Here it is. Your chance to show your colleagues what you’re made of. California Association of Health Underwriters will host a virtual lip sync contest on February 9! You can register to attend the event right here, but we’re pretty sure most of our Insurance Insider readers will want to be CONTESTANTS!! To sign up to compete, go here. Good luck and happy syncing.
COVERED CALIFORNIA
First Deadline Approaches
Not that we need to remind you, but Covered California wants everyone to know that an important deadline is this week. People should sign up before the end of the year in order to have coverage on Jan. 1, 2022. Covered Cal says that an estimated 1.1 million Californians are uninsured and eligible for financial help from Covered California or Medi-Cal, and the majority could get comprehensive coverage at no cost. Californians who sign up by Dec. 31, and pay their first bill, will have their coverage take effect on Jan. 1.
2022
CB Recognizes Industry Contributing Editors
California Broker magazine has a lot in store for 2022, but we couldn’t do it without a team of dedicated contributors. Thank you to all who contribute their wisdom to our pages. For 2022, keep you eyes peeled for these industry pros who will be writing regularly:
Naama O. Pozniak – industry innovation and health
Maggie Stedt — medicare and health
Phil Calhoun- commissions and employee benefits
Dorothy Cociu- legislation
Lisa Rehburg- life settlements
Louis Brownstone — long-term care insurance
California Broker magazine is also open to your news/events and contributed stories. For news and events send to: editor@calbrokermag.com. If you have an article idea, email Linda Lalande: linda.calbrokermag@gmail.com. For advertising opportunities, email Devon Hunter: devon@nustepinsurance.com. Thanks to all who support the magazine!
SURVEYS
Be Amongst the Industry Movers&Shakers
California Broker taps into industry insight with a number of surveys each year. Contact Thora Madden (Thora@calbrokermag.com) for more info on this year’s surveys, especially if you think you or your company should be included. Here’s a list of the 2022 surveys:
February: GA View From the Top
May: Mental Health
June: Pet Insurance (NEW)
July: Dental Survey
September: Life View From the Top
October: Large Group Round Up
November: Individual & Small Group Round Up
December: Voluntary Benefits
HOMEBASE
Time to Change Your Address?
If you are now working from home and would like to receive your California Broker magazine there, please let us know! Email Lex with your name and new address: lexena@calbrokermag.com.
HOME TESTS
How Will People Get Home Tests?
Private health insurance covers COVID-19 tests based on polymerase chain reaction technology. Those tests, typically administered in clinics and doctor’s offices, detect bits of the genes of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. Starting next month, however, at-home test kits will be widely disseminated and private insurance will cover at-home testing. How will this all happen?
A federal test kit distribution team is developing program guidelines for a $500 million federal test kit distribution effort and a distribution website now, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said. The kit distribution team is still deciding how many test kits each household can order and other program details.
At a background briefing, other administration officials said that they also expect private health insurers to reimburse enrollees for additional at-home test kits.
So, for now, it looks like there will be several methods for obtaining at-home kits both free and for a charge, which private insurers may reimburse. More info as we get it.
APPRENTICESHIP
IICF Aims to Help Industry Establish Apprenticeship Programs
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation will host a webcast titled Connecting Talent with Opportunity: Apprenticeship Programs on January 13, 2022. The special one-hour webcast is part of IICF’s ongoing Dialogue for Diversity series. The webcast will feature a panel of experienced managers and a new adopter of the Apprenticeship Program sharing insight on how to establish and build a successful program. Hear authentic testimonials from apprenticeship program graduates now working for Aon and Zurich, along with feedback from a hiring manager.
Attendees will glean valuable tools for getting started or conducting an expansion of an apprenticeship program, including a playbook and access to networks. Register here.
RETIREMENT PLANNING
A No-Fluff Look at Social Security Benefits
Andrew G. Biggs at ThinkAdvisor says that there are big flaws in social security, but it has been an effective program and there are ways to ensure it continues. Read his post “Should You Count On Social Security?” here.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Vaccine Mandates, Exemptions & Accommodations
What is the latest on state and federal vaccine mandates? What are the exemptions to them, and how are those exemptions being granted or denied? How are employers accommodating employees granted exemptions? All of this will be covered in the next Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) webinar on Jan. 20, 9am PT. Expert presenters from ReedGroup include: Ashlee Brennan, JD, senior compliance counsel; Robert Dawes, MD, chief medical director and Katarina Niparko, JD, compliance counsel. Go here to register.
MENTAL HEALTH
7 trends that will shape workplace mental health in 2022
Unmind, a workplace mental health platform, says that after a year road-testing the future of work – one that doesn’t just safeguard people’s wellbeing, but celebrates it – 2022 is the year for cultural change. To that end, Unmind polled 1,500 HR decision-makers and trusted partners from around the world about key workplace mental health topics. The company says its identified 7 trends that will shape workplace mental health. You can download the report right here. What we know is that mental health education and outreach will increase and C-suiters will spearhead the movement. Also: experts say that workplace safety guidelines ISO 45003, published in June 2021, should be viewed as a how-to guide for keeping employees safe.
LONG-TERM CARE
AALTCI Report Says Insurer LTC Payout On Rise
The amount of long-term care claim benefits paid to policyholders grew substantially in 2020, according to Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI).
AALTCI’s annual report indicates that the nation’s long-term care insurers paid out $12.3 billion in claims during 2021, which is about $700 million more than 2020 and about $2 billion over the total claim benefits paid by the industry in 2018. Read more about AALTCI’s report here.
EVENTS
- National African American Insurance Association Anniversary Year Kick Off Event, online, Jan 18, 8-10am PT. Info here.
- You Powered Benefits Symposium, in person, Feb 6-9, Phoenix. Info here.
- NAIFA-LA & FSP-Pasadena Will G. Ferrel Awards Event, online, Feb 24, Info here.
- CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit, in person, March 14-16, 2022, Green Valley Ranch, Las Vegas, Info and registration here.
- LAAHU Annual Symposium, in person, April 26, Pasadena Convention Center. Info here.
- BenefitsPro Broker Expo, in person, May 23-25, 2022, Austin, TX. Request more info here. Register here.
