Executive Notes is designed for the employers who use our benefits programs. Brief soundbites allow you to quickly scan for what is relevant to you. If your organization doesn’t offer all of our benefits, simply skip the sections that don’t apply to you.

INSURANCE

New Online portal goes live on Monday in time for Open Enrollment The new online insurance portal will go live on Nov. 15 at cobbt.mybenefitchoice.com. Some things to remember:

Your employees should use the new portal to manage benefits coverage that begins on Jan. 1, 2022. Participants will be required to enter their Social Security number the first time they log in to the portal. You should receive your administrative log-on information by midnight on Friday, Nov. 12. If your employee isn’t comfortable using the online portal, or experiences difficulty in using it, they have the option to contact the Brethren Insurance Service Center, which will be live Nov. 15. The service center number is 800-217-0067, and will be available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Central time. Here is a link to the Plan Sponsor section of our website where you will find videos that demonstrate how the new portal works. Additional instructional videos will be posted on the website as they become available. Also, Scott Douglas sent an email on Nov. 12, that contained additional important information. If you need to enroll new hires or make changes to 2021 coverage (due to qualifying life events), you should continue to work with Connie Sandman; she can be reached at 847-622-3366.

Open Enrollment for 2022 coverage

This year’s Open Enrollment begins Monday, Nov. 15 and runs through Nov. 30. All eligible employees will be notified by e-mail on Nov. 15, and a link to the online portal and a portal training video will be included in that message. All employees will receive a confirmation of their benefits for 2022 after Open Enrollment closes. They can choose whether to receive this electronically or via U.S. mail. If the employee does not access the portal during Open Enrollment, they will receive their confirmation statement via U.S. mail. If you offer our LTD and/or STD coverage, you should have received information about how to update salaries to ensure we can quote accurate insurance premiums. If you have questions about this please reach out to Scott Douglas or Jeremiah Thompson for assistance.

Brethren Medical Plan Telemedicine Changes Starting Jan. 1, 2022, telemedicine services through Doctor On Demand will no longer be covered by Brethren Medical Plan, as Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield will be working exclusively with Amwell going forward. Highmark will be communicating directly with your employees about these changes via a comprehensive communication plan. If your employees use Doctor On Demand after December 31, they will be responsible for all costs. For telemedicine services on or after Jan. 1, 2022, your employees can use Well360 Virtual Health, offered by Amwell. These services will be covered by Brethren Medical Plan. On or after Jan. 1, 2022, employees can follow these steps to register and be prepared for future visits: Go online to well360virtualhealth.com Download the Well360 Virtual Health app Virtual visits from your own network doctor will also continue to be a covered benefit. Take note of the information in the cost-share waiver section below.

Cost-Share Waivers During 2021, Brethren Medical Plan waived cost-share requirements for telemedicine and virtual visits for all medical plans. This was allowed due to an IRS waiver that expires 12/31/21. Effective Jan. 1, BMP can no longer waive cost-sharing for telemedicine and virtual visits for participants in our high-deductible medical plans. Our goal is to provide your employees with access to the health care they need in ways that work best for them. If your employees have questions about telemedicine and virtual visits, please have them call Highmark Member Service at the phone number on their member ID card. If you have questions about how our plan designs work for your employees, contact Jeremiah Thompson at 847-622-3368. 2022 Benefits Guides have been finalized The new 2022 Benefits Guide is now out. You should have received your copy, and they will also be posted on the online insurance portal. If you have not received one for your organization, please contact Scott Douglas at 800-746-1505, ext. 3385, or sdouglas@cobbt.org. 

Thank you We have appreciated your patience as we roll out the new online benefits administration system. We are confident that you and your employees will find value in it. Please let us know if you have feedback about your experience with it. We will continue to enhance it after Open Enrollment ends. You can direct questions to Jeremiah Thompson at 847-622-3368.

PENSION Uniform File Format Requirement and New IRS Limit

Adopt the Uniform File Format by Dec. 31 Remember that we are asking you to adopt, by Dec. 31, 2021, the new Uniform File Format for remitting retirement plan contributions. This format will greatly help our recordkeeping and ensure that we have contact information for your employees. It is important that we have e-mail addresses and phone numbers so we can ensure that employees are receiving important communications from us. The additional data collected in this format will help us serve your employees better. Click here to download a copy. If you need help with this, please contact Tammy Chudy at (847) 622-3372. New IRS Limits for Retirement Contribution

Best, Lynnae Rodeffer Director of Employee Benefits

We hope you find this update helpful, and we welcome your feedback.