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Employee Assistance Programs 101

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been around for longer than you might think, and have an interesting origin. They began in the 1940s as programs to help combat employee alcoholism, and from there the Employee Assistance Program evolved to help employees manage daily challenges in work and life. Maintaining a healthy work life balance can be difficult for many employees, which can cause stress, affect well-being, and lower productivity levels. As an employer, an EAP can be a major benefit to you; having one in place can help keep your employees healthy and happy, which will in turn help boost your bottom line. Before you can decide whether an EAP is right for your business and your employees, you need to know exactly what they are and what you can offer your employees through them.

What Is An Employee Assistance Program?

EAPs are voluntary benefits that employers can choose to offer. You are not required to provide them, but they can be useful. Not all Employee Assistance Programs offer the same services, but services offered can include:

Counseling for personal and work-related issues, including anger management, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, psychological problems, psychiatric disorders, chronic disease, stress management, and grief.
Training and development for things like communication skills, conflict resolution, team-building, leadership coaching, and more.
Resources and referrals for childcare, and other forms of care.
Financial or legal resources for planning, retirement, divorce, custody cases, debt, and more.
Access to wellness programs such as those for weight management and substance abuse, as well as gym memberships.

Services provided are free to employees, and sometimes for their families, as well.

Why Offer an EAP?

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, in 2003, U.S. companies lost more than $44 billion due to low productivity related to employee depression. Companies also lost $100 billion annually, or $3,000 per employee, because of substance abuse and mental illness. If you can help your employees manage their stress, you can help avoid this decrease in productivity.

blue arrow going downward with a blue background. — *Employee Assistance Programs will help decrease turnover rate of your employees, as well as absenteeism due to stress.*

Employee Assistance Programs provide emotional support and help employees maintain a healthier lifestyle. Employees can meet with EAP consultants by telephone or in person for assistance with problems that keep them from doing their best. Offering an EAP can increase employee satisfaction and productivity, while decreasing:

The cost to your business of employee stress
The risk of workplace violence
Turnover
The risk of litigation
Absenteeism

Determine What To Offer

Your employees have different needs, so it can be difficult to determine which benefits to provide. In order to determine which services to offer, you should conduct a healthcare survey. Ask your employees what matters most to them, but remember to keep it confidential.

The well-being of your employees matters. There are a variety of Employee Assistance Programs to choose from, and even some comprehensive group health insurance plans that offer some of these services. EZ can help sort through all of your options. Our highly-trained agents can assess your business and what your employees need. We will provide you with guidance to find a great plan that works for everyone and will save you money. To compare quotes instantly, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly with an agent, call 888-998-2027.

What Is Defined Contribution?

Being a business owner has its perks, but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. One of these responsibilities is keeping your employees happy and healthy by offering them some kind of health benefits. Group health insurance can be quite costly, but there are other alternatives you can offer that will help your employees get the care they need. For example, offering a defined contribution plan would help keep your employees covered, while keeping costs down for you.

What Is Defined Contribution?

If you choose to offer traditional group health insurance, you will have to pay a large portion of your employees’ premiums. While your premium contributions are tax deductible, they can still be expensive, and these contributions are just not possible for some businesses. But defined contribution plans are not traditional health insurance plans. With this type of plan, you provide a fixed dollar amount towards your employees’ healthcare costs, and they are responsible for purchasing their own health insurance policy. This can also include offering pre-funded accounts or arrangements like HSAs or HRAs to your employees. By going the defined contribution route, you will be able to better control your monthly costs.

person sitting on a chair with a suit on handing another hand a check — *Defined contribution plans allow you to give your employees a set allowance every month that they can use towards their health insurance.*

How It Works

If you choose to offer a defined contribution plan, each of your employees will get a fixed monthly dollar amount to spend on qualified medical expenses. Employees then select and purchase a plan for their family and you reimburse them up to the amount of their defined contribution allowance. The amount you select is locked in for a year, but you can adjust your contribution at the renewal period, and choose to provide more or less money for the following year.

The advantage of these plans is that they allow your employees to take control of their own healthcare costs. Employees can use their defined contribution allowance toward any qualified out-of-pocket health expenses, including insurance premiums and medical procedures. If they choose a plan with a premium that costs more than your defined contribution, then your employee will have to pay the difference.

Benefits

Defined contribution plans can be beneficial to both employers and employees. For employers, they provide:

Tax advantages– Your contribution to your employees’ healthcare costs will mean less for you to pay in payroll taxes.
Flexibility- A defined contribution plan is a self-funded plan, so you can choose how much or how little you want to contribute. You can also customize benefits for an unlimited number of employee classes, meaning you can choose to set contribution amounts based on date of hire, full-time status and more.
Employees will have the ability to choose their own health insurance plan.

For your employees, they provide:

Tax advantages- Employees will not pay payroll taxes on the money you contribute. In addition, as long as they use the contribution, it is also income tax-free.
Lower monthly premiums- Individual health insurance costs less than half the amount of group coverage.
Choices- Employees have the ability to choose the insurance company and plan that is best for their specific needs.

Need Help?

You’re running a small business, and we know that it is important for you to save as much money as possible. But we also know that employees will be more willing to stay with your company if you provide health benefits; if you don’t, you could end up losing some good workers. You need to keep your employees healthy without breaking the bank, and that means researching the different healthcare benefits you can offer your employees. EZ can help with that, and we’ll do it for free! We will compare all plans in your area and help guide you in the right direction. One of our licensed agents will work with you to ensure you get the most benefits while saving the most money. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly with an agent, call 888-998-2027.

Can Employees Have Both A HRA & HSA?

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are both great options for employees and employers who want to save money on group health insurance costs. Many employers and employees wonder if they can have both at the same time, and the answer is: yes! If you are willing to offer your employees both, a HRA and HSA, you need to have an understanding of how the two benefits interact with each other in order to get the most out of each.

The Difference Between HSAs & HRAs

HSAs are savings accounts that work alongside your employees’ health insurance plan. Employees are only eligible for a HSA if they are enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan. Your employees can contribute money to the account, which then acts like a bank account for medical expenses; you can also contribute to their HSAs, and receive some of the tax benefits. The money that you both contribute is pre-tax, earns tax-free interest, and will not be taxed when employees withdraw it to use for qualified medical expenses.

HRAs are not savings accounts like HSAs, they are arrangements that allow employers to reimburse employees for medical expenses. They are intended to help employees pay for out-of-pocket health-related expenses, and are often used in place of a traditional group health insurance plan. Depending on the type of HRA you offer, there may or may not be a limit on the amount that you can reimburse your employees in a given year.

The Different Types of HRAs

First, let’s take a look at the different types of HRAs you can offer your employees. There are integrated HRAs, which are offered alongside traditional group health insurance, including:

5 different colored signs on a pole pointing in different directions. — *There are 5 different HRA types to choose from to offer your employees.*

ICHRAs (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements), which allow tax-free reimbursement of benefits for any size business, and for any amount.
EBHRAs (Excepted Benefit HRAs), which are limited to paying for excepted benefits, such as premiums for vision and/or dental coverage and premiums for plans that are exempt from ACA rules (short-term plans).

Standalone HRAs do not have to be tied to a group plan. These include:

QSEHRAs (Qualified Small Employer HRAs) – These are meant for businesses with less than 50 employees that do not offer a group insurance plan. Business owners can set up a QSEHRA for their employees to help pay for benefits tax-free.
Spousal HRAs– These are for employees who are covered by a spouse’s group plan. They cannot be used to reimburse employees for their premium payments.

Retiree HRA– These are for former employees. They allow you, the employer, to help pay for any retired members’ insurance premiums and medical expenses.

When Offering Both HSAs & HRAs

In order for your employees to be eligible for a HSA, they must have a high-deductible health insurance plan (HDHP) that is HSA-qualified. If you choose to offer a HRA and a HSA, then the HRA has to follow the same rules as a HDHP, and cannot begin paying out until your employee’s minimum “deductible” amount is met.

male caucasian dentist looking in the mouth of a patient — *Limited-purpose HRAs will reimburse employees for expenses exempt from HSA deductible, such as dental work.*

Another way to offer a HRA that is HSA-qualified is by offering a limited-purpose HRA that only reimburses employees for expenses that are exempt from the HSA deductible requirement. Expenses exempt from the HSA deductible are:

Health insurance premiums
Dental
Vision
Long-term care premiums
Wellness and preventive care such as check-ups and quitting smoking or weight loss programs

You want to help your employees with their healthcare costs, but there is nothing wrong with also wanting to offset the costs of group health insurance. One way to do this is by offering both a HRA and a HSA. It can be done! As long as you follow the guidelines, then everyone can benefit from these arrangements. If you are unsure or need some help, then we can assist you. To compare plans, and to find a plan with the most coverage and savings, enter your zip code in the bar above. Or to speak directly to one of our licensed agents, call 888-998-2027.

Effective Ways To Reduce Group Costs

One of the best ways to attract better employees is by offering group health insurance. Unfortunately, providing high quality health insurance usually means that your business is going to pay a lot for premiums. With premium prices soaring, many small businesses are struggling to continue offering group health insurance to their employees. In fact, according to the US Chamber of Commerce, of the more than 45 million Americans who are uninsured, 60% are employed by small businesses. If you want satisfied, productive, and healthy employees, but are struggling to provide the health insurance options they’re looking for, here are some tips to reduce your group costs.

Get More Employees to Participate in Your Plan

In order to get a good price on group health insurance, make sure that as many of your employees are participating in your plan as possible. If you’re in the financial position to do so, you can even consider hiring more employees – the more employees that you cover, the lower your premiums will be. How will your premiums be lower? Well, insurance companies face large risks for every employee that they have to cover, so having a smaller pool of employees paying into the plan means that they are taking on more risk. However if you have a larger amount of employees paying into the plan, then there will be less risk for the insurance company, and they will be able to offer you a better deal.

Reduce Coverage: Exclude Dental & Vision

Reducing the amount of coverage that you offer is a simple way to keep your insurance costs low. You can do so by cutting dental and vision from your plan and having your employees decide whether they would like to purchase their own dental and vision coverage. These costs will come out of your employees pockets, but eliminating these plans will help to lower your premium costs and save you money.

Consider Switching Plans

The most common way to control the costs of your group insurance plan is by switching plans. Consider switching to a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). Doing so will increase your employees’ deductibles, but it will also reduce the cost of their premiums, and your premium contributions. Another route you can take is switching to a more cost effective plan with a smaller network, such as an HMO.

money on a table near some prescription medications — *There are different ways you can save on prescription medication costs.*

Take Control of Prescription Drug Costs

Medications are necessary, but they can be expensive. There are ways, though, to save on prescription drug costs in your plan by:

Having a plan that mandates a generic substitution for any medication that has one.
Having a limit on coverage, which will allow you to save on dispensing fees.
Encouraging your employees to shop at less expensive pharmacies, use money-saving apps, or request 90-day supplies of their medications.
Checking your plan’s drug formulary, and making sure that it includes a large range of drugs in the lowest tier. These generic, lower cost drugs will most likely be covered 100%.

Keep Your Employees Healthy

The healthier your employees are, the lower your insurance costs will be. Offer a wellness program, which could include perks like fitness membership stipends, free flu shots, help quitting smoking, and cancer screenings. This is a cheap and easy way to not only make your own employees happier and more productive, but also a great way to save money in the long run.

Provide An HSA

If you decide to switch to a high-deductible health plan (HDHP), consider offering a health savings account (HSA) alongside it. HSAs are only available with a qualified high-deductible health plan, and will allow your employees to contribute tax-exempt dollars to a fund that can only be used for medical expenses. These funds also accrue tax-free interest and roll over each year, so employees will have money for healthcare when they really need it. The benefits for you? Tax breaks for you if you choose to contribute to your employees’ HSAs, and a healthcare plan that is more attractive to your employees.

Find A Good Agent

Health insurance is complex. But if you have a good insurance agent, they can help you shop around for plans from different providers and help you to reduce your health insurance costs. Many insurance agents charge a fee for their services, but not EZ. We will provide you with one dedicated agent who will navigate through all available plans and provide you with instant, accurate quotes. All of our services are free – our mission is to help you find an affordable plan that provides great coverage. To compare group insurance quotes in minutes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to one of our agents, call 888-998-2027.

The Advantages of Group Insurance

Being a small business owner means being on a tight budget, so fitting in a group health insurance plan for your employees can seem a bit overwhelming. Offering group health insurance, though, is not something that you should overlook. If you do not offer a healthcare plan, you might find that it is more difficult to recruit and retain good employees. In fact, surveys show, most employees say that they would prefer to be offered health insurance over a pay raise. While group health insurance can seem unaffordable or unattainable, providing healthcare has many advantages that can balance out the costs – and there are ways to get great plans at an affordable price.

Tax Credits & Deductions

Contributing to your employees’ premiums can be expensive, but you can get some of that money back through tax credits and deductions. If you run a small business, you might qualify for the small business health care tax credit if you offer your employees a plan through the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP. To qualify for the minimum credit, you must have fewer than 25 full-time or full-time equivalent employees earning an average of $50,000 or less per year; to qualify for the maximum credit, you must have fewer than 10 employees earning an average of $25,000 or less per year.

If you decide to offer a HRA or HSA, your employees will get tax advantages (all of their contributions and reimbursements are pre-tax), and so will you. Contributions to your employees’ HSAs and HRA reimbursements are tax-deductible.

Lower Payroll Taxes

Another tax benefit of offering group insurance is the ability to lower your payroll tax. When employees pay for health insurance, the cost of their premiums is typically excluded from their taxable income. This lowers most workers’ tax bills, and in turn reduces their after-tax cost of coverage. Lower taxable income for your employees means lower business payroll taxes for you. In addition, if you contribute to your employees’ HSAs, you can also save on payroll taxes because HSA contributions are deducted from your payroll on a pre-tax basis.

caucasian hand with a suit on holding a blue card with a heart on it and a family holding hands together — *You and your family can participate in your group insurance plan.*

You Can Participate In The Plan

Offering health insurance to your employees means that you and your family can also participate in the plan. Compared to individual plans, group policies offer more pre-deductible benefits such as preventative care and primary doctor visit coverage. They also offer lower copays for prescription drugs and routine care.

Lower Costs Due To Larger Risk Pool

The higher the number of employees that participate in your group plan, the lower the cost of health insurance. When more people are included in your plan, you have a larger risk pool, and everyone will have more options at a lower price.

Attract & Retain Employees

Do you want healthy, productive employees who show up to work and boost your bottom line? Then provide them with group health insurance! If you want employees who come to work and work hard for you, there’s no better way to ensure you’ll get that than by offering health insurance. They’ll be able to receive care when they need it, and they will feel like you have invested in them, so they will invest in you. This will lower your hiring costs, improve morale, and reduce absenteeism and risks associated with poor health.

Health insurance can help you keep your current employees happy and healthy, and it can also help you to attract the best employees when it comes time to hire. Job seekers expect employers to offer health insurance and partially pay for their premiums, so you risk missing out on great candidates and potential employees if you’re not offering some sort of plan. You don’t want to be disappointed if a candidate rocks the interview, you offer them the job, and they turn it down because you’re not offering the benefits they’re looking for!

You Can Save Money

When searching for a group health insurance plan, you have to look beyond the premium. The costs associated with group health insurance plans include premiums, which you contribute to, but also co-payments, deductibles, and coinsurance, which your employees are responsible for. If you are looking for a way to lower your premium costs, consider offering a high deductible health plan. The higher the deductible a plan has, the lower the premium costs will be, so you can save on contributions. You can also offer a HSA with qualified high deductible health plans, so your employees will be able to put money aside to help with the cost of the higher deductible.

Affordable group health insurance plans are out there, and you can find the right one for your business as long as you use a licensed, trained agent to help you. There are ways to offer everyone the most coverage while saving the most money. The best way? Start by talking to an EZ agent! All of our services are completely free, and there’s never any hassle or obligation. To instantly compare plans in minutes from top rated carriers around the country, enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly to one of our agents, call 888-998-2027.

Preparing For Health Insurance Open Enrollment: Employer Checklist for Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment for health insurance has begun. This period gives employers and employees the opportunity to change their benefit options, and many companies use this time to review their employees’ health insurance plans to see if they can find ways to save money or improve coverage. The opportunity for business owners to save money during Open Enrollment is especially important this year because the coronavirus has hit many companies hard financially. Now is the time to speak to an EZ agent to see if you should renew your current plan or switch to a more affordable plan that offers just as many benefits.

As you review your options, you also have to be aware of any legal changes affecting the design and administration of your current plan or any other plan you choose. Go through the following checklist, share it with your employees, and use it to help you choose your plan for the coming year.

change written on many freen arrow signs pointing in different directions. — *Healthcare plans change every year, including the price and coverage, so you need to be aware to be better prepared.*

Plan Design Changes

Healthcare plans and the rules surrounding them change every year. The cost of your plan may go up, so you need to be aware of changes to your costs. But you also need to be aware of changes to certain limits in your plan. Some changes to know for 2021 include:

Affordable Care Act (ACA) affordability standard– The affordability percentage for 2021 is 9.83%. Employer-sponsored coverage for next year’s plan will be considered affordable under the employer shared responsibility rule if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed 9.83% of the employee’s household income for the tax year.
Out-of-pocket maximum– The annual out-of-pocket maximum limit for 2021 is $8,550 for self-only coverage and $17,100 for family coverage.
FSA contribution limit: This has not been announced yet, so watch for IRS guidance on the FSA contribution limit for the 2021 plan year.
High deductible health plan (HDHP) and health savings account (HSA) rules for 2021:
- HSA contribution limits: $3,600 for individuals and $7,200 for families
- HDHP minimum deductible: $1,400 for individuals and $2,800 for families
- HDHP out-of-pocket-maximum: $7,000 for individuals and $14,000 for families

Make sure to confirm that your plan’s out-of-pocket maximum complies with the ACA’s limits for next year. If you offer a HDHP, make sure that the plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum are also in compliance with next year’s rules. Remember to communicate these changes to your employees.

Notices To Pass On To Employees

You should provide certain benefits notices to your employees during the Open Enrollment Period. Benefit notices that you should review and provide to your employees include:

Summary of Benefits and Coverage– The ACA requires healthcare plans and health insurance issuers to provide a summary of benefits and coverage to enrollees. This has to be given to your employees who enroll or re-enroll during Open Enrollment.
Summary Plan Description (SPD)– Plan administrators have to provide a SPD to new participants within 90 days after plan coverage begins. In addition, any changes that are made to the plan should be communicated to employees in an updated SPD booklet.
COBRA General Notice– Group health plan administrators have to provide an initial COBRA notice to new participants and certain dependents within 90 days after plan coverage begins. It can be included in the SPD.
Grandfathered Plan Notice– If you have a grandfathered plan, then make sure that you provide any information about the plan’s status and any changes to the plan.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Notice– Group health plans that cover residents in a state that provides assistance subsidies under a Medicaid plan or CHIP have to send an annual notice about the available assistance to all employees residing in that state.
Notice of Patient Protections– This notice needs to be provided if you are offering non-grandfathered group health plans that require designation of a participating primary care provider. If a non-grandfathered plan requires participants to designate a participating primary care provider, the plan or issuer must provide a notice.
Individual coverage HRA (ICHRA)– This applies to employers who sponsor ICHRAs for specific classes of employees, or all employees. You must provide the written notice to each participant at least 90 days before the beginning of each plan year.
HIPAA Privacy Notice– Employers with self-insured health plans are required to maintain and provide their own Privacy Notices. Special rules apply for fully insured plans. Under these rules, the health insurance issuer, and not the health plan itself, is primarily responsible for the Privacy Notice.
Wellness Program Notices- There are 2 notices that you will need to provide employees if you offer a workplace wellness program:
- HIPAA Wellness Program Notice– HIPAA imposes a notice requirement on health-contingent wellness programs that are offered under group health plans. Health-contingent wellness plans require individuals to satisfy standards related to health factors (for example, not smoking) in order to obtain rewards.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Wellness Program Notice– Employers with 15 or more employees are subject to the ADA. Wellness programs that include health-related questions or medical exams must comply with the ADA’s requirements, including an employee notice requirement.

shopping cart with money held in a paperclip inside of it. — *Comparing plans with an EZ agent can help you save hundreds of dollars a year!*

Finding An Affordable Plan

Whether you are considering renewing your current group plan, or finding a new plan or insurance company to work with, you will have to do some researching and comparing. There are hundreds of group insurance plans to compare in order to find the one that best suits you and your employees. By combing through these plans, you will be able to save hundreds, and maybe even thousands of dollars a year! The first step in figuring out what kind of plan to look for is to conduct an employee health survey.

Next, you should speak to an EZ agent. It can be time consuming to sit down and compare plans, and with Open Enrollment coming to an end soon, the whole process can become overwhelming. Running a business means that you have a lot on your plate, so let EZ.Insure do all the work for you. You can speak to one of our agents free of charge. They will ask you questions regarding your budget and employees, and will then begin comparing quotes. EZ will present you with the best option that will offer the most benefits and savings. To get instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak directly to a licensed agent, call 888-998-2027.