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Warner Pacific Parent Company Completes Acquisition of Foster Benefit Resources

August 4th, 2023 in Agent Broker Broadcast Employer

Acquisition enables NR West to strengthen its presence in North Texas,
bringing best-in-class services to the brokers across the region

NR West, the parent company of The Insurance Exchange, a premier Dallas-based General Agency, today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Foster Benefit Resources, a full-service General Agency specializing in fully insured and self-funded employee benefits in the North Texas area.

Foster Benefits has a history of providing superior service to its clients through its dedicated team, a majority of whom have a tenure of 10+ years. Moving forward, brokers can continue to expect the same industry-leading service and expertise, along with expanded resources and employer-benefit solutions.

“Foster Benefits has established itself as a staple General Agency in the North Texas market and is well-known for being deeply ingrained in large regional associations and the community at-large,” said John Walker, President at The Insurance Exchange. “Our partnership is a testament to Foster Benefits’ reputation, and we look forward to utilizing their 30+ years of experience and long-standing industry relationships to further strengthen our offerings in the region.”

Through this acquisition, The Insurance Exchange will leverage Foster Benefits’ strong presence in the North Texas area to deliver new tools and technologies to the broker and agency market while continuing to provide best-in-class services to their existing clientele.

“We are thrilled to welcome Foster Benefits, a firm with a long-standing commitment to delivering exceptional results, to the NR West family,” said John Nelson, Co-CEO of Warner Pacific. “Partnering with Foster Benefits enables us to pursue strategic opportunities aimed at providing our customers with an expanded range of high-quality services as we continue to innovate new products and scale our offerings.”

Kim Foster, who will be retiring as President of Foster Benefits, added: “As we enter the next phase in Foster Benefits’ evolution, we look forward to working with The Insurance Exchange to create new opportunities for the business and our representatives as we position ourselves as the provider of choice in the North Texas employee benefits industry.”

About Warner Pacific

With over $4 billion of in-force premiums, servicing more than 70,000 employers, Warner Pacific is a top-producing General Agency for many of the nation’s largest insurance carriers. Warner Pacific provides insurance brokers and agents in California, Colorado, Florida, Texas and Oklahoma with sales assistance, innovative technology and back-office service. To learn more about Warner Pacific, visit https://www.warnerpacific.com/.

About Foster Benefit Resources

Founded in 1990 by Stan Foster, and then most recently led by its President, Kim Foster, Foster Benefit Resources is a full-service General Agency marketing fully insured and level-funded employee benefits. Through an experienced team that is focused on guiding clients through a complicated industry and their relationships with carrier partners, Foster Benefits offers organizations the ability to free up resources to continue growing their business.

To learn more about Foster Benefit Resources, visit https://www.fosterbenefits.com/.

Media Contact

Julia Kaufman
jkaufman@prosek.com
(646) 916-1156

UnitedHealthcare Level Funded and Fully Insured Updates

June 28th, 2023 in Agent Broker Broadcast

  • Level Funded – UHC is no longer accepting old versions of the level-funded application – the latest 5 health question app must be used. 
  • Level Funded – All Texas Enrollment Packages have been updated.
    • New Billing & Collection Agreement
    • 15 month rate guarantee option now available August through April
    • Contact me for other states enrollment package and underwriting checklist
  • Level Funded – TX Updated Underwriting Checklist – New Guidelines! Updated language for participation requirements and ineligible groups
  • PCORI – The amounts are now sent directly to the group
    • Reports were mailed to the groups June 15th
    • Not posted on uhceservices.com for the employer or broker
    • Your assigned Customer Service Account Manager is able to access it upon request 
  • Small Group Fully Insured – All groups with only 1 enrolled subscriber are now required to submit not only the latest wage & tax report, but also the previous calendar year’s 4 quarterly wage & tax reports.
  • Charter Torch – Improving network strength in rural areas
    • Baylor – Bosque – Coryell – Eastland – Titus
    • Wichita – Wilbarger -Young
  • New Vision Benefit Summaries
    • Benefit lens options now in body of summary

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.  We’re here to help!

Joe Sherman
972.404.2621 Office
jsherman@insxch.com

Jay Cooke
972.404.2605 Office
jcooke@insxch.com

Gina Escobar
972.983.9784 Cell
gescobar@insxch.com

2021 Texas Producer Performance Guide

April 28th, 2021 in Agent Broker Broadcast

UnitedHealthcare has released the Texas Producer Performance Guide for 2021.  Inside the guide, you will find updated medical base commissions for fully insured groups with up to 50 eligible employees will be effective 7/1/21.  Click the icon below and see page 7 for additional details regarding the change in commissions.

  2021 Texas Producer Performance Guide

For questions or additional details, please reach out to your TIE Sales Representative at 972.991.6500.

COBRA and American Rescue Plan Act and Premium Tax Credits

April 14th, 2021 in Agent Broker Broadcast

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) includes provision for a COBRA continuation coverage premium subsidy for individuals and families who experienced a loss in coverage due to select circumstances, like involuntary job loss or reduction of hours. 

UnitedHealthcare has released an overview of changes for brokers, the resource can be viewed here.

Please contact Stacey Priddy, TIE Director of Account Management, at 972.404.2611 with any questions.

UnitedHealthcare 1 – 50 Fully Insured Portfolio Updates

March 8th, 2021 in Agent Broker Broadcast

2021 Adjusted Community Rated Plans

  • 4 New Product Grids Across Texas – Simple to Multi-Choice
    • Charter Package (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, El Paso, Lubbock)
    • Core/Core Essential Package (TX Panhandle – Amarillo)
    • Nexus Package (CTX – Austin & San Antonio)
    • Core Package (available in remaining areas across TX)
  • Essential Prescription Drug List (PDL) is across all plans and packages

Plan Overview

  • Performance Plans – Top Selling Plans that provide up to 15% savings!
  • New Assured Plans – Premium Designation used in a new way to lower costs PPO/EPO network
  • Primary Advantage Plans – New $70 Specialist copay
  • High Deductible Health Plans (HSA) – All include motion!
  • Pair up our multiple network options (ChoicePlus, Choice, Navigate, Charter, Core, and Core Essential)

Grids

To eliminate delay in processing, please make sure to send all RFP requests directly to our rating department at rfp@insxch.com

UHC 2-50 Fully Insured Portfolio for January 1, 2021 – Available Now!

October 6th, 2020 in Agent Broker Broadcast

UnitedHealthcare’s 2-50 Fully Insured Portfolio for January 1, 2021 is now available to quote.

4 Packages Available Across Texas

Most Popular Plans & Networks Still Offered

  • PROFormance Plans – $10 or $15 PCP copays
  • Primary Advantage – $0 PCP copay for kids & adults (unlimited)
  • Assured Plans – Lower cost option utilizing Premium Designation program for tiered benefits
  • Charter/Navigate – HMO network options that have become a popular base plan option

Included benefits for Fully Insured plans at no additional COST:

  • Unlimited Virtual Visits at $0 for copay plans (Teladoc, AmWell, Doc on Demand)
  • $0 Kids PCP copay (available on all copay plans except Assured)
  • 3 Face to Face EAP Visits
  • Motion included on all High Deductible Health Plans (HSA) – Employees and Spouses can earn up to $1095 annually
  • Real Appeal – 52-week weight loss program with personalized 1‑on‑1 coaching & a Success Kit
  • Quit for Life – Tobacco Cessation program with digital and telephonic tools & resources

2021 PDL – Essential 4-Tier

CARES Act Resources

April 3rd, 2020 in Agent Broker Broadcast

In an effort to help small businesses understand the intricacies of the CARES Act and benefits available to them, the U.S Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship has created the following guide.

For more information, we encourage you to visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s dedicated page for Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources.

In addition to the above resource, we highly recommend visiting the U.S Treasury’s page on the CARES Act where you can find an overview of the Small Business Paycheck Protection Program and more.

As always, The Insurance Exchange is here for you and your clients. We are closely monitoring the constant changes and guidance provided by the U.S. government and our local carrier partners. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have.

UHC COVID-19 Update

March 25th, 2020 in Agent Broker Broadcast

The Insurance Exchange is committed to providing you with the most up to date information from UHC on COVID-19 as it becomes available.

UHC COVID-19 Special Enrollment Period Updated information:

The Special Enrollment period UHC is offering its clients has been extended from March 23rd to April 6, 2020, for a April 1, 2020 effective date.

All Savers is also offering this special enrollment period.

There are specific guidelines that will apply to the Special COVID-19 Enrollment Opportunity. Please refer to the link:  https://www.uhc.com/content/dam/uhcdotcom/en/B2B-Newsletters/b2b-pdf/covid-19/faqs-special_enrollment.pdf

UHC has provided the following broker resources to help keep up to date with information as it becomes available:

Please direct members to the following link as the above resources are not designed to be shared with members: (https://www.uhc.com/health-and-wellness/health-topics/covid-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Help Your Clients Prepare

March 10th, 2020 in Agent Broker Broadcast

With the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), many employers are desperately searching for guidance.  We have complied the information below in an effort to keep you informed.  The attached articles include recommended strategies from the CDC for employers

Interim Guidance for Businesses to Plan and Respond to COVID-19
This guide provides information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about how businesses and employers can plan for and respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Click Here

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Fact Sheet
This one-page fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides an overview of COVID-19 and coronaviruses in general. Click Here

2019 Broker Survival Guide

August 9th, 2019 in Agent Broker Broadcast

The 2019 4th Quarter Survival Guide for UnitedHealthcare and All Savers is here!  Product portfolios, value added benefit information, and much more are included in the pdf attached below.  If you have any questions, please contact your TIE Sales rep at 972.991.6500.

2019 Broker Survival Guide

All Savers 15-Month Rate Guarantee

July 15th, 2019 in Agent AllSavers Broker Broadcast

  • Available for 10/1, 11/1, 12/1, 1/1, 2/1, 3/1 and 4/1 effective dates!!
  • Same rates for either 12 months or 15 months
  • 15 Month rate guarantee is a 3 month contract followed by a 12 month contract
    • Example:  12/1s become 3/1’s
  • 15 Month Rate Guarantee Confirmation Form to be signed by the Broker and Employer

*Note:  Group forfeits surplus for the first 3 months

Reconciliation for the 15 months will follow the normal process from 2nd 12-month policy. Reconciliation rules still follow; the group has to be effective 3 months beyond the renewal date in order to be eligible for a potential surplus.  *See Chart above

Questions?  Please Contact:
Joe Sherman – 972.404.2621
Kevin Balkin – 972.404.2620
Amanda Wooldridge – 972.404.2619
Paula Johnson – 972.404.2623
Stacey Priddy – 972.404.2611

All Savers Portfolio Update 8/19

July 15th, 2019 in Agent Broker Broadcast

This All Savers portfolio update is effective 8/1/19:

  • PROFORMANCE Plans being added to All Savers
  • Most plans – $0 copay on kids 19 and under (similar to the UHC fully insured plans)
  • 15 month rate guarantee is available for groups with effective dates of 10/1/19 through 4/1/20 (no rate increase for choosing the 15 month option) **click here for details**
  • Navigate & Charter plans are now part of the All Savers portfolio (prior to this there were only PPO / EPO options) – make sure to ask your sales rep for specific details

You also have the option of having the Lab & X-rays being covered under the OV – Plans ending in e

OR

Lab & X-rays being subject to the deductible and coinsurance – Plans ending in LX (roughly a 5 – 7% savings)

We have attached the new plan grid as well as the popular “Why All Savers” brochure below .  Please remember we can enroll All Savers groups with a minimum of 5 EEs enrolling.

UHC AHPs on Hold Pending Appeal Decision

May 9th, 2019 in Agent Broker Broadcast

Effective May 7, 2019, UnitedHealthcare made the decision to place AHP quoting on hold pending the appeal decision by the court.  

If you have already received an existing New Rule AHP employer participant quote, UnitedHealthcare will honor the quote and will continue to install previously sold employer participant groups.

Employees and their covered dependents of previously enrolled employer participant groups may continue to enroll in coverage consistent with the terms and conditions of the policy. 

This action does NOT impact trade-based Old Rule bona fide employer AHPs that met the requirements in effect prior to the 2018 DOL Final Rule. The decision only affects geography-based New Rule AHPs.

Click here for more information from UHC

UHC 2019 Texas Producer Performance Guide

December 13th, 2018 in Agent Broker Broadcast

UnitedHealthcare’s 2019 Producer Performance Guide has been released.  The Performance Guide contains information regarding the medical and specialty commissions, bonuses, and UnitedHealthcare’s policies.  If you have any questions, please contact your sales rep at 972.991.6500.

UHC 2019 Texas Producer Performance Guide  

2018 AllSavers 15-Month Rate Guarantee

November 26th, 2018 in Agent Broker Broadcast

Give your clients the gift of a 15-month rate guarantee!  All Savers is offering a 15-month rate guarantee for new and select renewing groups with 12/1 and 1/1 effective dates, at no additional cost!  That’s right, the rates for the 15-month are the same as the 12-month option.

With this 15-month rate guarantee:

Effective Date  Renewal Date
12/1/2018 3/1/2020
1/1/2019 4/1/2020

It’s a win-win!  Your groups will enjoy the peace of mind of a 15-month rate guarantee and you’ll be moving business from your busiest time of the year!

Groups are required to sign a 12-month or 15-month attestation form for Dec. 1 and Jan. 1 effective dates.

All Savers 15-Month Rate Guarantee

Questions?  Please Contact:
Joe Sherman – 972.404.2621
Kevin Balkin – 972.404.2620
Amanda Wooldridge – 972.404.2619
Paula Johnson – 972.404.2623
Stacey Priddy – 972.404.2611

Association Health Plans (AHPs) Plans Are Here!!

October 19th, 2018 in Agent Broker Broadcast

Hopefully you were able to attend the UHC rollout of the AHP plans yesterday in Irving.  If you were not able to attend, there is some very exciting news about AHPs being rolled out by UHC.  Quoting for these plans should start very soon.  Great News! You don’t have to worry about doing any extra work to get an AHP quote for your groups.  As always, we at the Insurance Exchange are looking out for our agents’ best interests and ways to improve our service to you.  We have already looked at all quote requests for 12/1 and 1/1 effective dates and pulled the groups that could benefit from the AHPs to send up for quoting once the process begins.

All new quote requests for groups between 5 and 50 employees with an ATNE (Average Total Number of Employees) under 50 will also be sent an AHP quote.  Please be aware that the turnaround time on these quotes will be a little longer than our normal time for UHC fully insured and All Savers proposals.  Due to the slower turn around, you will receive your UHC and All Savers quotes first and then the AHP quote will follow a few days later.

AHP will not be a fit for every group due to the factors that go into rating these groups, but UHC believes it will be a good fit for about 50% of the groups in small business.  Just because AHP doesn’t work for one group doesn’t mean that it won’t work for the next.  If you have any questions, please contact your TIE Sales Rep.

New All Savers Plans!

June 21st, 2017 in Agent Broker Broadcast

New All Savers plans for 8/1 effective dates have been released!  Highlights and grids are listed below:

AllSavers

  • 54 plans have been discontinued
  • 42 new plan designs
  • 4 HSA plans with RX copays after deductible (RX10)
  • 8 HSA plans with Medical and RX copays after deductible — Up to a 20% savings!!!
  • 12 Copay plans with ER copay+ded+coinsurance (NEW BENEFIT!)
  • 12 Primary Focus Plans
  • 6 Flex Focus Plans

New Primary Focus Plans – Provides up to 18% savings!!

  • Unlimited $0 PCP copays – OBGYN is considered PCP
  • Healthiest You Virtual Care $0 copay
  • $0 Tier 1 RX coverage
  • 4 Tier RX card with $250 Deductible on tier 3 and 4 only
  • Includes Motion to help enrolled Employees & Spouses each earn up to $1095 annually!!

New Flex Focus Plans – Provides up to 18% savings!!

  • 3 Office Visits – $0 OV copay (PCP or Specialist)
  • 2 Urgent Care Visits – $0 UC copay
  • Healthiest You Virtual Care $0 copay
  • Standard drug card
  • Includes Motion to help enrolled Employees & Spouses each earn up to $1095 annually!!

 All Savers Plan Grid

We are currently working to re-quote all prior 8/1 and 9/1 quote requests.

1/1 Rates Available Now

September 23rd, 2016 in Agent Broker Broadcast

January 1, 2017 rates are now available to quote!  The plan grids are much easier to read this year with all options on 4 pages for all 3 packages.  Reminder: Groups can offer as many plans as they wish; however, all plans must be in the same package.

One change for 2017 that you will notice is that lab and x-rays on some of the value plans are now covered under the office visit copay.  This is an enriched benefit from last year, making UnitedHealthcare plans one of the most enriched benefit plans in the 1 to 50 market.  Don’t forget the virtual office visits are included with every plan as well.

Below you will also find some additional highlights for 2017 from UnitedHealthcare:

January 1, 2017 Plan Portfolio now available to quote your 1-50 ATNE groups  [Plan Grid]
Effective today, we can now quote our new 2017 plan portfolio for your 1-50  ATNE (average total number of employees) groups with UnitedHealthcare. Attached is the new portfolio which has been updated to reflect all 3 available packages on one document. You will see that some plans are still in our portfolio, but others have been removed to remain in compliance with the metallic levels set for 2017. The plan portfolio continues to include Premier, Premier Value, FlexFree, Navigate, HSA & HRA plans. Remember that you can pair any number of plans together as long as they are all in the same package!!

Select Designated Pharmacy Program Sunsetting Jan. 1, 2017
As part of our continued commitment to providing value to our clients, we have decided that as of 1/1/17, we will no longer offer the Select Designated Pharmacy program (SDP). Developed in 2009, the SDP program was designed to encourage members who are on select high cost (non-specialty) medications to save money by switching to home delivery, lower cost options or do both. Each option had a different savings potential, but the member needed to choose one of the options to continue receiving network benefits. Through our recent in-depth review, prompted in part by new health care reform regulations for 2017, we have decided that in order to align with changes in the marketplace, we will concentrate on programs such as the Step Therapy program to encourage the use of lower cost drugs and the Mail Service Member Select program to support use of the most efficient delivery channel.

Existing members will not receive any communication after 11/1/2016 about the SDP program because no action is required on their part. They will continue to receive their medications as they have in the past.

Important Jan. 1, 2017, PDL and Pharmacy Benefit Updates  [2017 UHC PDL] [2017 4-tier PDL]
UnitedHealthcare updates its Prescription Drug List (PDL) on Jan. 1 and July 1. By making updates twice a year, we are able to keep pace with current market trends, price changes and new clinical information. We are pleased to share our PDL and pharmacy benefit updates for January 1, 2017 with you. Please see attached PDLs for both our 3 tier and 4 tier drug plans. Members will receive a letter 30-60 days prior to the effective date. You can also encourage them to visit myuhc.com to find lower-cost medications with greater health care value.


Fillable PDF Member Enrollment Forms Available for Open Enrollment
[EE Enrollment Form] [ Spanish]

We live in a digital age, and Open Enrollment should be no different. UnitedHealthcare’s new fillable PDF member enrollment forms allow Small Business customers to have technology at their fingertips. Using these forms not only saves time, it also helps avoid potential errors in enrollment by taking out the guesswork, thus creating a more efficient process overall. Please see attached English and Spanish PDF applications attached. Remember for installation, we still accept our enrollment census in lieu of individual applications.

AllSavers available for groups down to 5

August 16th, 2016 in Agent Broker Broadcast

AllSavers ASO now available for groups down to 5 employees

AllSavers is now allowing groups down to 5 eligible with a minimum of 5 enrolling. This is going into effect for 10/1/16 and will be available to quote tomorrow, Wednesday, August 17, 2016.

11/1 and 12/1 Quoting

August 10th, 2016 in Agent Broker Broadcast

We are now quoting group sizes 2 – 50 for 11/1 & 12/1 effective dates, send your RFPs in today to rfp@insxch.com.

All Saver’s 7/1 PDL changes

April 15th, 2016 in Agent Broker Broadcast

Updates to All Saver’s prescription benefits are coming soon.  Every All Savers group will be impacted by the upcoming PDL changes on 7/1, regardless of renewal date.  Below you will find an overview of the upcoming changes.  If you have any current All Savers groups or are working to enroll an All Savers group, please send them this overview so they are aware of the upcoming changes.  If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your TIE representative at 972-991-6500.  7/1 AllSavers 4-tier Advantage PDL Update Flyer