Broker Action REQUIRED!
(8/19/2008)
DON'T RAISE THE TAX ON HEALTH INSURANCE!
We have received information about the $120 million increase in the Covered Lives Assessment — a surcharge paid on every health insurance policy — and other taxes on health insurance being proposed to help ease New York’s budget woes. Next week, lawmakers are set to return to Albany to address New York's growing budget deficit.  Governor Paterson is calling for "cuts" and "cost saving" measures.  However, one of the proposals calls for a $120 million INCREASE in the Covered Lives Assessment -- a tax on every health insurance policy sold in New York.  Other proposals being discussed would raise another tax on health insurance.  All of this is on top of the $82 million increase in health care taxes that was already enacted as part of the 2008-09 budget. Below are documents about the proposed $120 million CLA increase prepared by the NY Health Plan Association. as well as a letter to use to tell the lawmakers, DON'T RAISE TAXES ON HEALTH INSURANCE!

Please write your lawmakers.  Go to:

http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=nyba&hotissue=22. 

CLA Memo

CLA Piece - Key Staff and Finance Staff

CLA Increase Amounts by Region

Covered Lives letter to Lawmakers - August Budget

HealthNet Solutions Newsletter - Hospital Closing
(8/11/2008)
HealthNet is committed to keeping brokers informed of any events that may impact your client's benefits. They have heard (unfortunately after the closing date) that Victory Memorial Hospital has closed effective June 30, 2008. Members will be notified by letter. To read the full newsletter and the links to member and employer letter, click here.

GHI - No 3rd Quarter Increase Means Value
(7/31/2008)
Pump up your 2008 sales by offering your clients GHI EPO HSA coverage at our very competitive 3rd quarter rates. There has been no increase for the 3rd Quarter. Click here for the full plan details.

Aetna 4th Q Dental and Bonus Trip Reminder
(7/31/2008)
Fourth quarter dental rates with October 1 - December 15, 2008 effective dates are now available for Aetna Small Group in Connecticut, Maine, Northern New Jersey and New York markets. Simply click the link in the document for the market you are interested in and a PDF will appear with current rates. Click here for the document.

HealthNet Suggestions to Avoid Quoting Delays
(7/30/2008)
HealthNet has released a tip sheet with suggestions to help you avoid delays in processing cases for groups with 51 or more lives. Click here to download the tip sheet.

Health Advocate Summer Reading
(7/28/2008)
Health Advocate is offering a summer reading program! Health Advocate has released several articles from newspapers and health related websites that relate to the challenge of helping employees navigate healthcare issues - which is what Health Advocate is all about. Click the title links below to access the full articles.

Eldercare Solutions that Work
Education is Key to Consumer Driven Health Plans
On-line Medical Records - Convenient, But Private?
More Employees Caring for Children with Special Needs
Diabetes - Costs More Than Disasters

United Producer eUpdate
(7/25/2008)
United's Producer eUpdate Newsletter has information about updated 2009 adjusted HSA Amounts from the IRS. There is also commission news, information about alternative RX and more. Click here to access
the July 24th Newsletter.

Aetna HSA Seminar
(7/24/2008)
Aetna has extended an invitation for you to join them on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 for a Small Group HSA/HRA Broker Seminar. Attend this upcoming seminar and learn more about our HSA/HRA Product Portfolio specifically for New York small groups. Click here for details.

Seminar agenda includes:

• New Aetna HealthFund® HSA
• New Small Group HealthFund HRA®

Oxford Licensing Paperwork Changes
(7/22/2008)
Oxford's licensing paperwork has changed. There is a new form for EFT for commissions and some of the paperwork has changed as well. Be sure you are submitting you paperwork correctly and if you are a new broker you must submit this paperwork to be appointed. Click here for the new and revised paperwork.

Oxford Top Selling Plans 3rd Quarter
(7/22/2008)
Oxford has released their choices for the top selling plans for the third Quarter of 2008. Click here to access the rates.

Atlantis is Going Green
(7/15/2008)
Attention Brokers! Atlantis is going GREEN! Atlantis has developed an easy to use Administrator Handbook to assist your clients in their day to day operations. This handbook contains important information to help their employees navigate through their plan benefits. Atlantis is encouraging Brokers to access this handbook online and save time and trees. Hard copies will be available upon request. Visit the website at atlantishp.com, click on the Brokers tab and them Forms.

Aetna Action Alert
(7/8/2008)
Aetna shares the concern of the brokerage community about decisions being made in Washington DC regarding the future of health care. That is why they have called a Broker Grassroots Action Alert. To find out more and what you can do to make an impact, click here.

New From Perfect Health
(7/1/2008)
Perfect Health Insurance Company, in an effort to keep you updated on the most recent HSA & HRA information has released this most recent e-mail. It contains several articles to educate and inform you. Click here for the details and links.

Aetna Health Reform Weekly 7/1/08
(7/1/2008)
Aetna's weekly compilation of health care-related developments in Washington DC and state legislatures across the country has been released. Click here to access this weeks release.

New HealthNet Preferred Portfolio
(7/1/2008)
HealthNet has introduced their Preferred Portfolio, featuring the most competitive set of plans offering a full spectrum of benefit options. Click here for details on how you can access these Preferred plans.

FNA 3rd Quarter Choice Plans Released
(7/1/2008)
We have released our FNA Choice Plans for NY, NJ and we have also included hot plans sheets for several of our carriers. To access the HOT plans, click here.

Aetna Weekly Reform News Medicare Alert
(6/27/2008)
MEDICARE ALERT: Medicare Advantage members have a reprieve from the negative impact of Medicare funding cuts now that the U.S. Senate Thursday has adjourned for the July 4 break without passing a Medicare bill designed to stave off a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare physician reimbursement rates (scheduled for July 1). Click here for full details.

Aetna Weekly Reform News
(6/16/2008)
Aetna makes available a weekly compilation of health care-related developments in Washington, D.C. and state legislatures across the country. To read the most recent from 6/12 click here. For the most recent from 6/16/08 click here.

GHI Decreases Rates!
(6/10/2008)
For the past year, GHI has held the line on rates for many of their most popular plans–keeping rates steady or increasing them slightly. Now two leading GHI plans will actually have lower rates in 3rd Quarter 2008, and others will have very slight increases or decreases. Click here for the plan details.

Oxford Hospital Update
(6/9/2008)
GREAT NEWS FROM OXFORD!!!!!!!! In consideration of Peconic Health Corporation, on behalf of its member hospitals: Eastern Long Island Hospital, Peconic Bay Medical Center & Southampton Hospital are entering into a new Facility Participation Agreement with United Healthcare today, June 9th 2008. Peconic Bay Medical Center & Southampton Hospital hereby rescind their notices of termination with Oxford Healthplan & United Healthcare. That IS great news!

Aetna Ranks #1 in Survey
(6/3/2008)
In the recently released 2008 PayerViewSM Rankings by athenahealth, Aetna has been ranked #1 of eight national health plans. Click here to find out how the independent organization's survey ranks health insurers.

LIA Hot Plans for 3rd Quarter
(6/2/2008)
The LIA Health Alliance has released their choice for the HOT Plans for the 3rd Quarter of 2008! Click here to download the shell sheet.

Aetna Health Reform Weekly
(5/30/2008)
Aetna in an effort to keep us updated on healthcare related developments in Washington, DC has released the most recent "Health Reform" weekly newsletter. Click here to find out what is going on in state legislatures across the country.

Oxford To Refund Small Group Customers
(5/30/2008)
We recieved a Broker Newsletter from Oxford stating that they will be refunding small group customers because of a recent agreement with the NYS DOI. To read this important news and to find out if it will impact your client click here.

HealthNet Prior Authorization List
(5/30/2008)
Effectuve July 1, 2008, the list of medical services that require Prior Authorization for PPO Plans will be updated.HealthNet will be communicating soon with PPO plan members to inform them of this change to their Prior Authorization list. Click here for the full newsletter.

Aetna Making it Easier!
(5/27/2008)
Aetna is making it easier for members to get the information they need. Price transparency in health care is still a new concept to most consumers. As part of Aetna's ongoing commitment to increasing members' access to information on health care costs and clinical quality when they are choosing a doctor, hospital or other facility, Aetna has put together communications toolkits to help plan sponsors make their employees aware that this information is available to them. Click here for full details.

GHI Value, Lower Rates, $0 Copay and BONUS Plan!
(5/22/2008)
There is much news to report from GHI. Now is the time to take advantage of your best health coverage value! Family-Friendly benefits with new low rates! GHI EPO offers a $0 copay for office visits and diagnostic services provided in the office for eligible dependent children and dependent students AND a $0 copay for generic drugs! Click here to see the rate comparison!

New Procedure - Expedited Release of first commission check for new sale. GHI has listened to broker feedback and are changing procedures in direct response to broker reqests. Click here to find out how committed GHI is in releasing payment.

Check out GHI - Zero Copay! Increase your 2008 Sales by offering GHI EPO which features a $0 copay for office visits and diagnostic services provided in the office for eligible dependent children and dependent students AND a $0 copay for generic drugs. Click here for the full details on these plans.

Don't forget about GHI's Commission and Bonus Program! It rewards you for New Small Group Sales in 2008! Click here for details.

United E-Update 5-22-08 RX, Medical, Ancillary & More
(5/22/2008)
Read all about changes to excluded medications, Benefit Administration and Ancillary products. Click here to read the full newlsetter.

Aetna Participation Guideline Reminder
(5/21/2008)
New York Participation Guidelines in Small Group - In January Aenta released their New York underwriting participation guidelines. As a reminder and clarification, please note that their New York underwriting participation guidelines outlined in the January communication apply to both new business, and existing business on renewal. For renewals, the participation will be calculated based upon the Employer Verification Form (EVF). If the EVF has not been returned, the last document we had received detailing the total eligible count will be used in the calculation. Click here to log in for access to the Underwriting Guidelines Brochure that was updated in the January 1, 2008 Small Group New York portfolio.

HealthConnect Site Update
(5/21/2008)
Due to size restrictions HealthConnect has been forced to move its data center to a completely new location at the end of this month.  On Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th there will be absolutely no access to the quoting site while we make this transition.  Please do your quoting early so you will not run into any problems.

HealthNet Helps Members Understand EOB's
(5/15/2008)
Last month’s Health Net Member Basics focused on building an understanding of the claims process. This month’s issue explains to members what they should look for on their Explanation of Benefits (EOB) and Online Claim Detail, providing a brief overview of the information that is contained in each, and explaining where they can find a breakdown of their payment responsibility. Click here for details.

Aetna Weekly Reform Update
(5/15/2008)
Aetna has released a weekly compilation of health care-related developments in Washington, D.C. and state legislatures across the country. To find out more, click here.

Oxford Spring Broker Seminars
(5/14/2008)
Oxford has released the schedule for their upcoming Broker Seminar series for Spring. Locations include NYC, Long Island and Westchester. Meeting dates start on May 21, 2008. Click here to find out how to reserve your seat!

LIA Health Alliance Rate News
(5/14/2008)
Lia The LIA Health Alliance has release their rates for 3rd Quarter and reports the following: GHI HSA rates have little or no increase on most plans. In addtion, GHI is holding their rates while offering a $0 copay for children and $0 copay for generic drugs. In addition, Perfect Health also offers a HSA High Deductible PPO plan with $5,000 deductible then 100% using the Multi Plan Network for under $200! Click below for all of the rate sheets from the LIA.

LIA Consumer Driven Health Plans 3Q Rates
LIA Traditional Plans 3Q Rates

HealthPass Rates Now Available!
(5/14/2008)
HealthPass has released their 3rd Q rates. Click here to access them.

Aetna Health Reform Weekly
(5/8/2008)
Aetna continues to keep us informed about the goings on in Washington, DC - most recently the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act which was unanimously approved by the US Senate. To read more, click here.

NYAHU News - When is it Rebating?
(5/8/2008)
A couple of weeks ago, the Downstate Chapter of NYAHU had a tremendous turnout with over 120 members and non-members filling up a room at the NYC Bar Association for a meeting on the issue of Rebating. Two guest speakers were from the New York State Insurance Department and they shared with the attendees what is considered rebating. In addition, there was a lengthy Question and Answer period where many attendees asked very detailed questions impacting our business on a daily basis.f you did not attend, we do hope that you join NYAHU for future events as the Downstate NYC Chapter of NAHU continues to grow! If you were unable to attend the meeting you might want to review the presentation slides. Click below to access the slides.