Antares Insurance

What you should know about home safety assessments

Antares helps ease your worries about home safety with this guide to in-home evaluations, which may be covered by your insurance.

You may think of your home as a safe place. It’s also a source of pride, comfort and an endless supply of memories. And the last thing you want to do is leave it. The idea of moving to a retirement community or senior living facility is still far off, at least in your mind.

But as you get older, your home can turn into an obstacle course. Maybe you’re having more trouble getting around, so you’re not tidying up as often. And you come close to tripping over that stack of magazines. Or you forgot the last time you got your boiler serviced, and it started to leak. That was a close one.

Your home can turn into a daily challenge if it’s not safe. And things can get dangerous quickly. Case in point: In the United States, home accidents injure someone every 4 seconds and kill someone every 16 minutes. And many of those accidents can be prevented.

That’s where a home safety assessment comes into play. It can help identify potential problems such as falling hazards and poor air quality. What’s more, it can identify fixes, some of which may be surprisingly easy and inexpensive. Here’s what you need to know.

Need more information about where to get a home safety assessment? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss your options.

How do I know if my home needs a safety check?

If you’re older and are worried that your home isn’t as safe as it used to be, you’re probably right. If you’re not very steady on your feet or are recovering from surgery, your home can become a place of hidden dangers that can cause falls. Those dangers include things such as:

General clutter
Loose rugs
Sidewalks and stairs in need of repair
Slippery bathroom floors, bathtubs or showers
Steep staircases

In fact, a quarter of adults ages 65 and older fall every year. While most people come away with just a few bruises and wounded dignity, 1 in 5 falls result in serious injuries such as a head wound or broken bone. Falls are responsible for nearly all hip fractures and are one of the top causes of traumatic brain injuries.

But falls aren’t the only danger. Faulty wiring could lead to a fire, for example, and a faulty furnace could expose you to deadly carbon monoxide.

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What is a home safety assessment?

A home safety assessment is when an expert or provider comes into your home and looks at everything thoroughly. That includes both inside and outside your house. They’ll also look at you and how you get around in your home and function in it, notes Kara Welke, O.T.D. She’s the owner of Next Level Occupational Therapy in Grand Forks, North Dakota, which teaches therapy professionals to conduct assessments.

With older adults, home safety assessments focus heavily on fall risk. But they could also look at other things, such as checking that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order and even how your kitchen cabinets are organized.

Often, the person doing the assessment will ask you to demonstrate how you do different activities, such as getting out of your favorite chair or stepping into and out of the shower. That could also include how difficult it is to get things out of your refrigerator. Again, what’s important is how you function — as in the way you physically take care of tasks and get around — in your house.

Sometimes the person doing your assessment may suggest substantial changes, but sometimes they won’t. “I’ve been to homes where I’m like, ‘This is a train wreck,’ but how they’re functioning and completing their daily activities is working for them and is safe,” Welke says. “So making a change might be more detrimental to them.”

How long does a home safety assessment take?

Welke says you can often expect a home safety assessment to take about an hour. “But it can definitely take a lot longer than that,” she says, “and it can take maybe more than 1 session, depending on the client.” And follow-ups may be needed as your circumstances change. For instance, if your health status is changing rapidly or if you’ve just been discharged from the hospital, that might be a reason for a follow-up visit.

Is a home safety assessment covered by your insurance? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss what’s available, or browse your options online today.

Who can do a home safety assessment?

While only health care professionals can practice medicine, anyone can offer home safety assessments. That may include occupational and physical therapists, remodeling contractors and even people who sell equipment such as grab bars. Those are devices you can install in your shower to help prevent falls.

Welke strongly recommends finding an occupational therapist that specializes in home modifications. She recommends avoiding professionals who are doing home modifications with the aim of selling a product. (If you go the contractor route, look for someone who is a certified aging-in-place specialist.)

Welke also recommends finding a therapist who can also tell you about resources in your local community. In her state, for example, people can often get free adaptive equipment, such as grab bars and toilet seat risers, through grant programs.

Does my insurance cover home safety assessments?

Your insurance may cover a home safety assessment if your doctor refers you to a professional such as an occupational therapist. Your doctor may do this if you’ve had a series of falls or if you’ve been in and out of the hospital a lot.

If you’re a Medicare member, your doctor might order a home safety assessment based on the health risk assessment (HRA) that’s part of your “Welcome to Medicare” visit and your annual wellness visits. The “Welcome to Medicare” visit is a one-time visit, while an annual wellness visit takes place every year after you’ve had Medicare Part B (doctor insurance) for more than 12 months. (If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have comparable offerings available to you.) HRA topics are supposed to include:

Assessment of how you perform activities of daily living, such as getting dressed, going to the bathroom, bathing and moving around your home
Fall risk assessment
Home safety assessment

Even if you need to pay out of pocket for a home safety assessment, it could save you money over time. That’s because it will help you avoid unscheduled visits to your doctor and/or the hospital.

An occupational therapist may recommend simple steps you can take to stay safer, such as:

How to reduce clutter
Installing motion-sensor night-lights on the path to your bathroom or to your house
Where to fix steps or cracked sidewalks
Where to install a grab bar in your bathroom or shower

How else can I make my home safer?

In addition to calling in the pros, you or a loved one can do your own check of your house to look for common safety hazards. Here are 2 free home safety checklists that can help get you started:

Safety for Older Consumers — Home Safety Checklist
Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults

You can also call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss how to get a home safety assessment and what types of insurance plans cover it. Need a new plan? Browse your options online today.

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What is watsu? 13 surprising health benefits of aquatic therapy

What is watsu, and what can it do for you?

Ever felt the discomfort of tight muscles, aching joints, or tension from stress in your life? Chances are pretty good you’ve looked for ways to find relief.

You know…

Deep breathing
Exercise
Meditation
Massage
And sometimes even medication

But there’s at least one more way to beat stress and tension: watsu.

Watsu is a combination of massage and aquatic therapy created by practitioner Harold Dull.¹ When Dull began using shiatsu (a kind of Japanese massage therapy) in water, he called it “watsu.”

What does watsu therapy look like?

Imagine a massage therapy session in water. That’s essentially watsu (water + shiatsu therapy).

Here’s how it works:¹

A patient and practitioner enter a pool of chest-deep water heated to about 95 degrees.
The patient floats in the water in a supine position, while the practitioner moves the patient around using gentle circular movements.
Stretching and massage therapy is also applied to joints, muscles, and tissue during a watsu session.

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Watsu therapy to treat chronic pain & other health conditions

Watsu has been widely used as a homeopathic way to treat chronic pain and boost relaxation, but watsu is being used to treat other health conditions, like:

Sleep disorders. Researchers found that a combination of watsu therapy and physical therapy may help improve sleep quality and duration for people living with Parkinson’s disease.²
Cerebral palsy. Research shows that watsu therapy may help children with cerebral palsy improve head control and movement functions more than traditional physical therapy.³
Lower back pain. Watsu therapy is frequently used to treat and reduce lower back pain in pregnant women and those with chronic lower back pain.¹
Autism Spectrum Disorder. Researchers found that regular aquatic therapy for children with autism may help improve communication, social skills, and physical coordination.⁴
Osteoarthritis. One study found that aquatic therapy may help reduce joint pain and improve mobility associated with osteoarthritis.⁵

Research shows watsu may also help in other ways, like:⁶

Reduce neck, back and muscle pain
Reduce inflammation
Relax muscles
Increase blood circulation
Promote recovery
Improve flexibility
Reduce anxiety
Lower stress
Reduce joint pain
Improve mobility
Reduce joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis
Treat mood disorders such as anxiety or PTSD
Aid in recovery from a spinal cord or brain injury due to trauma, stroke, or degenerative disease

Who provides watsu therapy?

In most cases, watsu is performed by private health practitioners who specialize in alternative and naturopathic therapies.

Watsu therapy is typically performed at a health spa or naturopathic clinic in a heated pool. Watsu may also be performed in a private heated pool or hot tub by a trained professional.

While watsu may not always be covered by insurance, you may be able to use health savings account funds to pay for watsu therapy with a letter of medical necessity from your doctor.⁷

You can find watsu professionals through the Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association.

People should not take part in watsu if any of the following apply.⁸

Contact a medical professional if you have reason to believe that time spent floating in warm water presents a health concern.
People who currently exhibit a fever or temperature instability should not participate in Watsu.
If your eardrum is perforated, do not take part in Watsu without a medically approved earplug.
You’ll need a doctor’s permission, and likely some extra safety measures, if you have spinal cord injury, are neurologically compromised, or experience epilepsy or multiple sclerosis.
If you’re sensitive to chemicals used in pools, such as chlorine or bromine, Watsu may not be for you.
Heart conditions, such as blood clots, cardiac failure, or unstable angina, mean you shouldn’t practice Watsu.
People with active skin infections, or who are prone to developing skin infections, shouldn’t participate in Watsu sessions.
If you have uncontrolled diabetes or kidney issues, you shouldn’t practice Watsu until your condition is stable.

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5 ways to treat sleep problems as you age

Antares Insurance Solutions helps you figure out why you’re not getting enough shut-eye — and what you can do about it.

Healthy sleep is important at any age. But as you get older, it may feel more challenging to fall asleep or stay asleep. You may even find that you’re drowsy during the day.

However, sleep problems aren’t something that always happen to a person as they age. The issue may have to do with prescription drugs you’re taking or even be a sign of something more serious. But there are things you and your health care provider can do to improve your sleep.

Here are 5 strategies to help you get a better night’s rest.

You can help pay for the care you need to get better sleep with a health plan. Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss available plans, or browse your options online today.

1. Pay attention to snoring

Or rather, ask your spouse or someone else to watch you while you’re sleeping. If you’re snoring and gasping for air as you sleep, you may have a health condition called sleep apnea. It occurs when the muscles of your upper airway relax too much during sleep, making it harder to breathe.

“As you age, the degree to which your muscles relax changes, including when you sleep,” says Joshua Lennon, M.D. He’s the facility director for the Neurology Clinic Sleep Center in Memphis, Tennessee. (He’s also an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.) So, that’s why you see more people getting sleep apnea as they get older, he adds.

Doctors typically treat the condition by having you wear a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine while you’re sleeping. A CPAP machine prevents your airway from closing by providing continuous pressurized air through tubing that connects to the mask.

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2. Consider insomnia therapy

Often, treatments for sleep problems don’t involve prescription drugs. For example, if you have insomnia, which becomes more common as you age, your doctor may recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).

“CBT-I is the go-to [treatment] for sleep difficulties,” says Dr. Lennon. It’s a short, structured, evidence-based approach to dealing with insomnia. It focuses on identifying and addressing thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are contributing to the symptoms of insomnia. In addition to the ones listed above, symptoms can also include waking up too early.

“CBT-I is highly effective in older adults,” says Kelly Glazer Baron, Ph.D. She’s a professor, clinical psychologist and the director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program at University of Utah Health. “It involves usually 4 to 6 sessions, meeting with a therapist individually or in a group. There are also online versions and workbooks that walk people through it.”

If you want to try any of these treatments, find a health plan with mental health coverage. Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss available plans, or browse your options online today.

3. Review which prescription drugs you’re taking

If you’re having sleep problems, review your list of medications with your doctor or pharmacist. “Medications very commonly could impact sleep in one way or the other, either by affecting your alertness during the daytime or by directly impacting the brain’s ability to achieve one or more different stages of sleep across the night,” says Dr. Lennon. Ask your doctor if your sleep issues could be a side effect of a medication.

“Many common medications, such as those used to control blood pressure, for example, are known to cause sleep disruption,” says Baron. If a medicine is affecting your sleep, your doctor may be able to make an adjustment to your prescription that can improve your sleep.

4. Get more exercise to help with sleep problems

How active you are during the day impacts your sleep at night. The less active you are during the daytime, the more active and restless your sleep will be at night. The opposite is true, too: The more physically active you are during the day, the less active and more restful your sleep will be at night, Dr. Lennon says.

As a result, if you stop exercising or being as physically active when you retire, it can be bad for your sleep. “There’s a tremendous amount of data that people who are more active have better sleep at night, so physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your sleep,” Baron says. This puts an even greater emphasis, she notes, on activities like:

Walking
Gardening
Light activity such as gentle yoga or tai chi

To improve the quality of your sleep, Dr. Lennon advises trying to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. That’s what is recommended for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (It can be broken down into 30-minute chunks of exercise, 5 days a week.)

If you’re not able to do that much exercise, keep in mind that any amount of physical activity is better than none. For example, one of the goals for older adults in the guidelines is to sit less and move more. But before you start any new exercise regimen, be sure to talk to your doctor.

5. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time daily

A person’s inner clock runs on roughly a 24-hour cycle, which is known as your circadian rhythm. Going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time consistently helps you stay in sync with that rhythm, which also helps support healthy sleep, explains Dr. Lennon. That means maintaining the same sleep-wake schedule on the weekends as on weekdays.

“Staying in a good rhythm and routine is really critical,” agrees Baron, who ranks establishing a consistent wake-sleep schedule as her top piece of advice for healthy sleep.

When figuring out what your ideal sleep schedule is, keep this in mind:

You need the same recommended amount of sleep as other adults — 7 to 9 hours each night.
Your circadian rhythm is sensitive to light, especially sunlight, which affects your sleep. Dr. Lennon recommends bright light upon waking and for most of the day, then reducing light exposure at night. “Optimal timing for sleep is to wake up sometime between about 5 and 7 a.m., right around or just before sunrise, and to go to sleep sometime between about 9 and 11 p.m.,” he says.
Only spend time in bed when you’re sleeping, so that you only associate your bed with sleeping, Baron says. In contrast, activities like watching TV, texting or staying in bed when you can’t sleep can create an association with being awake or stressed in bed. If you’re having trouble getting to sleep, get out of bed and engage in a quiet activity such as reading until you feel drowsy enough to fall asleep.

Any additional questions about plans? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss available plans, or browse your options online today.   

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Can smoking cause chest pain?

If you’re a smoker, it’s important to know how it affects your body. Here’s what to know.

If you smoke, you increase your risk of disease, plain and simple. That includes heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and even certain eye diseases. In some cases, smoking can also cause chest pain.

Chest pain from smoking usually doesn’t come directly from your lungs. “Your lungs don’t have any pain fibers in them,” says Neil Schachter, M.D. He’s a lung specialist at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. “When somebody tells you their lungs hurt, it’s usually something else.”

For instance, it might be inflammation in the membrane that separates your lungs from your inner chest wall. And cigarette smoking, along with other facts, may provide clues to the underlying causes of this condition.

So, here’s a closer look at how cigarettes may cause chest pain — plus what to do about it.

Looking for an insurance plan? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to discuss what’s available, or browse your options online today.

Why a smoker might experience chest pain

Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. If you don’t know what that “something” is, you’ll want to schedule an appointment with your doctor.

If you’re a smoker, the discomfort you feel could be one of the following.

Strained chest muscles
If you smoke, you’re probably familiar with the classic “smoker’s cough,” which is due to irritation and inflammation in your airways.

“Sometimes, if you cough, you can move your chest muscles so violently that you strain them,” says Dr. Schachter. “If you’re older, you may also have started to develop arthritis, or inflammation of your chest cartilage, which can cause pain.”

Heart disease
Heart disease causes 1 in 5 smoking-related deaths, according to the American Heart Association.

This is because cigarettes increase the buildup of plaque in your blood vessels. (Plaque is a buildup of cholesterol deposits.) When that happens, it can cause chest pain. It also raises the risk that you’ll have an actual heart attack.

If you have pain in the center or left side of your chest, it could be a symptom of a heart attack. You’ll want to call 911 right away — or have someone take you to the emergency room.

Blood clots
Nicotine in cigarettes causes narrowing of arteries and hardens arterial walls, increasing the likelihood that blood clots will form. (Nicotine is the highly addictive substance found in tobacco products.) When one of these clots occurs in your lungs, it’s called a pulmonary embolism. It can cause chest pain that worsens when you breathe in.

Asthma
Cigarette smoke is a known trigger for asthma, which can lead to wheezing, breathlessness, coughing and chest tightness.

Pneumonia
Smoking does not directly cause pneumonia. But if you smoke, your pneumonia risk increases. The hallmark symptoms of pneumonia include fever, chills, shortness of breath, and chest pain while coughing or breathing.

If you’re in the market for a new insurance policy, call (818) 8057113 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. Or you can browse your options online.

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How to get rid of chest pain from smoking

The best way to get rid of chest pain from smoking is to quit smoking. The CDC and Smokefree.gov reports that when you quit smoking:

The nicotine level in your blood drops to zero in 24 hours.
The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops within a few days.
Your risk of a heart attack drops dramatically in 1 to 2 years.

One of the first things that start to regrow and function normally are the tiny hairlike structures in your lungs called cilia. This helps move mucus out of your lungs and reduces the risk of infection. As the months go by, you should experience decreased coughing and shortness of breath.

After 15 years without smoking, your risk of heart disease is close to that of a nonsmoker.

Of course, quitting can be difficult. So don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your provider may be able to assist you. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that people who combine behavioral treatments and medications have higher success rates than those who don’t.

Behavioral treatments include therapy, meditation and smoking-cessation telephone hotlines. And the common medications include:

Over-the-counter nicotine replacement products such as skin patches, gum, lozenges, and prescription inhalers and nasal sprays.
Varenicline (Chantix), a prescription medication that works in your brain to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Bupropion (Zyban, Wellbutrin), an antidepressant that is also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help with quitting smoking.

Remember, if there’s a chance your chest pain may be a heart attack, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. And whether you’re experiencing an emergency or not, you should make a plan to stop smoking.

Meanwhile, if you’re in the market for a new health plan, let us help. You can speak with a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113, or you can browse your options online today.

Uninsured? We can help.

Asthma vs. COPD: How can you tell the difference?

Have you found that you’re short of breath more often than normal? Maybe when doing simple things such climbing the stairs or walking from your car to the supermarket?

You might have one of 2 common lung conditions: asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They’re both conditions that affect how well your lungs function (more on each below).

Specifically, you might be asking yourself, “What causes asthma and COPD? And what are the symptoms I should know about?”

While asthma and COPD have a lot in common, there are some important differences, says Neil Schachter, M.D. He’s a lung specialist at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Here’s what to know.

Get coverage for the care you need with the right health insurance plan. Call a licensed insurance agent at (833) 340-1222, or compare plans online today.

What are asthma and COPD, exactly?

Both asthma and COPD are chronic conditions that cause inflammation of the lungs.

Asthma is slightly more common than COPD. Nearly 8% of Americans have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You can develop it at any age, but it most often starts in childhood.

One telltale sign of asthma is that it’s often triggered by allergens such as pollen or dust mites, says Dr. Schacter. Additional triggers include:

Cold air
Emotional stress
Exercise
Mold
Pet dander (dead skin cells)
Viral infections

As a result, people with asthma may notice that their breathing is more difficult during certain activities or at certain times of year.

COPD, on the other hand, is a broad term for a group of conditions that damage your airways. It affects roughly 6% of Americans, according to the CDC.

The 2 main types of COPD are:

Emphysema, where there’s damage to the walls between the air sacs in your lungs
Chronic bronchitis, where there’s constant airway irritation and inflammation

Unlike asthma, which often comes on quickly due to triggers, COPD symptoms start mild and progress over time.

“The typical COPD patient is someone over the age of 50 who begins to experience shortness of breath that worsens slowly,” explains Dr. Schachter. “Asthmatics, on the other hand, have symptoms that get dramatically worse frequently and are usually related to triggers like allergies. Their symptoms frequently (but not always) begin at an early age.”

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What are the symptoms of asthma and COPD?

The symptoms of asthma and COPD are very easy to confuse. Both asthma and COPD cause shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightening and wheezing. But there are a few specific signs to look for:

A daily morning cough that produces phlegm is more common with COPD. This is likely to indicate chronic bronchitis.
Wheezing and chest tightness that worsen at night are more common with asthma.
People with allergies such as hay fever or eczema (a skin rash) are more likely to have asthma.

If your doctor thinks you have asthma or COPD, they’ll likely give you a lung-function test known as spirometry. This measures how much air your lungs can physically breathe out after a deep breath and how fast that air can be exhaled. This test is repeated several times in order to select your best effort.

After the first test, you maybe be given a bronchodilator, which is an inhaled medication that relaxes the muscles in your airways. Then you’ll test again. “People with COPD tend to be less responsive to the bronchodilator than people who have asthma,” says Dr. Schachter. Other lung function testing may also be done to characterize your illness.

In addition to these tests, your doctor will also take a thorough medical history. This frequently involves questioning whether your symptoms worsen with specific triggers, whether there is a family history of lung disease, whether you smoke (or have smoked) cigarettes, and what occupational or environmental exposures you have had. All of this will help your doctor make a diagnosis.

In some cases, people have features of both conditions. “About a quarter of COPD patients also have features of asthma,” says Dr. Schachter. “This is sometimes referred to as asthma-COPD overlap syndrome. These tend to be people who have a history of both smoking and allergies.”

Having health insurance can help you pay for treatment for chronic conditions. Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113, or compare plans online today.

How are asthma and COPD treated?

Doctors often use the same drugs to treat both conditions, but “the way they are applied is often very different,” says Dr. Schachter. The 2 main types of medication are:

Bronchodilators. These relax the muscles around your airways, opening them up to make breathing easier. Short-acting bronchodilators last about 4 to 6 hours, and long-acting ones last for up to 24 hours.
“Both groups of patients respond well to bronchodilators,” says Dr. Schachter. “But COPD patients tend to respond best to certain types, like long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) or long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) or a combination of both. Short-acting bronchodilators are often used as rescue medications when symptoms suddenly increase.
Steroids. These are medications that reduce airway inflammation. “For people with asthma, inhaled steroids are usually the bedrock of treatment, and then we add on a bronchodilator if their symptoms aren’t well controlled or get worse,” says Dr. Schachter. “On the other hand, we tend to reserve steroids for severe cases of COPD,” he adds — or for asthma-COPD overlap or in the case of COPD exacerbations, where they are usually given in pill or injected form.

There are also other treatments your doctor may recommend to help you treat your COPD. These include:

Pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a supervised program where you’ll learn breathing techniques and exercises to help keep your lungs strong.
Oxygen therapy. This is a treatment that delivers oxygen for you to breathe. You usually get it from tubes that rest in your nose, a face mask, or a tube placed in your trachea (windpipe).
Surgery. Traditionally, this has been reserved for patients with very severe COPD, but it’s being used more frequently. It includes lung volume reduction surgery and lung transplantation, as well as valve surgery, where valves are placed in your airways to help you breathe better.
More recently, airway valves have been used, which involves placing small valves in the airways with a bronchoscope to help improve your lung function so that you can breathe better. “Some people have localized, overexpanded areas in their lungs from COPD damage, and the one-way valves help to deflate these overinflated areas,” says Dr. Schachter.

How do you manage asthma and COPD?

If necessary, your doctor will work with you to pinpoint triggers and figure out a plan to avoid them. You’ll also receive the appropriate medication and counseling on lung health.

With both asthma and COPD, you may become more vulnerable to lung infections. So, you’ll want to stay up to date with yearly flu shots and COVID-19 boosters.

If you smoke, it’s critical that you quit. You’ll also want to avoid secondhand smoke. While smoking itself doesn’t cause asthma, it can make symptoms worse. And smoking does cause — and can intensify — symptoms of COPD. If you need help quitting, reach out to your doctor or visit smokefree.gov.

Get coverage for the care you may need with the right health insurance plan. Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113, or compare plans online today.

Uninsured? We can help.

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion: Hot-weather tips to stay safe

Warm-summer days, lots of sun, and outdoor activities can be fun. But when the temperature rises, so do cases of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

A day at the beach, working outside, or confined indoors without a fan or air conditioning on a hot day could be dangerous.

An estimated 9,200 people a year are hospitalized for heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and another 67,500 are treated in emergency room departments.¹
About 702 deaths per year are caused by heat-related illnesses.¹

Ever experienced heat stroke and heat exhaustion, or know someone who has?

In the beginning, it might not seem like a big deal. But what happens when “just cool off,” “drink some water,” or “sit in the shade,” isn’t enough or too little too late?

That carefree summer day could change in an instant, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Why? Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are largely preventable.

In this article, you will learn:

How to spot the warning signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
The difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Tips to prevent heat-related illnesses.
How to treat heat stroke and heat exhaustion. (Sometimes it’s a health problem that starts suddenly and needs care right away.)

Ready to enjoy summer with a little extra info about how to prevent and treat heat-related illnesses to stay safe?

Here’s what you need to know.

What is heat exhaustion?²

Heat exhaustion occurs when you’re exposed to high temperatures. The first sign is usually excessive sweating, then salt and water levels drop dangerously low. Without a way to cool off, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal.

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Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion

Playing sports or working outside on a hot day? Watch for signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and those around you.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

Cramping
Weakness
Headache
Dizziness
Heavy sweating
Pale or cold skin
Dark-colored urine
Elevated body temperature

5 tips to treat heat exhaustion

Taking action to treat heat exhaustion as soon as possible is important. Why? Symptoms could get worse and lead to heat stroke. Don’t let that happen.

Follow these five tips to treat heat exhaustion:³

1. Get out of the heat

If you suspect heat exhaustion, get out of the heat. An air-conditioned area is ideal. A fan can help. If those aren’t at hand, look for a shady spot under a tree or next to a building.

2. Remove any needless clothing…

Such as shoes, socks, hats or extra layers.

3. Try to lower body temperature

Use a fan. Douse the face and head with cool water from a hose or water bottles. Use a cool compress, or take a cool shower, bath or sponge bath.

4. Hydrate

Drink water, sports drinks, or other fluids, the colder, the better. Stay away from alcohol or caffeine.

5. Seek medical attention

If symptoms get worse or don’t improve, seek medical attention.

What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke comes in two forms.⁴

Classical heat stroke. You’re in hot weather. Your body temperature keeps rising. You’re sweating a lot, but it’s still not enough to lower your body temperature.
Exertional heat stroke. It’s similar to classical heat stroke. But it’s triggered by exercise or strenuous physical activity in hot weather. Research shows this type of heat stroke most commonly affects student athletes during hot-weather. It’s also among the top three causes of athlete deaths.⁵

Sweating is a natural response your body uses to regulate body temperature. But in hot conditions, sweating may not be enough, and it could lead to heat stroke.

The danger zone

When heat stroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 104°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or disability if emergency care is not given.⁶

Know the warning signs of heat stroke

How can you tell the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion?

Their symptoms can overlap.
While heat exhaustion typically occurs before a heat stroke, heat stroke can also happen without warning.

Signs of heatstroke include:⁶

Body temperature of 104°F or higher
Nausea or vomiting
Confusion or changes in behavior
Racing heart rate
Rapid breathing
Drop in sweat production
Flushed skin
Headache

Act fast: heat stroke is a medical emergency

With heat exhaustion, you’ve got time on your side to cool off with a fan, air conditioning, ice, cold water and shade.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. You need to act fast to prevent damage to the body and brain and even death.⁶

Follow these steps to treat heat stroke:⁷

Call 911 for emergency medical care as soon as possible.
Stay with the person until emergency medical services arrive.
Move the person to a shaded, cool area and remove outer clothing.
Cool the person as soon as possible with cold water or ice bath if possible. You could also wet the skin, place cold wet cloths on the skin or soak clothing in cool water.
Circulate the air around the person to speed cooling.
Place cold wet cloths or ice on head, neck, armpits and groin. Or soak the clothing with cool water.

Note: In extreme cases:⁸

Watch for signs of vomiting to prevent choking.
If the person has a seizure, help move them lower to the ground and clear the area to avoid injuries.
If the person stops breathing, begin Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).⁹

5 tests for heat-related illnesses

Visual signs are the most common method used to identify heat stroke and heat exhaustion. But there are tests a doctor may recommend to confirm a diagnosis or measure potential organ damage caused by heat stroke. These include:¹⁰

Rectal temperature. It’s the most accurate way to measure core body temperature.
Blood test. A blood test can show low levels of sodium or potassium and other biomarkers of damage to the body.
Urine test. It’s an effective way to measure kidney function, which can be affected by heat-related illnesses.
Muscle function tests. These tests check for muscle function and tissue damage caused by heat stroke.
X-rays and imaging tests. These tests can check the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and brain for damage caused by heat stroke.

Risk factors for heat stroke & heat exhaustion

Watch out for hot weather to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion. That makes sense, right? Here are a few more things to know that could raise your chance for heat-related illnesses:¹¹

A heat index of 91°F or higher means you should take precautions to stay cool.¹² The heat index is a measure of humidity and temperature. When both are high, so are the risks for heat-related illnesses.
Sudden heat waves or traveling to a warmer area than you’re used to will raise the chance of heat-related illness.
People over the age of 65 and children under 4 have a higher chance of suffering heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
Medications such as diuretics, antihistamines, beta blockers, tranquilizers, and antipsychotics may inhibit your body’s ability to stay hydrated and regulate its temperature.
Certain illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, can raise the body’s core temperature.
Alcohol consumption can add to dehydration and temperature regulation problems.
Engaging in strenuous activity when it’s hot outside is a major risk factor.
Wearing too much clothing, or tight-fitting clothing, can inhibit sweat evaporation and body temperature regulation.

How to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are largely preventable. Want to enjoy a cooler, carefree summer?

Here are some things to keep in mind during hot weather:¹³

Pay attention to the weather. On hot days, limit time outdoors during the hottest part of the day. Stay inside where it’s cooler with the help of air conditioning or a fan. If you’re outside, stay in the shade as much as you can.
Limit strenuous activity when it’s hot. If you can’t, take plenty of breaks in the shade or air conditioning. Drink extra fluids to stay hydrated.
Avoid alcohol or other recreational drugs that can inhibit body temperature regulation.
Talk to your doctor about medications if you take them. Ask specifically whether hot weather will affect you.
Wear sunscreen and protect yourself from the sun. Sunburn can make it difficult for your body to cool down when it needs to.
Wear light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing when spending time in the heat.
If there is a sudden spike in temperature or you travel to a warmer climate, let your body get acclimated to the heat before spending too much time in it.

If you keep these things in mind, you can enjoy hot-summer days, lots of sun, and outdoor activities, and do it safely.

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Medical-Team-Working-On-Patient-In-Emergency-Room

Be a good patient: 10 tips to avoid repeat hospital ER visits

Wondering how to be a good patient after getting discharged from the emergency room? Do everything you can to avoid another ER visit.

While not every repeat ER visit is preventable, many are. In this article, you’ll learn 10 ways to be a good patient after you’re discharged.

5 facts about repeat hospital ER visits

Repeat ER visit rate. An estimated 13.9% of people who are hospitalized end up heading back for another ER visit within 30 days of getting discharged.
Cost per repeat ER visit. About 3.8 million people make a repeat ER visit every month, and the average cost per visit is $15,200.
Leading cause of repeat ER visits. Repeat hospital ER visits are highest among people with chronic diseases, including: heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease.
Annual cost for repeat ER visits. Over $54.2 billion is spent each year on repeat ER visits for patients previously treated for a condition within 30 days.
Median ER visit wait times. The median wait time for a hospital ER visit in the U.S. is 2 hours, 42 minutes.

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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26 signs it’s time for a hospital ER visit

When you need sudden medical care, think first about how serious the problem is and determine if the appropriate action is:

Calling 911
Calling your family doctor
Visiting an urgent care clinic, or…
Getting to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible

Not sure if it’s time for a hospital ER visit?

Here are 26 signs it’s go time.⁵

If a person or unborn child is facing death or permanent disability, go to the emergency room.
If you cannot wait to be seen, call 911 for immediate assistance. Cases when it’s necessary to take quick action include:
A person has stopped breathing or is choking
A head injury along with loss of consciousness, confusion, fainting or severe allergic reaction
A neck or spine injury, especially if mobility and sensation are affected
An electric shock or lightning strike
A second-degree burn larger than three inches or third-degree burn
A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, is followed by another seizure, or has an out-of-the-ordinary recovery (pain, trouble breathing)
Trouble breathing
Loss of consciousness or the ability to see, speak, walk, or move
Severe pain or pressure in the chest
Arm or jaw pain
Abnormally bad headache, especially with quick onset
Weakness or drooping that appears on one side of the body
Persistent dizziness or weakness
Smoke or poisonous fume inhalation
Sudden confusion
Any deep wound or injury that causes heavy bleeding
A suspected broken bone that causes loss of movement, especially if the bone is visible outside the skin
Coughing or vomit that contains blood
Any severe pain
Allergic reaction that includes hives, swelling, or trouble breathing
A high fever accompanied by a headache and stiff neck, or high fever that over-the-counter medicine does not reduce
Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Ingestion of poison or an overdose of drug or alcohol
Suicidal thoughts

10 tips to avoid repeat hospital ER visits

After experiencing an emergency and seeking care at the hospital, it’s essential to take proactive steps to avoid going back. “Although in most cases readmissions are necessary, a significant portion may be preventable,” according to research published in the journal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.¹

Want to know how to be a good patient after a hospital ER visit to avoid going back?

Here are 10 things you can do:

1. Follow discharge instructions

Before you leave the hospital, your healthcare team may give you instructions about:⁶

Medications
Dietary restrictions
Activity limitations
Follow-up appointments

Make sure you understand your discharge instructions. Or ask a family member, friend or caregiver to get this information when you leave your ER visit.

2. Monitor your symptoms

Pay attention to any new symptoms or changes in your condition following an ER visit.

Note any new or worsening symptoms.
Report them promptly to your primary care physician or the healthcare provider who treated you.⁷
Some healthcare providers allow you to text, email, call and even send photos for health-related concerns, potentially preventing the need for another ER visit.

3. Take prescribed medications

Make sure you take any prescribed medications exactly as directed by your healthcare provider.

Read the label for dosage information, frequency, and potential side effects
Do not skip doses or alter the dosage without consulting your doctor.
One recent study found that 21% of repeat hospital ER visits were medication-related, but 69% of those visits were potentially preventable.⁸

4. Rest & recover

Allow yourself adequate time to rest and recover from the emergency.

Avoid strenuous activities.
Follow any recommendations for rest and relaxation provided by your healthcare provider.
Research suggests some light physical activity as part of your recovery may help reduce hospital readmissions within 30 days by up to 10%.⁹

5. Drink plenty of water

Stay hydrated, especially if dehydration was a factor in your emergency.

Proper hydration is essential for overall health.
It can also help prevent certain medical issues from recurring, such as kidney stones.
How much water should you drink? It depends. On average, most adults should drink 72 to 100+ ounces of water per day.¹⁰More if you live in a hot climate, exercise a lot, or have a physically-demanding job.

6. Avoid triggers

If your ER visit was related to a specific trigger or activity, take steps to avoid it in the future. For example, you may need to avoid:

Certain foods
Environmental factors
Certain activities

Neglecting discharge instructions or doing anything related to the reason you were hospitalized in the first place could compromise your health and lead to a hospital readmission.

Some of the most common reasons for hospital readmissions due to complications include:¹¹

Heart disease
Metabolic syndrome
Digestive issues
Breathing problems
Autoimmune disorders
Behavioral and mental health disorders
Complications associated with musculoskeletal or connective tissue injuries

7. Schedule follow-up care

After a hospital ER visit, there’s usually a follow-up visit with your primary care doctor or a specialist.

Attend any scheduled follow-up appointments with your primary care physician or specialist as soon as possible.
These appointments are crucial for monitoring your condition, adjusting treatment plans if necessary, and addressing any lingering concerns.
Scheduling a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician and showing up after going to the hospital may reduce hospital readmissions by up to 70%.¹²

8. Communicate with healthcare providers

Keep open lines of communication with your healthcare providers.¹³

If you have questions or concerns about your health or treatment plan, don’t hesitate to reach out for clarification or guidance.
Many healthcare providers and plans include 24-hour medical help lines and telehealth services.
Some healthcare providers allow you to text, email, call and even send photos for health-related concerns, potentially preventing the need for another ER visit.

9. Review your lifestyle habits

When you get home from a hospital ER visit, take a minute to review your lifestyle habits.

The most common causes for repeat hospital visits are linked to preventable diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Make any necessary lifestyle changes to promote better health.
This may include improving your diet, increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, or reducing stress.

10. Be prepared for an emergency

Take steps to prepare for any future emergencies. This may include:¹⁵

Updating your emergency contact information
Creating or updating a medical history
Creating a list of your medications
Ensuring you have necessary supplies on hand in case of another emergency.

By taking these proactive measures, you can help reduce the likelihood of experiencing another emergency and avoid a repeat hospital ER visit in the near future.

Preventive care: Find a plan to keep you healthy

While you can’t prevent every hospital ER visit, living a healthy lifestyle can make a big difference. Preventive care like regular check-ups, regular exercise, and healthy habits to maintain your overall well-being can keep you out of the ER.

Looking for a health plan with preventive care benefits?

We can help. Contact a licensed health insurance agent in your area or give us a call at (818) 8057113 for more information.

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6 essentials for a small business employee benefits package

Wondering what goes into a small business employee benefits package that attracts and keeps great people?

There’s a lot to consider to create an attractive and competitive small business employee benefits package.

Some benefits are required by law
A typical small business employee benefits package may also include health, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement, and supplemental benefits.

Ready to create your small business employee benefits package or upgrade your current one? Here’s what you need to know…

1. Required employee benefits

Wondering where to start? There are five benefits you’re required to provide employees:¹

Matching Social Security taxes

Taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks are used to fund benefits like retirement, disability, and Medicare. Your business must pay the same rate of Social Security taxes as each employee.

Workers’ compensation

If you have employees, you most likely need to enroll in either a self-insured, state, or commercial workers’ compensation insurance policy.

Tip: Each state regulates workers’ compensation laws, and some states may exempt certain types of businesses from providing this coverage.

Unemployment Insurance

Your business may have to pay state and federal unemployment insurance taxes if certain labor requirements are met.

Tip: Your company must be registered with your state’s workforce agency if you’re required to pay state unemployment insurance taxes.

Family and Medical Leave

If you run a private company with 50 or more employees, you must provide FMLA benefits.

What’s FMLA? FMLA provides job protection for an employee to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family or medical situations during a 12-month period.

Disability Insurance

There are only a few states that require businesses to provide disability insurance:

California
Hawaii
New Jersey
New York
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island

If your business is required to offer this benefit, eligible employees must get partial wage replacement if they have an illness or injury that did not happen at work.

Note: This disability coverage is different from what employees may get from Social Security if they become totally disabled.

What else goes into a small business employee benefits package?

If you’re trying to build a small business employee benefits package to attract and keep talented people, there’s a few more things to consider. In a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, employees ranked the top 12 most important benefits in the following order:

Health insurance
Retirement savings
Family care
Paid leave
Flexible work schedule
Professional/career development
Wellness
Education
Technology
Transportation
Relocation

So what do job seekers and employees expect when it comes to benefits?

We covered the employee benefits you’re required by law to provide in #1. But bare bones benefits may not be enough to attract and keep the best employees. If you want to build a team of employees who stick around to help grow your business, creating the kind of compensation package (wages & benefits) they value can make a difference.

Let’s take a closer look at five more things to offer in your small business employee benefits package.

Health insurance
Dental & vision insurance
Paid time off
Retirement benefits
Supplemental benefits

Not sure which plan is best for you?

Speak to a licensed insurance agent

2. Health insurance

Health insurance is at the top of the list of what’s expected in an employee benefits package.

In the U.S., employers pay an average of 67 to 78% of health insurance premiums for family and single coverage.³
It’s a big expense to budget for. On average annual health insurance premiums cost $8,435 for single coverage and $23,968 for family coverage.⁴

This may leave a very tight budget to provide employees with qualified health insurance that includes the 10 “essential health benefits” the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires plans sold in the individual and small group market to have:⁵

Ambulatory patient services
Emergency services
Hospitalization
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health, substance abuse disorder services and behavioral health treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
Pediatric services, including oral and vision care

Understanding the ACA health insurance mandate

50 or more employees. The ACA also established the employer mandate in which business owners with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees may be subject to a tax penalty if they don’t offer health insurance.⁶
Fewer than 50 employees. But businesses with fewer than 50 FTEs are not subject to the mandate.

More ways to offer health insurance

If traditional employer-sponsored health insurance doesn’t work for your business or seems too expensive, then what? There are other options you can choose to offer health insurance as part of your small business employee benefits package. Let’s take a look at the different options.

Group health insurance

Providing group health insurance means that you have to pay a portion of employee premiums. While it’s true that health insurance premiums are on the rise, it’s still possible that a traditional group plan could be a suitable option for your business.⁶

High-deductible health plan with a health savings account

A high-deductible health plan provides lower premiums for employees, which also lowers your employer premium contribution.⁷ While an HDHP is not the only health insurance option for group coverage, it could reduce your overall healthcare costs.

Factors to consider:

Frequency of medical care. If the majority of your staff need frequent medical care for instance, then you probably wouldn’t want to make an HDHP the only option because the deductible must be met before the plan covers its share of costs for certain services.
The tax advantage of HSAs. A health savings account is designed specifically to be used with a qualified HDHP to help pay for medical, dental, and vision out-of-pocket expenses (except for premiums).
The advantage for employees is that the account is funded through automatic, pre-tax deductions, which can lower their taxable income.⁸

Use SHOP to health insurance for employees

The Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) is a health insurance exchange that helps small business owners provide medical and dental insurance to their employees. You may qualify for tax credits for buying health insurance through the SHOP Marketplace if:⁹

You have fewer than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Your average employee salary is about $56,000 per year or less
You pay at least 50% of your full-time employees’ premium costs
You offer SHOP coverage to all of your full-time employees.

Recommend employee use the Health Insurance Marketplace

Employees who shop on the Health Insurance Marketplace for Individuals and Families can qualify for a premium tax credit or cost-sharing reduction subsidy based on income. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services:¹⁰

9 out of 10 people using the Marketplace are eligible for savings
4 out of 5 people can find a plan through the Marketplace for $10 or less a month after subsidies
96 percent of consumers looking for health insurance through the Marketplace will be able to choose plans from at least three health insurers

Use an Employer-Sponsored Arrangement

Under IRS Notice 2013-54, an employer can use this arrangement to offer employees the option of applying post-tax dollars toward the purchase of health insurance or taking those post-tax dollars as cash compensation.

To establish an employer-sponsored arrangement:

The IRS states that business owners can set up their payroll to have a portion of employees’ post-tax wages go directly to a health insurance company (if requested by employees) to pay for coverage without having to set up a group health plan.
One of the unique things with this arrangement is that the IRS excludes it as an employer payment plan.
Employer payment plans are considered group health insurance plans. So with this arrangement, you’re giving employees the choice of buying an individual health policy from an insurance company you provide them access to.

Create a Health Reimbursement Arrangement

It’s not traditional health insurance, but it can still help lower healthcare costs for your employees.

Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) are employer-funded group health plans.
From this fund, employees are reimbursed tax-free for qualified medical expenses up to a fixed dollar amount per year.
Unused amounts may be rolled over to be used in subsequent years.
The employer funds and owns the arrangement

If you want to offer a HRA, keep in mind:

Small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees can use qualified HRAs.¹³
Eligible small businesses can contribute pretax dollars to qualified HRAs of up to $5,850 for each single employee and up to $11,800 for each employee with dependents.

3. Dental & vision insurance

Dental

Did you know an estimated 29% of adults in the U.S. don’t have dental insurance?

Without dental insurance, your employees are more likely to skip routine exams and avoid getting needed dental work because of the cost. Here’s what dental care costs out-of-pocket for common services:

Exams (including x-rays and cleaning) = $75 to $20
Fillings (amalgam and composite) = $150 to $450
Tooth extractions (non-surgical, gum-erupted) = $219 to $4,000
Crowns (single resin) = $500 to $3,000
Root canals (single, exposed) = $300 to $2,000

Offering your employees dental insurance options can help offset the cost of dental care, depending on the service. Most dental insurance plans cover all or part of dental services based on three different levels of care:

Preventive care like routine exams and cleanings
Basic procedures like fillings
Advanced procedures like crowns, bridges, and other surgeries.

Vision

Offering your employees vision insurance can help reduce out-of-pocket costs for eye exams, glasses or contact lenses, and other eye-care products.

The average out-of-pocket costs per year for corrective vision care in the U.S. is about $500.

Eye exams
Glasses or contact lenses
Eye-care products

Vision insurance is another supplemental health insurance product you can offer your employees. Eye care isn’t usually covered by standard health insurance plans.

4. Paid time off

According to the Society of Human Resource Management survey, respondents also ranked paid time off as a very important benefit.In the U.S., 77% of employers offer paid leave for sick days, 79% of employers offer paid vacation days, and 81% of employers offer paid holidays.

Some employers also offer paid time off for:

Maternity leave
Paternity leave
Jury duty
Bereavement leave
Mental health days

5. Retirement benefits

About 69% of employers offer retirement benefits, and have about a 52% participation rate.

There are two primary ways you can offer retirement benefits.

Through a:

Defined benefit plan, which is a pension
Defined contribution plan such as a 401K

With a pension plan, your business puts in all the money. But with a defined contribution plan, employees put in most of the money, and you make a matching contribution up to a certain amount.

A type of pension plan that may be a good fit for your small business is the Simplified Employee Pension.

This type of plan allows employers to set aside money in retirement accounts for themselves and their employees.
It does not have the start-up and operating costs of a conventional retirement plan.
It allows for a contribution of up to 25% of each employee’s pay.

If considering a defined contribution plan, there are a few that may work best for small employers because they offer more cost-savings. These include the following:

SIMPLE 401K for businesses with 100 or fewer employees
Small business owner 401K for companies where all the staff are part owners
Savings incentive match plan for employees (SIMPLE IRA) designed for firms that have 100 or fewer employees and don’t currently offer another type of retirement plan.

Should you offer retirement benefits?
In a recent survey by the Society of Human Resource Management, 82% of respondents said retirement and savings is an important benefit they want from employers.And it’s a big shift, jumping 27% since 2020 as a benefit employees want.

6. Supplemental benefits

Health, dental and vision insurance are the most common benefits employers offer. But you can offer supplemental benefits to your employees, often at little to no cost to you. Here’s how:

Through an employer-sponsored group plan where you pay all or some of the costs of coverage
As a voluntary benefit where employees pay 100% of premiums through payroll deduction
By providing employees access to buying their own individual coverage where they pay premiums directly to the insurance company

While there are many types of supplemental insurance you can offer, let’s take a closer look at the following:

Disability insurance
Life insurance
Critical illness insurance
Accident insurance
Funeral expense insurance

Disability insurance

If someone gets hurt, can’t work, and needs to take an extended amount of time off, what will happen to their income?

That’s what disability insurance is for.

Disability insurance helps workers replace lost income if they end up being out of work due to a disabling illness, injury, or accident.

There are two types available:

Short-term disability insurance (offered by 43% of employers)
Long-term disability insurance (offered by 35% of employers) If an employee gets injured and can’t work, or can only work part-time, disability insurance pays the employee a monthly rate based on their annual income for a set period of time.

What about disability through Social Security?

If you’re thinking, “Couldn’t my employees just get disability benefits through Social Security?” The answer is “yes.”

However, keep in mind that 67% of first-time Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applicants are denied.
Even for those who get Social Security Disability, it may not be enough to cover the cost of living and other expenses. In 2024, the average disability payment is $1,537, and it can be even lower for younger workers.

By providing access to additional financial protection through disability employer benefits, you’ll give your employees more peace of mind about meeting financial obligations if they become disabled.

Life insurance

An estimated 57% of employers offer life insurance plans to employees.

The type of life insurance that’s typically offered by companies is group term life.
Term insurance provides coverage for a specific number of years, usually 5 to 30 years, and is often used as income replacement when a primary income earner dies.

Here’s how this type of life insurance works for employers:

Coverage amount. You decide the amount of coverage you want to offer employees, such as 1 or 2 times their annual salary or a flat amount like $50,000.
Basic term-life. Some employers provide employees with a basic term-life insurance plan that pays an average of $10,000 to $25,000 if they die during the coverage period.²⁰
Tax-deductible. Premiums for group term policies are a tax-deductible business expense, which offers more incentive to provide this benefit.
If you give employees access to life insurance through a voluntary or individual plan, you still get an advantage because employees pay their own premiums.
Employees may also purchase additional life insurance coverage and pay the premium.

If an employee with a life insurance plan dies, the plan pays the person’s beneficiaries a designated amount often calculated to pay for funeral expenses, debt, cost of living, and other expenses.

Other types of life insurance plans include:

Whole life insurance. Whole life insurance differs from term insurance in that a portion of the premium goes into a guaranteed cash value account that is accessible.
Universal life insurance. This is a type of permanent life insurance that can last a lifetime with the monthly premium building cash value within the policy.

Critical illness insurance

Critical illness insurance is another type of supplemental insurance plan you can offer employees. It’s designed to help pay debts, expenses and costs of daily living in the event of an unexpected medical event or terminal diagnosis such as:

Heart attack
Life-threatening cancer
Loss of hearing, speech, or vision
Loss of independent living
Advanced Alzheimer’s disease
Major organ transplant
Paralysis
Coma
Renal failure
Stroke
Carcinoma in situ
Coronary artery bypass graft

Accident insurance

Supplemental accident insurance covers medically-related services and products that are necessary due to a qualified accident. Workers’ compensation insurance (required), helps protect employees injured on the job. But what happens if they’re hurt in an accident when they’re not at work?

Supplement accident insurance can provide a cash benefit for:

Medical expenses
Transportation
Lost income
And in most cases, anything else the insured person chooses to spend the cash benefit on

Funeral insurance

Did you know the average cost for a funeral in the United States is $7,848, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. The average cost for cremation is $6,971.²⁴Funeral insurance is another supplemental insurance option you can offer employees to help cover funeral costs if they die.

Ready to create your small business employee benefits package?

You’ve got a lot of options to consider when it comes to creating a small business employee benefits package to attract and keep top talent. Not sure where to start? Or have questions about what benefits to offer?

We can help. Call us at (818) 8057113 or find a licensed insurance agent in your area to review your options and create a plan to help your business and employees thrive.

Uninsured? We can help.

Contacts vs. glasses: What’s the better option?

Let’s say you recently went to the eye doctor. They told you that you need some help seeing better. You may be wondering which option — contacts or eyeglasses — is best for you. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Whether you choose glasses, contacts or both depends on your prescription and lifestyle, says Viola Kanevsky, O.D. She’s a past president of the New York Optometric Association, an optometrist with Acuity NYC in New York, and a member of the American Optometric Association. “Convenience and comfort are factors to take into account,” she says.

What type of vision insurance you have may also factor into your decision. Some vision plans allow you 1 pair of glasses or a certain number of contact lenses per year. Some other vision plans may allow you to get both glasses and contacts during the same benefit period. It’s all based on the type of plan you may have.

Below, find out what you need know about contacts and eyeglasses, whether they might be covered by insurance, what they might cost and more.

Do you have questions about vision insurance? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to talk about plans, or browse your options online today.

How are glasses better than contact lenses?

Glasses have been the go-to option for vision correction for many years. Advantages include:

Glasses may cost less than contacts. The cost of glasses can vary. It depends on the type of frames and lenses you purchase. But generally, “glasses can be more cost-effective than contacts since they don’t need to be replaced as often,” says Dr. Kanevsky.
Glasses require little care compared to contacts. “Eyeglasses require very little maintenance,” says Dr. Kanevsky. Daily cleaning with a soft microfiber cloth, periodic washing in cool water with liquid soap, and proper storage in a case can help maintain your eyeglasses. You may also want to have them tightened or adjusted by an eye care professional as needed. Contacts, on the other hand, require much more upkeep (see below).
Glasses come in many more options than contacts do. Glasses offer different frame styles and colors to choose from. There are also different lens options, depending on your prescription, lifestyle and needs.

Lens options include:

Single vision lenses: These can help you see up close or far away, but not both. Lenses specifically for use at the computer are one type.
Glasses are often a better option for those who spend long hours working on the computer, Dr. Kanevsky says. “Wearing contacts while working at a computer can contribute to dryness and other symptoms of computer vision syndrome,” she says. “This is also known as digital eye strain.”
Multifocal lenses: These lenses can correct both near and distance vision.

Do you have questions about vision insurance? Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to talk about plans, or browse your options online today.

Not sure which plan is best for you?

Speak to a licensed insurance agent

What are the disadvantages of glasses?

While there aren’t many disadvantages to wearing eyeglasses, there are some. These include:

Glasses may distort side (peripheral) or side-to-side vision. One of the main disadvantages of glasses is that ophthalmic lenses may distort vision, says Dr. Kanevsky. So, if you’re looking out the side of your eye at something — maybe you’re at a crosswalk checking one-way traffic — glasses could distort your vision.
Glasses may not work for an active lifestyle. Regular eyeglasses aren’t optimal if you live an active lifestyle. They can easily fog up. They may also fall off or break if accidentally knocked off while engaging in high-impact sports. For these reasons, you may need an additional pair of protective eyeglasses for sports.

How are contact lenses better than glasses?

Contacts are a popular alternative to glasses. About 45 million people in the United States wear contacts. But are contact lenses better than glasses? In some cases, they are. Their advantages include:

Contact lenses allow you to have undistorted vision. “Contacts move with your eye. This allows for a natural field of view,” says Dr. Kanevsky. “This makes them excellent for sports and other physical activities.” So, that situation where your peripheral vision is distorted at a crosswalk wouldn’t happen if you were wearing contacts.
Contact lenses have multiple options too — but not in the same way that glasses do. The whole point of contacts is that you don’t really see them on your eyes. So, they’re not a fashion statement the way eyeglasses are. And whereas glasses have many different types of frames and lenses, there are only 2 basic types of contact lenses: soft and hard.
- Soft contact lenses are the type most people choose to wear. “Soft lenses are made from gel-like plastics called hydrogels,” says Dr. Kanevsky. “These lenses are very thin and pliable. They mold easily to the shape of your eye.”
  - There are also daily and extended wear contact lenses. Daily lenses are meant to be worn daily and discarded before you go to sleep. Extended wear lenses can be worn day and night, for anywhere from 1 to 30 days.
- Hard contact lenses: The most common type are called rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. These hard plastic lenses tend to last longer than soft contact lenses, as they’re less likely to tear. They may also provide clearer vision.
Contact lenses may be able to help correct some vision problems. “There are certain conditions where contact lenses are medically necessary. In those cases, they may be able to help improve vision where glasses cannot,” says Dr. Kanevsky. “For example, there are lenses that can correct irregularities of the cornea, ones that help alleviate severe dry eye, and myopia-control contacts that can slow the progression of nearsightedness in children.” (Myopia or nearsightedness is when objects that are far away appear blurry.)

What are the disadvantages of contact lenses?

“While contacts provide many vision benefits, they are not risk-free,” says Dr. Kanevsky. The disadvantages include:

Contacts lenses have different prescriptions than glasses. Contacts require a longer initial examination. They may also require more follow-up visits to maintain eye health, says Dr. Kanevsky.
- This is why they require a separate contact lens fitting in addition to your vision exam. Vision insurance may help offset the cost of these contact lens fittings. Call a licensed insurance agent at (818) 8057113 to talk about plans, or browse your options online today.
Contacts may cost more. How much are contacts? They can vary widely in price. Vision insurance plans may only cover a certain number of contact lenses per plan year. Check your plan benefits to see what’s covered.
Contacts require more care. Since you put contact lenses into your eyes, care is extremely important. Bacteria can easily be introduced into the eye from the hands or from reusable contact lenses themselves. This can lead to inflammation and infections of the eye.
- Common risky mistakes include failing to properly clean and store reusable contacts, says Dr. Kanevsky. Sleeping in daily contacts is also a common risky behavior, she says.

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Life insurance for seniors: 4 smart ways to help your family

Does life insurance for seniors make sense?

Getting the right plan in place can make a big difference when you die.

In this article, you’ll learn about:

5 reasons life insurance for seniors makes sense
Why working with a life insurance agent matters
The one type of policy every senior should consider
3 types of life insurance policies for older adults
4 smart ways life insurance for seniors can help your family

Getting older: 5 reasons to consider life insurance for seniors

You might think life insurance for seniors isn’t necessary when you get older.

Not sure which plan is best for you?

Speak to a licensed insurance agent

1. People are living longer

The current average life expectancy in the United States is 73.2 years for men and 79.1 years for women.²Dial back the clock to 1950, and the average life expectancy for adults was 68 years old.³

Living longer puts a greater strain on financial resources such as:

Social Security income
Medicare benefits
Pension funds
Retirement savings

Do you have enough money to retire?

According to the National Institute on Retirement Security, the ideal retirement plan includes income from: Social Security, a pension, and investments.⁴

However, for an estimated 40% of older adults, Social Security is their only source of income.⁴

And that’s a problem.

Wondering if you have enough money for retirement to take care of your needs?

In addition to Social Security, a pension plan, and investments, life insurance for seniors is one more way to meet your financial needs as you get older, and there are a variety of options such as:

Borrow cash-value. Policies that accumulate cash value can be borrowed against to satisfy current expenses. The funds are taken as a loan and can be used toward any financial obligation. These loans generally have a low interest rate and do not require a credit check. Money borrowed from a cash benefit is also tax exempt.
Earn dividends. Some life insurance policies also earn dividends. The dividend amount will vary based on the amount paid into the policy, and may be subject to taxes. This money can accumulate interest with the insurance company or be paid as a check to the policy holder. Dividend amounts can increase over time, which can result in higher payouts. These payouts can be used to satisfy living expenses or to offset the cost of premiums.

2. Medical debt

It’s no secret that healthcare is expensive. Even with health insurance, the cost of co-pays, premiums, prescription drugs, surgeries, and out-of-network services can add up.

An estimated 66.5% of people who file for bankruptcy in the U.S. cite illness and medical debt as the contributing factor.⁵
Levels of medical debt. About 6% of adults (14 million) in the U.S. owe more than $1,000 in medical debt. About 1% of adults (3 million) owe more than $10,000 in medical debt.⁶

A buffer to reduce the impact of medical debt

A life insurance policy for seniors can help provide some insulation against medical debt.

Accelerated benefits. Some permanent life insurance policies feature accelerated benefits for terminal illness.
Access to funds. Some of these plans allow access of up to 90% of the face value through living benefits. These benefits are a portion of the death benefit that can be used prior to the passing of the policy holder.
Lump sums & installments. Monies can be taken as a lump sum or as installments and spent on medical bills or other debts. Accessing living benefits may reduce the value of policy’s overall death benefit.

3. Raising a second family

You may believe that life insurance for seniors is not as necessary as it is for younger couples with dependent-age children at home. However, more and more seniors are parenting one or more of their grandchildren.

According to U.S. Census data:⁷

1 million grandparents are living with their grandchildren under 18.
About 2.3 million grandparents are the legal guardians for their grandchildren.
Half of all grandparents legally responsible for grandchildren are over age 60.

For many seniors, raising another family wasn’t part of their retirement plan. If you’re raising grandchildren, you’ll need financial resources for:

Healthcare costs
Food
Housing
Transportation
Clothing
Extra-curricular activities
Higher education
And more

Here’s another way to look at the cost of raising grandchildren:

It costs an estimated $16,007 to $17,141 per year to raise a child.⁸
Raising a child from birth to age 18 could cost $298,000 or more.

Life insurance for seniors can give you some options, like:

Accessing funds from accelerated benefits, borrowing from the cash-value of certain types of plans or receiving dividends.
Providing a guaranteed benefit to take care of a grandchild when you die

4. Mortgage debt

Pay off your house by the time you retire. While that was a common practice at one point, mortgage debt among older adults is rising:⁹

Ages 65-79

About 41% of adults in this age group still have a mortgage
Average mortgage debt for this age group is $110,000.

Ages 80+

An estimated 31% of adults in this age group still have a mortgage.
Average mortgage debt in this age group is $79,000.

A growing number of older adults have mortgage debt for a variety of reasons, such as:

Using equity to pay off other debt
Paying for college
Caring for grandchildren or adult children

What’s your plan to pay your mortgage if your medical expenses increase dramatically, you experience a major life event, or you die?

It’s a practical question to ask in your senior years. And while there’s more than one way to answer, life insurance for seniors is certainly one way to help protect the equity in your home, your finances, and your family.

5. Loss of pension

Did you know an estimated 12.2% of all bankruptcy filings are made by adults age 65 and older?¹⁰

Why? There’s a variety of factors at play, including:

Rising medical expenses
Lack of retirement savings
Student loan debt, and…
Loss of pension plans. Less than 20% of workers retire with an employer-sponsored pension plan.¹⁰

How can life insurance for seniors help you if you don’t have a pension?

It can give you the ability to borrow from the cash value of a policy when unexpected expenses arise.
A person who is dependent on his or her spouse’s pension income may suffer a financial loss if that spouse passes away, especially if the pension income is reduced or lost at time of death. Receiving a payout from a life insurance policy can help to supplement or replace this loss.

Why working with a life insurance agent matters

Even though you can shop for life insurance online, evaluate plans, and compare pricing, it’s hard to get customized answers for your situation from just an Internet search.

In a recent survey, researchers found that 75% of adults are reluctant to purchase life insurance for various reasons, such as:¹³

Misunderstanding about how it works
Affordability of premiums

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The needs analysis

If you’re a senior looking for life insurance, a licensed insurance agent can walk you through a needs analysis to identify factors such as:

Mortgage
Credit card debt & other debts
Dependents
Monthly income
Investments
Final expenses
Future income needed to support household
And more

A needs analysis is a consultative process that provides information to help your life insurance agent understand your circumstances to recommend the best plans for your situation and your budget.

Final expense insurance: The one type of policy every senior should consider

How much will your funeral, burial or final expenses cost?

If you’re a senior looking for life insurance, that’s an important question to consider. After all, the average life expectancy in the United States is 77.5 years old.¹⁴

The average cost for a burial funeral in the United States is $7,848?¹¹
The average cost for cremation: $6,971.

With that in mind, there’s one type of life insurance policy every senior should consider: Final expense insurance.

Also known as burial insurance or funeral insurance, this is a type of life insurance designed to cover the costs associated with your funeral and other end-of-life expenses.

Here’s how it works:

Coverage

Final expense insurance typically provides coverage in the range of $2,000 to $50,000, although some policies may offer higher coverage amounts.¹⁵
This money is intended to cover funeral expenses, such as caskets, burial plots, memorial services, and related costs.

Easy qualifications

Many final expense insurance policies have simplified underwriting processes, making them easier for seniors to qualify for, even if they have health issues.
Some policies may not require a medical exam, instead relying on health questionnaires or medical history reviews.

Fixed premiums

The premiums for final expense insurance are usually fixed, meaning they won’t increase over time.
Seniors can choose a payment plan that fits their budget, whether it’s monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Payouts

When the insured person passes away, the designated beneficiary receives the death benefit, which can then be used to cover funeral expenses and other final debts.
The beneficiary can use the money as needed, providing flexibility during a challenging time.

No restrictions on use

Unlike some other types of life insurance, final expense insurance typically has no restrictions on how the death benefit can be used.
The beneficiary can use the money for funeral expenses, outstanding debts, or any other financial needs.

3 types of life insurance for seniors

As a senior, making sure you can pay for your final expenses is a good place to start. But there are other types of life insurance, too

1. Whole life insurance

Whole life insurance pays dividends on how a company is performing. Withdrawing the dividends triggers tax consequences, but you can also roll the dividends into paying the monthly premium.

Other benefits of whole life insurance include:

Provides death benefit for the policyholder’s lifetime
Offers great safety and security
Higher but more stable premiums
Accumulates cash value

2. Universal life insurance

Universal life insurance is a type of policy that provides a lot of flexibility to design a plan that meets your needs and your budget.

Universal life insurance has a guaranteed cash value, but also grows in value over time based on how the funds are invested.

This type of policy also allows for many different riders to help pay for things like assisted living, long-term care, or private nursing. It’s the most flexible type of life insurance for seniors.

Benefits of universal life insurance:

Customizable coverage
Greater flexibility
Ability to set lower premiums
Guaranteed cash value
Can provide death benefit for the policyholder’s lifetime
Indexed options to grow long-term investment fund
Some limitations on how much you can contribute
Possible investment option for those who may not have access to a 401K or employer-sponsored retirement fund

3. Term life insurance

If you’re looking for the most cost-effective or affordable life insurance option, take a closer look at term life insurance. In most cases, it’s the easiest type of life insurance to protect your family and your assets.

Low cost
Ability to choose the length of the policy term (up to 30 years)
Medical exam not required for simplified issue plans
Age is the most common factor that determines term-life insurance premiums.
Sometimes there’s a waiting period for term-life insurance based on certain health conditions

Life insurance for seniors: 4 smart ways to help your family

Wondering how life insurance for seniors can help you and your family?

What’s your goal? Who and what do you want to protect? Your family, your assets, your finances? For most people, life insurance covers all of these.

Here are for smart ways life insurance for seniors can make a difference:

1. Cover burial expense

Did you know the average cost for a burial funeral in the United States is $7,848?¹¹ The average cost for cremation: $6,971.

There’s other costs to consider, too, like:

Burial plot
Urn
Casket
Funeral home fees
Cremation vault storage
Embalming
Hearse rental
Removal or transfer of remains

Got enough money saved to cover funeral, burial or cremation expenses when you die?

A life insurance policy or final expense policy can help cover the cost of laying someone to rest.

Depending on the policy, funds from a life insurance policy may also be used to cover expenses like:

Unresolved debt
Outstanding medical bills
Fees associated with settling an estate

2. Protecting a spouse/child

Probably the single biggest motivator behind purchasing life insurance for seniors is the desire to protect a:

Spouse
Disabled child
Grandchild, or…
Other loved one

When a person passes, they could leave behind unresolved debt in the form of a:

Mortgage
Car
Outstanding loan

If you have someone who depends on you financially, such as a spouse or disabled child, they may struggle to maintain an adequate lifestyle without your contribution.

Life insurance for seniors can:

Provide a death benefit for survivors
Help dependents better manage their finances
Provide additional money for someone who might need care, like a dependent child
Help settle your debts

Your beneficiaries can typically receive a life insurance benefit in one of two ways as a:

Lump sum or one-time payout.
Distribution. Distributions keep an even supply of money coming in to satisfy monthly living expenses.

3. Leave a legacy

The motivation for purchasing life insurance for seniors includes having extra savings or ensuring that a guaranteed benefit is left behind for loved ones.

But other reasons include creating a means to make a financial gift.

Many seniors use a life insurance policy to make a donation to a favorite cause by naming a charity as the beneficiary.
Often, a death benefit can be left to an organization of your choosing in complete privacy.
Some seniors will also use a life insurance policy as a way of leaving money to a grandchild. This can be used to help fund a college education or business venture.

4. Assist with estate taxes

Some seniors with large estates that include things like big homes or expensive cars may consider a life insurance policy as a means of transferring their wealth.

Think about it like this:

The higher your net worth, the higher your tax liability becomes.

Seniors with a good life insurance policy can leave the next generation money without worrying about the inheritance tax.

Often, whole or universal life insurance coverage works.

Why? Though permanent insurance policies allow for the accumulation of cash, the death benefit can be used to cover taxes.

When is life insurance for seniors not a good choice?

While most life insurance policies for seniors are offered up to age 80, there may be a point when making a purchase is not possible or does not make financial sense.

Life insurance premiums are often based on factors such as:

Age
Health of the person applying

If your age is advanced, or a health condition causes high premiums, it may not make sense to make the purchase, because:

The cost could be prohibitive to the financial goal you are trying to achieve.
These same factors may prevent you from qualifying for the policy.

If you’re in this situation, how can you help your loved ones when you die?

The answer may be to look at another option like final expense insurance…
Or some other guaranteed issue option where age and health are less of a factor.

The waiting period…

Finally, if you do qualify for life insurance despite a health condition, your full death benefit may not be available for the first two years of the policy.

If you think you have a life-threatening condition that may result in premature death, consider whether or not you will survive long enough for your loved one to receive the full benefit.

Life insurance for seniors: Exam required?

Many life insurance policies require some level of medical underwriting.

This means you could be required to:

See a doctor (fully underwritten), or…
Answer a health questionnaire (simplified issue) that an agent can help you to submit.

If you are looking to avoid a medical exam, look for policies that are simplified issue.

There are certain types of term and permanent life insurance policies that do not require a full medical examination.

How much does life insurance for seniors cost?

The cost of life insurance for seniors is determined by variables like:¹²

Type of policy
Benefit amount
Ability to build cash value

Additional factors that can further alter the cost of premiums include:

Age
Health
Family health history
Tobacco use
Driving record
Occupation/lifestyle

Looking for life insurance for seniors?

Life insurance can give you and your loved ones financial assistance to cover funeral expenses, pay off debt, and protect your assets when you die, but there are many variables to consider.

Want a little help? We can help you compare plans and find life insurance policy options for you. Give us a call at (818) 8057113 to speak with a licensed life insurance agent or find an agent in your local area.

How do I know if my home needs a safety check?

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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What is a home safety assessment?

How long does a home safety assessment take?

Who can do a home safety assessment?

Does my insurance cover home safety assessments?

How else can I make my home safer?

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What does watsu therapy look like?

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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Watsu therapy to treat chronic pain & other health conditions

Who provides watsu therapy?

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1. Pay attention to snoring

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2. Consider insomnia therapy

3. Review which prescription drugs you’re taking

4. Get more exercise to help with sleep problems

5. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time daily

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Why a smoker might experience chest pain

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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How to get rid of chest pain from smoking

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What are asthma and COPD, exactly?

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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What are the symptoms of asthma and COPD?

How are asthma and COPD treated?

How do you manage asthma and COPD?

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What is heat exhaustion?2

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion

5 tips to treat heat exhaustion

What is heat stroke?

The danger zone

5 tests for heat-related illnesses

Risk factors for heat stroke & heat exhaustion

How to prevent heat stroke and heat exhaustion

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5 facts about repeat hospital ER visits

Not sure which plan is best for you?

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26 signs it’s time for a hospital ER visit

Not sure if it’s time for a hospital ER visit?

10 tips to avoid repeat hospital ER visits

1. Follow discharge instructions

2. Monitor your symptoms

3. Take prescribed medications

4. Rest & recover

5. Drink plenty of water

6. Avoid triggers

7. Schedule follow-up care

8. Communicate with healthcare providers

9. Review your lifestyle habits

10. Be prepared for an emergency

Preventive care: Find a plan to keep you healthy

Looking for a health plan with preventive care benefits?

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1. Required employee benefits

Not sure which plan is best for you?

Speak to a licensed insurance agent

2. Health insurance

More ways to offer health insurance

3. Dental & vision insurance

4. Paid time off

5. Retirement benefits

6. Supplemental benefits

Ready to create your small business employee benefits package?

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How are glasses better than contact lenses?

Not sure which plan is best for you?

Speak to a licensed insurance agent

What are the disadvantages of glasses?

What is heat exhaustion?²