HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween!  I remember the excitement as a child like it was yesterday… What would I dress up as?  How much candy would I get?  And of course the hope for nothing but my favorites…

For fun, I did a little ‘web surfing’ and thought I’d share.  Please feel free to share this among family and friends.

Did you know ... in 2010 Americans consumed roughly 25 pounds of candy per person? It is believed a large portion is consumed by kids on and during the days immediately following Halloween. Candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years: in 1997, each American gobbled or savored more than 27 pounds a year.  That data is from the census bureau.

So if you’re heading out trick or treating this year with kids, or expect children to stop by, here are a few safety tips always worth sharing:

• Never trick-or-treat alone. Have at least 2 buddies go with you. Be very cautious of strangers. And accept treats only in the doorway - never go inside a house.
   
• Plan the entire route and make sure everyone knows what it is. Visit only houses where the lights are on.
   
• Walk on sidewalks and driveways when possible, and cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk.  Don't cut across yards where debris and other hard-to-see objects can cause serious injuries.
   
• Be wary of fire. Make sure that you are wearing a flame retardant costume. And don't play near lit jack-o-lanterns.
   
• Carry some essential travel gear ... a watch, a flashlight, an alarm whistle and a cellular phone, if possible.
   
• Wear reflective tape on your costume so drivers can see you.  The flashlight comes in handy for being visible to drivers, too.
   
• Check all candy before you eat it and immediately throw out any candy that appears to have been opened.

While online I even found a neat safety education game kids can play on the Internet.  Visit http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/play.html

I wish you a safe and happy Halloween!  And try not to eat too much candy!

Andrew Darlington has been a licensed insurance agent since 1997 and formed Veritas Risk Management in 2009. He has earned his Accredited Adviser in Insurance, Certified Insurance Consultant, Certified Builders Insurance Agent, and Certified Risk Manager designations. He is a graduate of King College and lives in Johnson City with his wife and children.  He may be contacted at 423-292-4142 or Help@VeritasRM.com.

Are you using the correct I-9 Form?

Employers: Current Form I-9 valid until Jan. 21, 2017

On Aug. 25, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. USCIS must publish a revised form by Nov. 22, 2016. Employers may continue using the current version of Form I-9 with a revision date of 03/08/2013 N until Jan. 21, 2017. After Jan. 21, 2017, all previous versions of Form I-9 will be invalid.

The I-9 form is the one that you have to have all employees complete when they are first hired.  It helps to make sure you are only using employees who are legally allowed to work in the US.

For more information please go to - https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/whats-new

Get paid to Vote? Where do I sign up?!

Do you have to allow an employee time off to go vote?  Even it you do, do you have to pay them?

The answer is, "Maybe."  Make sure you check your local laws if you are in Tennessee as you may have to pay your employees while you give them time.

The following is a general summary only of voting leave requirements under state law. Many states have additional rules regarding time off to vote. For example, some states may not require time off if an employee has adequate time to vote outside of working hours. Thus, employers are strongly advised to review the applicable state law and contact a knowledgeable employment law attorney for further guidance.

No Leave Required 
The following states generally do not require that private sector employees be given time off to vote: CT, DC, DE, FL, ID, IN, LA, ME, MI, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, OR, PA, RI, SC, VA, VT, and WA. 

Unpaid Time Off 
The following states generally require that private sector employees be given unpaid time off to vote:

• AL: 1 hour
• AR: Employers must schedule work hours on election days so that employees have an opportunity to vote
• GA: 2 hours
• KY: 4 hours
• MA: Certain employers must provide leave during the first 2 hours after the opening of the polls
• WI: 3 hours

Paid Time Off 
The following states generally require that private sector employees be given paid time off to vote:

• AK: As much working time as will enable voting
• AZ: 3 hours
• CA: 2 hours
• CO: 2 hours
• HI: 2 hours
• IA: 3 hours
• IL: 2 hours
• KS: 2 hours
• MD: 2 hours
• MN: The time necessary to appear at the employee's polling place, cast a ballot, and return to work on the day of an election
• MO: 3 hours
• NE: 2 hours
• NM: 2 hours
• NV: Leave for a sufficient time to vote
• NY: 2 hours
• OH: Employees must have a reasonable amount of time to vote (per the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the failure to pay salaried employees for voting leave may constitute a violation of law)
• OK: 2 hours
• SD: 2 hours
• TN: 3 hours
• TX: Requires that employees be allowed to take paid time off for voting  
• UT: 2 hours
• WV: 3 hours
• WY: 1 hour

Note: There is no federal law that requires private sector employers to provide employees with time off from work to vote in a national or state election.

What did the rates look like BEFORE ObamaCare?

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People have been talking about the premiums that health insurance companies are charging and you hear on the news all the time how much health insurance rates are going up..... but in reality, how much have they really gone up since 2013...Prior to ObamaCare

I dont have a sheet that shows all the rates for each age group for 2017, but I will give you a few examples.

If you are not aware, Blue Cross is pretty much the only carrier in upper East Tennessee outside of Farm Bureau that is offering coverage in our region.  Blue Cross is only offering 4 plans so I can't match this plan that they had then.  The plan I am going to compare it to is the new Silver 04 plan that has a $2,000 deductible and $5,100 maximum per person out of pocket.  So the deductible for this plan is lower than the one in 2013 but the maximum out of pocket is higher.

Under 18 was 50.57 per month... now $227.

29 Female was 105.70  (add maternity to that is $100 more) per month... now $400 - Male was 75.41 and now $400.  So a married couple who wants to have kids was $281 per month and is now $800.  If they did not or could not have kids, they could have been at $181 per month and now they dont have an option, still $800 per month.

49 female was 167 (add maternity to that is $100 more) and now is $610.

Male was $136 and now is $610.  Married couple was $400ish a month and now is $1,220  If they did not need maternity it would have been $300ish.  

Family with husband and wife at 49 and 2 young kids....

Was $500ish per month with maternity and $400ish without

Now $1,465 per month...

Tobacco rates were surcharged much more in 2013 but the difference is still huge.

The only thing that you get now is a free check up and dental and vision for your kids.

The whole additional premium is based on the fact that you are merging male and female rates, requiring maternity, and eliminating pre-existing conditions.  The carriers that have exited the market will tell you that the population is a lot less healthy than they originally thought....and they thought it was pretty unhealthy!

If you are getting tax credits, I dont think you will see a rate increase at all, but check out my other blog post for additional information - http://veritasrm.blogspot.com/2016/10/yes-some-people-will-have-rate-decrease.html

If you are not getting tax credits and feel like you dont have any options, give us a call.  There are some options out there if you are a business owner and we would love to share those with you.

We can not sell individual health insurance policies anymore, but we are happy to answer questions and we are still able to service our existing clients and can sell Medicare Supplements and Group Health Insurance..  Feel free to contact our office if you have questions or if we can help in any way.  Our office number is (423) 292-4142.  Again, we can still help with Group Health, Home, Business, Life, Auto, Work Comp, and anything else that ends in insurance.

Yes, Some People WILL have a rate DECREASE in 2017 for Health Insurance!

I can not confirm this yet, but it does appear that if you are getting tax credits now to help with your premium and deductibles, YOUR PREMIUM WILL GO DOWN!

The reason it looks like this will happen is that your tax credit is based on the premium for the second lowest priced silver plan on the marketplace.  Well last year, the Silver 04 plan was the second lowest priced plan, now the Silver 04 plan is the lowest priced plan.  This means that the tax credit will be based on the higher priced plan and when you pick the Silver 04 plan, you will pay what you were paying last year based on your income LESS the difference between the Silver 01 and Silver 04 plans!

So in my example, last year, if my income as an individual was $40,000, I would have paid about $300 per month for the Silver 04 Plan due to tax credits since it was the 2nd lowest premium Silver plan.  This year, I will only pay $300 per month for the Silver 01 plan.... BUT I can drop down to the Silver 4 plan which is the lowest premium plan and save about $90 per month!  So I get almost the same plan as last year for less!

		Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee
		Bronze 7 Plan	Bronze 7 Plan		Silver 04 Plan	Silver 04 Plan
		2016	2017		2016	2017
Network		Network S	Network S		Network S	Network S
Deductible (2 Per Family max)		$5,200	$5,200		$2,000	$2,000
Co-Insurance - % BCBST pays after deductible has been met but BEFORE Max Out of Pocket is Met		50%	50%		50%	50%
Out of Pocket Maximum (2 Per Family max) after this Blue Cross Pays 100%		$6,400	$6,400		$4,000	$5,100
Office Visits		Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit		Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit
Prescription Benefits		Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit		Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit
HSA Compatable?		HSA Compatable	HSA Compatable		NOT HSA Compatable	NOT HSA Compatable
Monthly Premium before Subsidies		$226.38	$395.33		$315.05	$474.20
Total Annual Premium		$2,717	$4,744		$3,781	$5,690

We can not sell individual health insurance policies anymore, but we are happy to answer questions and we are still able to service our existing clients.  Feel free to contact our office if you have questions or if we can help in any way.  Give us a call at (423) 292-4142.  We can still help with Group Health, Home, Business, Life, Auto, Work Comp, and anything else that ends in insurance.

Veritas Risk Management, Inc. offers proactive risk management services covering a wide variety of topics. Veritas Risk Management, Inc. does not engage in the practice of law, accounting, or tax consulting.  We encourage everyone to consult with his or her own professional advisor for details concerning his or her specific facts, situations, and circumstances.

Health Expense Sharing Organizations

A question I am getting more and more is, "Should I look into a Health Sharing Organization for my Health Insurance needs?"

It is a great question and the answer is always, maybe!

I know most people dont like  that answer for anything, but it is the truth.  Here are some of the pros and cons of these types of organizations and you need to consider what is the best option for you and your family.

Ill start with the positive things about these ministries

1. You dont have to pay the fine if you join one of these.  For younger people with good incomes, it is cheaper for them to join one of these organizations as opposed to paying the fine.
2. Premiums are low.  Many times the premium is less than half of what we are seeing today in the Johnson City, Kingsport, and Bristol area of Tennessee.
3. They dont allow coverage for morally objectionable behavior.  Your payments dont support things like sex change operations that are now covered due to the Affordable Care Act.
4. From what I am hearing, most people have their claims paid without any problems.

Now for the negatives that you need to consider

1. This is not insurance so there is no guarantee that your will be reimbursed for your expenses.
2. Almost all of these are reimbursement plans so you will have to pay money out and wait to be reimbursed in some situations especially if the provider requires you to pay before the procedure.  I know that when we have had surgery at Mountain Empire Surgery Center, we had to pay everything up front before they would start the procedure.
3. These organizations are not very large so there might be a problem should a large event happen.  Most have less than 200,000 members around the whole United States.  Compare that to just Blue Cross of Tennessee with 3,400,000 members.  Christian Care Medi-Share says that they have shared in over $1,200,000,000 in medical bills of its members.  Conversely, Blue Cross has lost almost 1/2 of that since 2014, closing in on $500,000 as we end the year.  Think about that, in 3 years, Blue Cross has lost half of what the sharing ministry has shared in 23 years.... and Blue Cross is still a financially strong company.
4. As I mentioned in number 3 above, they are going to exclude things that are morally objectionable so you may not be able to get coverage.  If you drink alcohol, use tobacco products, or do things that are dangerous, you may not be able to get coverage.  In addition, if you or one of your dependents does something and has a wreck with alcohol around, you wont have any coverage nor would you have coverage if someone were to get pregnant out of wedlock.
5. Most have exclusions or at the very least, limitations for pre-existing conditions.

So we have the good and the bad but now we have some solutions to the bad problems.  Since there are no more pre-existing conditions, if you do get something really bad and need a lot of care, you can always move from one of these plans to an ACA qualifying plan the next January 1 (or if you need it sooner, just move to a different service area and you will get an open enrollment opportunity) and you will have everything covered going forward.  If you get pregnant, just get married and you will have a an opportunity to enroll.

So there you have it in a nut shell,  If you have questions, please call us, we do have friends who can sell these plans if you would like and can give you their information.  As always, we would be honored to help with any of your insurance needs- Home - Life - Work Comp- Auto- Business- Medicare Supplements- Employee Benefits- and anything else that ends in INSURANCE. 

#ObamaCareUpdate What plan do I pick?

#ObamaCareUpdate What plan do I pick?

Many of you are getting this email from Healthcare.gov.
You will be able to select your new plan on November 1 through Healthcare.gov at that time.
If you are in Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Greeneville, Erwin, Mountain City, Piney Flats, or any of the counties up here, you will have 4 options... all with Blue Cross.

Bronze 07- HSA- YES

==== In Network Deductible : $5,200 Individual / $10,400 Family
==== In Network Out-of-Pocket Max : $6,400 Individual / $12,800 Family
=====50% Co-Insurance and everything is Deductible and Co-Insurance

Silver 01- HSA- YES from what we understand at this time

===== In Network Deductible : $0 Individual / $0 Family

===== In Network Out-of-Pocket Max : $7,150 Individual / $14,300 Family

=====50% Co-Insurance and everything is Deductible and Co-Insurance

Silver 04- HSA- NO

===== In Network Deductible : $2,000 Individual / $4,000 Family

===== In Network Out-of-Pocket Max : $5,100 Individual / $10,200 Family

=====50% Co-Insurance and everything is Deductible and Co-Insurance

Gold 06- HSA- NO

=====In Network Deductible : $1,500 Individual / $3,000 Family

===== In Network Out-of-Pocket Max : $4,500 Individual / $9,000 Family
=====50% Co-Insurance and In Network Office Visit Copay / Specialist Office Visit Copay : $35 PCP / $50 Specialist
Prescription Drugs : $8/$35/$60

The question is, which plan should I pick.....

Lets narrow this down pretty quick, I can not think of a time you would want to get the Gold 06 plan. It just does not make any sense at all.

If you just want the lowest premium plan, then you need to get the Bronze 07 plan.

For everyone else, here is what I would do...

Take your annual premium in each plan then calculate the difference between them.

If as an individual you are paying more than $1,300 per year for the Silver 04 than the Bronze 07, you probably want to do the Bronze 07. If it is less, then you probably want to do the Silver 04. For a family, the magic number is $2,600. There are 2 options to save money...

Keep in mind a couple of things

You can NOT open an HSA with Silver 04- so all your medical expenses will be paid with AFTER TAX dollars with the Silver 01- your out of pocket is much more but you split bills with Blue Cross on your first dollar.... so if you know you are going to have around $2,000 in medical bills and that is all, that might be the best plan for you.

If you are getting tax credits through the marketplace, your premium is not going to change much so you should be fine.

Ways you can save money in 2017....

1- If you own a business, call us, there are some other options available 423-292-4142 

2- If you do not own a business and are NOT getting tax credits, you may want to call Farm Bureau- they have some plans that may be good options


As always, we can also help with Business, Home, Life, Auto, Work Comp, and Medicare Supplements.

Veritas OCTOBER 2016 Newsletter and Trivia Contest

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. VERITAS NEWSLETTER AND TRIVIA CONTEST          OCTOBER 2016 Fall is finally here! There is a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to turn. It is so awesome to see God's handiwork this time of year.  It is a great time to take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway or visit a local pumpkin patch or apple orchard. Of course, football season is in full swing so curling up with some great football food is a fun option too! Regardless of what you do, enjoy this wonderful time of year!  It's Socktober at Veritas! We have a collection box in our office so please stop by to say hello and help the local area homeless at the same time!      CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT ​www.veritasrm.com​    Like us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/veritasrm Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/veritasrm Follow us on Google+ https://plus.google.com/105246286137228927480/about Visit Our Websites http://www.VeritasRM.com http://www.DiscoverVeritas.com Feel free to contact our office at (423) 292-4142 if we can assist you with any of your insurance needs or questions. Myself, or any of my qualified and professional staff, will be happy to help you!  Andrew Darlington--Agency Owner Jennifer Plaisted--Agency Administrator Tammy Collins--Personal Lines Representative Regina Davis--Commercial Lines Representative Megan Jackson--Life and Health Representative Shannon Guitreau--Customer Service Representative Jerissa Ward--Commercial Lines Customer Service Representative        WE LOVE REFERRALS! We work hard every day to earn your trust.  When you share our name with your friends and family, it means a great deal to us! We do not take your confidence in us lightly. We strive to provide a high quality experience for everyone we work with.  Referring us to your friends, family and business associates means you're helping them too. We will compare insurance prices and look for potential coverage gaps to make sure they have the best protection at the lowest possible price.   Please tell your friends to call us and tell them to mention your name.  When they do, we will send you the gift of the month! THANK YOU!                           ***MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT*** Are you turning 65 soon? If so, come see us during the Medicare Open Enrollment period. Open Enrollment runs from October 15, 2016 through December 7, 2016 As you all know, Halloween is October 31st. I remember the excitement as a child like it was yesterday..… What would I dress up as (I bet we don't see many clown costumes this year!)?  How much candy would I get?  And of course the hope for nothing but my favorites. Did you know that in 2010 Americans consumed roughly 25 pounds of candy per person? It is believed a large portion is consumed by kids on and during the days immediately following Halloween. Candy consumption has actually declined over the last few years. In 1997, each American ate more than 27 pounds a year.  That data is from the census bureau.  As I now experience the Halloween fun with my children. I also remember the need for safety. So if you're heading out trick or treating this year with kids,  here are a few safety tips always worth sharing: Never trick-or-treat alone. Plan the entire route and make sure everyone knows what it is. Visit only houses where the lights are on. Walk on sidewalks when possible. Don't cut across yards. Debris can be a tripping hazard. Don't run!  Make sure that you are wearing a flame retardant costume. Don't play near lit jack-o-lanterns. Carry a watch, a flashlight, an alarm whistle and a cellular phone.  Wear reflective tape on your costume so drivers can see you. Check all candy before you eat it and immediately throw out any candy that appears to have been opened or tampered with.   I found a neat safety education game kids can play on the Internet.  http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/play.html I wish you a safe and happy Halloween!  Try not to eat too much candy!  TRIVIA! CONGRATULATIONS TO BARBARA DRAY for being selected as our September winner!  Thanks for participating Barbara! OCTOBER TRIVIA What item are we collecting during the month of October to help the homeless population?  Good luck!   RULES  Respond with the correct answer and you will be entered in to a drawing to receive a gift card to a local eatery.  Your name will also be mentioned in next month's newsletter.  The drawing will be held at 10AM on Friday, October 21 Good luck!                            You are getting this email because you are either a client of Veritas, you said I could put you on this list, or you signed up for this list. We are glad you are part of the list! Unsubscribe tmains@veritasrm.com from this list. Our mailing address is: Veritas Risk Management, Inc. PO Box 4539 Johnson City, Tennessee 37602 Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2016 Veritas Risk Management, Inc. All rights reserved. Forward this email to a friend Update your profile

--

Grace & Peace,
Andrew Darlington CRM, CIC, CBIA, AAI

***Typed qith tumbs or used voice to text soplease forgive the gramatical errora.***

Veritas Risk Management & Insurance Services
PO Box 4539 Johnson City, TN 37602
Phone- (423)292-4142

Blue Cross Individual Health Rates for 2017 are Here

Everyone has been waiting with baited breath for your health insurance rates for 2017 and they are now here.

I dont have a complete spreadsheet yet, but I ran some numbers on me and here you go....

		Bronze 7 Plan	Bronze 7 Plan
Network		Network S	Network S
Deductible (2 Per Family max)		$5,200	$5,200
Co-Insurance - % BCBST pays after deductible has been met but BEFORE Max Out of Pocket is Met		50%	50%
Out of Pocket Maximum (2 Per Family max) after this Blue Cross Pays 100%		$6,400	$6,400
Office Visits		Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Office Visit
Prescription Benefits		Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit	Deductible/ Coinsurance Prescription Benefit
HSA Compatable?		HSA Compatable	HSA Compatable
Monthly Premium before Subsidies		$226.38	$395.33
Total Estimated Premium Non Tobacco		$226.38	$395.33
Total Annual Premium		$2,717	$4,744

We can not sell individual health insurance policies anymore, but we are happy to answer questions and we are still able to service our existing clients.  Feel free to contact our office if you have questions or if we can help in any way.  Give us a call at (423) 292-4142.  We can still help with Group Health, Home, Business, Life, Auto, Work Comp, and anything else that ends in insurance.

I will be posting another blog shortly that will have some more detail and will give help in choosing a plan for 2017.

Drug Use Among Workers Reaches 10-year High

According to data released at the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA) conference last month, drug use among U.S. workers rose to 4.0 percent—the highest it's been since 2005.

The data, pulled from the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index (DTI), shows an increase in positive drug test rates across all types of tests and for all drugs tested. Even though health officials have drawn attention to the rise in opioid use in recent years, these numbers suggest a general, multi-year trend of increased drug use. In fact, the increase in 2015 is the third year-on-year rise in as many years, having steadily climbed from its 25-year low of 3.5 percent in 2012.

Especially worrisome for officials are the post-accident positivity rates. That number was 6.9 percent in 2015, as opposed to 6.5 percent in 2014. Overall, it represents a 30 percent increase since 2011, when only 5.3 percent of those involved in a workplace accident tested positive for drug use.

Employee drug use poses serious safety concerns for employers and their employees. Experts suggest that curbing employee drug use requires a number of actions on the part of the employer. In addition to testing, employers should consider educational efforts to warn of the risks of drug use and to teach employees how to recognize and respond to warning signs. Additionally, offering drug treatment options may encourage employees who are affected by drug addiction to get the help they need. For more resources on workplace drug abuse, contact Veritas Risk Management today.