There Are Many Advantages Associated With Group Health Benefits In Orlando

By Jill Faulkner


Group health benefits in Orlando offer numerous options to employees and their dependents. Coverage of this type is usually referred to as employer group health plans, the latter which are typically made available to full-time employees. Coverage is also generally offered to the employee's family if he or she so desires. Companies that offer coverage of this type must be in compliance with all laws, both federal and state, regarding such insurance. An example of this is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, commonly abbreviated as COBRA.

The Department of Labor states that group healthcare coverage is a benefit plan for employees put in place and maintained by a company or union. It gives employees and their families medical benefits through reimbursement or prepaid arrangements, depending on the insurance company's guidelines. Eligibility varies greatly from one plan to the next, but in most cases anyone who has worked for a company for the designated length of time established by the employer can apply for group coverage.

To participate in plans of this kind, employers are typically required to offer proof that a minimum number of individuals are employed at their firm. In most instances, this number is fifty, although certain insurance agencies will offer coverage of this type to groups of forty individuals or even less.

Such policies are governed by several laws, one of which is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The act mandates that the plan's administrator must give employees information concerning coverage details and eligibility requirements. Any business providing this type of insurance must also adhere to fiduciary guidelines. If such regulations are not adhered to, participants can sue the plan's administrator.

There are several laws currently in effect with regard to benefit termination. To amend or terminate insurance coverage, the policyholder's employer must send written notice to the beneficiary of the plan. The appropriate party must execute this correspondence, which is usually the plan's administrator. The terminology used to communicate such facts must be concise and clear.

Company health plans must also comply with the aforementioned COBRA regulations. The latter allows employees to continue with their current coverage after their employment is terminated for a maximum of eighteen months. However, even though the coverage stays the same, the individual is responsible for paying the insurance premiums in their entirety, rather than having part of the amount subsidized by the employer.

Both individuals and families will discover that there are many benefits associated with having health insurance. For instance, most plans cover annual checkups, prescription drugs, and even emergency care. Vision and dental care are also provided under certain policies.

It is always important for one to read the fine print when he or she is considering signing up for group health benefits in Orlando. If there are any details about which the employee is unclear, he or she should ask for the provider's toll-free number and speak to a representative who can further explain the benefits, or visit his or her human resources office. Ultimately, obtaining health insurance is a beneficial activity for virtually anyone.




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