2011 Washington Health Benefits Survey

Have you ever asked yourself the following questions?

•  How do my employee benefits compare to other employers in Washington?
• What types of things are employers doing in this health care reform era?
• Are my wellness and disease management plans on par with my peers?
• What is the prevalence of high-deductible health plans in my area?
• What cost control strategies have other employers been using?

At The Unity Group, we are continually hearing these types of questions from our employee benefits clients. With this in mind, we have selected a highly-respected actuarial consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive survey of employer-sponsored benefit plans.

The more participants, the better results. So The Unity Group is opening this survey to businesses in Washington State with 50 or more employees.

As a participant, you will receive an Individual Custom Report (ICR) showing your plan(s) benchmarked to others locally and nationally over the last two years covering the following:

• Deductibles
• Office Visit Copayments
• Retail Prescription Drug Copayments
• Medical Plan Cost Increases
• Monthly Premiums (Single/Family)
• Monthly Employee Contributions (%) (Single/Family)
• Wellness
• Benefits Offered

This report will give you a great base to compare your plan to others in the market.

This service is provided at no cost to you. You will also receive an invitation to participate in an interactive seminar presentation of the survey results this Fall.

Your information will remain private. We take your privacy very seriously and take every precaution to ensure your trust is not violated. Your aggregated and de‐identified when shared publicly. Additionally, all information sent through the Internet is secured through password protection and firewall security.

If you are interested in participating in this survey please email your request to theunitygroup@theunitygroup.com or call 360-734-8025 ext 229.

Health Savings Accounts

With health care costs in the U.S. continuing to more then double the rate of inflation, alternative solutions to standard health care plans are becoming more popular.  One potential solution is the implementation of a Health Savings Account (HSA) Program. 

HSAs are savings accounts owned by an individual employee.  Funds can be used to pay for current and future medical expenses.  These accounts can be funded by the employer, the employee or both.  Deposited funds are tax deferred, roll over from year to year, and can be withdrawn without penalty at the age of 65.

There are many advantages to HSAs for both the employer and employee.  As a leading provider of Employee Benefits in Washington State, The Unity Group has developed a specialized product for this money saving alternative to traditional heath care plans.

Many of our clients have realized these benefits.  Even if you are not a client we recommend that you learn more about HSAs as a possible solution to keep your Employee Benefits' costs down.

If you are interested in learning more about HSAs please join us for one of our HSA 101 workshops.  To attend, please email your request to amandab@theunitygroup.com and you will receive an invitation to our next session.

Simple Steps to Avoid Cybercrime

Identity theft. Computer viruses. Phishing. And at a corporate level, computer hacking of customer databases. Most people are aware of these potential cyber threats and protect themselves and their PCs with anti-spyware and anti-virus software such as Norton or McAfee programs. As an business owner, you should be aware of the fact that cybercrime is becoming more and more sophisticated and not only targets consumers and large corporations, but small to medium-sized businesses as well. Single programs against these intrusions are not enough.

Take the first steps to help prevent fraud by learning about the latest cybercrimes and how intruders can access a business’s computer network. Then proactively employ the most up-to-date online security practices possible.  While no tools or automated software is 100% effective, using a multiple vendor, multi-layer approach to system design can significantly reduce your chances of being a victim of cybercrime. To assess the risks associated with a cyber intrusion of your business’ online systems and critical client data, ask:

1. Does your business have a hardware based firewall at the network level?
2. Does the network firewall include anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-spam services, along with content filtering and intrusion prevention, detection and real-time reporting?
3. At the individual PC level, does each computer have centrally updated and monitored anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-spam software loaded?
4. Are your computers set up to automatically update your operating system and applications for the latest available security and critical updates?
5. Do you consider your browser security setting to determine how much or how little information the browser can accept from, or transmit to, a website?
6. Does your business have a security policy in place that includes such policies as disaster recovery, use/storage of passwords, use of social media on work computers, etc.?
7. Does your business back-up critical files in case of an issue that disables your systems?
8. Has your business identified an individual to review security policies and practices on an ongoing basis?
9. Are you aware of the laws governing the protection of personal information in your state?
10. Do you have cybercrime insurance to protect your data and liability exposure in the event of an intrusion?
11. Does your business have a training program to educate employees on best practices to avoid becoming a victim?
12. Does your online banking system provide multiple layers of security tools to prevent intrusions into the system such as token-based authentication? Business principals should consider the types of transactions they conduct within online banking and check with their banking institution for available security enhancements.

These are just some of the basic steps a business can implement to assess and protect itself from cybercrime. It is recommended to have a certified information technician, specializing in network security conduct an evaluation. This evaluation will help you to identify the next steps in securing your network and data from unauthorized access and distribution

Seabear Company Honors The Unity Group with the 2011 Partner of the Year Award

Each year Seabear Company asks employees to nominate partner companies they work with in any capacity for their Partner of the Year award.   The Unity Group was chosen for this award which recognizes a company they feel has best helped them to achieve their company's goals.  

"I am thrilled to tell you that The Unity Group was selected for this award in recognition of all the great work they have done for us on both the benefits and risk management sides of our business, continuously improving the plans while at the same time helping us control the costs." said Michael Mondello, President of SeaBear Company,  "Great job and THANK YOU!"

United Way Honors The Unity Group with Spirit of the United Way Award

United Way of Whatcom County celebrated another successful campaign year by raising over $2.045 million the 3^rd largest amount in United Way of Whatcom County’s history.  The goal was $2 million. 

“The results speak for themselves. We had a really good campaign this year, and the community really stepped up,” said Peter Theisen, President of United Way of Whatcom County.  “Demand for services is at an all-time high and state funding is under pressure, so it’s nice that we can fill in the gap.”

At the April 21st Awards Banquet, a total of 26 organizations were honored with awards for exceptional participation and contributions.  The Unity Group was awarded the "Spirit of the United Way" award for the fifth consecutive year by earning a record contribution amount of $25,621 ($700 more than last year's contribution).

Texting & Driving Don't Mix

According to the Senate Bill 6345 both cell phone use and text messaging without a hands free device while driving is a primary offence.  This means that an officer of the law has the ability to issue a ticket to a driver solely on the observation of illegal cell phone use.  With fines starting at $124, text messaging is not only dangerous but expensive.

However, even with the new law, distracted driving continues to be a serious issue.  Text messaging has been noted to have the same effect as driving intoxicated when it comes to increasing the chances of an accident while behind the wheel.

In a fast paced word of email, social media sites, and texting, businesses must consider the increased exposure to an insurance claim as workers continue to use these forms of communication while on the go. 

Has your company established a policy on texting?  If not, a written procedure should be implemented and thorough with clear standards covering how texting can be used by your staff.  It may be a convenient form of communication but not safe if taken to the road. 

Briefing your staff on the dangers of texting while driving is a good practice to spread awareness to be more alert on and off the clock.  In February of this year, a company driver experienced the tragedy of a head-on crash with another driver, who was texting.  To see the full story by King 5 News click here. 

Whether on company time or a trip for groceries, texting and driving don't mix.  You owe it to yourself to practice safe driving and to encourage others to do the same.  Not only is it smart, but it's Washington law. 

Insurance Implications of Japan's Earthquake

The earthquake in Japan could cause higher prices in the insurance market according to an analysis released by AIR Worldwide.  The insurance cost of the quake totaled almost as much as the entire worldwide catastrophe loss for the global insurance industry in 2010.  Property losses alone are estimated at nearly $35 billion. 

This assumption is supported by a report released by Standard and Poor's which stated that worldwide catastrophic events in 2011 may drain enough of the excess capital in the reinsurance and insurance markets to "spark a tightening of premium rates for many types of coverage."

Less than 50% of Japan's insureds have earthquake insurance.  Many small to medium-sized businesses are completely uninsured.  Ultimately the insured losses will depend on the layers of the complicated Japanese market. Residential earthquake risk is covered by government reinsurance, but commercial risks are not (Moody's).

Japan's domestic insurance and reinsurance markets will carry the brunt of the losses, with economic losses that will likely exceed $100 billion.  Insured losses from the disaster are estimated to be between $12 billion and $25 billion (EQECAT).