America's Benefit Specialist October 2023

PRODUCT NEWS

Brokers can quote the dental and vision plans alongside a broad range of The Hartford’s group and supplemental health benefits through the company’s online quoting plat form, RTQi. Key features include: • a choice of four dental and six vision plans • fast quotes, with most completed in under 10 minutes • implementation and enrollments completed within five business days or less through the online portal • access to the Beam Perks program that offers incentives for consistent dental habits with a rewards program for members In addition, Beam has added The Hartford’s group in come-protection benefits to its suite of products. Beam Dis ability provided by The Hartford is now available for quoting in five states, with additional states to follow. WELLABE LAUNCHES FIRST PRODUCT UNDER ITS NEW BRAND Wellabe recently launched a short-term care insurance plan that is underwritten by Medico Insurance Company and available in 10 states—Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michi gan, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Wellabe is the Des Moines, Iowa-based insurer previously known as American Enterprise Group. Short-term care insurance offers coverage for extend ed care in the home or in a facility. It covers both medical and non-medical help. Policyholders select a daily benefit amount for up to 360 days of care, and the plan pays a full cash benefit for each day care is received. Wellabe’s new product is home healthcare based with the option to add additional benefit periods for care received in a facility, like a nursing home or assisted living facility, and it has the option to add coverage for days spent in an adult day care for those needing minimal assistance in a group setting. “We sought feedback from our distribution partners,” says Erin Bueltel, director of product solutions at Wellabe. “What we heard is home healthcare coverage as the base was important while adding in facility care, all at different benefit levels so customers can use them when they need them.” The product was designed with reflexive health questions that place applicants into the various plan levels. The only individuals not eligible to receive a policy are those who are currently receiving care. “Our short-term care insurance is set up with a lot of flexibility to choose what works best for customers,” Bueltel says. “People can also apply with their spouse to ensure care is available in case something happens to one of them, and they will receive a generous household discount to make it more affordable.” Wellabe’s short-term care insurance plan also offers a multi-policy discount for Medicare Supplement insurance

complementing other health benefits to help organizations create a comprehensive culture of health. “Health and wellbeing are often determined by what happens outside of a clinic or a hospital. By offering LSAs, we’re supporting businesses that want to help influence health beyond traditional medical and dental benefits,” said Jennifer Danielson, chief health plan officer at HealthPart ners. “These spending accounts can also help organizations sharpen their competitive edge so that they’re recruiting and retaining employees who are looking for a well-rounded set of benefits.” Unlike other common spending accounts, which often have maximum and minimum employer contribution, LSAs are post-tax without restrictions on employer contributions. By electing to offer the spending account through its health plan, an employer can improve employee experience and re duce confusion about which organizations employees need to work with for their health expenses. The eligible expenses can be tailored by employers to meet the needs of their employee populations. Examples of eligi ble expenses include: Physical wellbeing: Gym memberships, new running shoes, subscription to healthy meal kit services, race entry fees or fitness event registration fees Financial wellbeing: financial planning seminars, identity theft services, supplemental health products Emotional wellbeing: Non-medical counseling, spiritual retreats, state parks passes, sporting licenses The spending accounts will be available to fully insured and self-insured employers of any size. For more information, visit healthpartners.com. THE HARTFORD ENHANCES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH BEAM BENEFITS The Hartford is enhancing its benefit options for small busi nesses with dental and vision plans through a new relation ship with Beam Benefits. Brokers can integrate dental and vision benefits with The Hartford’s group income protection (also known as disability) and life insurance to develop com petitive benefits packages for small employers with fewer than 100 employees. “We are making it easier for smaller employers who may not have the support of human resource departments to access the highest quality employee benefits in one place,” said Karen Raftery, head of priority business for group ben efits at The Hartford. “The Hartford is dedicated to helping our broker partners design comprehensive benefit packages that help small business owners care for their employees and attract and retain talent in this competitive market.”

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