Matching your needs with a cost-effective plan.
Group Benefits
Group Benefits
We work with employers to design attractive benefits to offer their employees at competitive prices.
Our size and overhead is far less than other agencies, which means more affordable options for employers. We have expertise in self-funded plan design and administration. We do not use any third-party general agents: all our contracts are direct with all of our carriers. We stand ready to serve you!
As an added benefit to you, we can create a custom intranet service to suit your company’s needs, ranging from an employee-benefits portal to a full human resources communications system, offering manual or electronic enrollment, tracking and administrative capabilities.
We offer:
Group Medical Plans
Self-funded Group Medical Plans
Fully-funded Group Medical Plans
Private Group Medical Exchanges
Dental Plans
Vision Plans
Group Life Insurance
Supplemental Life Insurance
Dependent Life Insurance
Group Short-term Disability Insurance
Group Long-term Disability Insurance
Voluntary Short-term Disability Insurance
Voluntary Long-term Disability Insurance
FSA Flexible Spending Accounts
HRA Health Reimbursement Accounts
Gap Health Insurance Plans
Cancer Insurance
Accident Insurance
Critical Illness
Small, medium and large group markets will each have different options and compliance levels under the new government health care regulations. IDSI is prepared to be your consultant and guide you throughout the complex maze of regulations and changes, so you can be confident that your company is in compliance.
With IDSI you can count on professional, friendly, no-pressure quoting. We provide assistance and explanations of coverage to both employers and their employees. For employees with a high share of dependent costs, we will help them compare group and individual plan options to help them save money. We are available for ongoing support to review questions from employees and employers about their coverage.
Our Group Benefits Providers include and are not limited to:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
UnitedHealthcare
The Hartford
Transamerica
Dearborn National
Delta Dental
Assurant Health
AFLAC
Aetna/Coventry
Metlife
Principal
Nationwide
Guardian
Ameritas
Cigna
Integra Group Benefits
About Us
Insurance Design Solutions, Inc, was founded in 1996 and is centrally located in Greensboro, NC to best serve our statewide client base. With a combined experience of over 25 years in the industry, IDSI is operated by Jim and Bryan Valentine, a father and son team. IDSI is authorized to provide services for any company, large or small, in North Carolina seeking to offer insurance benefits to their employees. IDSI is also authorized to help with individual health insurance and Medicare insurance.
IDSI is a full-service agency, providing:
A no-pressure professional, relaxed quote options
Assist with the application process
Clarification and explanation of options
Handling of the paperwork: Underwriting, Rate comparisons and Enrollment
Open communication with you – so you know where you are in the enrollment process
Assistance with claim resolutions – we will serve as your advocate should you need to appeal or resolve claims issues
Competitive rates due to our low overhead
Direct contact and service with your agent – no getting lost in a phone tree or selecting the correct prompts
Our mission is to help you find the best current insurance options available. We will monitor how your options, or needs may change as the new insurance legislation is implemented. Our primary aim in this economy is cost-containment and compliance, while continuing to provide ample benefits. We take a proactive approach to health management and wellness programs for our clients and feel this can be an important part of cost containment.
New government regulations continue to change the health care industry. Employers need to team up with a brokerage that understands, and is actively engaged in the changing landscape of group and individual benefits. We are that brokerage, and want to be your partner in these challenging times! We are constantly monitoring the ongoing changes to the health care system on your behalf. We will share with you what we learn, and offer suggestions on how you can best take advantage of those changes. Please take a look at the “News/Compliance” section of our site for helpful updates.
Past and present clients range from restaurant chains, industry management companies, medical practices, professional services groups, country clubs, and individuals seeking their own individual health coverage. IDSI is a proud member of the North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association, and works closely with new and used vehicle franchises statewide.
Jim Valentine moved to NC from New York with his mother after the passing of his father at the age of 15 years old. Growing up one of five children, he started his career with Wachovia Bank working with the auto and banking industry. Jim transitioned into insurance in 1996 starting Insurance Design Solutions, Inc. after talking with business clients and finding out what their greatest need was in operating their corporations. The answer was clear; a trusted business relationship was needed most in the group benefits aspect of their respective businesses. Jim is licensed to negotiate proposals for life, health, disability, critical illness, and long term care products to meet the needs of his clients. Jim has been happily married for 44 years, and has two children and 3 grandchildren. Jim is a devoted husband and father. He carries these same beliefs to Insurance Design Solutions, Inc.
Bryan Valentine was born and raised in Greensboro, NC. Bryan started his carrier with Insurance Design Solutions, Inc. in 2003 after finishing college. After joining Insurance Design Solutions, Inc. in 2003 and learning the business of group insurance, Bryan received his Medicare Supplement/Long Term Care License in 2007. Bryan is uniquely qualified to sell group insurance products as well as individual insurance products. Bryan is federally licensed to sell individual health insurance plans “on” and “off” the new Federal Marketplace. Bryan also actively sells Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Supplement/Part D policies with a wide range of carriers. Bryan has been happily married for 4 years, and has one daughter. Bryan is a devoted husband and father. At Insurance Design Solutions, Inc. Bryan will work hard to find the insurance solution that best fits your specific needs.
New FAQs Address Summary of Benefits and Coverage Template and Other Affordable Care Act Topics
New FAQs Address Summary of Benefits and Coverage Template and Other Affordable Care Act Topics
The U.S. Department of Labor has released its latest set of FAQs regarding implementation of various provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Highlights of the FAQs are presented below.
Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)
Group health plans are required to provide, without charge, a standard SBC form explaining plan coverage and costs to employees at specified times during the enrollment process and upon request. (For insured group health plans, the notice requirement may be satisfied if the issuer furnishes recipients with a timely and complete SBC.)
The new FAQs provide that the updated SBC template (and sample completed SBC) made available in April 2013 continues to be authorized until further guidance is issued. The FAQs also confirm that certain safe harbors and other enforcement relief with respect to providing the SBC continue to apply.
Effect of Health FSA Carryovers on ‘Excepted Benefits’ Status
Excepted benefits provided under a group health plan generally are exempt from the Affordable Care Act’s market reforms. Health FSAs may constitute excepted benefits if, among other requirements, the arrangement is structured so that the maximum benefit payable to any employee participant in the class cannot exceed a certain amount.
The latest set of FAQs explains that unused carryover amounts remaining at the end of a plan year in a health FSA (permitted under the modified “use-or-lose” rule) should not be taken into account when determining if the health FSA satisfies the maximum benefit payable limit to constitute excepted benefits.
Other topics addressed in the FAQs include the application of cost-sharing limits to out-of-network items and services, and preventive coverage related to tobacco cessation interventions. For more on the Affordable Care Act, including previously released questions and answers, please visit our Health Care Reform section.
Employers Face Significant Penalties for Reimbursing Employees’ Individual Health Insurance Policy Premiums
Employers Face Significant Penalties for Reimbursing Employees’ Individual Health Insurance Policy Premiums
New guidance from the IRS explains the consequences when an employer does not establish a health insurance plan for its own employees, but instead chooses to reimburse those employees for some or all of the premiums they pay for individual health insurance, either inside or outside the Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchange).
Such arrangements are described as “employer payment plans,” which are considered group health plans subject to the Affordable Care Act’s market reforms (including the annual dollar limit prohibition and preventive services requirements). Employer payment plans also include arrangements under which an employer uses its funds to directly pay the premium for an individual health insurance policy covering an employee. The term generally does not include arrangements under which an employee may choose either cash or an after-tax amount to be applied toward health coverage.
Consistent with prior FAQs, the new guidance confirms that employer payment plans cannot be integrated with individual policies to satisfy the Affordable Care Act market reforms. Accordingly, such arrangements fail to satisfy the market reforms and may be subject to a $100 per day excise tax per applicable employee ($36,500 per year, per employee) under the federal tax code.
Visit our section on HSAs, FSAs, & Other Tax-Favored Accounts to learn about how these types of programs are affected by the Affordable Care Act.
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