From rabbittransit

You’re invited! Join us for Transportation Partnership on Mobility (TPOM) meetings on the second Thursday of each month, rotating throughout various counties within the rabbittransit service area. The groups meet to discuss solutions for issues related to local and regional public transportation. Individuals with disabilities, seniors, families, advocates, community members and service providers are all welcome to join us in improving mobility services. Meetings are held at various community agency locations. We also connect with community organizations and providers by conducting round table discussions in an effort to identify links and to streamline service between providers in an effort to create a more accessible environment for our consumers. To find out details of the next meeting including time and location, visit rabbittransit’s website or email.

From ChamberChoice & Smart Business Pittsburgh

Voluntary benefits are in high demand as employers recognize that a robust benefits portfolio helps them meet the diverse coverage needs within today’s workforce. The demand is also driven by the popularity of employee choice and low cost.

“There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to meeting the needs of a multiple-generational workforce. Competition is fierce when recruiting and retaining the best talent. This makes voluntary benefits a must-have in today’s employee benefits packages,” says Michael Orangis, sales executive at JRG Advisors. “By offering a spectrum of coverage options, employers send the message, ‘We listen, we care and our company is worth working for.’”

Smart Business spoke with Orangis about how voluntary coverage options can enhance your overall benefits program.

What do companies need to know about voluntary benefits?

Voluntary benefits have proven to be a popular, cost-effective method for an employer to offer a broad palette of benefits that provide employees choice. These types of benefits feature guaranteed issue and simple enrollment. And because premiums are paid through employee payroll deduction, there are no checks to write, making these benefits easy to administer.

Further, difficult economic times in the wake of rising health care costs mean tough health plan design choices for business owners. For many, adding voluntary benefits to compensate for benefits cutbacks elsewhere or to enrich a health plan with a high deductible makes good sense.

How do these benefits work?

With a voluntary benefits portfolio, employees are encouraged to focus on their coverage and affordability needs. Instead of employer-sponsored group accident, critical illness, disability, life, vision and dental insurance, business owners see the wisdom of providing these benefits on a voluntary, a-la-carte basis for employees to choose.

Not only will offering voluntary benefits cost employers virtually nothing, it will also help to level the playing field with competing employers. And, employees gain access to unique types of insurance coverage at group rates that are lower in cost than buying on their own.

What should an employer consider when offering voluntary benefits?

First, employers must show their support for the benefits program if they want the employees to see the value of voluntary benefits for themselves and their families.

An employer should talk to employees to help determine what offerings would be most useful. Employers need to carefully examine their current benefits package to determine which benefits are popular and those that are not. Most importantly, employers need to determine the type(s) of voluntary benefits that offer the most value for the lowest cost. This is crucial to the success of the voluntary benefits program.

As the program is implemented, education is key. Employers should educate employees on what voluntary plans are available and the benefits of enrolling. Employers also should follow up with employees on a regular basis throughout the plan year to ensure they are satisfied, there are no problems and that no changes need to be made with the plans offered.

In the end, voluntary benefits are special because they meet the specific needs of the valued workforce. Employers can easily offer these benefits and keep costs down, while enhancing the complete package of benefits and coverages. Employees are able to make informed selections of benefits that meet their unique needs, ultimately increasing their engagement and satisfaction with the benefits program.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

PA Chamber President Gene Barr was in attendance at a Capitol event last week where Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law a bill that will allow Pennsylvania to establish its own health insurance exchange for the purchase of individual market plans under the Affordable Care Act. 

This legislation – which had strong bipartisan support – was made possible due to an Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration that allowed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to issue new guidance for states seeking more flexibility through waivers.  This encouraged greater innovation in finding tools and solutions to help reduce premium costs.  Act 42 of 2019 (formerly H.B. 3) does this by replacing the federally operated Healthcare.gov with a state-operated website in an effort to get more people into the system and lower their costs.  According to a story in the Associated Press, the Wolf administration expects that this change will lower premiums anywhere from 5 to 10 percent for the 400,000 people who buy policies in the marketplace – particularly the large segment of those people who currently buy policies through Healthcare.gov but whose incomes are too high to qualify for a federal tax subsidy. The square jaw procedure is something that people would like to opt for and have it included these days.

As the bill was moving through the legislative process, the PA Chamber sent numerous memos to House and Senate lawmakers urging their support because it helps to achieve our organization’s goal of creating stability in the state’s healthcare market and making health insurance more affordable for the Commonwealth’s citizens. “The creation of a state based exchange couple with a reinsurance program that is properly managed and remains solvent can benefit many individuals,” the PA Chamber wrote.  “We commend the Administration and legislative leadership for their commitment and swift legislative action.” 

• The Weis Center for the Performing Arts has announced its 2019-20 season schedule.
  

  Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University.

  It includes 25 professional performances, eight of which are free admission, beginning with a free jazz concert by the Ryan Flannery Trio on Thursday, Aug. 29. The schedule includes world music from Zimbabwe, Ghana, Hawaii, Ireland and Nova Scotia, as well as classical, jazz and Americana music, modern and folk dance, and five family-friendly performances. For more information, visit the Weis Center website, view the season summary, and watch the promotional video. 

• Employees of GAF recently toured the Ronald McDonald House of Danville and made a donation towards RMHD’s Share-A-Night program, which helps families stay together at a time when they need each other most. GAF’s donation will sponsor a family for five nights at the RMHD. Additionally, some GAF employees will also be volunteering during the Little League World Series to assist in parking vehicles for RMHD’s fundraiser with Beiter’s Home Center (see below for information if you’re interested in volunteering to help with this fundraiser).

• Commonwealth Health Berwick Hospital Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check mark for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital Certification. The hospital recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review by the Joint Commission. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with related certification standards including program management, supporting self-management, and delivering and facilitating clinical care. Joint Commission standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews. Berwick Hospital Center is also part of the Jefferson Neuroscience Network, a collaboration that uses telemedicine technology to provide local patients with access to Jefferson Health’s comprehensive stroke program and an immediate link to the top neuroscience specialists in the country. The Jefferson Neuroscience Network connects community hospitals with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, providing around-the-clock access to neuroscience specialists and further advancing Commonwealth Health’s stroke care in the region.

• The Bucknell University Small Business Development Center invites interested businesses in need of website development to connect with Bucknell students in the “Markets, Innovation, and Design 300” class in the Freeman College of Management. Each semester, these students make websites free of charge for local small businesses. These projects provide a hands-on learning experience for the students while bringing new ideas to these organizations. In early September, the students will be introduced to this assignment and divided into teams. Then the teams will have the liberty to choose with which businesses and organizations they would like to work. By early October, each student team will meet with their client to learn about the specific needs and goals of the organization and the purpose that the site should serve. Over the course of the semester, the students will then design and build the website with an online website software program, incorporating text and photographs provided by the organization. If your business or organization is in need of a website, or if it would benefit from a redesigned site, then please fill out this online form by Aug. 15 to ensure your organization is considered. Additional information is available on this form. 

• Each year at the Little League World Series, Beiter’s Home Center, located right across the street from the Little League Complex in South Williamsport, allows a nonprofit organization to manage its parking lot, with the nonprofit keeping the proceeds from the parking fees. For the next two years beginning with next month’s event, Beiter’s has selected the Ronald McDonald House of Danville to be the nonprofit beneficiary. RMHD is in need of several volunteers to help run and manage the parking lot for the entirety of the event, which runs Aug. 15-25. There are several shifts available on each day of the event. If you would be interested in volunteering at the LLWS to help benefit the RMHD, please call Michael Jacobs at 570-214-1792 for more information. Volunteers must be 18 or older. 

• Wild For Salmon will holds its annual Fishtival on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at its retail store at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11) in Bloomsburg. The annual event, which welcomes back the fishermen from a successful fishing season in Alaska, features an assortment of delicious dishes with the signature sockeye salmon and other fish and seafood, as well as several other vendors. There is no cost to attend. 

• Camp Victory will host its annual Community Open House on Sunday, Sept. 8, from 12-3 p.m. This free afternoon of family fun includes its rock climbing wall, zip line and paddle boats on the pond as well as hot dogs, ice cream, drinks, an arts and crafts project, a moon bounce, wagon rides and live music. at 1 p.m., there will also be a ribbon cutting to celebrate the recent expansion of the Welcome Center. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has recently announced the opening of an application period for the Small Business Advantage grant program, according to Senator John R. Gordner (R-27).

Eligible projects include adopting or acquiring equipment or processes that reduce energy use or pollution, including boiler or HVAC upgrades, high-efficiency LED lighting and waste recycling systems.  Eligible entities include farmers and Pennsylvania-based small business owners with 100 or fewer full-time employees.  Applicants can apply for 50 percent matching funds of up to $7,000.

“I encourage farmers and small business owners in my district to take advantage of this program,” said Senator Gordner.  “These funds will allow businesses to upgrade their facilities while becoming more environmentally friendly at the same time.”

A total of $1 million will be available through this program until April 12, 2020 or until funds run out, whichever comes first. To be eligible, costs must be incurred between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.

Complete application packets and more information about the program are available on the DEP Small Business Ombudsman page at the DEP website. For questions or application assistance, please contact the Small Business Ombudsman’s office by phone at 717-772-5160 or by email.

More than 400 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and our region. Increased membership allows us to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities. The Chamber welcomes its newest member, Mathias Educational Leadership Consulting, LLC, to help us fulfill our mission.

Mathias Educational Leadership Consulting is a new consulting business founded by Harry Mathias, the former Superintendent of the Central Columbia School District and a former Chamber board member. It works with school district administrators and school boards to help optimize their working relationships in order to provide an opportunity for the school district and all of the individuals that make it up – administrators, faculty, students and staff – to reach their full potential. MELC also can provide assistance with special projects that come up that require an outside consultant, including support in setting up foundations and with fund raising efforts. It is located in Bloomsburg and can be reached at 570-380-0481, or by email. 

Chamber members had an opportunity to learn more about Hope Enterprises and the work it does in Columbia and Montour Counties on behalf of the people it serves — adults with disABILITIES — at the Chamber’s July Business After Hours, which was hosted by Hope at its Danville office. Attendees enjoyed food and drinks, including a cake donated by fellow member Danville Pharmacy, while connecting with several Hope staff members from the area. 

Hope, which has now been in the Danville and surrounding areas for 12 years, also established a separate employment services arm last year, called MaxWorx, which works directly with local employers to place its clients into task-appropriate jobs. It offers custodial and industrial services such as light manufacturing, packaging, bulk mailings, fulfillment and more. For more information, or to see if MaxWorx might be able to help your company fulfill its employee needs, call 272-202-4435 or visit MaxWorx’ website. 

Business After Hours provide regular opportunities to build business relationships while learning about the services offered by other Chamber members. The next Business After Hours will be held at Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, located at 549 Fair St., Bloomsburg, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

From ChamberChoice

Employers and employees alike experience the headache and often significant financial surprise medical bills (balance billing from an in-network facility where the patient unknowingly receives care from out-of-network providers) present. While some states ban the practice, employers who sponsor or participate in self-funded medical coverage are generally not covered by these laws.

Surprise medical billing has become a rare bipartisan concern in Washington, and draft legislation was issued in fall of 2018 that would cover both insured and selffunded health plans. While already a relatively popular cause for health care reform advocates and subject to some news coverage, surprise medical billing received even more attention after President Trump’s May 9th, 2019 speech on surprise billing. President Trump called on Congress to enact legislation ending the practice and outlined a set of principles to be incorporated into any legislation that might eventually reach the Oval Office.

The White House’s priorities include eliminating surprise medical bills for patients visiting a hospital they believe is in-network facility where they are ultimately treated by a provider that is out-of-network. Also affected would be patients visiting an apparently innetwork for elective procedures where they are treated by out-of-network. Some of the Trump Administration’s principles do conflict with the earlier proposed legislation, including restricting binding between providers and insurers in cases where they cannot agree on the payment amount and where the patient would ordinarily face a balance or “surprise” bill.

On May 23, 2019, the Senate Health Committee proposed a new bipartisan bill called the Lower Health Care Costs Act (“LCCA”). In addition to addressing surprise medical billing, this bill addresses other healthcare cost issues including prescription drug costs and healthcare service pricing transparency. Specific proposals in this bill related to surprise billing include:

• Out-of-network providers at in-network facilities are required to accept in-network rates
• Prices for emergency services at out-of-network facilities benchmarked at median regional contract rate
• Arbitration between insurer/payer and hospital when patient receives surprise bill over $750

Given that there are already distinctions between the LCCA and the Trump Administration’s wish list for surprise billing legislation, the final version of the LCCA (assuming it reaches a vote in either chamber of Congress) will almost certainly look different. And major cost concerns including exorbitant air and ground ambulance costs, and a lack of participating providers in a given network, are still not addressed by any pending legislation or Administration proposal. Employers should monitor these developments over the coming months and years to see what relief, if any, they and their employees can expect related to surprise medical bills.

This article gives a basic overview of recent regulation as in effect on the date of the article. Please be aware that the determination of the requirements and the application of these rules to each employer may differ due to a number of variables. Nothing in this newsletter should be construed as legal advice.

Commonwealth Health – Berwick Hospital Center opened a new walk-in clinic on July 18 and less than a week later on July 24, held a ribbon cutting for the new service, which is available at its West Front St. clinic in Berwick. Open 8 am – 8 pm Monday-Saturday, the clinic does not require appointments and treats things like cold/flu, abrasions, allergies and other minor issues that require medical attention but don’t rise to the level of requiring an emergency room visit.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in an overwhelming 419-6 vote in favor of the Middle Class Health Benefits Tax Repeal Act of 2019.  Supported by the PA Chamber and a broad-based nationwide coalition, the bipartisan legislation aims to repeal an impending 40 percent tax on employer-provided health care.  Dubbed the “Cadillac Tax,” this component of the Affordable Care Act has been delayed by Congress twice; however, the policy has contributed to deductibles increasing 89 percent while wage growth has remained comparatively flat.

In early June, the PA Chamber was among the signatories on a letter to Congress urging support for the bill, largely due to its impact on the nation’s middle class population.  “While this tax was intended to only hit Americans with ‘gold-plated’ plans, the reality is that very modest plans covering low-and moderate-income working families are projected to trigger the tax,” the national coalition of business, chamber and insurance groups wrote. 

The legislation, HR 748, now awaits consideration in the U.S. Senate.