July 30, 2011 | 
Author This artice was orginally posted on Openforum.com
Tom HarnishWriter, Aerodite, Inc.
In a recent (and controversial) survey produced by McKinsey & Company, 30 percent of employers said they are likely to stop offering health plans in 2014 when the full impact of the healthcare reform law will take effect. Sixty percent said they would look for an alternative to employer-sponsored insurance. What’s going on here?
In 2010 the nearly 70 percent of firms that offered employee healthcare plans paid an average of $9,500 per family; slightly more than two-thirds of the $14,000 total premium. That’s a 114 percent increase over the average cost of healthcare in the year 2000.
When federal health insurance premium subsidies for lower-income uninsured employees begin in 2014, employees will be able to purchase coverage from health insurance exchanges.
As a result, some companies may opt to increase wages and have their employees get their own insurance from these new exchanges. Even with the $2,000 per employee penalty they’ll incur, they’ll still come out ahead, and they’ll eliminate their ever-increasing spiral of healthcare costs.
Ultimately, what employers do will depend on insurance costs in 2014 and the extent to which healthcare benefits impact their recruiting and retention. In case you’re out of the loop about how healthcare reform can and will impact your company, here’s a quick catch up.
Improved benefits are already available
Group policies issued since September of 2010 must include free preventive care screenings and they are not permitted to have lifetime limits in most situations.
If your current group plan doesn’t provide these benefits, you may be leaving benefits on the table because comparably priced plans that offer better coverage may be available.
Find out what your employees want/need
It’s illegal to ask questions about employee’s health in some states, but there’s no law against asking them what they want from their healthcare benefits. You may find that if you educate them on alternatives available through healthcare reform, they may be willing to make changes in their current plans, such as increased cost-sharing, high-deductible plans orHealth Savings Accounts. You might also find that they’re more interested in prescription drug plans than dental coverage.
One way to stay on the right side of privacy issue is to use an anonymous survey.
Wellness is the best healthcare approach
Small group health insurance policies cost less when you have a healthy group. Like safety, wellness comes from a company-wide attitude, not just a poster in the break room. Encourage exercise and stock the break room with healthy snacks.
One company employs a number of former Marines. Before work they get together for PT and then jog, singing cadence songs. “I’ve never been in better shape except when I was in the service,” one vet said. “Exercising with a group helps me keep from getting bored, and I push myself harder, too.” Sempre Fi!
Preventive care helps also. You may not have an HR department, but you can point people towebsites that offer advice on preventive screenings and check-ups.
Shop around
Shopping around for health insurance every couple of years may yield better coverage and lower costs.
But be careful, there are unscrupulous agents that try to take advantage of the confusion surrounding healthcare reform. Be sure you’re dealing with a licensed agent. It doesn’t cost anymore and they’re in the best position to make sure you get the right plan at the best price.
Tax credits are already available
If you have fewer than 25 employees and your average wages are $50,000 or less, you may qualify for tax credits in 2011 through 2013. You have to provide group health insurance and pay at least 50 percent of employee monthly premiums.
If you have fewer than 10 employees and average wages of $25,000 or less, you’ll qualify for the maximum tax credit of 35 percent of the premiums you pay.
Whether you have two employees or 250, you probably know that employer-sponsored health insurance is one of the benefits workers value most. Offering a group health insurance plan can help you hire and retain the best workers, as well as provide valuable protection for yourself and your family. That’s all going to be a lot more complicated as 2014 approaches, so stay in touch with what’s going on.
To learn more about healthcare reform and individual and family health insurance and keep up to date with changes, visit www.healthcare.gov.
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SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – April 2011 – http://njtopdocs is now profiling The Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey. The Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey is a leading provider of advanced reproductive technologies led by Dr. William F. Ziegler and Dr. Jason G. Bromer.
The Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey meets the special needs of those couples experiencing fertility problems. There are many reasons why a woman or a couple may have difficulty conceiving a child. Some find that simply talking to a fertility specialist may help them identify ways to improve their chances or determine if they require specialized treatment. The Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey provides a wide range of services from the basic fertility evaluation as well as the most advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities including IVF (In vitro fertilization) and IUI (Intrauterine Insemination).
Located in Eatontown and Toms River, New Jersey, Dr. Ziegler established the first successful egg donor program in central New Jersey. The Reproductive Science Center of NJ has one of the highest success rates in the State of New Jersey. This state-of-the-art facility offers comprehensive care and all of the latest infertility treatments.
The on-site embryology lab, headed by senior embryologist Scott Kratka, provides a wide range of services, including semen analysis, sperm and embryo cryopreservation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and fertility preservation procedures; egg and embryo freezing. Physician Assistant Lauren Lucas is involved with all patient therapies.
The experienced staff of doctors, nurses, and technicians fully understand the difficult emotional and medical challenges that confront infertility patients. They strive to make patients feel calm, comfortable, and confident throughout their course of treatment.
One in six couples need professional assistance
Infertility is defined as the failure to conceive after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse.
In the United States, approximately 15-20% of married couples will experience some degree of infertility due to a single cause in either partner or a combination of factors that prevents a successful pregnancy from occurring.
A diagnosis of infertility, however, does not mean that becoming pregnant is impossible. Nearly 90% of infertility cases are treatable with medical therapies ranging from drug treatment and surgery to advanced reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization.
For more information please see their full profile at http://www.njtopdocs.com/RSCNJ
About Us
NJTopDocs.com is a comprehensive information resource of Top Doctors, Dentists and Hospitals. We are profiling over 900 Healthcare Providers and have made it convenient for you to find them.
NJTopDocs.com allows patients to “meet” these providers online before making their appointment.
For more information, e-mail us at info@NJTopDocs.com and/or visit www.NJTopDocs.com.
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Dr. Allison M. Adams, of Adams Dental, a NJTopDentist.comDentist was chosen for the second year in a row by New Jersey Monthly magazine as one of their Top Dentists of 2011.
Dr. Adams has been practicing general dentist for 20 years. She has a contemporary dental practice offering all phases of cosmetic and restorative family dentistry. Her team is focused on positively impacting the heath and self esteem of the community by interpreting a patient’s individual needs.
For more information, see her full profile – Dr. Allison M. Adams Profile
About us:
NJTopDocs.com is a comprehensive information resource of Top Doctors, Dentists and Hospitals. We are profiling over 900 Healthcare Providers and have made it convenient for you to find them.
NJ Top Dentists allows patients to “meet” these providers online before making their appointment.
For more information, e-mail us at info@NJTopDocs.com and/or visit www.NJTopDentists.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook – Twitter – YouTube
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