Posts to appear on Employer Resource Hub. For BHT members only.

Business Health Trust Enhances Employee Assistance Plan for 2023

More than just insurance, Business Health Trust is dedicated to providing small businesses with resources to help keep their employees and their families healthy and well.

For the 2023 plan year, Business Health Trust (BHT) is excited to announce that a new and enhanced employee assistance program (EAP) through Behavioral Health Systems will replace Wellspring EAP. For groups enrolled in one of BHT’s Industry Health Trusts, all employees and dependents will have access to 4 in-person or virtual sessions per year at no additional cost. This expanded benefit is also available to Business Health Trust groups enrolled in the Small‑Group Community Rated Program or Non-Medical offerings at no change to the current rate for employers.

The BHT employee assistance program is a professional service providing short-term counseling and referral to appropriate treatment providers or programs when needed. EAP can be used for issues relating to marriage/family, stress, financial/legal, child/adolescent, eldercare and more. What you can expect:

  • There are never any claims to file and EAP visits are covered at 100 percent.
  • Your use of the EAP is completely confidential.
  • Convenient access to telehealth is available via computer, smartphones and tablets.

For more information about the new program, view the 2023 BHT Employee Assistance Program Flyer.

How to Find a Mental Health First Aid Training Course Near You

Are you looking for an opportunity to gain skills in Mental Health First Aid that could be helpful in a workplace setting? To provide resources to help employers be prepared for diverse challenges, Business Health Trust has reached out to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to help members find valuable training courses based on your location.

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.

You can locate upcoming Mental Health First Aid courses in your area by navigating to the following link: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/take-a-course/find-a-course. Enter your city and state and select the “Find Course” button. Please ensure you are selecting the appropriate city and state that populates from the dropdown menu. These courses cost $23.95 per participant but this price may vary depending on the instructor’s funding source. The maximum course size is 30.

Classes are added to the website daily, so check back often if you’re looking for a particular date or location.

To learn more about Mental Health First Aid, visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

Get Ahead of Open Enrollment with a Quote from Business Health Trust

Open enrollment for health insurance is still months away for many companies, but Business Health Trust wants to remind you that it’s never too early to benchmark your benefits and explore your options.

As a source to help small businesses navigate the complex world of health insurance and employee benefits, Business Health Trust is dedicated to providing small employers in Washington state the information and tools they need to design and manage a competitive employee benefits program.

Whether you have two employees or more than 100, Business Health Trust can help you create a benefits program that attracts talent and keeps your employees healthy and productive — at a budget you can afford.

Our comprehensive, affordable health insurance options offer more than 40 medical plans to choose from — all featuring robust virtual care services and a 24-hour nurse line — that you can pair with diverse employee benefits including:

Members also have access to a number of additional services and discounts at no additional cost, including an HR hotline and other HR resources through an exclusive partnership with Archbright. Check out our Business Savings Toolkit to learn more about our valuable discounts and savings for small businesses, including Passport Corporate membership, ORCA cards for employees, office supplies, technology and more.

To benchmark your benefits with a quote from Business Health Trust, fill out our Request a Quote form or email quote@businesshealthtrust.com.

Need COVID Tests? Access 10 Free Tests Each Month!

As a resource for small businesses and the community as a whole, Business Health Trust wants to help spread the word about access to 10 free COVID-19 tests each month through Say Yes, COVID Test. The test are provided through a cooperative effort from state and local health departments, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and community partners. From the website:

Say Yes! COVID Test offers households in selected communities across the nation access to free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits. Along with vaccination, wearing a mask, hand washing, and physical distancing, frequent, at-home testing protects those most precious to us: our loved ones and families. Combined, these measures offer our best defense against COVID-19.

To request your 10 free COVID tests, visit safercovid.org/mytest/dtcorder.html 

Washington’s Paid Family Medical Leave Program Explained

As a resource to help small businesses navigate the complex word of health insurance and employee benefits, Business Health Trust strives to keep employers informed on policies that could impact their employee benefits.

With amendments to Washington state’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) program going into effect this month, we are sharing this informative blog post from Davis Wright Tremaine on What Employers Should Know About Washington’s Paid Family Medical Leave Program in 2022.

Under Washington’s PFML program, eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave and partial wage replacement for their own serious health condition (medical leave) or for family care (family leave), up to 16 weeks of combined family and medical leave, and up to two additional weeks for certain pregnancy complications. Employees may also take leave for certain qualifying military exigencies.

Unlike federal FMLA where employees interact directly with their employers to determine eligibility, employees apply directly to the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) to request leave, and the ESD administers the PFML program and determines employee eligibility.

The blog encourages employees to review and update their policies now to ensure continue compliance, and focuses on 10 key considerations to help Washington employers navigate PFML, including:

  1. Employers must notify employees of PFML rights.
  2. Employees must notify employers of the need for leave.
  3. Employers cannot designate PFML leave.
  4. The Employment Security Department notifies employers of PFML applications and approvals.
  5. PFML can be used on an intermittent basis.
  6. Employers can offer “supplemental benefits” to top off PFML benefits.
  7. Benefits continuation is required in some circumstances.
  8. Some employees may be entitled to job restoration.
  9. Retaliation is prohibited.
  10. Other leaves may run concurrently with PFML leave.

For more information, read the full blog post from Davis Wright Tremaine.

Ease Your Administrative Burden by Renewing Your Employee Benefits in July

Did you know that Business Health Trust offers flexible renewal dates that can help lighten your workload at the end of the year?

Now is the time to explore our employee benefits programs with medical from Premera Blue Cross that renew on July 1, which include:

  • Aerospace Industry Health Trust
  • Healthcare Industry Health Trust
  • Media Industry Health Trust
  • Tourism Industry Health Trust
  • Transportation Industry Health Trust

With a July 1 anniversary date, you can move the burden of open enrollment to a time that might be easier for both employers and employees.

As your source for employee benefits, Business Health Trust is focused on simplifying your administration and helping you cut costs. Whether you have two employees or more than 100, we can help you create a benefits program that attracts talent and keeps your employees healthy and productive — at a budget you can afford.

Learn more about the diverse selection of health insurance plans combined with other resources and discounts available through Business Health Trust on our What We Offer page. Questions? Contact info@businesshealthtrust.com or fill out our Request a Quote form.

Business Health Trust Offers Simplified Administration and Improved Data Security

Business Health Trust is dedicated to simplifying administration for its members so they can focus on what’s important: their business. We handle benefit plan administration for ultimate convenience, offering consolidated billing, online payment, and online access to benefits for easy enrollment throughout the year.

Through our partnership with third-party administrator Vimly Benefit Solutions, Business Health Trust members have access to the SIMON online benefits management tool. Accessible on any computer or mobile device, the platform provides a centralized location where an HR administrator can manage year-round benefits enrollment, have access to consolidated billing and payment, compliance support as well as a COBRA management solution.

SIMON’s state-of-the-art technology also allows for secure transfer of sensitive data, which can improve members’ data security while further simplifying administrative tasks. By utilizing SIMON, workloads and errors are reduced, and work gets done more quickly and efficiently.

To learn more about how to take advantage of the SIMON platform as a Business Health Trust member, contact info@businesshealthtrust.com.

Wellspring EAP Offers Manager Training on Leading From Within

For nearly two years, the entire world has been a period of ongoing uncertainty and change. Being a leader of people during these challenging times exposed many of us to problems that had never been fully addressed. In addition to facilitating a tremendous amount of rapid and ongoing change, many in your organization are tired and emotionally drained, and you may be there yourself.

Business Health Trust partners with Wellspring EAP to offer members 24/7 resources that include counseling assessments, legal and financial services and professional resources. On Wednesday, February 16, Wellspring is delving into the topic of Leading from Within during a live webinar from noon to 1 p.m.

In this webinar, join Wellspring to explore what it looks like to lead from within and develop strategies to effectively support your teams during challenging times.

About the Trainer
Tiffany Wentz, LMHC is a mental health therapist, academic instructor, and workplace trainer. A former United States Marine turned Licensed Mental Health Counselor, clinical director, and businesswoman, Tiffany uses her diverse perspectives and leadership experience to inform her work. She infuses years of experience and education with humor and humanity in her trainings to help build connection and facilitate personal and professional growth.

About Wellspring EAP
To learn more about the resources available to Business Health Trust members through Wellspring EAP, download the Business Health Trust Employee Assistance Program flyer.

 

WA Cares Long Term Care Tax on Hold

On January 27, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed two bills passed by the state Legislature that have put the brakes on the WA Cares Fund, which Business Health Trust first addressed in July in our article “Are You Prepared for the WA Long-Term Care Act?”

As originally written, the law would have mandated public long-term care (LTC) benefits for Washington residents that would be funded by Washington wage earners via a 0.58% tax on employee wages. Washington state residents contributing to the program would have become eligible to a lifetime benefit of $36,500 to pay for long-term services and support (in Washington state). Please watch our short video below video to learn more:

According to the WA Cares Fund website, the new bills will address coverage gaps and delay program implementation by 18 months. Changes include:

Workers near retirement (born before 1968) will be able to qualify for partial benefits on a pro-rated basis.

  • Workers who live out of state and work in Washington, military spouses, workers on non-immigrant visas, and certain veterans with disabilities will be able to opt out of the program if they choose.
  • Workers will begin contributing to the fund in July 2023. Employers will refund any premiums collected in 2022 so far.

For details on the changes, you can read House Bill 1732 and House Bill 1733.

For now, employers should:

  • Stop withholding WA Cares premiums from employee earnings.
  • Reimburse employees for WA Cares premiums within 120 days of the date premiums were collected.
  • Continue to maintain copies of exemption approval letters for workers who’ve provided them.

To learn more, sign up for the Employment Security Department’s employer newsletter

Your Open Enrollment Solution: Business Health Trust

Business Health Trust is more than your source for employee benefits. As you explore health insurance options during open enrollment and beyond, our comprehensive, affordable health insurance options and unique services remain a valuable choice that can help you attract talent and keep your employees healthy and productive.

With more than 40 medical plans to choose from — all offering robust virtual care services and a 24-hour nurse line — you’ll be able to find health insurance that meets the needs of your employees at a budget you can afford. Whether you have two employees or more than 100, we can help you create a benefits program with diverse insurance options including:

  • Medical from Premera Blue Cross or Kaiser Permanente
  • Dental from Delta Dental of Washington
  • Vision from VSP Vision Care Inc.
  • Basic Life/AD&D/Voluntary Life from LifeMap
  • Voluntary Personal Accident from AIG
  • Employee Assistance Program from Wellspring EAP
  • Business Insurance from Newfront Total Solution

With a core value to be a resource for small and mid-sized employers in Washington state, Business Health Trust also offers a number of additional services and discounts. Members have access to retirement solutions through EVOLVE 401(k) and through our exclusive partnership with Archbright. Robust discounts and savings for small businesses include Passport Corporate Membership, ORCA cards for employees, office supplies, technology and more.

Healthy Workplace Credit Offers New Benefit for Members

This fall, Business Health Trust is offering even more to its members through a new Healthy Workplace Credit announced with the plan sponsor, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

To help small businesses as they navigate bringing employees back to work during the pandemic, Business Health Trust will give member employers a one-time $100 credit for each employee who is covered by its medical insurance plans and is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

This offering is just one of many unique resources provided by Business Health Trust to members as well as to the greater community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, from coordinating dozens of COVID-19 vaccine clinics to providing both free and discounted PPE supplies and more.

To learn more or to enroll today to get access to these great resources, contact 425.201.1972 or email info@businesshealthtrust.com.