"No Worry" from Humana Makes Health Care Costs Predictable for Small Businesses.New, three-year health insurance packages cap annual premium increases at 6 percent or lower LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Addressing the particular challenges faced by small businesses, Humana Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : HUM) has launched a series of new health insurance packages designed to alleviate the financial stresses of increasing health insurance costs. Dubbed dub 1 tr.v. dubbed, dub·bing, dubs 1. To tap lightly on the shoulder by way of conferring knighthood. 2. To honor with a new title or description. 3. No Worry, these packages offer predictable health care expenses over a three-year period and plans that gradually transition passive health care users into informed and active health care consumers. Humana is now offering No Worry to employers in 17 states - Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Available for businesses with 51-99 employees(1), employers may select one of several three-year No Worry packages. Each package presents a unique combination of predetermined pre·de·ter·mine v. pre·de·ter·mined, pre·de·ter·min·ing, pre·de·ter·mines v.tr. 1. To determine, decide, or establish in advance: health insurance plans for years one, two and three. The program provides information and tools that then lead employees toward increased consumer engagement. For example, a No Worry package might include a traditional PPO PPO abbr. preferred provider organization PPO Managed care Preferred provider organization, see there Infectious disease Pleuropneumonia-like organism, see there plan in year one, Humana's consumer-engaging CoverageFirst plan in year two, and a high-deductible health plan compatible with a Health Savings Account A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The funds contributed to the account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. (HSA HSA Health Savings Account (US) HSA Human Serum Albumin HSA Human Services Agency (Nevada) HSA Health Services Agency HSA Health and Safety Authority (Ireland) ) in year three. With No Worry, Humana guarantees the annual premium rate increase for medical insurance will not exceed 6 percent for the two subsequent years. Employers can qualify for an even lower 4.5 percent medical premium rate cap in the second and third years by adding dental coverage and meeting other requirements - such as having 90 percent of their employees complete a Humana Health Assessment. No Worry was developed in response to feedback from small businesses and independent insurance agents and brokers. "We asked small-business owners what their key worries were with respect to health benefits for their employees, and the same concepts resurfaced again and again," said Jerry Ganoni, president of Humana Small Business, HumanaDental and HumanaOne. "They want predictability, a long-term solution to rising costs and a hassle-free process. We listened. At its heart, that's what Humana's No Worry packages offer. "Three-year contracts eliminate the need for benefit selection each year, saving small employers valuable time and energy. The rate-increase cap ensures predictable health-benefits costs, enabling more accurate budgeting and long-term financial planning Financial planning Evaluating the investing and financing options available to a firm. Planning includes attempting to make optimal decisions, projecting the consequences of these decisions for the firm in the form of a financial plan, and then comparing future performance against for small businesses. Humana's consumer-driven tools and programs encourage behavior changes that result in wiser health care consumers and healthier, more productive employees, and our rate guarantee demonstrates that," Ganoni added. In addition, employers can add dental and/or life insurance to their No Worry package, and Humana will guarantee that the annual rate increase for dental will not exceed 2.9 percent in years two and three, and that there will be no annual rate increase for basic life insurance in the second and third years. More information about No Worry is available at www.Humana-NoWorry.com. (1) In Louisiana, employers with 36-99 employees qualify for No Worry. In Tennessee, employers with 26-99 employees qualify for No Worry. About Humana Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky  “Louisville” redirects here. For other uses, see Louisville (disambiguation). , is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with approximately 11.3 million medical members. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance products and related services - through traditional and consumer-choice plans - to employer groups employer group Association of employers Managed care An entity with a current group benefits agreement in effect with a health plan to provide covered health care services to its employee-subscribers and eligible dependents. , government-sponsored plans, and individuals. Over its 46-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations Investor relations The process by which the corporation communicates with its investors. page of the company's web site at www.humana.com, including copies of: * Annual reports to stockholders * Securities and Exchange Commission filings * Most recent investor conference presentations * Quarterly earnings news releases * Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls * Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors Institutional Investor A non-bank person or organization that trades securities in large enough share quantities or dollar amounts that they qualify for preferential treatment and lower commissions. ) * Corporate Governance Corporate Governance The relationship between all the stakeholders in a company. This includes the shareholders, directors, and management of a company, as defined by the corporate charter, bylaws, formal policy, and rule of law. Information |
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