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in this issue:
 Welcome to Health Care Dollars & Sense
HSAs are on the Cusp of Going Mainstream
OptumHealth Bank Recognized for Leadership in HSA Debit Cards
CDHC Certification Program Offers Four CE Credits
 Welcome to Health Care Dollars & Sense
by Jim Priebe, Vice President, Sales and Marketing
As a broker or consultant working in the U.S. health insurance market, you help your clients evaluate their choices and implement cost-effective solutions, based on each company's objectives and employee profiles.
OptumHealth Financial Services appreciates your valuable role, and we are committed to keeping you informed about developments in the marketplace and how our products and services can fit into each client's total needs.
Our new online publication, Health Care Dollars & Sense, is designed to give you the timely information and practical ideas that you need to increase choices, add value and strengthen client relationships.
Full article »
HSAs are on the Cusp of Going Mainstream
Health Care Dollars & Sense recently spoke with Todd Berkley, Vice President, Market Solutions, to gain his perspective on trends in health savings accounts (HSAs). Todd is an active member of several key industry councils, including the American Bankers Association's HSA Council, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) HSA Leadership Council and the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation's FSA Working Group.
What major trends are creating opportunities in today's HSA market?
I see three macro trends driving this market. The first is that HSAs are a more mature product, and so we are beginning to get a better picture of how account holders use their accounts to plan, save and pay for health care.
The demographic of HSA adopters is much broader than some expected: people of all income and age levels have HSAs. About 50 percent of account owners are primarily "savers," and are accumulating balances over time. Roughly the other half are "spenders," who use most of what they or their employers put into their accounts to pay for health care.
All in, I believe HSAs have passed the experimental stage and are on the cusp of going mainstream. The industry is prepared for an explosion of growth.
Full article »
OptumHealth Bank Recognized for Leadership in HSA Debit Cards
OptumHealth Bank's Health Savings Account has won a 2010 Paybefore Award in the "Best Consumer-Funded Prepaid Program" category. OptumHealth Bank, Member FDIC, is one of three winners, and now competes with the others for the "Best in Category" award.
Full article »
CDHC Certification Program Offers Four CE Credits
Here is an important career goal you can achieve this year: Complete the consumer-driven health care (CDHC) certification program sponsored by the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU). This program will give you four hours of continuing education credit, plus the information you need to counsel clients on health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Full article »
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Question: If an AEI whose 9-month subsidy expired at the end of November 2009 paid the full 102% of their December 2009 and/or January 2010 COBRA premiums, when and how will OptumHealth Financial Services credit, refund, or inform them of their right to pay 35% if they are still an Assistance Eligible Individual?