Transcript Summaries of Benefits and Coverage (SBCs)
Laura Dillon
Senior Manager, Insurance Marketing
Today’s Agenda
• What are
Summaries of Benefits and Coverage
(SBCs)?
• • • • • • • Why am I receiving SBCs?
What is my responsibility as an employer?
When do the rules go into effect?
What does an SBC look like?
Where can I access SBCs?
Who can I talk to if I need help?
Questions and answers 2
What Are
Summaries of Benefits and Coverage
(SBCs)?
3
Overview of SBCs
• • • A provision of the healthcare reform law requires group health plans to provide SBCs for the plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2012.
• The SBCs are designed to be summaries describing a health plan’s benefits and coverage.
Purpose of the SBC is to allow consumers to use SBCs as they compare insurance benefits and options apples-to-apples. All insurance companies and self-funded plans must follow the federal government SBC template with no deviation.
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Important Elements
SBCs include important information: • The benefits covered and what a participant pays, including deductibles and co-pays • Answers to important questions a consumer would ask about a plan • Common medical events and services a consumer may need • • • • Other covered services and excluded services A consumer’s rights to continue coverage Claims appeals information Coverage examples: ◦ ◦ Having a baby Managing type 2 diabetes 5
Why Am I Receiving SBCs?
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You Need to Take Action
• • • If you have medical coverage with GuideStone: ◦ GuideStone will provide employers with SBCs for the health plans they offer.
If you have a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) with The Employee Benefits Corporation (EBC): ◦ EBC or your HRA administrator will provide SBCs for your HRA.
Employers must provide SBCs to employees and their dependents.
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You Need to Take Action
•
Make sure you comply!
◦
Failure to provide SBCs can result in a fine up to $1,000 per enrollee.
◦ The government has extended leniency toward penalty enforcement in 2013, but compliance is still the best course of action.
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We Will Provide SBCs for You
• • • GuideStone has created SBCs according to healthcare reform regulations.
We have provided SBCs for you: 1.
2.
3.
4.
In your annual renewal binder.
On Employer Access.
Online at
www.GuideStone.org/Summaries
.
Through your GuideStone representative.
As updates or changes are made to SBCs, we will provide SBCs to you ahead of any deadlines.
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What Is my Responsibility as an Employer?
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Distribute SBCs to All Employees
An employer must distribute SBCs to all eligible employees, including: • • • • Employees who have waived out of medical coverage.
Enrolled employees.
Newly hired employees.
Employees with qualifying events: ◦ E.g., a newborn or marriage requires you distribute an SBC.
You are not required to provide multiple copies to one family at the same address.
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When to Distribute SBCs
At every triggering event
When you hire a new employee When an employee becomes eligible for medical coverage When an employee asks you for summary information When an employee asks you for the glossary When qualifying events happen When you renew annually When a health plan changes (GuideStone will notify you)
Requirement
Include SBCs in the enrollment packet Include SBCs in the enrollment packet Provide SBCs within seven business days Provide the glossary within seven business days Provide SBCs within 90 days of the enrollment Provide SBCs no later than 30 days prior to the new plan year Provide SBCs within 60 days prior to the effective date of the change
How to Distribute SBCs
• • Print in grayscale or Department of Labor (DOL) blue, if you've downloaded online versions.
• • Copy double-sided (front and back).
Provide printed copies directly to employees. Placing SBCs in a common area is not permissible. If an employee requests an SBC electronically, you may provide it electronically with the language you will find on slide 15. Otherwise, you must follow DOL rules for electronic delivery.
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DOL Criteria for Electronic Copies
You must meet the criteria below to distribute SBCs electronically to an employee. If any of the criteria below is not met for an employee, you must provide that employee with printed copies of SBCs.
• Your employee must use your email system as an integral part of his or her job to be eligible to receive electronic copies.
◦ If an employee does not use your email system as an integral part of his or her job, he or she is not eligible to receive electronic copies and you must provide printed copies.
• Your email system must confirm emails with delivery receipts.
Continued on next slide 14
DOL Criteria for Electronic Copies
, Continued
• • • You must protect employees’ confidentiality by restricting access to emails.
You are not allowed to change the DOL-mandated format of the SBC.
You must forward the SBC with a statement that explains the SBC’s significance and the employee’s right to a paper copy. You may use the statement below.
“The Summary of Benefits and Coverage was created to help consumers more easily compare plans and understand their insurance benefits. You may also request a printed copy at any time.”
For specific DOL criteria and rules, please read the Department of Labor’s publication 29 CFR 2520.104b-1 or visit
www.dol.gov/ebsa/regs/fedreg/final/2002008499.pdf.
15
Timeline for Distributing SBCs
2012 2013+ September 23 October 12 November December September 23
SBCs go into effect.
• An example of the SBCs are in your GuideStone 2013 renewal binder.
October 12
Send SBCs to all employees during re-enrollment.
• GuideStone will send you printed copies of the SBC for all of your selected plans.
• For electronic distribution and for future SBC needs, download copies from Employer Access or
www.GuideStone.org/Summaries
.
January 1 January 1 — ongoing
Send SBCs: • To new hires • To employees who are newly eligible for coverage • To employees experiencing qualifying events • Upon request • During annual re-enrollment 16
When Do the Rules Go into Effect?
17
SBC Effective Dates
• • • For employees currently enrolled in a medical plan: ◦ First day of re-enrollment that begins on or after September 23, 2012.
For employees not currently enrolled in a medical plan (newly hired, newly eligible for coverage or special enrollees): ◦ First day of the new plan year that begins on or after September 23, 2012.
GuideStone’s new plan year begins on January 1 for most employers.
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What Does an SBC Look Like?
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Preview of an SBC
Plan name Answers to important questions a consumer would ask about a plan
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Preview of an SBC
Helpful descriptions Common medical events and services a consumer may need
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Preview of an SBC
Excluded services More covered services Rights to continue coverage Claims appeals information
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Preview of an SBC
•
Coverage
•
examples: Having a baby Managing type 2 diabetes
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Where Can I Access SBCs?
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Access SBCs
• Printed copies: ◦ Examples of the SBCs for the plans you currently offer are in your renewal binder.
◦ Request printed SBCs through your GuideStone representative.
• Electronic copies:* ◦ SBCs for your current plans are on Employer Access.
◦ All SBCs are online at
www.GuideStone.org/Summaries
.
* DOL rules apply to distributing electronic copies to employees.
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Who Can I Talk to if I Need Help?
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Contact Information
GuideStone
• • • Call your GuideStone group representative Email us:
Visit our website:
www.GuideStoneInsurance.org
For up-to-date information on healthcare reform, visit
www.GuideStone.org/HealthReform
Department of Labor
To read the
Summary of Benefits and Coverage
regulations, visit
www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform
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Questions and Answers
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