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Anthem is required to file tax forms 1095-B and 1094-B electronically with the IRS for all fully insured plans, by April 1, 2024. We are also required to mail tax form 1095-B to our members by March 1, 2024. Fully insured and Administrative Services Only (ASO) groups with 50 or more full-time employees are considered Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) by the IRS and are also required to file tax form 1095-C along with tax form 1094-C. Anthem will also provide proof of coverage forms to the following states: District of Columbia – due April 1, 2024 New Jersey – due April 2,2024 California – due April 1, 2024 Massachusetts 1099-HC (provided prior to the January 31, 2024, deadline) Employers will need to submit state filings in Rhode Island. Anthem is not licensed there. Anthem sends additional forms and reminders of IRS reporting throughout the year for the following: Social Security number (SSN) collection: In early spring (March/ April), Anthem will send letters to our members to solicit their Social Security Numbers if we do not have it on file. Social Security Number and Reconciliation: In late spring (April/ May) Anthem will send letters to members if their names, birthdates, Social Security Number or Tax Identification number do not match what is on the IRS taxpayer database. Anthem will create tax forms 1095-B and 1094-B forms for Small Group Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) and Small Group Anthem Balance Funding (ABF) groups. We will post these forms to the EmployerAccess portal in early February. IRS electronic filing requirements The IRS now requires those filing 10 or more information returns on or after January 1, 2024, to file those returns electronically. This requirement begins with filings for tax year 2023 that are due in 2024 and applies to a number of forms including 1094B/C, 1095-B/C, W-2, 1099, 5330 and 5500. Page 4 of this IRS instruction sheet has details about this requirement. For More Information Click Here For Help Quoting Anthem, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

Blue Shield is making it easier for you to earn more when you enroll members in Blue Shield of California Small Business products. One point is equivalent to one dollar. Points apply to groups with effective dates beginning February 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. Groups sold through Dickerson are eligible for this program. View and compare 2024 small business plan options at blueshieldca.com/employerplans You can earn: 100 points for each new member who enrolls in a Tandem PPO plan or a Virtual BlueSM plan as part of the initial sale 50 points per new enrolled medical member on all plans, excluding Tandem and Virtual BlueSM PPO plans as part of the initial sale. 10 points per new enrolled member in a small business dental plan 5 points per new enrolled member in a small business vision plan* 5 points per new enrolled member in a small business life insurance plan* 2x for each new member enrolling in all three: dental, vision, and life (40 points total) For More Details, Click Here For Help Quoting Blue Shield, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Represntative.

Your small business could be eligible for a tax credit, only available through Covered California for Small Business (CCSB). With CCSB you decide the level of coverage and provide employees with health insurance that fits your budget. Small businesses that purchase coverage through CCSB may be eligible to receive a federal tax credit to help offset the cost of providing health insurance. The amount of credit you are eligible to recieve works on a sliding scale. The smaller your business and/or the lower your annual average wage, the larger your credit will be. For More Details, Click Here For Help Quoting CCSB, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

Humana has announced a Dental Bundling Bonus. Place a NEW Humana dental line of coverage with at least one additional Group Benefits line of coverage with the same employer with an intial effective date of coverage of 4/1 through 9/1/24. For More Details, Click Here For Help Quoting Humana, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Represnetative.

With pharmacy costs accounting for almost 25% of total health care expenses, it’s no surprise drug prices are top of mind for employers 1 . When your employees order through kp.org/pharmacy or the Kaiser Permanente app, most can get a 3-month supply of most prescriptions for the price of 2 months 1 – delivered right to their door. Plus, they’ll enjoy the convenience of managing prescriptions online, with benefits like: No-cost delivery 2 (usually within 3-5 days), and same-day or next-day delivery for an additional fee 3 . Delivery updates by text or email. Employees can track their orders online and in the Kaiser Permanente app. Refill reminders by text, mobile app, or email when prescriptions are available to order. And with text reminders, employees can order refills by replying directly to the message. Learn more at kp.org/pharmacyservices. 1. “Large Employer Health Care Strategy Survey,” Business Group on Health, 2023. 2. Each 3-month supply includes 90 days’ worth of medication. Not all prescriptions can be mailed, and restrictions may apply. Please check with your local pharmacy. 3. See note 2. 4. Same-day and next-day prescription delivery services may be available for an additional fee. These services are not covered under your health plan benefits and may be limited to specific prescription drugs, pharmacies, and areas. Order cutoff times and delivery days may vary by pharmacy location. Kaiser Permanente is not responsible for delivery delays by mail carriers. Kaiser Permanente may discontinue same-day and next-day prescriptions delivery services at any time without notice and other restrictions may apply. Medi-Cal and Medicaid beneficiaries should ask your pharmacy for more information about prescription delivery. For More Information Click Here For Help Quoting Kaiser Permanente, Please Contact Your Dickerson Sales Representative.

(Feb 21, 2024) At a time when kitchen table economic problems are on voters’ minds, unexpected medical bills and health care costs top the public’s list of financial concerns, and voters who are struggling to pay their monthly bills are the most eager to hear the presidential candidates talk about economic and health care issues, the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Nearly 3 in 4 adults say they are worried about being able to afford unexpected medical bills (74%) and the cost of health care services (73%), more than say the same about other everyday expenses, such as gas, utilities, food, and housing costs, and about paying for prescription drugs (55%). Health care worries top the list regardless of partisanship. About half of all voters (48%) say health care costs are a major reason for their negative views of the economy, though larger shares cite everyday expenses, inflation, and housing costs. Overall, two thirds (67%) of voters view the economy negatively. Republican voters are more than twice as likely as Democratic voters to hold such negative views. The poll probes how people’s economic struggles color their views of the economy and their priorities for candidates. Overall, 1 in 5 adults (19%) say they have trouble affording their monthly bills, and nearly 4 in 10 (37%) say they say they can just afford their monthly bills. These groups hold very different views than those who say that they afford their bills with money left over (44% of all adults). Those who report difficulty affording monthly bills are more likely to view the national economy negatively and are more likely to worry about affording health care and other routine expenses. They are also more likely to want the presidential candidates to talk about economic issues, including health care costs and the future of Medicaid, compared to voters who can easily afford their bills. To Read More, Click Here