab work, prescription drugs, and limited hospitalization. For more information, call (800) 351-7500 or visit www.rsli.com.

Short Term Health. Assurant Health modified its short-term medical policy to offer coverage up to 365 days, rather than 180 days (varies by state) for graduates and their families. For more information, visit www.assuranthealthshortterm.com.

Medicare. CIGNA HealthCare and NationsHealth teamed up to offer national Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. The alliance will combine NationsHealth's experience in distribution and service to the Medicare population with CIGNA HealthCare's pharmacy product portfolio and clinical management programs. For more information, visit www.nationshealth.com.

(updated 4/05)
Single-Source Administration. Trust Administrators is offering single-source administration for HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs under a "one-claim" integrated system.

TAI features online management tools and various options for reimbursement, such as direct deposit or through the employer's payroll. It also features debit-card technology. For more information, call (800) 932-3539 or visit www.trustadmin.com.  

(updated 4/05)
Plans for Small Employers. Blue Shield of California is offering trio of new plans at lower price points. Shield Spectrum PPO Plan Zero Deductible-Value has a low premium, immediate coverage, and 50% coinsurance for most covered services. Two new high-deductible PPO plans are compatible with HSAs. Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plan 1250 will be available to groups with two to 50 eligible employees. Shield Spectrum PPO Savings Plan 2600 will be available to groups of 51-299 eligible employees. For more information, call (800) 443-8284 or visit www.bscalife.com.

(updated 4/05)
Small Business Health Plans. Blue Cross of California hopes to reach an estimated 500,000 uninsured small businesses through BeneFits, a separate, distinct portfolio of five small-employer health plans for California businesses with two to 50 employees. The BeneFits portfolio offers four PPOs plans and one HMO. The plans provide a choice of deductibles and coverage levels, free wellness programs, discounts for health-related products and services and other lifestyle resources. Premiums may vary by employee plan selection, age, county of residence and other factors. For more information, call (800) 999-2273 or visit www.mybccbenefits.com

(updated 4/05)
HSA Plans for Small California Employers.
Aetna is offering three new HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans to employers with two to 50 employees in California . These plans supplement Aetna 's existing Pick-A-Plan portfolio of products for small employers. The new high-deductible plans were designed to minimize the out-of-pocket expenses to California families. For more information, call (860) 273-0123 or visit www.aetna.com. New HSA Investment Options. The Principal Financial Group announces a fresh round of investment options in its combination high deductible health plan (HDHP) and health savings account (HSA) program. For more information, call (800) 986.3343 or visit www.principal.com/health.

(updated 4/05)
HSA. CaliforniaChoice entered into a partnership with The Bancorp Bank to offer California consumers an easily administered Health Savings Account (HSA) through the CaliforniaChoice Web site, calchoice.com. For more information, call (714) 567-4582 or e-mail jbollman@wordandbrown.com.

(updated 4/05)
Online HSA Resource. America 's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) launched an online clearinghouse on HSAs at www.HSADecisions.org.

(updated 4/05)
Retiree health benefits. Flexible Benefit Service Corp. introduced ?HSA55,? a retiree benefit savings plan that capitalizes on the HSA contribution schedule offered to those 55 and older. HSA55 participants can put away even more money in tax-free "catch up" contributions -- above the maximum deductible -- to help pay for retirement benefits. From ages 55 to 65, they can accrue more than $60,000 tax-free to cover retirement medical expenses, including the required premiums, deductibles, and co-insurance associated with the Medicare prescription drug plan available in 2006. For more information, call (888) 353-9472 or visit www.flexhsa.com

(updated 4/05)
Medicare. Blue Cross of California launched of SmartValue, an affordable new health plan and the state's first Medicare Advantage Private-Fee-For-Service plan. It is now available for Medicare eligible Californians in Tulare . It was already being offered to seniors and other Medicare eligibles in San Francisco , Fresno , Santa Barbara , and Yolo counties. For more information, call (800) 765-2585.

(updated 4/05)
Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. approval to expand its Secure Horizons Medicare Advantage Plan to additional areas in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties . For more information, call (866) 867-0700 or visit www.pacificare.com.

(updated 4/05)
Disease Management. CIGNA HealthCare is offering disease management for members with depression and members with one or more of a group of 10 other medical conditions, such as osteoporosis, hepatitis C, or fibromyalgia. For more information, call (860) 226-3489 or visit www.cigna.com.

(updated 4/05)
Obesity Program. CIGNA HealthCare is launching clinical management programs to help members with serious obesity-related illnesses. Services include case management for members who may be candidates for bariatric surgery; a disease management program; and a comprehensive weight loss program. For more information, call (763) 559-5587 or visit www.cigna.com.

(updated 1/05)
Health Plans for Young Invincibles. Blue Cross is marketing health plans tailored to ?young invincibles? -- ages 19 to 29 -- the fastest growing uninsured population in the state and the country. They can check out Tonik online at www.tonikhealth.com and apply in minutes. The applicant can print out a custom-designed identification card. Initially, Tonik will be available only in California . For more information, call (805) 557-6755.
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(updated 1/05)
Individual Medical. Assurant Health introduced an individual medical product in California called , ? RightStart.? It is designed to provide affordable health insurance to uninsured Americans. It features worldwide coverage, single deductible for accidents involving multiple family members, no referrals for specialists, as well as PPO and traditional options. For more information, call (800) 800-1212 or visit www.assuranthealth.com
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(updated 1/05)
Online Health Tools. Kaiser Permanente's new ?Healthy Lifestyle? Programs focus on weight management and fitness, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and nutrition. Online tools can be found at www.kp.org/totalhealth.
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(updated 1/05)
HSA. Great-West Healthcare and Mellon Financial teamed up to offer an HSA for employer-sponsored health plans with Jan. 1, 2005 effective dates. For more information, call (714)-825-8900 or visit www.greatwesthealthcare.com .
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(updated 1/05)
HSA-Qualified Benefit Plan. CoreSource launched a health savings account (HSA)-qualified high deductible health plan (HDHP). Online tools from CoreSource and HSA Bank allow employees to manage their HSAs, track claims, locate doctors, and check deductible totals. Employees pay for qualified medical expenses with a convenient debit card or HSA Bank checks. For more information, call (847) 615-1500.
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(updated 1/05)
Medicare Plan. Blue Shield of California is offering better prescription drug coverage and no monthly plan premium under its 2005 Medicare Advantage HMO benefit package to members in Los Angeles , Orange , Riverside , and San Bernardino counties. For more information, call (800) 837-4206 or visit www.mylifepath.com
---------------------------------
(updated 1/05)
Cross-Border Healthcare. Health Net of California expanded Salud con Health Net into Orange County . Salud products offer affordable, quality care for Latinos on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Under one of the options designed for small businesses, an employee can access care through Clinica Medica General's six clinics and Anaheim General Hospital . Eligible dependents living in Mexico can receive care state-of-the-art healthcare in Mexico . For more information, call (800) 448-4411.
----------------------------
(updated 10/26)
Consumer Directed Plans for Small Groups. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators is offering six high-deductible health plans for groups with two to 50 employees through Nationwide Health Plans. The high-deductible PPO plans are compatible HRAs and HSAs. For more information, call (800) 869-6989 or visit www.wordandbrown.com.
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(updated 10/26)
HSA. Mutual of Omaha is offering a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account option. Employers can choose the deductible, coinsurance payments, out-of-pocket limits, and company contributions. The plan can be geared toward companies of any size, including small employers looking for low-cost employee benefits. For more information, call (402) 342-7600.
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(updated 10/26)
Quoting System for Consumer Driven Plans. Ben-e-lect introduced its Web Based Quoting System, which allows agents to quote HSAs, HRAs, consumer driven health plans, and a wide range of small group carriers. Agents can now view or print their proposals, with multiple carriers with a single plan design, one carrier with multiple plan designs, as well as HSA and HRA plans. For more information, please contact your local Ben-e-lect Sales Representative or call (888) 886-7973.
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(updated 10/26)
Generic-Drug Program. Blue Cross of California expanded its generic alternative program, ?GenericSelect.? It now offers commercial members a $0 co-payment or up to a $10 off their co-pay for GenericSelect drugs on their first retail prescription and a $0 co-pay for the first mail order prescription filled by PrecisionRx when they begin a new drug therapy with a GenericSelect drug. Depending on the member's pharmacy benefit design, when members combine their first retail prescription with the mail order option, they receive up to a four-month supply at a $0 co-pay when beginning a new drug therapy with a GenericSelect drug. For more information, call (800) 999-2273 or visit www.bluecrossca.com.
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(updated 10/26)
Prescription Drug Payment System. Benefit Administrators, a TPA for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) has launched its cashless prescription drug discount network marketed under MyRxSavings. Accountholders have access to a national pharmacy network with over 54,500 participating pharmacies discounting prescriptions from 13-60% from the manufacturer's suggested retail price. For more information, call (925) 299-8015 extension 8888 or email: ernie@eglee.net.
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(updated 10/26)
Worldwide Health Insurance. HTH Worldwide introduced an individual health insurance program featuring worldwide benefits and global health and safety services. ?Global Citizen,? which is available in the California market, combines comprehensive benefits with a new generation of medical assistance services, including online tools used to identify, access, and pay for quality healthcare all around the world. The plan meets the standards of the California Dept. of Insurance; it has no waiting periods associated with any benefits or services; it waives the pre-existing condition exclusion with proof of prior creditable coverage; and it covers injuries or injuries that are a result of a terrorist act. For more information, call (610) 254-8710 or visit www.hthworldwide.com.
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(updated 10/26)
Consumer-Driven Plans. CIGNA HealthCare launched ?myCIGNAplans.com? to enable consumers to compare CIGNA plans, medical and pharmacy costs and help them choose the plan best suited for them and their families. The Web site is designed to provide an unbiased and personalized comparison of CIGNA HealthCare plans that are available to individuals whose employers offer CIGNA's next generation consumer-driven health plan product -- CIGNA ChoiceFund). For more information, call (860) 226-5499, joseph.mondy@cigna.com.
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Debit Card. Evolution Benefits' debit card technology is being offered as part of CareGain's Defined-Care platform. It is designed to help health plans quickly offer flexible spending account (FSA), health reimbursement account (HRA), and health savings account (HSA)-based cost-saving plan programs. For more information, call (866) 882-3669 or visit www.evolutionbenefits.com.
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HSA. Blue Cross of California (Blue Cross) arranged to have HSAs provided by JPMorgan to eligible Blue Cross members. For more information, call (800) 627-8797 or visit www.bluecrossca.com.
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Competitively Priced Products. Blue Shield of California is introducing competitively priced products. The Shield Spectrum PPO Plan 3000 is a low-cost, high-deductible PPO product. Access+ HMO 25 is a no-deductible HMO with unlimited preventive care visits. Both new products complement the recently introduced "Active Choice" Plans 500 and 750 that provide first-dollar service coverage and flexible benefit options for employer groups. PlanSelect gives employers with as few as five employees the option to make selections from any three portfolio plans. For more information, call (310) 568-2866, e-mail elise.anderson@blueshieldca.com, or visit www.mylifepath.com.
––––––––––
Flyers. "Medicare Can Help" is a series of fliers explaining when Medicare will cover certain services and supplies, how to keep costs down, and how to initiate care. Topics covered include home health care, skilled nursing care, hospice care, medical equipment, and mental-health services. For purchasing information, call (212) 204-6210.
––––––––––
Consumer Directed Health Plans for Small Groups. Word & Brown Insurance Administrators is offering six high-deductible health plans for groups with two to 50 employees through Nationwide Health Plans. The high-deductible PPO plans are compatible HRAs and HSAs. For more information, call (800) 869-6989 or visit www.wordandbrown.com.
––––––––––
HSA. Mutual of Omaha is offering a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account option. Employers can choose the deductible, coinsurance payments, out-of-pocket limits, and company contributions. The plan can be geared toward companies of any size, Mutual said, including small employers looking for low-cost employee benefits. For more information, call (402) 342-7600
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New Plans. Guardian Life introduced new medical insurance plans and enhanced prescription drug benefits. Business owners can choose one of three packages and customize their plans by selecting from a range of co-payment, co-insurance, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums. The new prescription drug benefits allow for more cost sharing and provide incentives for employees to become more knowledgeable about prescription drugs. In conjunction with the new plans, Guardian is telephone access to registered nurses 24 hours a day, outreach programs for at-risk members, specialized care networks for organ transplants and high-risk births, and educational resources. For more information, call (888) 600-4667 www.guardianlife.com
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HSA Administration. Fringe Benefits Management Company entered into a strategic alliance with Synovus to offer Health Savings Account (HSA) administrative services. For more information, call (800) 342-8017 www.fbmc-benefits.com or www.synovus.com.
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HSA Processing. Healthaxis is offering its "One Solution" for administering HSA and health claim reimbursements. Any claim submitted by the provider generates a single explanation of benefits and a single check for the full amount owed the provider or insured, including those amounts available in an HSA account. For more information, call ( 800) 519-0679 , e-mail sales@healthaxis.com, or visit www.healthaxis.com
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Rebates for Low Income Consumers. L.A. Care Health Plan introduced "HealthyRebates", a unique healthcare premium subsidy program for consumers in Los Angeles County, with $ 5 million in funding from the Blue Shield of California (BSC) Foundation. This one-year program is open to low-income families and individuals who do not have access to employer-sponsored health coverage and have purchased an individual plan from any Knox-Keene licensed health plan. Qualified individuals and households can receive $ 20 per covered person, per month (up to $ 100 a month or up to $ 1, 200 a year) toward the cost of insurance for any licensed individual health plan. Rebates are sent directly to the individuals on a quarterly basis. To be eligible, consumers must be residents of Los Angeles County, have purchased and maintained their insurance for at least three months prior to applying, and have a monthly income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $ 37, 700 annually for a family of four). Participants cannot be eligible or enrolled in any government-sponsored health insurance programs, such as Medi-Cal or Healthy Families. Individual plans that qualify are being offered by Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente Inc., PacifiCare, UHP Healthcare, and Universal Care. For more information, visit http://www.healthyrebates.org
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Small Business Plans. Blue Cross of California developed advanced administration options, products, and services intended to increase small business access to healthcare coverage. This includes eligibility for part-time employees who work a minimum of 15 hours per week. Blue Cross is also offering the PPO $ 35 co-pay, the GenRx plan, the Power HealthFund 500/750, and the Power Select HMO plan and network -- a new, lower-priced HMO. For more information, call (800) 999-2273 or visit www.bluecrossca.com
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Agent Support. Blue Cross of California now offers PlanFinder, an online sales and application tool to help its agents increase their individual and family sales. It features a virtually paperless transaction process, software that ensures applications are complete, and a 24/7 sales channel. For more information, call
(800) 678-4466 or visit www.bluecrossca.com
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Competitively Priced Products. Blue Shield of California is introducing competitively priced products. The Shield Spectrum PPO Plan 3000 is a low-cost, high-deductible PPO product. Access+ HMO 25 is a no-deductible HMO with unlimited preventive care visits. Both new products complement the recently introduced "Active Choice" Plans 500 and 750 that provide first-dollar service coverage and flexible benefit options for employer groups. PlanSelect gives employers with as few as five employees the option to make selections from any three portfolio plans. For more information, call (310) 568-2866, e-mail elise.anderson@blueshieldca.com, or visit www.mylifepath.com.
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Medicare Training Tool. "Let's Learn Medicare!" is a training manual and reference guide for professionals serving older adults and people with disabilities. It provides a comprehensive look at Medicare rights and benefits. For more information, call (212) 204-6210 or visit www.medicarerights.org.
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Flyers. "Medicare Can Help" is a series of fliers explaining when Medicare will cover certain services and supplies, how to keep costs down, and how to initiate care. Topics covered include home health care, skilled nursing care, hospice care, medical equipment, and mental-health services. For purchasing information, call (212) 204-6210.

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