Quality Connection
News and Updates for Brokers
September 24, 2021
Reminder: Medicare Part D Notice
Employers who provide prescription drug coverage to retirees and/or to Medicare-eligible individuals are required to determine whether their drug plan provides “creditable coverage.” This means whether the coverage is expected to pay on average as much as the standard prescription-drug coverage under Medicare Part D.

On September 15, 2021 we sent email notifications to employer groups with QualChoice plans that include drug coverage that are “creditable coverage” and to those that are not considered creditable coverage.

Employers must provide this information to employees by October 15 of each year. 
Open Enrollment Period (OEP) & Special Enrollment
Open Enrollment is a time when members can add to or change their health benefits or sign up for coverage. Applications received during the OEP are effective on the group's anniversary date.

To apply outside the OEP, a member must have a qualifying event. This is also known as a Special Enrollment Period. Some qualifying events are:
  • Addition of a child through a Qualified Medcal Child Support Order
  • Adoption or addition of a stepchild or stepchildren
  • Birth and/or Death
  • Marriage and/or divorce
  • Legal custody of a child
  • Reinstatement of civilian status of active duty military personnel
  • Involuntary loss of other group health insurance coverage

For the events listed above, we must receive your written notice of the change within thirty (30) days. After thirty (30) days, your coverage cannot be changed until Open Enrollment.

You must notify us within 60 days if you or your dependent lost Mediaid or state Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage (for example, ARKids). The loss could be because you are no longer eligible, or you or your dependent can get state help in paying your group plan premiums.

We allow sixty (60) days for adoptions and ninety (90) days for newborns and members leaving military active duty.
Building Better Benefits After COVID-19: Mental Health
In the wake of COVID-19 challenges, employers are rearranging benefits packages to improve retention and aid recruitment.

This is the first in a three-part series taken from a commentary by
Chris O'Dwyer, Director of Sales at QualChoice. Chris provides insight
on how companies are shifting to offer benefits that take into account three of the biggest workplace issues that came to light in 2020.

Read the full article featured in Arkansas Business
Burnout has always been an issue for employers looking to keep staff, and 2020 only highlighted the problem. While remote work can allow more flexibility in dealing with family emergencies, it can also make it harder for some to mentally separate their workplace from their living space. Added stress and increased isolation have led to a spike in mental health issues, specifically around work.

According to a November 2020 survey from the International Foundation of Employee Plans, 63% of companies reported an increase in employee mental health care claims. And 10% of businesses either added mental health days to their paid or unpaid leave or closed the office for one day a week.

Being aware that employees need a mental break from work has been key in helping businesses retain workers. If a company’s employees know that executives care about their mental well-being, they are more likely to want to continue working for that company.
Updated Forms

Make sure you are using current QualChoice forms, please download from the Broker Forms page at QualChoice.com each time you need to use one.
In the Media

QualChoice is an official sponsor of the 2021 Arkansas Business Publishing Group Best Places to Work event! We're excited to help highlight the best of what Arkansas businesses have to offer.
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