Better Dental Benefits = Happier Members
Annual maximums on dental plans might not have changed in the past 10 years, but dental plans have – at HealthPartners. We’re pleased to announce that our dental plans are rolling out some exciting benefit enhancements for July 2008. We’re making it easy for you to deliver better dental benefits and better value to your clients. Our new benefit enhancements include:
- Dental Benefits for Little Partners
A lifetime of good oral health starts with our youngest members. That’s why we’re offering full coverage for services included in employers’ dental plans to kids 12 and under! We’re working hard to eliminate any financial obstacle that might prevent kids from getting the right care at the right time.
- 100% coverage in-network for kids 12 and under
- No deductible, no coinsurance, no annual maximum
- Applies to all Covered Services within the employer’s plan excluding dental implants, orthodontics and carve-outs – which rarely apply to kids 12 and under anyway
- Dental Implants
In some instances dental implants are the best option for our members. So, we’re pleased to announce that we’re raising the bar above the industry implant standard.
- Enhanced coverage includes both the surgical placement of the implant and the implant prosthetic.
- Diabetes and Maternity Care
More and more research points to a connection between good oral and overall health, especially for individuals who are diabetic or pregnant. To encourage better dental health, our dental plans now offer enhanced periodontal benefits for members who are diabetic and / or pregnant.
- Additional exams, cleanings, and scaling and root planing
- Services are covered at 100% with no deductible, annual maximum, or frequency limitations
- In-network benefit (network dentist referral needed)
The diabetes and maternity care benefit goes into effect July 1, 2008, for all HealthPartners Dental members enrolled in a group plan. For the dental benefits for little partners and dental implants, the effective date is the group’s renewal date.
To learn more please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.
HEADLINES
New Dental Portfolio Packs a 1-2 Punch
Our revamped dental portfolio makes it even easier to sign clients up for a HealthPartners dental plan.
Our 1-2 punch for employers with 2 to100 eligible employees includes two main product categories: Open Access and Tiered Open Access (Distinctions plans). As part of our slim down, we’re eliminating our remaining primary clinic plans including:
- Exceed
- Exceed Choice
- Basic Choice, Standard Choice and Advantage Choice
- AMS Choice
All of these portfolio changes take effect July 1, 2008, so employers who are currently offering one of these products will be rolled to the most comparable Open Access or Distinctions plan at their next renewal.
By consolidating the HealthPartners dental offerings around Open Access and Distinctions products, our goal is to have a product portfolio that is simpler to remember, understand and sell.
Along with this product consolidation, don’t forget that we’re making a few adjustments to our renewal underwriting process. We’ll now have consistent underwriting guidelines and practices across all pooled plans. We’re also introducing a new process for establishing rates for our renewing business.
Renewal rates now blend the product pool’s community rating with some weighting on group-specific factors including demographics and utilization. These rates will be communicated to employers via their renewal letters. Because of this change in renewal pricing, renewal rates will not match the rates indicated on our published new business rate sheets.
To learn more please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.
New HealthPartners Individual Products
Does your book of business include groups and individuals? If so, we’ve got some exciting new plans for individual members available for July 1, 2008.
Our new plans will replace the current Individual Open Access and Empower HSA Individual plans.
Our three new Individual plans include:
- Three for Free – Balanced coverage with three free office visits per year before the deductible and $5 generic medications.
- Traditional – A new and improved version of the Individual Open Access plan. Comprehensive coverage and a wide range of deductible options to choose from, including deductible levels not available from other carriers.
- Empower – A revised version of the Empower HSA plan. A high-deductible plan to pair with a health savings account. Plus it includes preventive care coverage before the deductible.
Join us at an upcoming Broker Training session to learn more about these great new Individual plans and to find out how HealthPartners can help grow your business.
To learn more or to get a full schedule of Broker Training dates, times and locations, please contact your HealthPartners Sales Executive.
HSA and HDHP Amounts for 2009
If you have clients with high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs), we’ve broken down what they’ll need to know about annual minimum deductibles, maximum out-of-pocket expenditure limits and deduction limits when planning ahead for 2009. Plus, your clients should know that any employees on the plan who are age 55 or older may make an additional “catch-up” contribution of $1,000 in 2009.
As set by the Internal Revenue Service, the 2009 COLA amounts and the amounts for the current tax year are as follows:
|
2008 |
2009 |
|
Self-Only Coverage |
|
|
|
Minimum annual deductible |
$1,100 |
$1,150 |
|
Maximum out-of-pocket limit |
$5,600 |
$5,800 |
|
Maximum annual contribution limit |
$2,900 |
$3,000 |
|
Family Coverage
|
|
|
|
Minimum annual deductible |
$2,200 |
$2,300 |
|
Maximum out-of-pocket limit |
$11,200 |
$11,600 |
|
Maximum annual contribution limit |
$5,800 |
$5,950 |
|
For more information on the please visit: http://www.treasury.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/
Healthy Discounts Update
Perks, perks and more perks for members! HealthPartners has added two new ways for members to save money and be healthy! Seattle Sutton’s and Good Life Yoga have been added to the Healthy Discounts program.
Good Life Yoga
Employees can gain and maintain their good health through yoga. With this Healthy Discount your clients get:
- First week of classes for free
- 10 percent discount on six week passes
HealthPartners members simply need to show their medical or dental Member ID card to the instructor to receive the discount. More information is available online at Good Life Yoga or by calling 952-913-6557.
Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating
Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating is the answer to your employee’s healthy eating dilemma. With today’s busy lifestyle, preparing healthy, balanced meals at home can be nearly impossible. Seattle Sutton’s can help!
Seattle Sutton’s meal pick-up/delivery service provides healthy, fresh meals to individuals who wish to eat healthy or lose weight. All meals use fresh ingredients, contain no preservatives and are available in 1,200 or 2,000 calorie per day meal plans. With this healthy discount your clients get:
- Local Members (Minnesota and Western Wisconsin): $5 off per week
- National Members: $100 off after 25 consecutive weeks on the program
For more information, please visit Seattle Sutton online or call 1-866-699-7722
Learn more about HealthPartners Healthy Discounts program.
Frequent Fitness Welcomes Curves!
At the request of our members, Curves and Anytime Fitness were added to our Frequent Fitness program on May 1, 2008. In addition, L.A. Fitness joined the program in April. These additions expand our program by almost 300 club locations!
The addition of these fitness club chains will give clients and members even more choices and chances to save money while achieving a healthy lifestyle. Now, members who enroll or are enrolled in the Frequent Fitness program will have access to more than 750 locations in HealthPartners service region.
The Frequent Fitness program offers fully insured members (two per household) up to a $20 reimbursement for working out 12 times a month.
New locations include:
1. Curves (locations within HealthPartners Service Area)
2. Anytime Fitness (locations within HP Service Area)
3. Midtown Fitness Center - Saint Cloud
4. Waukon Fitness Center - Waukon, Iowa
5. Midwest Fitness Center - Bloomer, Wisconsin
Learn more about Frequent Fitness.
Network Updates
As our client base and membership continues to expand, so does our network. In fact, we’ve recently added a large number of providers. We’re committed to providing access to the providers your clients demand – nationwide. No matter where your clients live, work or travel, we’ve got them covered. Recent additions include:
Medical – Minnesota
Aspen Highland Park Clinic – Saint Paul
Eagan Child and Family Care, PA – Eagan
Medical – North Dakota
Mandan Center for Family Medicine – Mandan
MeritCare Enderlin Clinic – Enderlin
Valley Health – Grand Forks
Medical – South Dakota
Yankton Medical Clinic – Yankton
Vermillion Medical Clinic – Vermillion
Lakeview Medical Clinic, PA – Sauk Centre
Medical – Wisconsin
The Lakes Community Health Center – Iron River
Marshfield Clinic-Indianhead – Rice Lake
Dental – Minnesota
Community Dental Care – Maplewood
Dental Center of America, PC – Saint Cloud
Mike R. Henrickson, DDS PA – Maplewood
River Valley Dental, PA – Hastings
Shetek Dental Care – Slayton
Summit Dental Care – Coon Rapids
Sun Ray Family Dental – Saint Paul
Twin Cities Dental – Saint Anthony
Dental – Wisconsin
New Richmond Dental – New Richmond
Siren Dental Clinic, LLC – Siren
Try out our new search function to see just how easy it is to find a network provider quickly and simply. Provider Search.
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