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Volume
1, Issue 2
Saunders'
Selection
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October
1, 1998
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Saunders'
Selection
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Leslie
Saunders Insurance & Marketing International
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| Leslie
A. Saunders - President |
1535
N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Lutz, FL 33549
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| Phone:
1-800-523-0146 |
Fax:
813-949-9655 |
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SALUTE
TO BUSINESS WOMEN OWNERS EDITION
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| A
Letter From Leslie |
| As
this year draws to a close, I suddenly realized I have
been providing employee benefits for 25 years. How things
have changed! In 1974, the first group insurance that
I ever wrote was for an engineering company in Gainesville,
Florida (still clients today). The plan had a "Daily
Room and Board Benefit" of $60 for semi-private room,
scheduled rates for other miscellaneous services, yearly
deductible and a $250,000 lifetime maximum benefit.
Believe it or not, almost everything was covered, no
questions were ever asked, and everyone was very happy! |
| About
10 years ago the world starting turning upside down.
In 1990, the concept of "Preferred Providers" and $10
co-pays was to become the standard. Prescription cards
now carried $5 co-pays for generic prescriptions and
possibly $8 for brand names, and everyone knew that
hospital visits had to be pre-certified. As if this
were not enough, now there was something called "dual
choice" and one had to choose between an "HMO" and a
"PPO!" It did not take very long before the HMO was
the preferred product offered by most employers, and
employees had to pay more to have the PPO operation.
Indemnity plans had ceased to exist. |
| Today,
everything we read about 'managed care' seems to be
negative, and the debate goes on about the patient's
Bill of Rights as it applies to HMOs. In our own company,
everyone uses the prescription card and an informal
survey on the average monthly retail price of the prescription
taken by our employees and their dependants is over
$3,000 a month. We have less than 10 employees! |
| Recently
I made an appointment for a diagnostic test. The doctor,
who had assumed the practice, was not yet a PPO network
provider. This information was communicated to my office
but, being on the run all the time, I decided to go
ahead and keep the appointment and not take the extra
step to call another PPO provider. Instead of paying
a $10 co-pay, I paid the $460 charge. Was this the fault
of my insurance company? No, I neglected to follow procedure
and knowingly went to a non-preferred provider. Next
time you can be sure I will stay within the network! |
| As
costs continue to escalate for procedures and prescriptions,
those who want more choices in their providers and type
of plan will have to pay higher prices. As a woman business
owner, I will try to continue to provide the best benefits
possible for my employees and my clients, many of whom
have been with us for 20 years. We urge you to call
us if you do not understand any part of the process,
or if you are looking to change your existing employee
benefits plan. We can help. |
| Do
not miss the article on Managed Care in this newsletter,
and also check our Frequently Asked Questions column.
Have a wonderful fall season. |
| - Leslie |
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Women
On The Move
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| More
women than ever are on the move, traveling for business
and taking vacations abroad with their families. With
this new found freedom comes a responsibility to be
aware of the dangers that await the woman business traveler.
Everyone knows a story about someone who has experienced
a medical emergency overseas, or lost their visa or
passport, or has run into an unsafe situation. A little
forethought, planning and common sense can safeguard
the entire trip and bring you safely home. |
Disease
is one worry among many, and heart attacks too. Never
mind that "getting there is half the fun" - think
about the jet lag, motion sickness and blood clots
from air travel! Check into pre-trip vaccination (where
and when to get them), or travel insurance (to afford
an airlift home in an emergency). Think ahead. You
might want to check out the National Association of
Professionals in Women's Health (NAPWH) and the results
of their 12th Annual Executive Summit on Women's Health
which is taking place on October 24-27 in Philadelphia.
Visit
our website at www.wwer.com
for more information on travel insurance and how to
protect yourself and your loved ones
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