What Is Preventive Care

WebAdmin March 8, 2023

Preventive care includes a variety of healthcare services focused on helping you maintain good health. Regular medical care focuses on treating illness, while preventive care aims to keep you from getting sick in the first place.
Most health plans must cover a set of preventive services at no cost to you. These services include the following:

What Is Preventive Care?

Why am I being charged a fee for preventive care?

Your health plan may charge a fee if you receive services from an out-of-network provider or if the preventive service is not the primary purpose of your office visit.

Practice Preventive Care

When preventive care is combined with leading an overall healthy lifestyle, you can significantly increase your chances of avoiding chronic conditions in the first place. Consider the following tips for practicing preventive care:

Schedule a
general checkup.

Avoid excessive alcohol
and tobacco use.

Exercise
regularly.

Ensure you’re up to
date on vaccinations.

Eat a
balanced diet.

Get screened
as recommended.

With preventive care, you and your family could catch signs of health issues before they become more serious. Don’t wait until it’s too late—contact your doctor today to discuss your preventive care options.

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Partners Benefit Group, LLC

Proposed Rule Would Expand Access to Contraceptive Coverage

WebAdmin March 8, 2023

On Jan. 30, 2023, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury (Departments) released a new rule that, if finalized, would expand access to contraceptive coverage.

Non-grandfathered health plans must cover certain contraceptive services without cost sharing. However, current rules include an exemption and optional accommodations process for eligible employers with sincerely held religious or moral objections to contraceptive coverage. When an employer qualifies for the exemption but does not use the optional accommodations process, employees and their dependents do not have access to first-dollar contraceptive coverage through these plans.

Proposed Rule Would Expand Access to Contraceptive Coverage

The proposed rule would rescind the moral exemption to contraceptive coverage but retain the existing religious exemption. The proposed rule would also establish a new way for individuals to access contraceptives at no cost when they are enrolled in plans that qualify for an exemption and do not use the optional accommodations process. The proposed rule would allow individuals to obtain contraceptive services at no cost directly from a willing health care provider.

At this time, the rule is only in the proposed form and has not been finalized. The Departments are accepting comments on the proposed rule until April 3, 2023.

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Partners Benefit Group, LLC

White House Announces End of COVID-19 Emergency

WebAdmin March 1, 2023

On Jan. 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced that it plans to end the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and national emergency on May 11, 2023.
The COVID-19 PHE and national emergency were declared in early 2020 and have been extended numerous times since then. The Biden administration intends to extend the emergency periods until May 11, 2023, and then end both periods on that date. According to the White House, this timeline supports an orderly wind-down of emergency measures and aligns with its commitment to give at least 60 days’ notice before the termination of the PHE.
The end of the COVID-19 emergency periods triggers the end of many emergency measures related to the federal government’s pandemic response, including some requirements for employer-sponsored health plans.

When the PHE ends, health plans will no longer be required to cover COVID-19 diagnostic tests and related services without cost sharing. Non-grandfathered health plans will still be required to cover recommended preventive services, including COVID-19 immunizations, without cost sharing, but this coverage requirement will be limited to in-network providers.
In addition, during the COVID-19 outbreak period (which is tied to the national emergency), certain health plan deadlines are extended, including those to request special enrollment under HIPAA, elect COBRA continuation coverage, and comply with plans’ claims and appeals procedures. The COVID-19 outbreak period is scheduled to end on July lO, 2023 (60 days after the national emergency ends). When it ends, health plans can go back to their regular deadlines.

Provided to You by
Partners Benefit Group, LLC

Georgia’s ‘Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards’ Winners for 2022

WebAdmin July 29, 2022

Nashville, Tenn.– July 27, 2022 – Mployer Advisor, the leading independent platform for employers to research, review, and evaluate insurance brokers is pleased to announce the winners of its “Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards” based in Georgia. Mployer Advisor has named more than 600 winners in over 50 regions as part of its second annual 2022 awards. The class of 2022 winners account for less than 5% of all brokerages nationwide.   

Georgia’s Top Employee Benefits Consultant Award for 2022

The recipients of the 2022 “Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards” for Georgia are as follows:    

Mployer Advisor’s Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards Program evaluates brokerages based on the breadth and depth of their experience across employer industries, sizes, insurance products, and employer reviews. We recognize esteemed brokers that demonstrate market-leading competencies and a proven track record of success among employers, insurance providers, and peers.  

“The team at Mployer Advisor is proud to honor this group of top insurance consultants as part of the 2022 class for our second annual Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards,” said Brian Freeman, the Founder and CEO of Mployer Advisor. “Employer-sponsored healthcare and benefits cover over 150M Americans. Who an employer selects as their benefits advisor has more impact on cost and quality than who they choose as the insurance carrier. We scored these brokerages utilizing sophisticated, industry-first algorithms, and we applaud the winners’ demonstrated commitment to service, quality, and positive employer feedback.”  

Mployer Advisor determined the winners of the second annual “Top Employee Benefits Consultant Awards” by analyzing each brokerage based on historical data, online reviews, their M Score rating, and demonstrated business experience.   

The Georgia job market is one of the most competitive in the U.S. Southeast, employing over 5.1 million people. Offering competitive employee benefits is a critical factor in hiring top talent for the region’s employers. Finding and partnering with a highly rated insurance consultant is imperative to retaining talent in any market.    

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