The recent months of shutdowns, social distance and safety concerns have prompted people and businesses alike to rethink countless activities from grocery shopping to health benefit planning. As employers look toward 2021, one thing many are considering is the possibility of expanding virtual care and mental health service offerings.
Friday Musings on Healthcare
“Almost one-third of Medicare spending occurs in a patient’s last six months of life and covers mostly unnecessary and/or harmful treatments that line the pockets of the health care industry. Another third of the $3 trillion spent on US health care amounts to fraud and waste – enough to make college free for every high school graduate or to insure every uninsured American six times over.”
What You Don’t Know in Healthcare Can Kill You
On The Path to Fixing Healthcare - Direct Contracting
Hospitals Fought to Keep Prices Private and Lost
Simpara Welcomes Lauren Greenstein to the Team!
Unemployment: Why the Decision to Return to Work is Anything but Black and White
Real Deal or Placebo: Clinical Trial Reveals Impact of Corporate Wellness Programs
Simpara Partners with Large Health System to Bring Greater Transparency
Simpara, an HR and health benefits advising company in St. Louis, Missouri, announced today a direct-to-employer contract with SSM Health, one of the largest regional health systems in the US.
From Startup to Standout: Simpara's Founder Honored as a Broker of the Year Finalist
Our founder and president, Adam Berkowitz, was recently announced as one of five finalists for the BenefitsPro Broker of the Year title.
BenefitsPro, a trusted source for employee benefits news, trends and sales tips, selects five finalists for the award each year. Finalists get selected for standing out from the crowd, helping to shape the industry and providing extraordinary client service. This year’s finalists have a passion for progress and an aptitude for navigating change that sets them apart as industry leaders. It’s a group Simpara is honored to be included in.
It’s not only incredibly humbling but just a wonderful group of advisors to be named alongside. We’ve worked hard from the outset to provide a fantastic experience for our clients, employees, and their family members. This is further validation that Simpara and our team are making great strides in providing sustainable and affordable healthcare.
Adam’s feature in the May issue of BenefitsPro speaks to his journey from startup to standout, highlighting his ability to reshape an industry and deliver incredible results for his clients. Congratulations to all of the finalists including our own - well done Adam!
IRS Releases New Rules for FSA and Mid-Year Plan Changes
BREAKING: New COBRA Guidelines Issued
On April 29, 2020, the U.S. Departments of Labor (Employee Benefits Security Administration, “EBSA”) and Treasury (IRS) published a final regulation, and EBSA issued a package of guidance and relief, for employee benefit plans affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. New rules regulating COBRA and the offer of coverage to those laid off or who experienced a loss of coverage are impacted. Please read below:
