employee benefits - ClaimLinx

How Much Is Your Business Required To Pay In The State Of Ohio For Employee Health Insurance?

by ClaimLinxJuly 25, 2022August 1, 20223 Comments

Building a sustainable business takes a lot of hard work. In today’s competitive labor marketplace, employers have to offer certain benefits to potential employees to join their organizations. A big incentive that most employees commonly expect is health insurance. Getting the right insurance plan may seem difficult to some

The purpose of this guide is to provide a general overview of Ohio small business health insurance. The guide reviews small business health insurance options for Ohio small businesses.

Building a successful business is hard work. Finding affordable small business health insurance doesn’t have to be. All small businesses face special challenges when it comes to finding and getting health insurance coverage. Luckily, recent health care reform legislation provides small businesses with special opportunities to secure affordable health insurance.

Ohio Core Small Business Health Insurance Options

When evaluating your small business health insurance options in Ohio, you should immediately compare the costs and benefits of the following three options:

Offering Traditional Small Business Health Insurance Coverage
Offering a Defined Contribution Health Plan that Reimburses Employees for Individual Health Insurance Coverage, and
Offering Nothing

Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Overview

There are two primary categories of health insurance for small businesses to choose from:

Individual health insurance,
Group health insurance.

Individual Health Insurance

Individual health insurance plans are health insurance plans purchased by individuals to cover themselves or their families. Anyone can apply for individual health insurance. Small business owners who can’t offer group coverage due minimum contribution (or minimum participation) requirements typically purchase individual and family plans for themselves and their families. In 2014, insurance companies will no longer be able to decline individuals for individual health insurance based on a pre-existing medical condition. Also, starting in 2014, there are new special tax incentives available to businesses and employees when employees purchase individual health insurance. In some cases, self-employed persons who purchase their own health insurance may be able to deduct the cost of their monthly premiums. When small businesses decide on the individual health insurance route, they often create a “Pure” Defined Contribution Health Plan to reimburse employees tax-free for individual premiums.

Group Health Insurance

Group health insurance plans are a form of employer-sponsored health coverage. Costs are typically shared between the employer and the employee, and coverage may also be extended to dependents. In certain states, self-employed persons without other employees may qualify for group health insurance plans.

Four Types of Ohio Small Business Health Insurance Plans

Whether you’re looking at individual health insurance or group health insurance, there are several different types of health plans available. The four you should absolutely know are:.

PPO Health Insurance Plans,
HMO Health Insurance Plans,
HSA-Qualified Health Insurance Plans, and
Indemnity Health Insurance Plans.

The plan type that is best for you and your employees depends on what you and your employees want, and how much you are willing to spend. Here’s a brief review of the four popular types of health insurance plans:

PPO Health Insurance Plans

PPO or “Preferred Provider Organization” plans are the most common. Employees covered under a PPO plan need to get their medical care from doctors or hospitals on the insurance company’s list of preferred providers in order for claims to be paid at the highest level.

HMO Health Insurance Plans

HMO stands for “Health Maintenance Organization.” HMO plans offer a wide range of health care services through a network of providers that contract exclusively with the HMO, or who agree to provide services to members. Employees participating in HMO plans will typically need to select a primary care physician (“PCP”) to provide most of their health care and refer them on to HMO specialists as needed.

HSA-Qualified Health Insurance Plans

HSA-qualified plans are typically PPO plans designed specifically for use with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). An HSA is a special bank account that allows participants to save money – pre-tax – to be used specifically for medical expenses in the future. Section 105 Healthcare Reimbursement Plans (HRPs) are often used in place of HSAs due to their advantages for employers.

Indemnity Health Insurance Plans

Indemnity plans allow members to direct their own health care and generally visit any doctor or hospital. The insurance company then pays a set portion of the total charges. Employees may be required to pay for some services up front and then apply to the insurance company for reimbursement.

When Should Your Business Start To Offer Health Insurance?

by ClaimLinxJuly 5, 2022August 1, 20221 Comment

While operating a business, it is pretty easy to get lost in the day-to-day and put off some tasks for the future. Your employee’s health benefits should not be one of them. Employees place a lot of value on health benefits and in an extremely competitive labor market, good talent can be hard to retain. Health insurance incentives may be what could separate you from the rest, allowing you to retain and attract global talent.

Health insurance can be very costly for businesses, but the benefits definitely outweigh the expenses. Everyone knows that attracting the right talent is one of the biggest challenges for any business. By offering a comprehensive health insurance plan, you could definitely bring in the talent you need to achieve your vision.

But if you’re operating a small business or just starting out, you may be wondering when should your business start to offer health insurance. The answer is as soon as possible! There is no fixed answer for all businesses, but the sooner you put your plan in place, the better. To find the most suitable plan for your business, you can get in touch with reliable healthcare consultants for business owners.

Boost Employee Productivity

Boosting productivity and overall employee efficiency is extremely important for all businesses. If your employees are worried about health expenses, chances are they might not be as motivated as they could be if you offer them health insurance. This is due to the fact that healthcare is extremely expensive in the US.

How Large Do Businesses Have To Be To Offer Health Insurance?

There is no minimum number of employees, but around 35% of businesses that have under 15 employees offer health insurance. With most small businesses and startups struggling to keep up with finances, it can be difficult to allocate funds towards offering health plans. While mitigating expenses to maximize profitability is important, offering health benefits is equally crucial. Startups that have received investor funding do not have this problem since they are in a very good cash flow position.

Around 65% of businesses with less than 50 employees offer health insurance. As the employee count increases, statistics show a significant increase in businesses offering health insurance to their customers. Many businesses have to forcefully allocate funds for these expenses because health benefits have now become a significant part of any expected compensation plan. A health insurance plan gives an employee peace of mind that in case of emergencies, their health benefits would be able to cover expenses.
The Affordable Care Act was put into place in 2010, Businesses with more than 50 employees are required by law to offer health insurance. Failing to do so would result in a large fine. There are different types of health insurance that businesses can provide, each offering a specific coverage amount. Businesses can select what seems feasible accordingly.

While offering stock options may seem like a good incentive, health benefits has its own importance and are typically expected in any compensation plan. Even current employees at businesses are most likely considering other options if they aren’t being offered a comprehensive health insurance plan.

5 Reasons Small Business Health Insurance Is Critical For Employees

by ClaimLinxAugust 20, 2021August 31, 20214 Comments

Small business health insurance has a variety of programs. For example, personal plans, specific disease plans, etc., as appropriate, should be covered under one type of health insurance. This way, you can get financial help from the insurance company if there are any health problems.

Small business health insurance can be purchased by an employer. Here, the employer buys small business insurance from an insurance company by paying insurance premiums to ensure the health risks to employees in terms of the terms and conditions of the policy. Keep reading to find the value of small business insurance for employees.

There are many options available to businesses looking to provide medical insurance to employees, but usually, small business health insurance comes in the following form:

Health Benefits: Basic: Patient Care, Dependence, International/Regional Availability, Covered Circumstances.
Additional known benefits: maternity and birth control, vision, and dental insurance.
Extended / full benefits: Health screening and vaccination, general health support, and mental health support.

Small Business Health Insurance is health insurance bought by the owner of a small business that covers the company and its employees and provides numerous benefits.

Three characteristics make small business health insurance different from any other type of insurance

They are made functional specifically for a small group
It is available throughout the year.
The employer can contribute to the premium charged to the employee

Now we will look at these characteristics in detail.

Small Business Health Insurance designed for small scale companies:

First, small business insurance schemes are usually run by less than 50 groups. Company owners that have less than 50 full-time employees working under them are not obligated to provide their employee data under the ACA.

Most small business policies include groups of five or fewer people. If your employees were only 1099 contractors last year you may be eligible for health care for small businesses.

Purchase through the year

Second, a difference of small business health insurance is that it is available throughout the year to make purchases. With Small Business Health Insurance, you are not obliged to register during the special registration period open, as much as possible when purchasing special coverage.

Employer contribution to employee premium:

Third, for small business insurance, a business usually has to pay at least 50% of its employees’ monthly health insurance premiums. Exact percentages may vary depending on the situation or system.

It is important to remember that the money you pay in employee premiums is usually deducted from the rules of your business. Ask your auditor or tax adviser how you can save money in this way.

The main goal behind introducing small business health insurance is providing employees of the company a chance at better health facilities and assisting them in managing their health care expenditures. Other benefits, such as financial aid or educational benefits, can be beneficial, but effective medical insurance often adds to global wage benefits.

Most employees rarely ask you to pay for medical expenses out of your pocket, at least without making too much money for the savings they have. Protecting health insurance from your employees will cost less than what they bought for themselves – and, as a group, you will have more control and negotiation power to ensure that the money you spend on insurance is spent wisely.

The importance of small business health insurance for employees

The following points highlight the importance of a small business insurance scheme for employees.

1) Availability of basic insurance

Employees can benefit from basic insurance coverage such as hospitalization due to their employer. The employer usually pays the policy. Therefore, an employee can avail of the benefit of the insurance scheme free of cost.

2) Sub-conditions

Personal health insurance systems have stronger terms than group health policies. For example, the terms of the waiting period, health checkup, and maternity cover are not small compared to a group health plan.

3) Family coverage

With small business health insurance plans not only you can avail of the benefits but your family members are also secured In this way, the financial security attached to the coverage is extended to other family members. You can easily avoid a stressful situation by making the right decision at right time and secure your and your family’s future.

4) Insurance management

Once you are covered under the health insurance policy provided by your employer and after learning about the start and implementation of the plan, you can consider better coverage by opting for a single health insurance plan. For instance, a small business health policy offers all the facilities of basic health insurance ad allows you to buy a critical illness policy.

5) Peace of mind

A medical emergency can quickly lead to a financial emergency. This puts a lot of stress on the patient and family members. A health insurance policy can provide great assistance in difficult times like these.

Be informed

Covering only under the Health Team will not help you. You need to know its availability for insurance. That way, you know what’s included in the system and what’s not.

You must go through the details of the policy of small business health insurance thoroughly whether you are a company owner looking for an insurance company to buy insurance or an employee who is availing the coverage. Do not hesitate to ask the insurance company about your queries and ensure that you understand everything.

As mentioned above, small business health insurance is a quite helpful facility for employees as well employers. Where employees avail numerous benefits and are secured through this type of insurance, employers get a chance to grow their business by providing strength to the most important resource of their business. You must decide smartly and choose the right company along with the right package. Making the right decisions will help in the future and give good results. Go through policies before making any decision.

How and Why to Start Planning Your 2021 Employee Benefits

by ClaimLinxOctober 10, 2020October 21, 20204 Comments

Have you ever wondered what keeps you motivated even after working for hours? Did you ever give a thought to how employee benefits bring about a difference outside your work life? If you did not, I believe it’s high time that you do because it notably has a significant impact on you, your family as well as your lifestyle!

Employees of all ages seek security and that too originating from your employer is a plus. In the modern fast-paced world of today, where competitiveness is at its peak, a driving factor to attract and retain individuals like you is by offering Employee Benefits. It portrays the organizations are not only investing in the short-term but the organization, as an employer are looking out and concerned for your future that lies ahead of you as well.

Now let us have a deeper understanding of the much familiar term ‘Employee Benefits’

What Are Employee Benefits?

Employee Benefits, also commonly known as fringe benefits are non-financial compensation that is provided to you as part of an employment contract other than your salary. It may be required by law, depending upon the country you currently reside in, or could be also due to a risk that is associated with your job. The purpose of employee benefits is to increase your economic security as an employee.

Below is a check-list of the employee benefits commonly being provided by organizations:

Health Insurance
Disability Insurance
Casual Leaves
Sick Leaves
Vacation Leaves
Retirement Plans
Well-being Program
Tuition Reimbursement
Gym Reimbursement
Loan Contribution
Transportation Facility
Employee discounts
Free lunch

Why Are Employee Benefits Important For You

Employee Benefits acts as security. This is where above 70% of the population is willing to settle for their security and wellbeing, even in comparison to high salaries being offered.

Here are some reasons why employee benefits are important to you:

They ensure your security
They ensure to facilitate you will all resources at their disposal
They have a strong impact on your motivation towards your work
They contribute towards increased satisfaction while being at work

Note: If an organization is offering a good salary along with additional benefits, it is the right moment for you to grasp the opportunity before it’s too late!

Why Is 2021 Benefits Planning Important?

We are all aware of the global pandemic and the unfortunate events that it brings along. As it continues to wage on, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call for all employees to get themselves secured. This is observed as a reflection in the employees being super concerned about the additional benefits and support provided by their employer to help create ease in such tough times.

On this account, all employees need to start focusing on their concerning employee benefits to get themselves secured for any unfortunate causality that could occur as a result.

Here are some common reasons to why you should step ahead into employee benefits planning for the year 2021:

Healthcare Coverage

You have probably heard the common phrase ‘Health is Wealth’. Yes, your health is the most important factor and should be your top priority, especially in such times. You need to consider the maximum amount of opportunities from where you could get medical coverage as part of employee benefits.

Telehealth facility:

It is an additional sub-category that is on the rise nowadays. Telehealth is where you could get connected to a doctor through a telephonic call or video chat. As the graph for COVID-19 increases, there has been observed an increasing trend toward telehealth services, with over 60% population being dependent on it.

Therefore, it is extremely important to consider the benefits of health coverage in employee benefits planning for the year 2021.

Mental Health

A survey in 2020 investigated the after-effects of COVID-19 on employees where there was a significant increase in individuals linking the global pandemic as one of the most stressful times of their lives. This is where employees were not sure about job security where each one of us felt threatened that our organization might be laying us off.

It is hence important, to consider your mental health before even giving a second thought to any of the factors. For this reason, you should start looking into organizations and programs that cater to these in addition to the usual benefits being provided.

How To Start Planning Your 2021 Employee Benefits

Planning employee benefits has become essential in the world of today. Having the right employee benefits will give you a distinct advantage in addition to other facilities provided by either your organization or the law of your state itself.

Take into consideration the following steps while planning on your 2021 employee benefits:

Prioritize what’s benefits are important to you

As an employee, it is important to evaluate what matters to you. You should be the one deciding what is important, what is relevant, and what is it that will facilitate you in the longer-run as well. Until and unless, you do not have a goal or determination inside of you, it will be far impossible to benefit both, you and your dependents as a result.

Differentiate between required benefits and optional benefits

While organizations are increasingly providing employee benefits, it is important to focus on what is best suitable for you. You, as an employee, should be decisive and have the ability as well as a skillset to differentiate between what is necessary and what is not.

Often some startups offer small business benefits since they are not enough financially stable to offer you a range of benefits. For instance, small business benefits could include flextime, telecommuting, paid time off, or even well-being programs. For some, the above would be required benefits where in comparison some employees might have it on their optional benefits list.

Hence, now once provided with both options, you are free to select the one that fulfills your needs and requirements.

Dig Deeper into your budget constraints

Having a focused and realistic idea of your budget will aid in understanding and utilization of the benefits important to you and your family. It will provide you with a holistic overview of the employee benefits to plan on while also knowing the ones you can compromise on.

In summation, 2021 is almost here with a roaring start, that links back to employees making decisions about their benefits program and the option available. Where continued unemployment is at its peak, employees should wholeheartedly dedicate a great deal of time settling themselves for a brighter future!

Contact Claimlinx today to schedule a benefits consultation.

Benefits of Offering Health Insurance

by ClaimLinxJune 4, 2020August 18, 20201 Comment

No matter what size business you run, offering health insurance benefits your employees provides numerous advantages not only for the workers but also for the company itself. In order to get these benefits of offering health insurance, however, you need to understand how to choose the right plan. The help of an employer consultant like those at ClaimLinx can lead you to the right final decision.

Five Health Insurance Benefits for Your Business

When making decisions about the possibility of offering medical insurance to your employees, consider these important points.

1 – Employee Loyalty Increases

When it comes to a list of benefits that workers want, health insurance comes out on top. A paycheck is nice, but coverage for both preventative medicine and emergencies improve the overall impression that workers have for their employer. They also increase overall morale and productivity. A large part of having a successful business depends on keeping all the men and women who work for you happy and satisfied. Do not lose quality workers to other firms that offer more incentives than you do.

2 – Jobseekers Value Your Company

When you want to attract new talent, offering low-caused group health insurance makes your job opening more attractive to people who have choices. If it comes down to you or a different business, offering health insurance can push you over the top. Basic benefits may not be enough. With so many companies offering insurance these days, you need to make sure you provide the very best coverage at affordable prices.

3 – Decrease Federal Taxes

If you own or operate a small business with fewer than 25 employees working full-time, you can get considerable tax credits if you offer health benefits to them. Other rules apply to enroll in the Small Business Health Options Program, but you do not qualify all if you do not take advantage of group health rates that make it possible for your employees to get healthcare when they need it.

4 – Fulfill Government Requirements

The Affordable Care Act has a whole list of rules and regulations that affect how businesses provide healthcare benefits or insurance to their employees. In many cases, a company is required to offer a certain level of coverage depending on the type of workers they have, whether they are full-time or not, and other factors. If you have any questions about these requirements, it helps to speak with a qualified healthcare consultant.

5 – Smart Insurance Plans Decrease Cost

The final major benefit of offering health insurance at your company focuses on both the business itself and every single worker who has coverage through your chosen plan. As long as you make wise decisions about the policies and covered costs, everything from premiums to monthly bills to tax payments will decrease. When you choose to use an experienced and knowledgeable third-party administrator to handle all these matters, you end up saving even more in the long run.