A health insurance provider network is a list of doctors, health care providers, and hospitals that are contracted to a specific health insurance plan (PPO, POS, HMO or EPO). In these plans, the insurance company creates an entire list of doctors and facilities from which you have to choose. When you go to the doctor, you want to stay within your provider network to keep medical costs down. Health plans work to ensure that consumers have access to high-quality, effective care. Consumers benefit from peace of mind when receiving in-network care because it assures the provider meets quality care standards and has lower cost sharing and
How to Classify Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees
You’ve probably heard the terms, exempt and non-exempt, but do you know how to classify the two? The differences between exempt employees and non-exempt employees can cause a lot of confusion for both workers and employers. Whether or not you are entitled to minimum wage and/or overtime pay for working more than 40 hours per week depends on your exemption status, as governed by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In order to adhere to FLSA, it’s important to correctly classify your employees as exempt vs. non-exempt. What’s the difference between these types of workers and the jobs they hold? Let’s take a look!
How to Effectively Manage Employee Discipline & Terminations
Managers often find disciplining employees and making termination decisions challenging. Most HR professionals must deal with these sensitive matters from time to time, while ensuring the business complies with a host of employment laws to prevent the risk of a lawsuit. By implementing a clear plan of action, you can prevent making costly mistakes. Here are a few tips for effectively managing employee discipline and terminations to prevent future problems in the workplace and improve your management skills. Most employees want to be productive and succeed in their jobs, so the proper use of discipline and guidance is important. Each disciplinary and discharge situation is
Benefits for Employers Offering Small Group Plans
Small business owners mistakenly believe they either cannot afford to offer benefits to their employees or that they only need to offer the minimum health benefits to them. Today, employees are looking for a more! They want a diverse benefits package that fits their needs. And while going without these types of benefits may save your business money upfront, it can hinder your success in the long run. There are also numerous advantages for employers who offer employee benefits. For example, by providing a well-rounded benefits package, you have a better opportunity to attract and retain quality employees who are committed to the future of
Ways to Improve Remote Worker Communications
A key to success in any business is great communication between an employer and its employees. Whether you are hosting a meeting, emailing back and forth, putting together a proposal or on the phone with a client, communication is at the forefront of everything. There is a big shift in employers offering their employees the option to work remotely or from home— it is the way of the future for a modern-day workplace. While this is a huge benefit for employees, it can often lead to new challenges for managers trying to engage and motivate their team. Even with the presence of advanced communication technology
Understanding the Different Types of Health Plans – PPO, HMO, HDHP, EPO
It’s good to have choices when it comes to health insurance that way you can find one that best suits you as an individual or you and your family. While there are a variety of health plan options to choose from, the most common plan types are an HMO, PPO, HDHP and EPO. Generally speaking, the difference in most health plans includes the size of the plan network, the ability to see specialists, the plan costs and the coverage for out-of-network services. Let’s take a closer look at each plan type to see how they’re alike, how they differ, and how you can choose the
What’s a Stay Interview and How Can It Save Your Business Money
As a business, it is important to know how your employees feel about their job and what improvements can be made to make not only them, but your business, more successful. If you are looking to improve engagement and retain key employees, there is one simple step you can take – a “stay” interview. Stay interviews are designed to engage employees before they become dissatisfied. But you have to do them correctly. It takes more time, money and resources to find or replace an employee than it does to retain them. That’s why conducting a stay interview is so important. To pull off a perfect
How to Use Rx or Prescription Benefits
One might argue that access to affordable prescription drugs is just as important as the ability to choose your own doctor. That’s why many health insurance policies include a prescription drug benefit. If you plan on taking prescription medications – whether for long term or short-term treatment, here’s a deeper look at how to use your Rx or prescription benefits. If you or someone in your family takes regular prescription medication, it’s important to understand how that’s covered in your health insurance policy. In some health plans, you’ll have to reach your annual deductible before the insurance company starts helping pay for the cost of
What Are the Benefits of an HSA (Health Savings Account)?
As the cost of healthcare has increased, HSAs, also known as a Health Savings Account, have become more and more popular. An HSA is a great way to save for medical expenses while also reducing taxable income. HSAs are often used in conjunction with a high deductible health plan (HDHP). With a high deductible health plan, you pay a lower monthly premium, but in the event that you do need medical care, you end up paying a larger cost up front. Thus, a Health Savings Account is a great option for individuals who want a lower cost health insurance plan like an HDHP, but still
How to Implement a Health & Wellness Program for Your Business
Employee Wellness is vital for a company’s success; not only can this help save you costs in the long-run, but it can also help build the foundation for a strong company culture. Employee Wellness programs show you care about your employee’s mental and physical health in and outside of the workday. While there isn’t ‘one correct way’ of building an employee wellness program, we can offer some insight into what a successful program looks like. Tips for Developing a Successful Employee Wellness Program: Survey Your Employees: You don’t want to spend a significant amount of time creating a wellness program only to realize that your employees