NYS has approved 2021 health insurance rate requests yesterday. Small group rates increase 4.2% and 1.8% for individuals.
As per NY State Law, Health Insurers are required to send out early notices of rate request filings to groups and subscribers see original –NYS 2021 Rate Requests. Despite only 3 months of mature claims data experience for 2020 health insurers’ original requests were noticeably below average. Ultimately NYS reduced this request substantially by approximately 63%.
The 2021 small group rate increase was the second-lowest ever approved at 4.2% vs 2020’s approval of 7.9%. This reflects a lower cost utilization due to COVID-19. The average medical-loss ratio, which represents the portion of premiums spent on medical claims and quality improvement, was 70% last year in the individual market nationwide.
Rate Factors
The state noted that the premiums increase main driver are medications. “The drug costs account for the largest share of medical expenses, followed by inpatient hospital costs, and outpatient hospital costs.”
More than one million New Yorkers are enrolled in small group plans, which cover employers with 1 to 100 employees. Insurers requested an average rate increase of 11.4% in the small group market. DFS cut the weighted average requested rate increases by 63% for 2020, saving small businesses over $565 million.
The HIT (Health Insurance Tax) is back. For Small businesses, this translates to an estimated 2.5%-3% added surcharge. For States like NYS where there is already approx. 16% added surcharge to high premiums, this becomes daunting. It is no surprise the unpopular HIT was suspended. In 2017, payers escaped making $13.9 billion in payments due to the moratorium, according to a 2018 analysis by Oliver Wyman, commissioned by UnitedHealth Group. This may have saved consumers billions on their insurance coverage.“The taxes on health insurance are non-deductible for federal tax purposes for health insurers,” the report explained.
Website Stop The Hit calculates $5,000 as the average tax for a 10-man small business for example. Calculates how the HIT affects your State and your business, here. Take action now: tell Congress to repeal the HIT! Join small business owners across the country in stopping the HIT. Sign the petition here.
Gov Signs NJ Health Insurance Tax Effective Jan 2021
Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law Friday that imposes a 2.5% tax on health insurance companies that will help pay the premiums for people who rely on the marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act to shop for coverage.
The Department of Banking and Insurance would levy a 2.5% tax on insurance companies based on the amount of money collected in premiums. The proceeds — estimated at about $200 million — would be deposited into the Health Insurance Affordability Fund and used to subsidize the cost of insurance for people who earn no more thanfour times the federal poverty level. For example, a single person earning a maximum of $50,040 and a family of three earning $86,880 would qualify.
An estimated $77 million of the tax money collected will bolster the state’s existing reinsurance program to cover high-cost claims and lower premium costs in the individual market.
Much like the Health Insurance Tax (HIT) on Insurers under the ACA, it is expected to be passed on to Employers and Consumers. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association testified against the bill while it was making its way through committee, arguing it would “increase costs on businesses and nonprofits, large and small, which have continued to offer health benefit plans during the current COVID-19 pandemic while struggling themselves to remain afloat.”
If you’re interested in hearing more about the advantages of partnering with a PEO, we’d love to talk to you. Fill out the form below or email info@medicalsolutionscorp.com for a FREE Consultation Today!
The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only. Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. does not offer legal or medical guidance. Those with legal or medical questions should seek appropriate assistance from a licensed professional. Stay up to date by signing up for Newsletter and Coronavirus Dashboard below.
World Insurance Associates Acquires Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. of New York
Great news! We have just been acquired by a top 100 Insurance Agency, World Insurance Associates LLC. As Partner & Director of PEO Sales, I hope to strengthen and build on our existing successful relationships.
Exactly 25 years ago I first started my career at Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield. The journey has not been boring. It’s definitely been a quite a ride navigating through community-ratings, Obamacare, and the world of PEO/Private Exchanges. We are humbly grateful for the incredible clients whom we owe our success and our partners who have made us shine best.
WIA has completed 63 acquisitions and serves its customers from 49 offices in 12 states and Washington, DC. WIA has been named one of The Most Successful Companies in America by Inc. 5000, is a Top 100 P/C Agency by Insurance Journal and Business Insurance, a four-time honoree by NJBIZ Fast 50, and a Business Insurance Best Place to Work
The best is yet to come!
Learn more about how we are successfully helping navigate SMB for 20+ years. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact us at 855-667-4621 or info@medicalsolutionscorp.com.
As COVID-19 has challenged the status quo and disrupted the way we’ve always done things. Working from home have ushered in a new reality for benefits, and one of the more tangible questions right now is: “We’ve always held an in-person benefits fair, so what should we do now?” And the answer: “Let’s just move the benefits fair online.”
Things To Consider Before You Open
1.What’s Your Strategy for Going Paperless?
The best recommendation for most offices is to switch to paperless going forward. Decide how you’re going to organize your electronic files (tip: making it match your paper filing will make the transition easiest on your staff). Then put a scanning policy in place and stick to it … going forward. Baby steps! Once your staff has gotten comfortable with the new system, they can feel free to pull in old material as it’s needed.
2. Replace paper forms with digital ones
US companies spend more than $120 billion a year printing paper forms alone. That’s a staggering, unnecessary amount of money that can be saved by using online forms instead. With online forms, you’ll also see faster response times, with the submission data stored neatly in the cloud
3. Accuracy
Automated processes reportedly make far fewer errors than those performed by humans. All data errors should be corrected when discovered for recordkeeping compliance purposes. But documents with errors in paper-generating systems must be corrected and re-printed.
4. Cost
A key benefits of taking your HR paperless is simply the fact that you will be reducing overall waste while saving time and money. Paper reams may not be the most expensive commodity your business is using, but it may be the most easily upgraded.With our partnerships we are able to deploy a basic online beneeifts admin ssytem at no cost to our clients
5. Time
Employers do not spend as much time on insurance forms. In fact, for a group of 50 employees, employers decrease the time they spend on forms by 84%. This is because we map employee information directly to carrier forms and is rules-based, which validates data entered to avoid incorrect and missing information. This means that when an employee completes an insurance form, plenty of their information is auto-populated and fields cannot be left incomplete. If a signature is required, the employee can e-sign forms in Ease using their mouse or finger. Additionally, all data can be securely stored online
6. Recruiting Millenials
You can enable new employees to enroll in benefits online. They can see the cost per pay period for each plan they are eligible for, as well as view side-by-side comparisons, informational videos, and digital brochures about plans they are considering. Additionally, they can log into our portal from anywhere, at any time, and view a detailed benefits summary. AniOS and Android mobile app allows employees to quickly access plan information, details, and policy numbers from any location.
Employers can use Ease to initiate pre-boarding activities the second an offer is made. Through the Offer Letter feature, employers can send applicants offer letters with custom details like salary, company policies, start date, and eligible benefits. This enables applicants to view all of the components of their offer in one go. If they do accept, the employer can prompt them to begin onboarding and benefits enrollment right away.
7. Mid-Year and Annual Renewal Changes
How many times have come accross Clinets who simply dont want to be bothered with changes. On Average 12% of costs are attributed to inertia. With our paperless benefts system SMB can easily add and manage voluntary coverage. Employers can work to choose which voluntary benefits are best suited for their employees and their benefit offering, and employees can enroll in these plans at the same time as their medical plans. They’ll even see the cost per pay period per voluntary plan and, in many cases, instantly view their eligibility.
Each employee has a real-time historical record. Any qualifying life event, like a divorce or a new dependent, can be made in their real-time historical record. The employee or employer can make this change and deployed to the insurance carrier.
8. Payroll integrations
Several integrated payroll companies charge $20-$50 per employee per month dependizng n the size of the SMB. Ease enables employers to easily keep track of payroll deductions with its Consolidated Billing report. This report calculates and populates new employee payroll deductions into payroll. Employers can export the report as an excel file and upload it to their payroll provider.
Additionally, with different payroll etablished exchnage connections that makes it easy to:
Add new employees in one system, either the payroll provider.
Process benefit changes, since changes flow from the payroll provide or vice versa.
Keep employee records up to date with automated data syncs.
9. Tracking Employees’ Time-Off & Performance
Ease’s suite of HR tools, EaseHR, was built to help employers manage growth. The software uses the same login and employee information from benefits enrollment, making setup simpler. The different tools included in HRIS by Ease are:
PTO Policies: Employers can set up holidays and manage custom PTO policies. Employees can view hours remaining per policy, such as PTO, sick leave, and FMLA.
Time-Off Tracking: Employees can request time-off and managers can approve those requests on the go.
Metrics: Visualized HR stats including employee growth, company diversity, and organization charts.
Employee Events & Company Directory: Employees can connect at any time with a repository of employee contact information. Managers can keep track of birthdays and work anniversaries.
Ease iOS and Android Mobile App: Access all time-off tracking features and your company directory from anywhere at any time.
10. Hassle of Switching
With most leading paperless payroll and Thrid Party HR and COBRA providers already integrated this becomes more organic. You are not alone. We help with group set-up and deployment. The Client serves as a QB but are not required to become the power-user of the system. Each employee has a unique login, allowing them to enroll in benefits themselves. They can reach out to the employer if they have questions, but also have the ability to explore the software themselves.
Resource:
Goodbye Paper, Hello Ease Simplified Benefits and HR– Click Above
Your employees shop online for everything else, why not benefits?
Each year, Ease surveys tens of thousands of employees who chose benefits through our online benefits marketplaces to find out what they think of the experience. Overwhelmingly, the data point to employees being more satisfied with their experience overall, compared to traditional benefits offerings:
The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only. Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. does not offer legal or medical guidance. Those with legal or medical questions should seek appropriate assistance from a licensed professional. Stay up to date by signing up for Newsletter and Coronavirus Dashboard below. Please connect for a one-on-one-demo at info@medicalsolutionscorp.com or 855-667-4621
The NYS 2021 Rate Requests filings were released today. The total weighted average increase request was 11.4% for Small Group Market with some citing Coronavirus as necessitating higher premiums next year.That figure is heavily influenced by the request of UnitedHealthcare’s Oxford, which has recently controlled about half the market and requested an 13.6% increase. The total weighted Indiv market request is an 11.7%.
Background:
Health Insurers have been meeting the COVID-19 challenge by paying 100% for diagnosis and treatments at no cost to the consumers. Additionally, health insurers have been advancing cash payments to hospitals while also absorbing sustained premium losses.
This early filing request deadline request requirement is not an Obamacare requirement. As per NY State Law carriers are required to send out notices of rate increase filings to groups and subscribers.These are simply requests and the state’s Department of Financial Services has authority to modify the final rates. But they are the first indication of what New Yorkers can expect when shopping for health insurance on the individual marketplace at the end of this year.
A spokeswoman for the state Health Plan Association said insurers have worked to control costs, which have been driven up by rising prescription drug prices and state mandates that require coverage of certain services.
In the small-group market, national insurers such as UnitedHealthcare’s Oxford and Empire Blue Cross have requested 13.8% and 16.6% rate hikes. Recent start-up, Oscar Health has requested a 29.1% increase. Disappointingly, the google-backed health insurer has been a leader in health technology and had supposedly righted the ship with new plan designs.
Fortunately, the localized hospital-owned network such as Healthfirst has requested a modest 5.5% increase. This is consistent with last years 4.7% increase and their inflation busting average of 5% last 3 years. Similarly, the Fishkill-based, MVP Healthcare, is asking for only a 4.1% hike which is even lower than their 7% for 2020. MVP has averaged a stable 6% increase last three years.
Conclusion
Final rate approval are expected in early August. The past rate reductions averaged 10-50% savings. Last year, plans asked for an average increase of 9.2% and NYS 2020 Final Rates Approved at a 7.9% increase.
Defined Contribution Choice: Instead, the correct approach for a small business in keeping with simplicity is a defined contribution model using a Private Exchange or a PEO. This is a true defined contribution empowering employees with the choice of leading insurers offering paperless technologies integrating HRIS/Benefits/Payroll. Both employee and employers still gain tax advantage benefits under the business. Also, the benefits, rates and network size are superior under a group plan as THE RISK OUTLINED ABOVE ARE HIGHER FOR INDIVIDUAL MARKETS THAN SMALL GROUP PLANS.
To be clear: These trends affect a small subset of the insurance market—non-group plans that cover less than 2 percent of the population. Many qualify for tax credits that lower their net costs and reduce or eliminate the impact of year-to-year rate increases.However, non-group customers with incomes above 400% of the poverty level ($48,560 for a single adult) get no subsidy—and feel the full brunt of any hikes.
Resource
For a custom analysis detailing YOUR upcoming 2019-2020 renewal please contact our team at Millennium Medical Solutions Corp (855)667-4621. We work in coordination with Navigators to assist with Medicaid, CHIP Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicare Dual Eligibles. We have Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew speakers available.
On Friday, June 5, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act, clearing the way for more flexibility and forgiveness of the loans made through the PPP. Originally these loans, which were part of the CARES Act, were provided to help business owners cover payroll costs, rent, and utilities.
The newly enacted legislation states that:
Business owners now have 24 weeks to spend funds (up from eight weeks)
Business owners only need to spend 60% of the loan on payroll costs (down from 75%)
The covered period of the loan now ends December 31 instead of June 30
Business owners won’t have to make employer payroll tax payments through the end of 2020
The business will not lose any loan forgiveness eligibility if it can show that some employees declined to return to their jobs or the pre-pandemic headcount is no longer required
The payback period for new loan applicants has been extended from two years to a minimum of five for those not seeking, or who are ineligible, for forgiveness
If you’d like to find out more about how you can get better benefits so your employees use them when they need to, we’d like to show you how. Please contact us using form below or info@mecialsolutionscorp.com or 855-667-4621.
The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only. Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. does not offer legal or medical guidance. Those with legal or medical questions should seek appropriate assistance from a licensed professional. Stay up to date by signing up for Newsletter and Coronavirus Dashboard below.
The IRS has released the 2021 Health Savings Account (HSA) inflation adjustments. To be eligible to make HSA contributions, an individual must be covered under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) and meet certain other eligibility requirements.
New HSA 2021 limits are as follows:
2021
2020
HSA Annual Contribution Limit
$3,600; $7,200
$3,550 – Single; $7,100 – Family
HDHP Minimum Annual Deductible
$1,400; $2,800
$1,400 – Single; $2,800 – Family
HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum
$7,000; $14,000
$6,900 – Single; $13,800 – Family
Age 55+ Catch-Up Provision
$1,000; $2,000
$1,000- Single; $2,000 – Husband/Wife
Age 55 Catch Up Contribution
As in 401k and IRA contributions, you are allowed to contribute extra if you are above a certain age. If you are age 55 or older by the end of the year, you can contribute an additional $1,000 to your HSA. If you are married, and both of you are age 55, each of you can contribute an additional $1,000. A savvy strategy for high-income earners is to invest the money in your HSA for the long haul. Once you’re 65, you can take out tax-free distributions to cover Medicare premiums. If you withdraw money at that point for non-medical uses, you pay the same tax as you would on withdrawals from a pretax 401(k). But you can also take money out tax-free to reimburse yourself for prior years’ out-of-pocket medical expenses if you have the old receipts.
COVId-19 Update:
You can even use an HSA to save on a typical trip to the CVS. Thanks to a tax relief provision tucked in the last Covid-19 stimulus package, you can use the money you stash in an HSA or FSA (more on those later) for over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or Flonase as well as menstrual products like tampons and pads. That reverses Obamacare restrictions on OTC meds requiring a doctor’s prescription for them to be eligible for reimbursement.
HSA/HDHP Market Growth
HSA holders own the assets in the accounts and can build up substantial sums over time. Enrollment in HSA-compatible insurance plans has increased to 10 million earlier this year, from 1 million in March 2005, according to, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade group.
HSAs were authorized starting in January 2004. Since then, AHIP has conducted a periodic census of health plans participating in the HSA/HDHP market.
The number of people with HSA/HDHP coverage rose to more than 11.4 in January 2011, up from 10.0 million in January 2010, 8.0 million in January 2009, and 6.1 million in January 2008.
30 percent of individuals covered by an HSA plan were in the small group market, 50 percent were in the large-group market, and the remaining 20 percent were in the individual market.
14% of all workers in the private sector have access to a Health Savings Account acc. to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
States with the highest levels of HSA/HDHP enrollment were California, Ohio, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and Minnesota.
HSA Advantages:
Opportunity to build savings – Unused money stays in your account from year to year and earns tax-free interest. The HSA also gives you an investment opportunity.
Tax-free contributions and earnings – You don’t pay taxes on contributions or earnings.
Tax-Free Money allowed for non-traditional Medical coverage– As per IRS Publication 502, unused money can be used for dental, vision, Lasik eye surgery, acupuncture, yoga, infertility, etc. Popular Examples
Portability – The funds belong to you, so you keep the funds if you change jobs or retire.
Our overall experience with HSAs has been positive when employer funding is at a minimum 50% using either the HSA or an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account-employer keeps unspent money). Traditional plans trend of higher copays and new in-network deductibles has also led to the popularity of an HSA.
Next Steps
Plan sponsors should update payroll and plan administration systems for the 2021 cost-of-living adjustments and should incorporate the new limits in relevant participant communications, such as open enrollment and communication materials, plan documents, and summary plan descriptions.
Is your HSA compliant? Which pre-tax qualified HSA, FSA, HRA spending card is right for you? Please contact our team at Millennium Medical Solutions Corp (855)667-4621 for immediate answers. Stay tuned for updates as more information gets released. Sign up for the latest news updates.
For those who have found the challenges of maintaining proper work-life- balance during COVID-19 may find this artcile helpful. Aside from the obvious physical advanatges now more than ever is a good time to maintain good habits.
Gym closed? These are the best home workout options
Courtesy of CNET by Sharon Profis Updated May 14, 2020
There are really only two ways I’m coming out of this self-quarantine: super-ripped or in dire need of a diet.
Switching to a home workout routine isn’t easy — it takes some space and a lot of intrinsic motivation — but in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, many fitness experts, gyms, apps and studios are doing their part to help us stay in shape. And establishing a workout routine could, most importantly, ease anxiety related to coping with the pandemic.
Staying healthy and in shape while quarantined is totally doable and this guide will show you how. Even if you have a small space, no equipment (hello body weight workouts!) or very little time, there are many great options to help you exercise during a quarantine, with exercises focused on upper body, lower body, core muscles, chest, back — all the muscle groups, really. Then, of course, there’s high-intensity interval training, cardio and more. Seriously, these exercise options will get your heart rate up.
The fastest way to start an at-home workout routine is through instructor-led videos. Live or prerecorded the videos are typically 25-45 minutes and often require little to no fitness equipment, making it easy to jump right in.
These videos often require a subscription or membership, but many providers are offering them for free — or as an extended trial — while the outbreak leaves us stuck at home.
Here’s a list of some of my favorite at-home workout apps with live and prerecorded videos. They include yoga, bootcamp-style classes, boxing, high intensity interval training, plyometrics, pilates and barre exercises.
Normally $13 a month, Peloton is offering a free, 90-day trial of its polished workout app. The app — which doesn’t require a purchase of Peloton’s bike or treadmill — includes easy-to-follow and high-quality videos, including yoga, strength, meditation, cardio and bootcamp classes. There are also audio-only classes for outdoor runs, if that’s still an option for you.
Like many yoga studios, CorePower shut down its studios due to the outbreak and pivoted to online-only options. New classes are added weekly, including sculpt (those ones hurt!), yoga and meditation. The company is offering free yoga classes to everyone — even nonmembers — through March 30 and may extend its offering if their studios remain closed.
I spent an entire year exercising with Nike Training Club and got in great shape with very little equipment. The app — which is always free — has a wide variety of home workouts to choose from, including programs that help you set an ongoing workout schedule. The key here is that workouts can be filtered based on whether or not you have access to a gym or equipment, so you can easily find bodyweight-only exercises.
If you’ve ever had a membership at a gym like 24 Hour Fitness, you’ve probably heard of Body Pump. The class, which is managed by Les Mills, is just one of more than a dozen different types of classes, including boxing, dance and yoga. All these classes are available on demand through a 30-day free trial and many classes are equipment-free. After the trial, the monthly membership is $14.99 a month or $11.99 a month with a three-month commitment.
Designed to get you moving even when you feel stuck.
Cassey Ho, the fitness guru behind the hugely popular Blogilates YouTube channel and website continues to offer a massive library of pilates-style toning classes. In response to the outbreak, she also created a 14-day quarantine workout plan, a great option for those looking to add structure to their at-home workout schedules.
As of March 15, Barry’s (née Barry’s Bootcamp) closed all of its studios in the US, Europe and Canada. If you’re a Barry’s goer — or have heard people (like me) obsess over its high-intensity workouts — now’s a good time to get a taste of its offerings. The company is streaming two new workouts daily, one that doesn’t require equipment and another that uses some basic items, like fitness bands. You can check out its daily workouts and previous streams on Instagram.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you already have free access to a varied library of fitness videos, including Zumba and cardio programs such as 21-Day Transformation from GymRa. Just head to Prime Video and search for “fitness,” then check the “Prime” box in the left sidebar to see what’s available for streaming.
Individual personal trainers
Many personal trainers, whose classes and training sessions have been put on hold, are offering their knowledge for free. You can find them on Instagram, where they are streaming daily workout classes and showing you how to master certain moves. YouTube is home to many fitness trainers who put out free exercise videos, covering every kind of work out from yoga and pilates, to dance and bootcamp. Finally, our colleagues over at MaxPreps have rounded up free workout classes from professional fitness trainer Katerina Kountouris.
Plenty of apps and YouTube channels have equipment-free workouts, but if you want to build strength or increase your efficacy, even basic equipment can make a huge difference.
Here are some things you can use alone or with an at-home workout. At this point, you might not be ready to invest a lot in a home gym, so here are some affordable options. You don’t need everything on this list — just pick the items that work best for the types of workouts you’re doing, like strength training, yoga or HIIT.
Jump rope: If you have a room with high enough ceilings or can safely step outside, a jump rope is a go-to for warming up or getting in a quick cardio workout when you’re strapped for time.
Dumbbells: Weights are pretty much a must-have for a home workout routine, which is pretty apparent due to the low inventory available as gyms close due to the outbreak. As of writing, these dumbbells are available on Amazon and will be delivered in under a week.
Don’t forget to stretch before working out.
Angela Lang/CNET
Workout mat (or yoga mat): There are many types of mats out there and the one you choose will depend on your primary form of exercise, as well as the floor you’re working with. For instance, you’ll specifically want a yoga mat for yoga practice, while a higher-density workout mat works better for bodyweight exercises and carpeted floors.
Yoga block: Yoga blocks provide extra support during practice, especially for those who are just starting to exercise their flexibility. They’re essentially a must-have for practicing yoga and these ones come in a set of two and have a soft finish while maintaining high density for balance.
A mirror: No, not (just) for checking yourself out, but for ensuring good form while you give new workouts a try. This wall mirror from Ikea provides enough width to get a good view of your workout.
Headphones: If you’re working out to your phone, tablet or laptop, headphones will give you the best experience — while also doing a courtesy to anyone in the household who doesn’t want to work out with you.
Lacrosse ball and foam roller. As you ease into a new workout routine, take care of your body by caring for its mobility with these tools. This lacrosse ball will relieve tension in your feet and back while this foam roller can be used throughout your body.
Some of us have already been considering a home gym setup that goes further than the basics. Today’s at-home gym equipment — like bikes and treadmills — can mimic the in-studio experience with live-streaming classes, social features and progress-tracking through apps and compatible devices such as the Apple Watch ($399 at Apple). Plus, if you’re still on the fence about these investments, companies like Peloton and Mirror offer generous trial periods — long enough to help you decide if that big investment is worthwhile.
Peloton
Peloton’s indoor bicycle is an ideal — albeit expensive — quarantine companion. With its small footprint (it requires a four- by six-foot space), socially engaging workout classes and varied class durations, Peloton’s bike is an excellent choice for cycling buffs. The company now offers a 30-day trial, letting you test ride the experience before committing to the $2,245 price tag, plus $30-a-month membership. If you decide against it, the company will arrange a pick-up and process a full refund.
If it’s any comfort, the monthly membership fee also includes access to Peloton’s digital app of diverse workout classes and the bicycle can be financed through Affirm.Read our Peloton Bike review.
Mirror
Those who love working out to YouTube videos (or even old-school fitness DVDs) will love the Mirror. It takes that at-home video workout experience and brings it into 2020 by turning a functional mirror into a screen that plays live and recorded workouts.
We tried the Mirror and appreciated the variety of workouts, social interactions and small footprint. Plus, while it’s still a pricey investment at $1,500 (and a $39-a-month subscription), it’s $750 less than the Peloton and offers more variety. The Mirror also syncs with your Apple Watch, so you can get an accurate calorie burn and close those rings. Read our Mirror review.
A treadmill
Best for runners and cardio junkies
Woodway
The at-home treadmill isn’t what it was in the ’90s. Today’s machines often come with a large screen, where you can stream treadmill workouts and track your progress. Plus, many apps — including Peloton — can be paired with a treadmill to make running at home feel, well, fun. CNET tested a bunch of treadmills and here are our favorites.
Best for a Peloton experience without the price tag
Echelon
Peloton is like the Kleenex of connected exercise bikes — its name gets used a lot, but it’s certainly not the only stationary bike with live classes and high-tech features. Not only can you make a DIY Peloton, but there are also alternatives around $1,000. (That’s $1,500 less than Peloton’s offering.) Read more on Peloton alternatives.
Rowing is a great way to get an efficient cardio workout without the impact of exercises like running or HIIT. Unlike treadmills or stationary bikes, rowing machines provide a full-body workout, including upper-body parts like the back, shoulders, arms and chest.
Hydrow, which we reviewed in 2019, is a rowing machine that makes the repetitive exercise of rowing a little more exciting with live and on-demand classes displayed on its attached touchscreen. The screen swivels, which is great for when you want to take one of Hydrow’s mat workouts (which don’t require any rowing).
At $2,200, it’s certainly not a budget item and you’ll have to pay $38 a month for the content subscription. Like Peloton, you can try it out at home with a 30-day trial.
Watch this: Peloton Bike makes spinning at home much smoother
1:55
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
As COVID-19 unfolds, the importance of a properly deployed Return to Work is reviewed and in place with contingencies.
Echoing the sentiments of public health officials, a return to normalcy won’t be like flipping a switch, but rather a gradual effort. In preparation for reopening your business and asking employees to come back to work, it’s imperative that your company thoughtfully constructs a return to work plan for its employees to keep everyone healthy and safe following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Things To Consider Before You Open
1. Make sure your workspace is thoroughly cleaned with CDC recommended cleaners 2. Check with state and local health codes for your type of work in light of COVID-19 3. Create health and safety protocols for your work environment 4. Train your staff on new work and health protocols as it relates to COVID-19 5. Implement paid sick leave if you don’t have it already for sick employees
Returning to Work and Benefits Eligibility Considerations
Eligibility
Employers should first determine whether the plan document addresses furloughs, rehires, or unpaid leaves ofabsence. It may be time to check and update existing Employee Handbooks.
Premium Payments
The employer may recoup the cost of any missed contributions during theperiod the employee was furloughed without pay.Employers should check state wage and hour laws, as some states have limits on what can be deducted from an employees pay.
Restoring Previous Election
When more than 30 days have elapsed between an employee’s termination and rehire, the cafeteria plan may (by design) allow a new election or require the old election to be reinstated.
ACA and FMLA Considerations
For special unpaid leaves of absence (such as leave under the FMLA and USERRA), the employer has two options for crediting hours. One option is to exclude the period of special unpaid leave from the applicable measurement period. The other option allows employers to credit the employee with hours equal to the average hours worked during weeks not part of the unpaid leave.
Employers who furlough employees without terminating employment will need to make careful determinations as to whether employees need to be credited with hours of service under the applicable look-back period. The failure to correctly credit hours could cause the employer to misclassify employees as not full-time and cause penalties under the ACA employer shared responsibility rules. Careful records should be kept so that the employer knows each employee’s status as full-time or not full-time during each month of 2020 in order to be prepared for ACA reporting that is done in early 2021. Employers may wish to go ahead and credit employees with hours service during the furlough period. While this would be one way to avoid penalty under employer mandate rules, the employer should get the carrier’s
What Happens If Your Employees Get Sick?
Send them home immediately if they aren’t already working from home.
Advise them to contact their doctor immediately.
Advise them to keep their direct report updated on their status.
Deep clean the office if the employee has been there during the last 14 days.
Notify Human Resources to send information on how to self-monitor and self-quarantine at home.
They should not return to the office until symptoms are gone for 72 hours, without the use of symptom-reducing medication.
What do I do if an employee tests positive for coronavirus?
If they learn of this while in office, send them home immediately.
Notify all office employees of the exposure and send them home.
Deep clean the office.
Close the office for 14 days.
Identify and notify any employees from other offices who may have visited the office in the last 14 days.
Advise all employees to self-monitor for 14 days, and to reach out to a doctor if they start to exhibit symptoms.
Notify Human Resources to send information on how to self-monitor and self-quarantine at home.
Advise employees to keep in contact with their direct report.
Require a doctor’s note that verifies the employee is no longer sick, contagious or COVID-19 positive before they can return to work.
Continued Safety
Once back at work employees with symptoms should understand the importance to stay home and get tested and have a plan if an outbreak occurs again. Remember, reopening your business after the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t as simple as opening your doors. You’ll need to carefully evaluate each step of your reopening and gradually ask employees to return to work.
The next phase of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic involves reopening your business. While this task may seem daunting, we’re here to help. Understanding your health benefits well is the key to helping your employees get the right health care when they need it. If you’d like to find out more about how you can get better benefits so your employees use them when they need to, we’d like to show you how. Please contact us using form below or info@mecialsolutionscorp.com or 855-667-4621.
The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only. Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. does not offer legal or medical guidance. Those with legal or medical questions should seek appropriate assistance from a licensed professional. Stay up to date by signing up for Newsletter and Coronavirus Dashboard below.
To Test or Not to Test: That is just one of many critical questions
TIME: Friday, May 15, 1:00 P.M. EST
JOIN UPCOMING WEBINAR
COVID-19 has dramatically affected the world and created new hurdles for businesses in virtually every industry. To meet this challenge, Optum has built a practical Return to Workplace approach for employers.
DISCUSSION presenters discuss the issues defining (and redefining) the workplace in the age of COVID-19, including:
Testing, re-testing, and quarantine management – all top of mind with employers as they consider how to open for business
What employers should think about as employees return to the workplace
A framework for building an effective return to work approach
The Departments of Labor and Treasury has issued a final rule that creates an extension of timelines for employees due to COVID-19. These new rules apply for 60 days after the announced end of the declared National Emergency. This 60-day period is now called the ‘Outbreak Period’. See new model general and election notices for continued health coverage under COBRA.
COBRA
Current Rules:
Employees impacted by a COBRA qualifying event have 60 days to elect COBRA, and 45 days thereafter to make payment for coverage retroactive to their last day of coverage.
A participant actively enrolled in COBRA has 30 days from the first of each month to make payment for continued coverage.
New Rules:
Initial election period is extended to 60 days from the last day of the ‘Outbreak Period’.
Actively enrolled COBRA participants now have 30 days from the last day of the ‘Outbreak Period’ to submit retroactive premium payments.
These Federal rules only apply for groups 20 or larger, each state has its own continuation rules for employers with less than 20 employees.
Our Recommendation:
Please notify your COBRA Participants and adjust your required notifications.We are automatically notifying all our COBRA Administration Clients and Participants of these brand-new Federal Rule changes.Employers are ultimately responsible for all COBRA rules, including notification requirements.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Current Rules:
Employees have the right to enroll under 3 situations only:
When initially hired, subject to the company’s waiting period. 2. At open enrollment, which normally coincides with the plan’s renewal date. 3. When there is a life qualifying event (i.e. marriage, birth, etc.); the employee can enroll within 30 days of the qualifying event.
New Rules:
Employees with a Qualifying Life Event now have up to 30 days after the end of the ‘Outbreak Period’ to submit the request for retroactive enrollment.
The Special Election Period Allowance currently applies to Medical Insurance coverage only.
Additional New Rules:
Employees who previously opted out of coverage may now be able to join the employer’s plan. This is subject to carrier discretion. Call us for the particulars.
Health carriers continue to allow furloughed employees to remain eligible for coverage even though for many this does not meet their minimum eligibility guidelines.
Examples
Example One: Electing COBRA
Individual A works for Employer X and participates in X’s group health plan. Due to the National Emergency, Individual A experiences a qualifying event for COBRA purposes as a result of a reduction of hours below the hours necessary to meet the group health plan’s eligibility requirements and has no other coverage. Individual A is provided a COBRA election notice on April 1, 2020. What is the deadline for A to elect COBRA?
Answer – Individual A is eligible to elect COBRA coverage under Employer X’s plan. The Outbreak Period is disregarded for purposes of determining Individual A’s COBRA election period. The last day of Individual A’s COBRA election period is 60 days after June 29, 2020, which is August 28, 2020.
Example Two: Special Enrollment Period
Individual B is eligible for but previously declined participation in, her employer-sponsored group health plan. On March 31, 2020, Individual B gave birth and wants to enroll herself and the child into her employer’s plan. The open enrollment does not begin until November 15. When may Individual B exercise her special enrollment rights?
Answer – The Outbreak Period is disregarded for purposes of determining Individual B’s special enrollment period. Individual B and her child qualify for special enrollment into her employer’s plan as early as the date of the child’s birth. Individual B may exercise her special enrollment rights for herself and her child into her employer’s plan until 30 days after June 29, 2020, which is July 29, 2020, if she pays the premiums for any period of coverage.
The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only. Millennium Medical Solutions Corp. does not offer legal or medical guidance. Those with legal or medical questions should seek appropriate assistance from a licensed professional. Stay up to date by signing up for Newsletter and Coronavirus Dashboard below.
