Information for Brokers
The purpose of this section is to provide a brief overview of The Foraker Group Benefit Plan and what your nonprofit clients will need to know if they are interested in participating. More detailed information along with a brochure and CD is available.
If you are interested in being appointed to sell the plan, please contact the consulting broker, Jeff Ranf, at 907-272-0114.
The Foraker Group Benefit Plan – Highlights
Overview
The Foraker Group Benefit Plan was made available on October 1, 2008 to nonprofit Partners of The Foraker Group. In February 2010, it was made available to members of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce (ASCC). Please see the link to the left for the ASCC for more information on the requirements and incentives available to state Chamber members.
Groups were not required to begin or join on the dates listed above – they may come into the plan at any time with a new effective date. For existing Premera Blue Cross groups coming into the Foraker plan, please see Brokers, Consultants Submitting Quotes section below.
The Foraker Group will offer its Partners and members of the ASCC a group benefit program which will include:
- Three health insurance plans
- Life insurance (as part of the health benefits)
- Optional dental, short-term disability and long-term disability
Health, life, short-term disability and dental benefits are provided in cooperation with Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield (PBCBS) of Alaska and LifeWise Assurance. Rates will be initially established by underwriting each organization separately through Premera’s small community pool. Therefore, initial rates will be based on that pool. This means that if the group were to be underwritten on a stand-alone basis, the rates would be similar.
The entire purpose of this program is to promote personal responsibility among plan members for their health, resulting in improved and healthy lifestyles with a higher level of stable health.
Requirements of Employer Groups to Participate
In order to qualify to participate, current Foraker Partners must be in good standing. Members of the ASCC must also be in good standing.
Contribution Requirements of Partner Organizations
- Enrolled groups must pay a minimum of 75% of the employee’s health plan premium cost and are encouraged to pay a portion of the health insurance premium for dependent coverage, if offered.
- The enrolled group electing to offer either the $1,500 or $3,000 deductible plan with health savings account (HSA) must contribute at least $750 into their employees’ HSA minimum per year. If they offer dependent coverage, it is encouraged that they work with their EE (using a match which the employer can determine) to ensure that at least 50% of the dependent deductible is covered in the HSA.
- The enrolled group must agree to participate in the health risk management program. This means the enrolled group is expected to establish a wellness program within the organization and strongly encourage employees to take the health risk assessment. In addition, we are asking the enrolled groups to have their employees participate in other custom designed wellness initiatives.
- If an enrolled group does not meet these requirements, it risks losing any incentives it may qualify for and ultimately may be terminated from the Foraker plan. (Of course, this does not mean the employer could lose coverage because the organization will still be enrolled in the small community pool with Premera.)
Funding Arrangements
- PBCBS will bill each Foraker Partner or ASCC member separately for costs in medical and dental coverage. Life and STD will be billed by LWAC.
- PBCBS will bill The Foraker Group for the cost of the enhanced HRM, web sources, coaching and biometric testing.
Partner Organization Incentives
The Rasmuson Foundation will subsidize the online health risk assessment (HRA) and health coaching for employees who are mid- to high-risk as determined by their participation in the HRA for the first three years of this initiative (October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2011). This represents an approximate value of $120 per eligible employee.
The Rasmuson Foundation through The Foraker Group will make a $250 contribution to Partners enrolled in the benefit plan on behalf of each employee participating in the HSA for the first two years ($500 total). This incentive ends September 30, 2011. Groups enrolled through the ASCC are not eligible for this incentive. This incentive will be available only to the first 2,000 employee lives covered in either the $1,500 or $3,000 deductible HSA plans.
A rate credit of $30 PEPM will be granted for each group joining the Foraker plan to reflect 100% participation in the HRM. The rate incentive is granted the first year of enrollment. Future receipt of the incentive will be determined upon renewal based on the group’s completion rates of the HRA during a designated month.
The HRA completion month and renewal month are shown in the chart below:
| Contract effective month for renewal | HRA must be completed in the month below to receive credit |
| January | September |
| February | October |
| March | November |
| April | December |
| May | January |
| June | February |
| July | March |
| August | April |
| September | May |
| October | June |
| November | July |
| December | August |
Brokers, Consultants, Submitting/Requesting Quotes
After achieving association status, other Foraker Partners may join the plan but would not be eligible for the HSA incentive. Foraker Partners and ASCC members, however, may be eligible for the duration of the HRM. In order to qualify for this incentive, the following criteria has been established:
- Any Foraker Partner or member of the ASCC must be in good standing which includes being current on: (1) payment of annual Partnership or membership fees, and (2) payment for services provided by The Foraker Group, if applicable.
- The first 2,000 EE lives enrolled as Foraker Partners in the HSA by their employer will receive this incentive from the Rasmuson Foundation through The Foraker Group.
Only licensed agents, brokers and consultants that are appointed with Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield may market this plan.
- A 5% annual commission will be paid to each broker that markets and places a Foraker plan with new and existing Premera employer groups.
- Each broker will be required to sign an Agreement of Understanding upon receiving appropriate training with regards to how the plan will be marketed, all Partner requirements including HRM participation, funding, premiums percentages, in addition to plan designs, and all related coverage options.
- Brokers will receive marketing kits upon completing the training sessions. Brokers will deal directly with Premera for all administrative needs, similar to doing everyday business.
- Quotes for existing Premera groups will go through the normal renewal process when requesting on the group’s anniversary. For off anniversary quotes, the regular renewal process will apply, however, there will be a new 12-month contract.
- All quotes to be submitted to the following: ForakerRFP@Premera.com
- Those brokers that have existing Foraker Partners will receive two proposals from Premera if you choose to go effective October 1, whether they renew that date or not; a regular PBCBS proposal and a Foraker proposal. You will need to request this specifically.
 
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Brokers
Insurance brokers who have signed agreement. |
NOTE: Many of the documents are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing. Acrobat Reader software may be downloaded for free from Adobe Systems, Inc.
Foraker President / CEO
