MSBA Health Plan

MSBA Health Plan  

Health Plans for Your Firm

The Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) is committed to the highest standards of excellence and inclusion within the legal profession and strives to provide valued resources to its members. Now, thanks to the collaboration among MSBA, Medica and the administration of Mercer, you now have the opportunity to provide more affordable health care to your firm. Firms employing at least two full-time, W-2 individuals (not from the same family) are eligible.

 

This Health Plan offers MSBA member employers the ability to take greater control over their health care costs while improving the health care solutions for their employees. This exclusive, member-only offering allows you to select among seven plan designs and eight provider networks, including seven Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) throughout Minnesota. 

 

Additionally, the plan offers an online enrollment and HR administration portal that provides an enrollment and administration experience typically only available to larger employers. Along with this ease of plan administration and enrollment, there is a dedicated customer service team to support you and your employees along the way ultimately reducing your overall administrative costs associated with providing health insurance.

 

 

ALREADY OFFER COVERAGE? THESE PLANS MAY SAVE YOU ON YOUR HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS

 

 

 

Onboarding Solution

Our web-based onboarding process will provide the information most important to your firm, such as which benefits are available, your cost, and how to roll out benefits to your firm.
Using the onboarding solution, you can:

  • Learn about the competitive and flexible medical coverage options available through MSBA. 
  • Request and review quotes online and purchase competitive benefit plans and network options from Medica.
  • Select plan designs with access to contribution tools to help develop acceptable net costs for you and your employees. 

 

Brokers can obtain a quote for their MSBA member clients, simply fill out this form to request access. Get started and request a quote today.

 

Enrollment And Engagement

Once you have signed up, our technology-based enrollment system will provide a streamlined, easy-to-use shopping experience for your employees. Eligible employees will receive an email notifying them that it is time to go online and enroll in coverage. They will be able to review the plan(s) you chose for your firm and select their plan for the upcoming plan year. In addition to clearly explaining the benefits available, the site provides guided shopping tools to help individuals select the most appropriate plans and benefits to fit their family needs. The online enrollment system also allows you to easily manage eligibility including adding newly eligible employees and terminating employees’ coverage as needed. In addition, a dedicated customer support staff is available to assist both you and your employees with their enrollment and ongoing administrative questions.

 

MSBA Health Care Advantages For You:

  • Customized plans built for your firm
  • One-stop plan administration and issue resolution
  • Reduced administrative costs using the online HR Portal and dedicated customer service team for you and your employees
  • Easy and simple web-based solution makes the buying and enrollment process easy

 

MSBA Health Care Advantages For Your Firm

  • Competitive premiums
  • Flexible product options and the ability to offer more than one medical plan
  • Advocates dedicated to your attorneys and staff

 

  • What is an AHP?

    An Association Health Plan (AHP) is a health plan offered by a group of employers within an association. MSBA is a bona fide pre-rule industry-based Association Health Plan (AHP). Being an AHP allows member firms to band together to manage and purchase coverages at a manageable price.
  • Who is eligible?

    One primary owner of the law firm must be a member in good standing with MSBA, but not all attorneys must be members of the MSBA. Law Firm must have a minimum of two W2 employees and one non-owner taking coverage. The law firm also must be domiciled in Minnesota. Available to full-time attorneys, staff and family members. Seasonal and temporary employees are not eligible.
  • Are there any specific plan rules you should know?

    Plan Waiting Period New Hire Coverage Effective Date New Hire Coverage Termination
    Medical 30 days 1st of month following Last Day of the Month of Termination

    Participation requirements: At least 75% of eligible employees who are not enrolled in another health plan and a minimum of 50% of the total number of eligible employees (regardless of waivers) must participate in this plan.

    Example 1:  Law firm has 20 total employees. 15 of their 20 employees have valid waivers through their coverage elsewhere. This firm would not meet the participation requirements as they would need at least 10 of the 20 enrolling to meet the 50% of total eligible employee requirement.

    Example 2:  Law firm has 20 total employees.  6 of their 20 employees have valid waivers through coverage elsewhere. 10 employees are intending to enroll. This company would not be eligible to participate as their enrollment is 71% after valid waivers (10 out of 14) not meeting the 75% requirement.  

    Example 3:  Law firm has 20 total employees.  8 of their 20 employees have valid waivers through coverage elsewhere. 12 employees are intending to enroll. This company would meet the participation requirements as they have more than 50% of their total eligible enrolling and greater than 75% after valid waivers.

    A valid waiver is when an employee waives coverage for one of the following reasons: enrollment in a spouse’s plan, employee has coverage as a dependent on his/her parent’s plan, Medicare or Medicaid eligibility or TRICARE eligibility.

    Contribution requirements: An employer must contribute a minimum contribution to all employees equal to 50% of the employee-only cost of the lowest cost plan offered by the employer.

  • For how long is my quote valid?

    120 days from when quote is provided.
  • How long are my rates guaranteed?

    Rates are guaranteed for a period of 12 months. However for the initial launch in 2020, Groups with an Oct 1 – Dec 1 effective dates will receive rates guaranteed until Jan 1, 2022.
  • Can I offer this AHP in addition to current coverage?

    No, this is required to be an exclusive product offering. This plan is exclusive for medical coverage, but you are able to offer other benefits such as dental and vision.
  • Do I need to offer all plans or can I choose which ones?

    You can elect the plans that make the most sense for your firm. Please note that there are limits on the number of plans/networks you can offer depending on the number of employees enrolled in your plan. The rules are as follows:

    Allowed number of plans/networks:

    a.  5 or fewer enrolled employees – 1 plan/network

    b.  6-20 enrolled employees – up to 6 plans/networks

    c.  21-100+ enrolled employees - up to 12 plans/networks

  • How does an accountable care organization (ACO) work?

    An ACO includes a more localized network of coordinated health care and coverage and a truly integrated experience. By working together, Medica and the provider networks can actually raise the level of care, while lowering the cost. Therefore, premium costs could be significantly lower with an ACO.
  • What are the advantages of coordinated health care and coverage?

    An ACO offers the advantages of an insurer and provider working together on your behalf to keep you healthy. They integrate information and resources to deliver a more personalized experience at a lower cost.
  • Which networks offer the lowest premium cost?

    When you compare your options within Minnesota, an ACO offers you the lowest premiums.
  • Can I change my ACO network during the year?

    No. When enrolling in an ACO offering, you will need to stay in that ACO for the year unless you move out of the ACO service area or have a qualifying event.
  • Can I choose a different ACO option for each member of my family?

    No. When enrolling in an ACO offering, you will need to choose one ACO for the entire family. 
  • What if I need to see a provider who is not affiliated with my ACO: are there out-of-network benefits? Can I receive in-network benefits for seeing an out-of-network provider?

    All of Minnesota State Bar Association’s (MSBA) medical plans offered include out-of-network benefits. Keep in mind that the amount you pay for your care may be significantly higher when accessing providers that are not affiliated with your selected ACO network. ACO networks contain an established network of primary care and specialty care providers. In the event the services you need are not available within your ACO network and your network provider specifically directs you to a non-network provider, your provider can submit a care direction form indicating that you can receive certain eligible health services from a non-network provider. For in-network benefits to apply, the care direction form must be submitted by your network provider prior to your appointment with the out-of-network provider.
  • What if I have a college student who’s out of the ACO service area or out of the state?

    If your college student lives outside your selected ACO service area, but within Medica’s service area of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and western Wisconsin, emergency and urgent care services will be covered at the in-network benefit level. However, for other health care services, they will need to access care from your selected ACO network provider for in-network benefits to apply. Depending on your student’s health care needs, you may want to consider the other MSBA medical plans available to you which may include providers throughout Medica’s service area and nationwide. If you choose an ACO and are traveling outside Medica’s service area and need care, Medica’s Travel Program would include access to a national network of providers and in-network coverage for many types of medical care. Some services, including chiropractic care and e-visits, are not part of the Travel Program. Your out-of-network benefit will apply for these services.
  • Who will operate the plans?

    The plan’s Governing Committee will manage MSBA’s fully insured medical plans with the support of Mercer and Medica.
  • About Medica

    As a Minnesota based not-for-profit health plan with over 45 years of experience, Medica is proud to be recognized as the trusted health plan of choice to the nearly one million members in throughout Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin. 

    Medica has a long-standing history of offering innovative solutions and partnering with providers to deliver cost saving network solutions such as our ACOs. In 2012, Medica was the first health plan in the country to align with a major health care system in the development of an ACO, a first step toward the reengineering of provider collaboration and health care delivery. Today, Medica continues to transform health care delivery through collaboration with leading care systems.

  • About Mercer

    Mercer, a business of Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC), is a global leader in redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being. The MSBA and Mercer have partnered for over 25 years to provide insurance solutions to members and their families.

    With more than 65 years of experience in the industry, Mercer creates and manages insurance programs for some of the largest, most prestigious associations, including affinity, alumni, health care, education, unions, military, professional occupations and other membership organizations. Mercer-designed and -administered programs encompass customer service, marketing, program management, carrier relations and implementation. Through Mercer, clients can meet the challenges and complexities of today’s evolving market.

 

Questions?

Employers and Brokers Call 888‑264‑9189

Hours of Operation: M-F 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST

Email: MultipleEmployerSolutionSupport@mercer.com

 

Mercer's Role & Compensation

Details of Mercer disclosure of compensation.