2009 Elect Individual and Family Plans, Rates, and Policy Application Approved

We are excited about our Elect plan offerings for 2009. Based on your feedback, we've made updates and adjustments that we believe will enable our Elect plans to remain sustainable and strong in the marketplace. We've added benefits and more deductible options, while holding rate increases to an average of 25 percent.

Notices will mail to members affected by these changes by the end of November. Sample notices:
Elect 820
Elect FlexPerks 1500 and 2000
Elect FlexPerks 2900
Elect FlexPerks 5000
Elect Premiere and Preferred
Elect Value Option

2009 Elect plan updates include:

• Elect Premiere and Preferred—$10,000 deductible plan added
• Elect Value Option—$1,000 accident benefit added
• Elect FlexPerks:
  • Accident Benefit increased from $500 to $1,000
  • First dollar preventive care added to all deductible options except the $5,000 option
  • Coinsurance decreased from 80 percent to 70 percent

Administrative changes include:

• Elect FlexPerks 1100 will be discontinued.
• Elect FlexPerks 2900 will become FlexPerks 3000—the deductible will increase to $3,000 and the indexing option will be removed.

• Unregistered domestic partners (same or opposite gender) can apply together on an Elect application. We will need a signed and notarized Affidavit of Domestic Partnership (23 KB PDF) with the application.
• Underwriting will be required for all members who move to a lower deductible or different plan type.

Preview our 2009 Elect Application (600 KB PDF) and 2009 Elect Rates (100 KB PDF).

To find out more about the Elect 2009 renewal, please contact your Individual Sales Representative.

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HEART Act of 2008 Allows Tax-Free FSA Distributions

The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act of 2008 (H.R.6081 Summary, Library of Congress) amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax benefits and incentives for military personnel. It allows reservists called to active duty for 180 days to take a distribution of unused funds from their Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Manley Services now has an amendment available for employers interested in updating their FSA 125 plan documents in accordance with the HEART Act. This amendment can be added to the Uninsured Health Expense Reimbursement account of an FSA at any time during the plan year.

Highlights:

• Unused balance distribution —the act allows military reservists called to active duty to take a tax-free distribution from the unused balance of their health FSA account.
• A participant's written request is needed for the one-time Qualified Reservist Distribution (QRD).
• Several distribution calculation options are available to employers.

If you have a client that would like more information or is interested in amending their FSA plan to include the HEART Act, please contact Manley Services' Sales Department at (800) 422-7038 or e-mail sales@manleyserv.com.

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Oregon Group Medical and Dental Applications Updated

Our Oregon group application forms have been updated. Please use these new versions and discard any older forms.

Group Health/Dental Enrollment
Group Dental Enrollment (for dental-only clients)

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Renewing Groups Affected by Plan Changes to Receive Notices

As you may know, we began phasing out two prescription drug plans—Rx $100 DED Tiered 10/20/40 SD MAC B and Rx 20% Mac B—with October 1, 2008, renewing groups. Groups enrolled in either of these plans will soon receive a notification in the mail about the change, in addition to receiving the notice with their renewal materials.

In our October 31 Agent Bulletin, we announced the revisions that will take place to some of our FlexPerks plan options beginning January 1, 2008. Groups enrolled in any of the four FlexPerks plans that are indexed (FP 80+1100, FP 80+1100+Rx, FP 80+2900 and FP 80+2900+Rx) will soon receive a notification in the mail about the upcoming change, as well as with their renewal materials.

Groups that are not enrolled in either of the two prescription drug plans, or in one of the four revised FlexPerks plan options, will not receive a notification of change letter with their renewal materials.

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Manley System Enhancements Set for Go-Live Next Week

As we mentioned in the October 17 Agent Bulletin, Manley Services will begin making enhancements to the claims system that will allow for more efficient claims processing. These enhancements are expected to go live Monday, November 17, after we finish testing and training and complete first-of-the-month processes.

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November Holiday Hours

We will be closed on November 27 and 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our offices will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, December 1.

The next issue of the Agent Bulletin will be published on December 1, due to the holiday schedule.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving
from all of us at PacificSource!

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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:

Fall Youth Symphony Concert—Arts Umbrella
November 25, Eugene, Oregon

Festival of Trees—McKenzie-Willamette Community Health Foundation
November 26–30, Eugene, Oregon, Valley River Inn

An Enchanted Winter Evening—Cottage Grove Community Hospital Foundation
November 30, Cottage Grove, Oregon

Christmas for Kids—Christmas for Kids Foundation
December 3, Portland, Oregon

Festival of Trees—Mercy Foundation and Children's Healthcare Fund
December 3–7, Roseburg, Oregon

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