CONTACT US

Sue Swanson
President

(720) 858-6288

Mike Edwards

Dir. of Financial Services (720) 858-6289

Andrea Levine

Senior Account Executive

(720) 858-6287

Mitch Laycock

Account Executive

(720) 858-6297

Cary Lamb
Account Executive
(720) 858-6282

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What Our Clients
are Saying

"Andrea is friendly, personable, and easy to work with. She accommodates our group's requests and needs, and presents plan options that she thinks are the best fit for our group. If we need more or different options, she is happy to go back to carriers for additional plan structures. It is a pleasure to work with Andrea; she is professional, knowledgeable and patient in all her interactions."

-COPIC Financial client

Financial Focus Archive!

Did you miss a previous edition of the Financial Focus? Fear not! A full archive of past newsletters can be found here. Articles include helpful information about such topics as fraud and abuse insurance and natural disaster preparedness. Get caught-up today!

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Save $$$ with CO-POWER

GroupSource Group Purchasing is a leader in cost containment strategies for medical practices. COPIC insureds are able to take advantage of these GroupSource discounts through an innovative program called CO-POWER.

Click HERE to learn more about how your practice can save money today!

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Have you recently booked that once-in-a-lifetime vacation? Protect it from
the "what if."

COPIC Financial now provides Travel Insurance!

Click HERE to get a quote.

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FSG is excited about our partnership with one of the most respected personal insurance carriers----Safeco Insurance. This partnership complements the wide range of services we already offer, to include auto, home, disability, employee health, cyber liability and long-term care insurance coverages.

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Quick Links

Meet Our Staff

Why Choose COPIC Financial?

Coverages We Offer

Information Request Form

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Helpful Links

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Upcoming Conferences

Colorado Springs Dental Society
November 12, 2015
Colorado Springs, CO

Rocky Mountain Dental Convention
January 21-23, 2016
Denver, CO

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In This Issue - November 2015

Small Group Renewals

529 Plans and Financial Aid Eligibility

Claim Examples of Billing Error and Regulatory Proceedings

Retirement Plan Considerations at Different Stages of Life

Benefits Regulatory Update

Small Group Renewals

As discussed in our May 2015 newsletter, all remaining small group and individual health plans, except grandfathered plans, that do not meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot continue into 2016.

With that said, for those that have renewals in 4Q15 and into 2016, you will see many options from your carriers. We are actually seeing substantial decreases in rates in certain plans due to narrower networks, some limitations on office visits, or Rx benefits. The good news is, there are choices out there, and COPIC FSG will be glad to help you select the best ACA compliant plan for your group.

Contact Andrea Levine at (720) 858-6287 with questions you may have about health care options for yourself or your group.

529 Plans and Financial Aid Eligibility

If you're thinking about joining a 529 college savings plan, or if you've already opened an account, you might be concerned about how 529 funds will affect your child's chances of receiving financial aid. Of all the areas related to 529 plans, financial aid is perhaps the most uncertain, and the one most likely to change in the future. To better familiarize yourself with this process and factors to consider, read the article 529 Plans and Financial Aid Eligibility from our partners at Woodbury Financial Services.

Evaluate your situation and contact Cary Lamb at (720) 858-6282 with questions or to discuss saving plan options.

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Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC and Registered Investment Adviser. COPIC Financial Service Group and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc. are not affiliated entities.

Claim Examples of Billing Error and Regulatory Proceedings

"What are some examples of billing error and regulatory proceeding claims?" is one of the most commonly asked questions we get in COPIC FSG.

In follow up to last year's article "Now is the Time to Look at Fraud and Abuse Insurance," below are recent claim scenarios in the Medefense coverage area. Medefense is a product available as a stand-alone policy, or added to the higher-limit data breach option, and provides defense costs and fines/penalties coverage for billing error and regulatory proceedings.

The following links provide claim scenarios for each category:

Coverage for fraud and abuse claims also includes billing error proceeding costs and contemplates rogue employee exposures. The coverage can be purchased on a stand-alone basis or coupled with data breach coverage. Contact COPIC FSG today to discuss the exposures and the insurance solutions for fraud and abuse.

Call us for an Insurance Review
Now is the time to schedule your complete insurance review, and experience what one practice manager called "the most valuable 30-minute visit a practice can make." A key part of the review is equipment valuation, and you can utilize the following forms to begin initial determinations of value:

Contact Mitch Laycock at (720) 858-6297 with your questions or for more information.

Retirement Plan Considerations at Different Stages of Life

Throughout your career, retirement planning will likely be one of the most important components of your overall financial plan. Whether you have just graduated and taken your first job, are starting a family, are enjoying your peak earning years, or are preparing to retire, your employer-sponsored retirement plan can play a key role in your financial strategies.

How you manage your retirement savings plan will depend on the various stages of life:

Just starting out: With more time to save, young adults can typically withstand stronger short-term losses in order to pursue higher long-term gains, allowing for more aggressive investments.
Starting a family: Although it is tempting to cut your retirement savings contributions to cover increasing expenses, a decision like that can have a lasting impact on your financial future. Examine methods to continue saving while still having flexibility to ride out investment market swings.
Peak earning years: With more income comes more opportunity to kick your retirement savings into high gear. Meeting with a financial professional may help refine your savings goal and investment allocations.
Preparing to retire: Start thinking about when and how to begin drawing down your retirement assets.

For more information and considerations, read the article Retirement Plan Considerations at Different Stages of Life, provided by our partners at Woodbury Financial Services.

COPIC FSG is available to answer questions on this subject and other financial planning topics. Contact Mike Edwards at (720) 858-6289 for more information.

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Benefits Regulatory Update

Final 2015 Forms and Instructions for IRS Reporting Requirements

On September 17, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final forms and instructions to be used for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) and Applicable Large Employer reporting, first due in January 2016 for coverage offered in calendar year 2015. Below are final versions of forms for reporting both large and small groups.

Instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C ("Applicable large employers" (i.e., those subject to the employer mandate), self-insured plans complete the entire Form 1095-C)
Form 1094-C (a transmittal/cover sheet) to the IRS
Form 1095-C to both the IRS and individuals (If its plan is insured, the applicable large employer will only complete Parts I and II of Form 1095-C)
Instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B (Insurance carriers and small employers with self-insured plans use these forms)
Form 1094-B (a transmittal /cover sheet) to the IRS
Form 1095-B to both the IRS and individuals

Under Section 6055, entities that provide minimum essential coverage will use Form 1094-B and Form 1095-B to report information to the IRS about each individual covered under that minimum essential coverage. These entities include health insurance issuers, self-insured plan sponsors, government-sponsored programs, and other entities that provide minimum essential coverage. Related statements must also be provided to covered individuals. Plan sponsors of self-insured coverage that are also applicable for large employers will use Form 1094-C and Form 1095-C to report information about individuals who are covered under the self-insured plan.

COPIC FSG can recommend a 3rd party compliance company to help you navigate the reporting process if you need further assistance. Contact Andrea Levine at (720) 858-6287 for more information.

Businesses Eye Battle on Cadillac Tax

A number of business groups, big employers, and unions----including the American Benefits Council, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and Cigna, among others----have banded together to form an official lobbying group called the Alliance to Fight the 40. This group has the specific goal of repealing the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Cadillac tax, also known as the 40 percent excise tax.

The ACA's most infamous tax actually doesn't go into effect until January 1, 2018. As Modern Healthcare reporter, Bob Herman, explains, "All employer-based health plans with annual benefit values more than $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families will be subject to a 40% tax for every dollar above those thresholds. Those limits will be tied to inflation after 2018." For reference, in 2014, the average individual health plan cost about $6,000, and the average family plan cost $16,800, both of which are below the tax's upper limits.

Contact Andrea Levine at (720) 858-6287 with any questions you may have about the changing legislative health care landscape.

Even if you are not currently in the market for insurance
products, we are always available to help make sure you are
getting the best coverages at the best prices. Call us at
(720) 858-6280!

Sincerely,

Sue Swanson

President, COPIC Financial Service Group

Please add us to your "safe-senders" list! Add sswanson@copic.com to your address book to ensure that our messages to you don't get stuck in your spam filter!

COPIC Financial Service Group, Ltd. is an insurance brokerage firm representing a variety of insurance carriers. Products offered by COPIC Financial are not issued by COPIC Insurance Company.