Renewal Presents Renewed Opportunity

As the renewal date for many groups approaches, this is the perfect time to assess your groups’ coverage and make recommendations. For example, a group could add dental or pharmacy benefits to their PacificSource coverage to make their compensation package more attractive to prospective employees. Whatever the reason might be, renewal presents an opportunity to make changes.

Groups may request to do any of the following, effective only on their renewal date:

• Upgrade current medical, pharmacy, or dental benefits
• Add ancillary benefits, such as chiropractic, alternative care, pharmacy, dental, or orthodontia
• Add special eligibility endorsements, such as any-gender domestic partners
• Change eligibility hours and waiting periods (except once in a lifetime off-renewal)

In addition, groups may make some changes at either renewal or mid-year. These include:

• Reduce current medical, pharmacy, or dental benefits
• Drop ancillary benefits, such as chiropractic, alternative care, pharmacy, dental, or orthodontia
• Add registered domestic partners endorsement (which will automatically occur at renewal, unless the group adds it sooner)

Groups should submit all change requests prior to the change’s effective date. We are unable to process a benefit change or add specialty eligibility endorsements retroactively.

You may download a variety of sales materials from the For Agents/Materials area of our Web site. Please feel free to contact us for paper copies of materials, or if you have questions about any of our plans or services.

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Tips for Using the Oregon Group Profile Form

Since carriers must determine whether or not Oregon small employer regulations apply before issuing a valid quote, a current Oregon Group Profile Form is required for every prospective Oregon group, regardless of group size, and all renewing groups with 50 or fewer enrolled employees. If we receive a quote request, we will need a completed form before we can issue a quote. If you use our online quoting system, you can produce rates, but they will not be valid or confirmed until we received a completed form. All sections of the form must be complete, and the form must be signed to avoid process delays.

We’ve updated our Group Profile Form frequently asked questions document (FAQ) with some additional questions, detailed information, and related changes to our company policies. Please take a moment to review the FAQ since these updates will impact your clients. The new or revised questions include:

• Will PacificSource accept other versions of this form?
• How often does this form need to be completed by a group?
• Do all prospective groups have to complete the form?
• Do all renewing groups have to complete the form?
• What if PacificSource doesn’t receive a completed form for a renewing group?
• Who may sign the form?
• What additional proof might be needed for a prospective or renewing group?
• Can an agent make revisions to the form, and then submit it?
• Must renewing clients also complete and return the form?
• Other questions and answers on interpreting different scenarios.

We hope the FAQ will help clarify the form. If you have additional questions, you are always welcome to contact us.

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Sally Hales Leads Provider Network Team

On April 21, PacificSource welcomed Provider Network Administration Manager Sally Hales. Sally is responsible for administration of our Provider Network Department, including oversight of our credentialing, provider, and contract set up and maintenance, as well as routine department functions. She will also have a role on our Operations Team regarding provider network administration planning and decisions. “I’m eager to support the department as we continue to expand our participating provider network,” she says.

Provider Network Administration Manager Sally Hales

Sally is a great fit for this new position, since she has a wealth of business experience in hospital settings. Sally started her career at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in Springfield, Oregon while she was still in high school. After moving to Salt Lake City, she worked for Sisters of Holy Cross Health Systems in a variety of roles. In 1996, she returned to Springfield, Oregon, and again joined McKenzie-Willamette’s staff as patient access manager.

Outside of work, you may see (and hear) Sally at Thurston High School events, loudly cheering on her son and his team. In addition, she volunteers at the annual Festival of Trees and Relay For Life fundraisers in Eugene, and is excited about the community involvement opportunities at PacificSource.

Sally is quickly settling into her new position and she says she is “looking forward to helping reaffirm the PacificSource tradition of putting customers first.”

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PacificSource Sponsors Idaho's Best Places to Work

The Idaho Business Review is launching a new initiative to identify and recognize the best places to work in Idaho and the best practices in employee attraction and retention. PacificSource is pleased to be a major sponsor supporting these employer recognition events. The inaugural event takes place on May 16, 2008, at the Grove in Boise, Idaho. For more information about Best Places to Work in Idaho, visit their Web site at www.bestplacestoworkinidaho.com.

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Holiday Hours

We will be closed on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. Our offices will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27. Our Customer Service Department will reopen at 7:00 a.m. PST.

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PacificSource Sponsors CE Classes in Bend

May 20 Classes in Bend (Six credit hours total)
8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The Riverhouse, Bend, Oregon

• SB329: Road to Health Care Reform, 3 hours Law
• Ethics: The Core of a Successful Insurance Agent, 3 hours Ethics

Invitations will be e-mailed with class and registration details. Class space is limited, so be sure to register as soon as you receive your invitation. Please e-mail Marketing Agent Coordinator Candice Wilkins to register or for more information. For details, check our 2008 schedule in the For Agents/Prof’l Development section of our Web site.

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Boise Presentation Covers New Products and Benefit Changes

Please join us for an overview of our new products and benefit changes. Topics include:

• 2008 group benefit changes
• New group plans: medical, vision, dental, and additional accident
• New individual plans
• Provider network update
• New Oregon mandates

May 29
9:00 to 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
(The morning session is nearly full.)
PacificSource Boise regional office
251 E. Front Street, Suite 203, Boise, Idaho

This presentation is free. All PacificSource-appointed agents and their staff may attend. Invitations will be mailed with details. Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your space as soon as you receive your invitation. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Kristin Stewart by Wednesday, May 28.

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OAHU Events

An agent training on recent Oregon mandates will be presented by the Office of Private Health Partnerships (OPHP), and sponsored by OAHU. The upcoming CE trainings are scheduled in five locations throughout Oregon from May 19 through May 28.

Portland Association of Health Underwriters (PAHU) will host a meeting on May 21 in Portland. Unum Supplemental Benefits Consultant Nathan Sanow will speak on growth and trends in the supplemental benefits marketplace. One Health CE credit has been applied for. For more information about OAHU, visit www.orahu.org.

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Members of our March for Babies team pause for a photo in Bend. PacificSource was the leading Oregon sponsor for the March of Dimes March for Babies campaign, and our employees raised more than $15,000.

Upcoming Community Events

PacificSource is proud to sponsor Northwest community events that support healthy communities and health-focused organizations. We hope you will join us in supporting these events:

Relay For Life—American Cancer Society
May 31 through June 1, Medford, Oregon, South Medford High School

Dogs for the Deaf—Dog Walk
May 31, Medford, Oregon, Hawthorne Park

Science Factory Bike Day
June 7, Eugene, Oregon

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