Dental, Vision and The Health Industry Fee

Dental, Vision and The Health Industry Fee

I’m sure I don’t need to educate you on the many varied fees associated now with the PPACA.  However, some of you may have experienced a phone call from Companion clients asking what the new line item is that has showed up in their January bills.  Dental and vision plans are considered part of the health industry and therefore they are responsible for an industry fee just like the health carriers. 

The fee is based on each carrier’s share of the overall premium base and it is assessed relative to insured plans.  Each carrier calculates a bit differently what their share is they have to pay and how this will be reflected in rates.  Below is an outline of our dental and vision carriers, their fees and how this will be passed on to the members.

·         Companion Life--Companion has separated its industry fee as a separate line item on the bills.  However, its renewal and new business proposal rates include the fee so there are no surprises when the final bill arrives.  The Michigan Medicaid Claims tax is a separate line item on the Companion bills aside from this ACA industry fee. 

·         Kansas City Life--Both the ACA and Michigan Medicaid Claims Tax are included in KCL's rates.  

·         MetLife/MMA--The ACA industry fee is included in new business and renewal rates.  The Medicaid tax is billed separately every quarter.  

·         Delta Dental--The ACA industry fee is included in new business and renewal rates.  The Medicaid tax is billed separately monthly.  

Clear as mud huh?  If you have any further questions or want to discuss these fees over a coffee, sandwich or a fifth of whiskey and pitcher of beer, contact me and I’ll be happy to come see you!

Those Pesky Kids and Their Mandated Dental Plans. .

Those Pesky Kids and Their Mandated Dental Plans. . .

Well, it’s been about five months since BPI embarked on a fact finding mission to figure out the pediatric dental benefit and how it relates to our dental plans and small group clients here in Michigan.  I’m proud to say we’ve really been able to offer great solutions to our agents in the small market to satisfy this requirement.   

To give you an update, our wheelhouse carriers to satisfy this requirement so far have been Delta Dental, MetLife and the MMA. 

We have used Delta to offer child only dental benefits down to as low as a group of one.  Seems like a lot of administration to cover one kid?  I was worried about this ,too, but Lena and Bobbie have found the process quite easy to complete with Delta.  We’re also finding Delta is a great takeover benefit for current dental plans who are not currently compliant.  Delta’s rates are very competitive in the small market and their plan designs are flexible so it’s an easy fix.  You can typically leave the life, disability and vision with the current carrier and address the bigger issues of the medical renewal without too much interruption on ancillary. 

MetLife and MMA have been great options as well to replace non-compliant carriers.  Their rates are competitive and they offer the convenience to replace a full ancillary suite with their robust offerings of life, disability and VSP.  We’re seeing success with Met, especially with the dental HMO or MAC plans ,as the rates are very attractive and the Met PPO is so strong in our regions.  Don’t believe me on that?  Access their network here. 

With both Met and Delta, we have the ability to quote the plans in our office and we can turn them around quickly.  Need something in a pinch, contact Bobbie.  Phone is best if you need a rush.

As for your business with Companion Life and Kansas City Life, they are still not certified to sell the pediatric benefit.  However, they both have assured me they have begun the process to be certified for 2015.  So if you’re nervous about your renewals the middle and end of this year, know these carriers will be fully compliant by January 1. 

As the year goes on, we'll continue to update you on our progress with these benefits and to make it fairly painless for you and your small groups to comply.  

Still playing catch up with this portion of the essential benefits and what it means?  Please reference our previous blogs on the topic. 

Maui!—Enough Said

This has been the kind of winter season that only Midwesterners can handle.  It’s the kind of cold that hurts.  So I know it’s hard to do right now, but I’d like you to try to picture yourself lying by the pool or on the beach.  It’s 80 degrees and a gentle breeze rolls off the Pacific.  You take a sip of a refreshing beverage of your choice, lay back and relax.    

That is the type of experience we’d love to enjoy with you at the Ritz in Kapalua, Maui in June 2015!  Companion is famous for hosting the best getaway incentive trips and they aren’t too tough to obtain.  Find all the details here.  You certainly can see the pictures here in this blog but if you’d like to get a feel for the resort, click here.

Wondering how you could get there?  Consider voluntary!  We find voluntary dental, std and life have really helped agents achieve the necessary credits.  Contact me and we’ll meet to discuss a strategy! 

An Enhancement to all Metlife Group Life Products

An Enhancement to all Metlife Group Life Product

Effective January 1, 2014, MetLife's new grief counseling service will be available on all basic group life insurance programs, for new and existing customers, at no additional cost to your clients or their employees.


To help individuals with difficult emotional challenges, MetLife's grief counseling service provides employees, their dependents and beneficiaries with counseling to help cope with grief following the death of a loved one or a major life change such as divorce, loss of employment, or financial hardship. Employees and their dependents may consult with a highly-credentialed counselor up to five times per event either in-person or via phone, depending upon their preference. Find out more information here.