2021 MESSA Summits – – Register now!
MESSA Virtual Summits are coming your way, live and online via Zoom. Mark your calendar and join MESSA staff and local field representatives for an interactive experience with real-time chat and Q&A after each session.
Topics will include:
Gene Therapy
Covid-19
Mobile App
Group Services update
Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) MESSA Roadmap
Click here to register for one of the MESSA Summits listed below
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 9:00-11:00
Thursday, Oct. 21, 2:30-4:30
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 9:00-11:00
Thursday, Nov. 11, 1:30-3:30
MESSA Services
MESSA has solutions to address the challenges benefit administrators face every day. We listen to employers when they tell us where they need extra help. We’ve developed a unique suite of business services that let our experts do the heavy lifting so your experts can focus on other priorities.
| ACA reporting tool | COBRA | FMLA administration |
| Ask Emma | Dependent audits | Online benefits website |
| Cafeteria plans | Employee Assistance Program | Open enrollment administration |
Coming soon… Employee Benefit Notices: MESSA will soon take on the challenge of staying current with and providing required employee benefit notices to your employees at the time of hire, at open enrollment and to fulfill annual notice obligations. Stay tuned for more details.
Learn more about MESSA Services by calling the MESSA benefits administration team at 888.888.4167, ext. 5517.
New MESSA supplemental plans provide cash for covered incidents
MESSA has launched new supplemental benefits that can complement members’ existing MESSA medical coverage.
MESSA members can choose from an accident, critical illness or hospital indemnity plan, or purchase a discounted bundle. Alternately, groups have the option to bargain an employer-paid bundle consisting of all three coverages.
Developed through a partnership with Aetna, these plans are different from a traditional medical plan, in that they pay cash benefits directly to members when they experience a covered event. This provides them extra money when they need it most, for things like deductibles, copayments, house payments, groceries, bills and so on.
There are two ways to get MESSA’s new supplemental benefits:
- Negotiated supplemental benefits: Bargaining units can negotiate with their employer to provide all employees in the group with an employer-paid bundle consisting of accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity coverage. This can be a particularly attractive option for groups with higher-deductible medical plans.
- Optional supplemental benefits: If the employer provides MESSA’s optional benefits, the employee can choose from an accident plan, a critical illness plan, a hospital indemnity plan or a bundle of all three, and pay via payroll deduction.
Get started by calling your MESSA field representative at 800-292-4910.
To learn more, visit messa.org/supplemental.
RBI tips for employers:
Give your MESSA field representative an early heads up when you need to get the RBI process rolling
We would like to remind you that when you have a Request for Benefit Implementation (RBI), it is very helpful if you inform your MESSA Field Rep and Field Services early so that we can begin our internal process of implementing your benefits. If you use the RBI Wizard to request benefit changes for an existing group, be sure to use the quote ID number to expedite the process. This will allow our department to help with a smooth and timely benefit transition for you and your employees.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding transitioning to MESSA or changing any MESSA benefits, please reach out to your MESSA Field Rep or contact Field Services directly by calling 800.292.4910.
Important RBI notice for accounts using MESSA’s online benefits website
If you have RBI changes with an effective date that is the same as your open enrollment effective date, or if you are offering a special open enrollment due to benefit changes, please be sure the RBI has been completed before setting up your open enrollment. MESSA will notify you when the RBI has been completed.
If you set up the open enrollment before the benefit changes are made, the new/changed benefits will not show for your employees when making their open enrollment benefit elections.
When selecting benefit plan types for a special enrollment or an open enrollment, please remember to click “select all” benefits. Otherwise, the enrollment selections will not display correctly for your employees.
ACA State and Federal Taxes for 2021 and 2022 Plan Years
For informational purposes only, the below chart represents the changes in taxes and fees from 2020 to 2021. These taxes and fees are included in your rates.
| MEDICAL | ||||
| Tax/Fee | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| State Premium Tax | 0.96% | 0.91% | % of premium | |
| Insurance Provider Assessment Fee | $2.40 | $2.40 | PCPM | |
| Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Fee | $5.08 | $5.60 | PMPY | |
| Federal Health Insurance Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% | % of premium | |
| Total Medical Tax Factor | 1.60% | 1.49% | % of premium | |
| VISION | ||||
| Tax | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| State Premium Tax | 0.96% | 0.91% | % of premium | |
| Federal Health Insurance Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% | % of premium | |
| Total Vision Tax Factor | 0.96% | 0.91% | % of premium | |
| DENTAL | ||||
| Tax | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| Federal Health Insurance Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% | % of premium | |
| Total Dental Tax Factor | 0.00% | 0.00% | % of premium | |
Keeping addresses up-to-date
It is easy (and important) to keep address information up-to-date using the online benefits website.
Employees: Sign in to the online benefits website, click on my profile, then demographics. Here the employee can view their current address. To make a change click edit, type in their new address information, then click save.
Employers: Sign in to online benefits website, click user admin then search by last name. On the demographic tab, click edit, type in the employee’s new address information, then click save.
Contact MESSA Group Services at 888-888-4167 with any questions.