September Newsletters Ready to Read!

Click the following links for new issues of our online newsletters.

"If you like your health plan you can keep your health plan " ......Not exactly ....

At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire exactly one year a go, President Obama repeated a line he used many times. His statement is not exactly true. At a recent broker seminar held by Aetna in Delaware, the company announced some terrific changes coming in October. Among the changes, if you are a Delaware employer currently with Aetna you will have to change to one of their new plan offerings upon your renewal.

In an attempt to cut administrative costs, be more flexible and adapt to client needs Aetna is streamlining their products by reducing the number of plans available. These plans will be health care reform compliant and hopefully improve pricing.

All plans incorporate 5 key components of health care reform:
1) Remove Lifetime Maximums on all plans
2) Remove Annual limits where required
3) Preventive care 100% covered
4) Dependents covered to age 26
5) No pre-existing conditions for children under 19

Delaware employers can pick from 14 plan designs from Aetna.

How will the marketplace react to such changes ? Check back in a year and we will have a better idea. My thought is most employers will appreciate the simplicity - especially if it means better pricing. Aetna is making similar changes in Pennsylvania and my guess is they will in other states too. I doubt Aetna will be alone either. BlueCross BlueShield of Delaware and Coventry Healthcare of Delaware both have scheduled broker seminars for the month of August. I bet they have some changes coming too!


Steve Blewitt, GBA Vice President of IFS Benefits Steve is licensed in Life and Health in many states. Steve is actively involved in the National Association of Health Underwriters, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Delaware Society of Human Resource Management, Associated Builders and Contractors of Delaware, Delaware Contractors Association, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, and New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.

New August E-Newsletters!

Click the following links for new issues of our online newsletters.

COBRA Federal Subsidy update

Although Congress has extended the COBRA subsidy four times as part of the amended ARRA they have failed to extend it a fifth time beyond May 31st, 2010. Therefore May 31st, 2010 is the last date someone can be terminated from employment and may be eligible for the federal subsidy. Anyone terminated after this date is currently NOT eligible for the financial assistance previously available.

We will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates if an when anything changes.

Steve Blewitt, GBA Vice President of IFS Benefits Steve is licensed in Life and Health in many states. Steve is actively involved in the National Association of Health Underwriters, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Delaware Society of Human Resource Management, Associated Builders and Contractors of Delaware, Delaware Contractors Association, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, and New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.

Flood Insurance Back Online

Last night the Senate passed a temporary measure extending the federal flood program until September 30. The measure has been sent to President Obama for his signature.

Read the full story here.

Flood Insurance Program Set to Expire Again 6/1

The Nation Flood Insurance Program is set to expire May 31st at midnight. This will be the forth time this year the Congress has allowed the bill to expire- creating yet another interruption in the availability of new flood policies on the very start of Hurricane season.

Read details here.

The First IFS Outstanding Student Game is Tonight!

We are excited about the first IFS Outstanding Student game with the Blue Rocks this evening! Come out and see the kids get their awards and cheer on the Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium. The game starts at 6:35pm.

More details about the program can be found here:
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/team3/page.jsp?ymd=20090129&content_id=502855&vkey=team3_t426&fext=.jsp&sid=t426