Health plans and health insurance issuers must submit their second prescription drug data collection report (RxDC) by June 1, 2023. As an annual requirement, plans and issuers are required to submit the reports (containing information from the previous calendar year) by June 1 to the Departments of Labor, Health and …
Understanding HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs
When preparing for open enrollment, it is important to understand your options. Health Saving Accounts (HSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are often offered in conjunction with a health plan. Knowing the advantages of each can allow for an easier open enrollment process. Health Savings Account …
Considerations for 2023 Open Enrollment
The Great Resignation and the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of employee perks and benefits. In especially trying times, employees fixated on health, financial security, and the work-life balance. Employees who found these areas lacking left their workplaces in favor of those with better wages and benefits. According to a …
Telemental Health
As COVID-19 locked down the country, telehealth rapidly gained popularity, especially for behavioral and mental health services. Unlike most doctor visits, mental health visits typically do not require face-to-face meetings. Visits can be conducted via video or even audio calls, though many physicians prefer video calls in order to read …
Providing Inclusive Benefits
Pride Month is celebrated each June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, the tipping point for the United States’ Gay Liberation Movement. The purpose of this initiative is to acknowledge the impact the LGBTQ+ community has had on history. Individuals and organizations celebrate differently, but it is common …
At-Home COVID Test KITs
As a result of the Biden administration, at-home COVID-19 tests are now available to most Americans for no upfront cost or for reimbursement. These tests can be purchased online or in-store, without talking to your doctor, and with all or some of the cost covered by private insurance. Limitations and …
Creative Benefits, Inc. Awarded Top Employee Benefits Consultant
Creative Benefits, Inc. has received the 2021 “Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award” from Mployer Advisor for the Philadelphia area. Mployer Advisor independently researches each brokerage firm with the goal of providing employers with options based on data. Brokers were evaluated and selected based on “industry experience, company size, online ratings, and reviews.” …
Anticipated Increase in Covid-19 Medical Bills
At the start of the pandemic, much about COVID-19 was unknown: how to treat the virus, when would a vaccine be developed, and the costs of effectively treating the virus. Previously, insurers waived the costs of specified COVID-19 related services (i.e., emergency room copayments, testing charges, and hospital stay deductibles). However, …
Spending Down Your FSA Dollars
What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Many employers offer their team the opportunity to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). FSAs allow employees to put away pre-tax dollars to spend on eligible healthcare products and services. However, when an employee puts money into their FSA, they must use …
Open Enrollment Overview
Open enrollment is the only time employees can enroll in a health insurance plan or make changes to their current benefit elections, unless a specified life event occurs (marriage, childbirth, etc.). If an employee misses their opportunity to participate in open enrollment, they will have to wait until the following …