Author: D&S Agency

  • Transparency Rules Require Plan Sponsors to Act Now Before July 1 Deadline | VA Benefits Advisors

    The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury (the Departments) released Transparency in Coverage (TiC) rules in late 2020 that will require fully insured and self-funded plan sponsors of non-grandfathered group health plans to make important disclosures about in-network and out-of-network rates beginning July 1, 2022. To be ready to meet that deadline,…

  • Mental Health is Wealth, So Start Saving Up Now! | Virginia Benefits Group

    “Suck it up,” “cheer up,” “snap out of it,” “but you don’t look sick”- these are just some of the phrases that well-meaning friends and family tell loved ones struggling with mental health issues. Research shows that one in five adults struggle with mental health conditions.  Mental health struggles include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia,…

  • 401k Pointers by Bill Kite | VA Employee Benefits Consultants

    Is this year 2000 or 2008 revisited? Whenever there are significant corrections on Wall Street we all get nervous about being in the market.  This time, compounded by higher inflation, we want to remind everyone not to make foolish moves and to utilize every available opportunity.  This is a strange time with market decreases, real…

  • What is Mental Health and Wellness in HR? | Virginia Employee Benefits Advisors

    Mental health and wellness in HR are becoming top priorities for employers. In fact, HR leaders named mental health and wellbeing as their third biggest problem, behind the labor shortage and retaining talent, in the latest HR Exchange Network State of HR report. In addition, those surveyed also said burnout was the top consequence of the…

  • The 4 W’s of Lifestyle Benefits | Virginia Employee Benefits Agency

    Com­pet­i­tive wages are no longer enough to sat­is­fy and sup­port val­ued employ­ees. Today, a vari­ety of ben­e­fits and perks play an essen­tial role in attract­ing and retain­ing talent. Lifestyle benefits, sometimes referred to as employee perks, are non-salary benefits given to employees to improve their overall lifestyle that go above and beyond standard medical, dental and…

  • 5 Tips to Save Money on Health Care: Part 1 | VA Employee Benefits Consultants

    Health insurance is essential to protecting your health but the high cost of coverage may leave you feeling sick.  Even after employers pick up a substantial amount of the cost, every year Americans spend thousands of dollars on healthcare while costs are continuing to rise. By taking certain steps, you can stretch your healthcare dollars…

  • As Cybercriminals Act More Like Businesses, Insurers Must Think More Like Criminals | Virginia Benefits Agents

    Cybersecurity is no longer an emerging risk but a clear and present one for organizations of all sizes, panelists on a panel at Triple-I’s Joint Industry Forum (JIF) said. This is due in large part to the fact that cybercriminals are increasingly thinking and behaving like businesspeople. “We’ve seen a large increase in ransomware attacks for the…

  • What Employees Want: Hybrid Work and Flexibility | VA Benefits Firm

    2021 was quittin’ time in America.  Last year alone over 47.4 million Americans quit their jobs. This year, employees seemingly have the upper hand against employers.  The Turnover Tsunami, a.k.a. The Great Resignation, has forced a reckoning with the workplace and few employers have come away unscathed.  Organizations are now shifting priorities to make employee…

  • Generational Myths Part 2: Millennials | VA Employee Benefits Agents

    Today’s offices potentially span five full generations ranging from Generation Z to the Silent Generation. A coworker could just as easily be raised with a smart phone in hand as they could have used a typewriter at their first job. Some see differences between generational colleagues as an annoyance (“kids these days!”) and many rely…

  • Understanding Your EOB | Virginia Benefits Team

    Let’s say that you visited the doctor and you are wondering how much that visit is going to cost.  A short while later, you receive something in the mail that looks like a bill – and even says “amount you owe” at the bottom.  However, it doesn’t have a return envelope or tear-off portion for…