If you’re looking for a way to help you increase your employee retention and make your employees happier – without driving up your costs – you should know about voluntary benefits. They are an easy way for your business to expand your insurance coverage options for employees. And the cost is paid entirely by those employees who participate.

For employers currently offering Medical coverage through CaliforniaChoice, it’s easy to add voluntary Dental and Vision coverage.

 

Voluntary Dental

The SmileSaver Dental 3000 HMO is available as a voluntary option with no minimum employee participation. It includes benefits for the following, with a co-pay for some services:

• Exams and diagnostics
• Oral surgery
• Restorative care
• Endodontics
• Periodontics
• Crowns
• Orthodontics
• Prosthodontics (dentures)

 

Voluntary Vision

Two Voluntary Vision programs are also available – from EyeMed and VSP. Both offer in- and out-of-network benefits, as shown below:

Service	EyeMed®		VSP®
	In Network	Out of Network	In Network	Out of Network
Eye Examinations	$10 co-pay (1 per 12 months)	Up to $20 reimbursement	$10 co-pay (1 per 12 months)	Up to $45 reimbursement
Frames	Covered in full up to $100 retail value (1 per 12 months)	Up to $30 reimbursement, up to $100 retail value (1 per 12 months)	Covered in full up to $180 retail value (1 per 12 months)	Up to $70 reimbursement
Lenses	Co-pay of $10 to $75 depending on type of lenses (1 per 12 months)	Up to $40 reimbursement depending on type of lenses	Co-pay of $10 to $55 depending on type of lenses (1 per 12 months)	Up to $65 reimbursement depending on type of lenses
Contact Lenses	$10 co-pay; one purchase per 12 months in lieu of frames and lenses; up to $100 retail value; additional coverage for fitting is based on lens type	$50 reimbursement; one purchase per 12 months in lieu of frames and lenses; up to $100 retail value; $40 reimbursement for contact lens fitting	$10 co-pay; one purchase per 12 months in lieu of frames and lenses; up to $180 retail value; lens fitting covered in full after member cost of up to $60	Up to $150 reimbursement; one purchase per 12 months in lieu of frames and lenses; 15% discount on contact lens fitting

Because the coverage is voluntary, you don’t have to worry about increasing your employee benefits budget. There’s no cost to you because your employees are paying the total premium.

 

Employer-sponsored Options

If you would like to contribute to the costs of your employees’ additional benefits (or pay the total costs), you can expand your employee insurance options even more – giving them a choice of Dental, Vision, Chiropractic & Acupuncture, and Life Insurance. You can even “mix and match” employer-sponsored and voluntary coverage for your employees. Your broker can supply you with all of the details.

 

DENTAL INSURANCE

There are five employer-sponsored options for Dental coverage:

• SmileSaver Dental 1000 HMO
• Ameritas PPO 3000
• Ameritas PPO 3500
• Ameritas PPO 4000
• Ameritas PPO 5000

 

The SmileSaver Dental 1000 HMO includes:

• Exams and diagnostics at no charge
• Oral surgery at no charge
• Restorative care at no charge
• Endodontics with a co-pay of $40 to $95 depending on the service
• Periodontics with a co-pay of zero to $20 depending on the service
• Crowns, Orthodontics, and Prosthodontics with co-pays

 

The Ameritas PPO plans all include:

• An Annual Maximum and Annual Deductible – the amount varies by plan and whether services are provided in- or out-of-network
• Preventive care with the deductible waived in-network (services are covered at 100% in-network and 80% out-of-network)
• Basic services are generally covered at 80% in- or out-of-network
• Major services are subject to a Waiting Period and are covered at 50%
• Endo/Perio are covered at 50% on most plans; 80% coverage in-network for PPO 3500, 4000, and 5000 plans
• Dental Rewards® by Ameritas

Orthodontia is available on the PPO 3500, 4000, and 5000 plans with a $1,000 lifetime maximum.

 

CHIROPRACTIC AND ACUPUNCTURE

The employer-sponsored Landmark Healthplan Chiropractic or Chiropractic and Acupuncture plans are available for a low monthly fee and include the following benefits:

• Office visits with a low $15 co-pay per visit
• Maximum 20 visits per year (20 total Chiro and Acupuncture visits under combo plan)
• Discounts on office visits exceeding 20 per year
• No deductibles
• Free health coaching, education, and referral services

Enrolled members have access to Landmark’s fully credentialed network of chiropractors and acupuncturists across California.

 

LIFE INSURANCE

Employer-sponsored Life Insurance from Assurity Life Insurance Company gives your employees access to affordable Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefits – plus a Conversion Privilege if they leave your employment in the future.

Coverage amounts start at a minimum of $10,000 during the initial enrollment period. (Reduced amounts are available after the initial enrollment.) Your group’s Guaranteed Issue Maximum is based on your total group size, as shown below:

Employee Participation	Guaranteed Issue Maximum at Initial Enrollment
1-10	$25,000
11-25	$50,000
26-50	$75,000
51-100	$100,000

Through the Living Benefits Provision, an early partial payout of the Life Insurance amount is available if you’re diagnosed with a future terminal illness.

 

Talk With Your Broker About Your Benefits

CaliforniaChoice gives employers like you the ability to easily expand your employee benefits program, and still control your costs. CaliforniaChoice can help you attract new employees, boost employee morale, and reduce turnover – because employees are happier when they have the ability to choose insurance that best fits their specific individual or family health care needs.

Talk with your broker about adding voluntary or employer-sponsored benefits to your employee benefits program. You can add these benefits to your program at any time. You don’t have to wait until your next Medical plan open enrollment.

If you don’t already have a broker, we can help you find a CaliforniaChoice broker to speak with about a quote for coverage for your employees.