Smarter Consumer — Benefit Solutions By Design

The Texas Jobs Juggernaut – Nature vs Nuture!

July 20, 2011 By Tamela Southan Leave a Comment

“Texas has become the job creating capital of the country and some people don’t like it — or maybe they’re just jealous.

Governor Perry has aggressively encouraged businesses to move to Texas, and provided them with tax credits.

They complain that factors such as the climate, abundant natural resources and a steady supply of low cost labor have made a big difference. While those are helpful, California has all of the above, and yet its businesses are packing up and moving to Texas. Read more of on Texas Conservative leadership style has brought over 1.1 jobs to Texas.

Thank you Dr. Merrill Matthews “Nature vs. Nurture” Updated July 17, 2011, 07:00 PM Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dependents, Employee Interest, Smarter Consumer, Uncategorized, state laws Tagged With: Employment, growth Texas, income, jobs, politics, Taxes

Check Out Consumerism, Cost Saving $$$

June 14, 2011 By Tamela Southan Leave a Comment

Knowledge is Power

All healthcare accounts are not created equal. That’s why you need an experienced, trusted advisor to help you when it comes to your healthcare finances. Benefit Solutions by Design is here to help youunderstand the sometimes complex and confusing world of healthcare account acronyms (HSA, HRA, FSA, MSA, Oh my…). Are you a Smart Healthc Care Consumer?

Consumer-driven health plans are the latest response to soaring costs. They teach and empower consumers to take financial control of their health care spending; Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are the centerpiece of this new approach.

With the HSA/HDHP, consumers have significant power and responsibility for their health care decisions. The consumer (or the employer, or both) sets aside a pool of money to spend on health care before HDHP coverage kicks in. Policymakers hope that, by having such a financial incentive, participants will become better and more prudent health care consumers; healthcare nest egg or smart spender.

Filed Under: Affiliations, Dental, Dependents, Employee Interest, Events, Health Care Reform, Health Plans, High deductibles, IRS, Low cost, Medical plans, No Copays, PPO - Preferred Provider Organization, Partners, Pharmacy, Pre-X, Recognition, Roll over funds, Savings, Section 125 of IRS Code, Small Business, Smarter Consumer, Smarter Consumer, Tax Savings, You own the funds, compliance, continuation of benefits, coverage, federal laws, state laws

Texas Quietly Planning For Health Insurance Exchange

June 14, 2011 By Tamela Southan Leave a Comment

Texas State Capitol

The New York Times /Texas Tribune (6/10, A19A, Ramshaw, Subscription Publication) reports that despite Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) “stated opposition to a federally-mandated health insurance exchange and the state’s participation in lawsuits aimed at overturning federal health reform, officials at the Texas Department of Insurance acknowledge that since last fall, with the help of a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, they have been working quietly to plan for a health insurance exchange.” The article quotes John Greeley, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Insurance, as saying, “We’ve been going full speed ahead on implementation, doing the due diligence so that we can be on time with what the law says.” Meanwhile, “Lucy Nashed, a spokeswoman for Mr. Perry, said the governor is aware of the grant, which she said is exploratory and does not require Texas to set up an exchange.” http://mailview.custombriefings.com/mailview.aspx?m=2011061001nahu&r=4958615-5c23

Filed Under: Affiliations, Dependents, Employee Interest, Events, Health Care Reform, Health Plans, High deductibles, Low cost, Medical plans, Partners, Pharmacy, Pre-X, Recognition, Savings, Small Business, Smarter Consumer, Smarter Consumer, Tax Savings, compliance, continuation of benefits, coverage, federal laws, state laws

Dr. Oz Grocery Shopping Tips

June 14, 2011 By Tamela Southan Leave a Comment

Shop Safe at the Grocery Store

Some of the foods at the grocery store may be making you sick. This month’s video clip from The Dr. Oz Show provides simple ways to protect yourself as you shop. The video messages are available on UHC.com, myuhc.com, and Source4Women.com for six months.

Each month UnitedHealthcare posts a video clip featuring Dr. Mehmet Oz, a renowned physician, bestselling author and host of The Dr. Oz Show, which airs daily on TV stations across the United States.

The messages focus on achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, heart health, exercise, and healthy eating. These clips can be shared simply by copying and pasting the web link from the sites above into an email or your web browser.

These video clips are a part of UnitedHealthcare’s commitment to work with renowned doctor and nationally recognized author Dr. Mehmet Oz to share health and wellness topics on his talk show, The Dr. Oz Show, and his website, DoctorOz.com. You can find out when and where The Dr. Oz Show airs in your area by going to DoctorOz.com and clicking on “Local Listings.”Shop Safe at the Grocery Store

Filed Under: Affiliations, Dependents, Employee Interest, Events, Health Care Reform, Health Plans, Healthy Eating, Medical plans, Nutrition, Partners, Pharmacy, Pre-X, Recognition, Savings, Small Business, Smarter Consumer, Smarter Consumer, Testimonials, Wellness, continuation of benefits, coverage

Lower Cost Higher Deductible Tax Saving Plans

June 13, 2011 By Tamela Southan Leave a Comment

It's Yours or Uncle Sam's?

ALPHA BET Soup of Health Care

Managing your healthcare dollars, including choosing the right provider, the right care, at the right time, for the right price is more complicated – and potentially much more important – than managing your retirement accounts. But where is the budding industry of healthcare financial advisors to help people better make these critical decisions? (Benefit Solutions by Design)

Consumer-driven healthcare will fail unless consumers are educated, empowered and supported with the knowledge they need to make good decisions. Just like during the rise of 401Ks and IRAs, there is a need for a higher, not a lower level of service, that was provided in the old world. Without the mission critical healthcare financial services, CDH will not create careful consumers that decrease spending, but may be, as the critics claim, just another cost shift. What are you? A super spender or super saver? This is a solution for you if your open to change and becoming a smarter consumer than those addicted to the copay.

Filed Under: Dental, Dependents, Employee Interest, Events, HSA - Health Savings Account, Health Care Reform, Health Plans, High deductibles, IRS, Low cost, Medical plans, No Copays, Partners, Pharmacy, Pre-X, Roll over funds, Savings, Section 125 of IRS Code, Small Business, Smarter Consumer, Smarter Consumer, Tax Savings, You own the funds, compliance, coverage, federal laws, state laws Tagged With: health premiums federal government enroll reduce easy reduced cost, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4mpct4hRSs, Money

The Texas Jobs Juggernaut – Nature vs Nuture!

Check Out Consumerism, Cost Saving $$$

Texas Quietly Planning For Health Insurance Exchange

Dr. Oz Grocery Shopping Tips

Lower Cost Higher Deductible Tax Saving Plans

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