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August 17, 2016

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Are Opt-Outs on the Way Out?

Brought to you by Sullivan Benefits & UBA

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Opt-out payments or cash in lieu of benefits have been a staple in the employee benefits industry for many years. Employers offer individuals who are eligible to enroll in their group health plan a sum of money, typically paid monthly, to those who waive enrollment in the group health plan. Employers who offer group health plans often use opt-out payments to share the savings they receive when an employee chooses not to enroll in the benefits offered.

For many years, so long as employers were offering opt-outs uniformly to all benefit-eligible employees, the government had little, if any, regulation over opt-outs. However, beginning in 2015, multiple government agencies began tightening the parameters around permissible opt-outs and, in some situations, appear to restrict them completely. Employers are experiencing increased scrutiny over opt-outs from various agencies because of recent regulatory guidance.

Employers that currently offer opt-outs should evaluate their opt-out program's structure and should consider phasing out opt-out programs in the near future. Read

Immunization: the What, the Why and the Myths

Brought to you by Nan Maley, RN

Director of Corporate Wellness, Sullivan Benefits

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Immunizations, or vaccines as they're also known, safely and effectively use a small amount of a weakened or killed virus or bacteria or bits of lab-made protein that imitate the virus in order to prevent infection by that same virus or bacteria.

When you get an immunization, you're injected with a weakened form of (or a fragment of) a disease. This triggers your body's immune response, causing it to either produce antibodies to that particular ailment or induce other processes that enhance immunity.

Then, if you're ever again exposed to the actual disease-causing organism, your immune system is prepared to fight the infection. A vaccine will usually prevent the onset of a disease or else reduce its severity.

Why Should Someone Get Immunized?

The goal of public health is to prevent disease. It's much easier and more cost-effective to prevent a disease than to treat it. That's exactly what immunizations aim to do. Read more about the importance of immunizations and some of the misconceptions that they are commonly tagged with. Read