ARE YOU HAVING DIFFICULTY OBTAINING HEALTH INSURANCE DUE TO PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS?

Do you have a pre-existing medical condition and have been quoted an enormous rate for individual coverage?  Or maybe even told that you are medically ineligible for health insurance?  We have important information to share with you!

The North Carolina General Assembly established the North Carolina Health Insurance Risk Pool (NCHIRP) in 2007. Today NCHIRP operates as Inclusive Health providing affordable, individual health insurance coverage to residents of North Carolina who do not have access to an employer health plan, have been declined by an individual carrier or face higher premiums due to a pre-existing medical condition. Inclusive Health also offers coverage to individuals who are eligible for, enrolled in or exhausting COBRA or state continuation coverage. Just like most traditional employer-sponsored health plans, Inclusive Health covers a broad range of services including preventive care, urgent care, outpatient services, a prescription drug benefit and other common health care services. Inclusive Health offers several plan options, so you can choose the plan that best meets your individual medical and financial needs.

You may visit www.inclusivehealth.org for plan details and the eligibility requirements. For agent assistance, please contact us at www.marcjessupinsurance.com or 252-638-9000.

Benefits Satisfaction = Loyal Employees

Have you ever heard, “A happy employee is a productive employee?” This mantra holds true at all levels when it comes to the state of mind while at work. It is not only important to value & respect the time, efforts, and opinions of employees, but employers also need to provide a work environment that fosters growth for the team and the individuals. Not surprisingly, majority of workers put a benefits package at the top of the job requirement list, sometimes even above wages, and employers should take note. With the cost of healthcare continuing to rise and healthcare reform on the horizon, companies should take stock of what they offer & educate their employees on what is provided. What a disservice it is to pay for benefits & then not utilize them or even understand them! Satisfaction with benefits is directly related to employee loyalty and many workers would look for employment elsewhere if the opportunity arose for improved conditions. How can you accomplish this? 1) Take advantage of open enrollment; schedule individual meetings with each employee to review benefit options. 2) Set up a timeline for announcing various programs the insurance carrier offers, from online maintenance, wellness programs, cost estimators, etc. These can be discussed at a monthly or quarterly meeting or given to employees via memo or email. Employers can even set up a monthly email campaign to address these benefit features. 3) Engage your employees in the control of their healthcare costs. Remind them that they can do things such as ask for generic medications when available versus brand drugs. You can also initiate a wellness incentive program for improving the health of your workers. Many employers offer gift cards or additional paid time off for participation in programs for exercise, smoking cessation, or control of a chronic health condition. These are intended to be an open invitation for employees with rewards for participation, not punishment for rejecting participation.

As your insurance agent, we encourage you to contact us to see what resources for wellness your plan offers. Happier/healthier Employees = Loyal Employees = Better Workplace. What’s not to like about that equation?