As we enter a new fiscal quarter, we read an article in Employee Benefit News
entitled “Employers identify barriers to private exchange adoption” and are
wondering how many of these issues are also issues for you.

According to the article:
1. “[E]mployers are interested in how private exchanges will help them maintain
a competitive, yet cost-effective, benefits package;”

2. Employers are “also seeking information on the tax implications;”

3. Employers are looking for information on “how to communicate plan changes and
increased responsibilities to their employees;”

4. “[E]mployers are concerned about the business of administering private health
care benefit exchanges;” and

5. [E]mployers are waiting until they are confident in their sustainable bottom-line
value before adopting a private exchange approach.”

What about your employer?
Have they shared their concerns with you?
Do they have concerns that were not addressed above?
Do you have similar concerns as an employee?

A related article, published by Employee Benefits Adviser, lists
“8 private exchange considerations,” specifically:
1. Factors to consider when “deciding whether to switch your employees to a private
exchange…including current plan design, demographics and wages of the workforce
and the state of the industry you’re operating in;”

2. Understand the offerings in the marketplace before considering a transition to
exchanges including the “industry issuers, regional differences in qualified health
plan offerings, depth of Qualified Health Plan (QHP) networks, and costs to employees
of existing coverage;”

3. “If the employer does transition to an exchange, it is still important to provide
continuing education and services to assist employees/plan members and perhaps even
offer ancillary/wrap benefits. In other words, the plan sponsor’s role isn’t over;”

4. “It is important to educate employees/members on the Affordable Care Act” and
their related exchanges;

5. Send easy to understand noticed to accompany the “model notices from the Department
of Labor” as they “can be (quite) confusing;”

6. Even though there are published public surveys stating that most employees have had
a favorable experience with the public exchanges, it is important to survey your employees
to best “gauge (their) understanding of the ACA as it pertains to your (specific) health
plan offerings and to determine their (specific) priorities and needs;”

7. “Consider hiring full-time staff to act as private navigators/application assistors;” and

8. “Use outside vendors to communicate with employees on marketplace offerings –
but beware of hidden brokerage fees and commissions.”

If you would like our help in communicating with you and your employees about the
possibility of switching to a public exchange in the next few years, please complete
the confidential form below, or call us at 877.789.5831 and one of our experts will
be happy to assist you right away!