Employee Benefits
April 25, 2024
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Offering group health insurance is one of the biggest advantages you have for attracting talent and improving employee production and retention—especially in challenging times.
Here are the five biggest reasons you should offer employee benefits.
Health insurance is the top valued benefit by employees, according to a survey conducted by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) in 2018.
If employees are choosing between two jobs, they are more likely to join a company that offers health benefits with lower pay, than one that doesn’t but with higher pay.
Per the survey conducted by The Harris Poll, among the existing and potential workforce, when asked to choose between two jobs offers—one that included a base salary and benefits (healthcare insurance, two weeks paid vacation, and a 401(k) plan) and another that offered a base salary plus an additional 30% more salary, but no further benefits—these adults were four times as likely to choose the offer with benefits (80% vs. 20%).2018 AICPA study “How well do Americans understand workplace benefits?”
Illness-related lost productivity costs US employers $530 Billion a year.
Premium contributions are pre-tax, and companies with more than 50 full-time employees have to pay a tax penalty for not providing health benefits.
Employees are more likely to stay at their current job if they have great benefits.
56% of survey respondents say that health insurance impacts their choice to stay at their current job – “How much of an impact, if any, does the health insurance your job provides you have on your choice to stay at your current job?”2018 AHIP survey “The Value of Employer-Provided Coverage”
As an employer, you’re in a position to help employees get great coverage that gives them access to care on their terms. Shop around and evaluate your options to ensure you’re providing the best plans for your staff.
Part A covers hospitalizations and inpatient care.
Part B covers office visits and outpatient care.
Part C combines Part A and B benefits into a single plan administered by private insurance companies. This is referred to as the Medicare Advantage plan.
Part D covers prescription drugs, and many Part C plans also include Part D coverage.
There are also Medicare Supplement plans, sometimes called Medigap plans, which are available to people covered under Parts A and B. These plans cover some of the deductible and out-of-pocket expenses associated with Medicare.
Usually, if the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare will be your primary insurance coverage. Likewise, if the employer has 20 or more employees, the group health plan will usually be your primary insurance coverage. Check with the employer to be certain.
Generally, you’ll need to sign up for both Medicare Part A and B even if you continue the group health plan. The group health plan usually won’t pay for what Medicare would otherwise cover
Yes. Enrolling in either Part A or B will eliminate your ability to contribute to an HSA.
Not if you delay enrollment because you are covered by a group health plan based on your current employment or your spouse’s employment. However, once employment is terminated, you must sign up for coverage within 8 months even if you elect COBRA. Failure to sign up for Medicare Part A and/or B during this time could limit when you can enroll and/or result in a penalty.
Your acceptance is guaranteed with every insurance company within 6 months of enrolling in Part B. Even if you’ve been enrolled in Part B for more than 6 months, most plan options will be available to you at a later date provided you delayed enrollment in a Medicare Supplement plan because you were covered by a group health plan. You’ll need to act quickly after losing coverage under the group health plan. You’ll have 63 days to sign up.
You’ll have a 7-month initial enrollment period that starts 3 months before you’re eligible for Medicare, includes the month of Medicare eligibility, and concludes 3 months thereafter. If you delay enrollment in either plan because you were covered by a group health plan, you’ll have at least 60 days to sign up for either plan after you lose the group health plan.
Please be aware that if you delay enrollment in Part D you could be charged a late enrollment penalty unless you have creditable prescription drug coverage elsewhere. The employer is supposed to provide you with a notice prior to October 15th of each year which indicates if the drug coverage on the group health plan is creditable. The term creditable means the prescription drug coverage on the group health plan is at least as good as the standard Part D plan. Most group health plans provide creditable prescription drug coverage.
IXSolutions brings over 30 years of combined experience to the market as Employee Benefits Consultants. We’ve been bringing creative solutions and alternatives to the market since the inception of the Affordable Care Act.
Today, we work with companies, individuals, and Medicare eligible individuals to provide solutions to the complex insurance industry. We are a trusted partner to thousands of clients, brokers, and associations across the country.
