Its the most wonderful time of the year!

We have insurance quotings; our tummies are bloating; we have so much to fear!!! (Have you seen the news lately?) Its the most wonderful time of the year!

(The intro to this post triples in power and effect if you imagine a most harmonious and melodious voice crooning the words gracefully throughout the office and warehouse intercom system to the tune of the popular Christmas hit - "Its the most wonderful time of the year!")

Yes my friends, insurance renewal is upon us and it is time to understand your options. Not surprisingly, your options are limited in that you don't get the option of picking your premium. They are going up whether we want them to or not. I know this because I tried a few tactics from my youth in an effort to change their mind, but it was to no avail. The conversation went something like this:

Mean Insurance Guy: "Your rates went up."
Nice Guy that has your back: "I don't want them to."
Mean Insurance Guy: "Ok . . . but they did."
Nice Guy that has your back: "I really, really don't want them to."
Mean Insurance Guy: "I'm not sure what to tell you."
Nice Guy that has your back: "Duh - tell me that they aren't going up."
Mean Insurance Guy: "But they are."
Nice Guy that has your back: "Oh - you think you are better than us? You think you can be the boss of me? Well you can't."
Mean Insurance Guy: "I'm not trying to be the boss of you. I'm just telling you that your rates went up."
Nice Guy that has your back: "Meanie Head!!!!"
Mean Insurance Guy: "I can't believe we are having this conversation."
Nice Guy that has your back: "Oh - so you're not very smart either. You can't even tell when you are having a conversation. No wonder you can't understand my simple request of not raising our rates.
Mean Insurance Guy: "I haven't had a conversation like this since Kindergarten."
Nice Guy that has your back: "I haven't had a conversation like this since Kindergarten."
Mean Insurance Guy: "I think we should probably end this conversation. Your rates are up, please call me if you have any question about anything other than rates."
Nice Guy that has your back: "I think we should probably end this conversation. Your rates are up, please call me if you have any question about anything other than rates."

At that moment, the phone went silent. Needless to say, I think our rates went up on Health and Dental Insurance and so now we get to the exciting details of how it affects you. Please note that Vision did not go up and so it will not receive the same amount of air-time as the other two. I will say only this: It is open enrollment so if you do not have vision and want it, now is the time to get it.

We have shopped both health and dental insurance and we concluded that even though rates have gone up, we are still better off staying with Regence for Health and Best Life for Dental. The only thing you need to decide is if you still want the services at a higher price. Now is the time to drop or add insurance as it is open enrollment.

Below you will find the new rates for Regence Health Insurance:

HSA Plan
$208.70 - Employee Only
$501.30 - Employee & Spouse
$298.30 - Employee & Child
$396.70 - Employee & Children
$623.70 - Family

PPO Plan
$285.30 - Employee Only
$685.30 - Employee & Spouse
$407.70 - Employee & Child
$542.40 - Employee & Children
$851.90 - Family

The dental plan has been changed slightly in order to keep premiums lower. Instead of a $50.00 deductible there will now be a $100.00 deductible. This lessened the increase of our premiums about 10%. Here are the New Dental Rates with Best Life.

$32.71 - Employee Only
$65.42 - Employee & Spouse
$70.23 - Employee & Child
$70.23 - Employee & Children
$101.30 - Family

Because of the increase in healthcare and dental care premiums. CPS has increased the amount we contribute to your health options from $250.00 to $265.00 per month. This should offset some of the increases of the health care options.

Please contact Stephen or myself if you would like to add Health, Dental, or Vision insurance this year for either yourself or your dependents. In subtraction, if you would like to delete any of your services, please let us know as well. (Get it? "In subtraction" instead of "In addition." Ha - That is good stuff right there!)

One last thing. AFLAC is another option you may be considering. For those in Idaho, on Tuesday December 13th, AFLAC will be setting up camp in our break room from 12:00 - ? They will have pizza available and would be happy to answer any of your questions regarding AFLAC. If you are not interested, then feel free to take their pizza and not ask any questions. Please do not all go at the same time as this is not a company luncheon and they will be around as long as they need to be. If you are in KY and UT, please go buy yourself some pizza and feel free to contact Stephen for more information regarding any interest in AFLAC.

You will be tempted to stall and procrastinate your decision and this is something I would discourage. Before you know it, the open enrollment will be closed and you will be left wondering: Where has all the time gone? How did life pass me by? Why didn't I do more while I still had the chance? These are common questions that are asked around this time of year. Don't let it be you this year.

Merry Christmas to all and Happy Insurance Days too.