WellPoint Puts More Algorithms Online So You Can Go Fix Yourself and Understand What a Grandfather Is

At Wellpoint/Blue Cross rules and regulations along with contracts are changing so once more we have more stuff online for companies to dig through and try to figure out what course of action to take. It’s no wonder companies want to ditch health insurance coverage for employees as the time consumed to figure out if the health and status of their employees to be able to work with the algorithms of profit from most of the carriers any more takes time and most recently McDonalds brought that point to a head.

The rules of the game anymore seem to be create another algorithm and pop it up on the web for those to muddle through and again it is not just Blue Cross but they are the poster child for this post. These folks with their complicated formulas have just about reached the point of being one big administrative nightmare that everyone is getting tired of. For small companies where owners work and are busy with just keeping the business open today, they don’t have time for this and shine it on. If this is not helpful enough owners can kill more time with ordering a big brochure and other information that usually is not layman friendly to try and dig their way through. The calculator, from H and R Block is just about like filling out one of those online services for doing your taxes.

As usual in standard press release language, they are pleased and happy to offer this. I read so many the language on the final paragraphs is all just about the same anymore <grin> and must be fully templated at this point. Last week after the long standing Framingham Heart Calculator was pointed out to have flaws, I hesitate to believe everything that is on the web today. About 2 years ago I made a post about insurers living for and with the algorithms and darn if that is not even more so a fact today. BD

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 6 -- /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help minimize confusion regarding implementation of health care reform provisions among business owners, WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) has created two new tools designed to help business navigate the changes in health care, a grandfathering tool and a tax calculator tool.

Both tools are available at www.wellpoint.com/healthcarereform. The small business tax calculator tool and tax content were developed by The Tax Institute at H&R Block and also may be viewed by visiting www.thetaxinstitute.com.

The interactive grandfathering tool is designed to help businesses better understand what grandfathering means, if they qualify for it, and what options are available to them with regard to their health plan. WellPoint has also joined forces with H&R Block to provide a convenient, comprehensive tool to help small business owners understand the financial impact, as well as the opportunities that accompany the changes in the health care system.

The small business tax calculator can help users understand the following reform provisions:

The small business health care premium credit for qualified employers with 25 or fewer employees and average annual wages under $50,000 (2010)

Requirements to provide employee coverage for full-time employees who work for businesses with 50 or more employees (2014)

Employer penalties for not providing coverage when at least one full-time employee is enrolled in a subsidized health care plan (2014)

The excise tax on high-cost health plans, which applies to plans that cost more than $10,200 for an individual and $27,500 for a family (2018).

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/06/3083230/wellpoint-helping-businesses-navigate.html#ixzz11dhT6cbT