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National Healthcare Law |
The first of many changes to our country's healthcare system is now upon us and this particular change deals with allowing dependent children under the age of 26 to remain on their parents' health insurance, regardless if they are a full time student or not.
BlueCross has decided to allow currently covered individuals under age 26 to remain on their parents' fully insured group policies effective May 1st. This extension applies to those who would lose coverage during the gap between May 1st and the effective date of the new law. This extension does not apply to those who are not currently covered; currently uninsured dependents will be offered this coverage to age 26 when the law takes effect later this year. For the SCDA medical plans, this will be when the plans renew on January 1, 2011.
Here are some other items built into the new law:
- A plan can't charge more or vary benefit options based on a child's age.
- No factors other than exceeding age 26 may be used to restrict a child's eligibility for coverage. For example, plans cannot impose eligibility criteria, such as student status, marital status, residence with the employee or financial dependence on the employee, on children under age 26.
- Plans will not have to extend coverage to the spouse or child of an adult child under age 26.
- Employers must provide notice and give children under age 26 who previously lost coverage (including children with COBRA coverage) or who were denied coverage due to age at least 30 days to enroll in any plan or benefit option for which the employee-parent is eligible. This special enrollment right extends to the child's employee-parent. This part of the law will be effective for SCDA members on January 1, 2011.
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| TransFirst Rates |
| Each year in the spring and in the fall, Visa and MasterCard (MC) associations release updated interchange requirements and costs; these are known as the Spring and Fall Release. These releases are passed to all processors and potentially impact all merchants. The releases often include new card types, new data elements for interchange qualification and new costs. This year MC increased their assessment fee to 11 basis points (approximately 2 cents per $100.00 HIGHER than the previous fee) and both Visa and MC changed varying costs for particular rewards cards, corporate cards and others issuances that might be presented by cardholders in merchant locations throughout the United States. PIN Debit Networks also now take advantage of the "release" season and in February and then again in April, many of the debit networks increased costs as well.
The SCDA endorsed program through TransFirst Health passed on the 2 cent increase per $100.00 to existing merchants; notifications were outlined in February and March statements and April statements (received in early May) would have the new costs in place. Other items are passed-through as they actually occur however only impact the specific transaction types impacted so are less impactful and may not touch particular merchants at all based on their patient base and cards used in their practices. TransFirst has committed to the SCDA members to limit increases to actual pass through of the Visa/MC release items; price protection is an important benefit of an endorsed group program!
As always, upon receipt of your spring and fall statements, there is never a better time to take advantage of the TransFirst Health program benefits including program pricing comparison to ensure you're getting the most effective costs and products for your patient payments processing needs. Join the several hundred fellow SCDA members that have signed up to date and stop paying too much! For more information, contact your SCDA-TransFirst Health team at (866)977-0929 or email SCDA@TransFirst.com. |
| Deep Discounts on Malpractice Insurance Just Released |
The SC JUA and the SC PCF have recently released dramatic discounts for new-to-practice dentists purchasing professional liability insurance. If you have a student who is graduating dental school and going into practice or an employee/associate coming into practice with you, make sure they call the SCDA office at 1-800-327-2598 to receive these discounts.
We can now offer them discounts on their malpractice insurance up to 65% on their first year's premium, including the 25% off they receive for attending the risk management seminar held by the SC JUA at MUSC in April. In addition, we can offer a 10% discount for their second year in practice.
The savings for the first year alone start around $700! |
