| About CREW Benefits |
Q: What is the CREW healthcare plan?
A:
CREW is an employee healthcare benefit program designed exclusively for the rail industry. CREW is a fully insured employee benefit plan designed to meet all the federal employee benefit regulations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) as amended by HIPAA and COBRA. Some major plan features include:
• Comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage
• Occupational coverage for employees of interstate railroads
• Benefits are fully guaranteed by qualified “A” rated insurers
• Dental, vision, group life and short term disability are also available
• Easy access to selected local, regional, and national PPO networks
• Benefits up to $1 million per covered person per year
• Lifetime benefit maximum of $2 million per person
• Benefits all fully guaranteed from the first eligible dollar to the Plan limits
• Plan deductibles starting at $250 per person per year
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Q: Is the CREW healthcare plan an insurance plan?
A:
Under federal law the CREW healthcare plan is not in and of itself deemed to be insurance. CREW however, purchases insurance direct from the world insurance market under one policy. Under the insurance arrangement qualified “A” rated insurers provide a direct guarantee the full amount of all eligible benefits provided under the Summary Plan Description to the eligible employees and dependents of participating member employers.
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Q: Will the CREW healthcare plan save my company money?
A:
The cost of providing benefits under the CREW plan, all other things being equal, has been reduced by 10% to 15% and in some cases as much as 20% or more when compared with other commercially available insured group benefit programs. Occupational coverage can be included and each member employer may select and provide the employee benefit plan that fits their pocketbook.
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Q: I have looked at a variety of healthcare programs for my employees and nobody has been able to deliver 10-15% savings on our employee benefit costs. How do you do it?
A:
CREW has qualified as a voluntary employee beneficiary association (“VEBA”) and is a not-for-profit entity with no stockholders to pay. Any financial gain remains in CREW to reduce the cost of future benefits. Without sacrificing financial security, through volume purchasing the pure insurance is lower; the required insurer margin is lower; the acquisition cost of new business is greatly reduced; the combined administration cost is lower; and yet CREW has access to both national and regional preferred provider discounts.
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Q: Do I need to be a SRBOA member in order to sign my company up for this program?
A:
Yes. In order to participate in CREW your railroad entity must maintain membership in SRBOA.
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Q: Is group life insurance available under CREW?
A:
Yes. $15,000 employee life insurance is standard, although higher and lower limits are available.
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Q: Can CREW provide international coverage?
A:
Yes. CREW can provide seamless coverage for both domestic and international employees. While abroad, special provider services are tailored to meet the international employee’s needs.
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Q: What are the maximum limits of the Plan?
A:
$1,000,000 per person annually and up to $2,000,000 per person lifetime.
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Q: What PPO´s are available?
A:
Before you change doctors, we’ll change networks for your employer group. CREW has access to several national and regional PPO networks. To see a complete list go our PPO map and/or PPO list. The link to these pages is on our home page. Look for the PPO map button.
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| About Administrator |
Q: How are employee and dependent benefit rates established?
A:
CREW is a pooled benefit program. Just as commercial health insurers, the Administrator subscribes to the on line, frequently updated rating services of a national actuarial firm to establish the employee and dependent rates. Rating assumptions specific to CREW are reviewed frequently by two outside independent actuaries specializing in the group healthcare business. The employee and dependent group rates are established based on actual fixed overhead cost; the cost of medical services in the specific geographical area; the age; sex; and family status, and general medical condition of the specific employer group.
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Q: Who is Medical Benefits Administrators of MD (MBA)?
A:
MBA is a full service benefit administration firm specializing in national employer association benefit programs. MBA is an affiliate of R. J. Wilson & Associates Ltd. the reinsurance intermediary negotiating the insurance for the Trustees of CREW and other national association benefit programs. MBA utilizes the state of the art Trizetto Quicklink System (formerly known as Resource Information Systems or “RIMS”) in the management of benefit claims. MBA also employs Solucient Auto Audit and other similar systems and has access to INGENIX (formerly Medicode) data in the administration of benefit claims.
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Q: Does MBA and affiliates provide benefit services for other organizations as well?
A:
Yes. MBA and affiliate companies currently provide benefit services [omit administrative] for fifteen national employer associations and the number is growing. MBA also currently provides Administrative services for in excess of 500 stand alone single employer healthcare benefit plans in Maryland.
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Q: How long has MBA, RJW and affiliated companies existed?
A:
R. J. Wilson & Associates Ltd. (RJW) a Maryland corporation was founded in 1978 and currently has several affiliate firms providing both benefit and specialty insurance services. MBA an RJW affiliate also domiciled in Maryland was founded in 1992. Advance Benefit Services LLC (ABS) was recently formed to provide special benefit design and enrolment services for employer association benefit programs. Another affiliate Dayspring Management LLC provides benefit management and consulting [omit actuarial] services for 5 additional national trade associations. Another early affiliate of RJW is Canton Agency a national general agent, and managing underwriter providing property and casualty insurance for the railroad industry since 1969.
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Q: How many people are covered under healthcare plans served by MBA and affiliates?
A:
The number continues to grow and it is estimated that the number nationally by year end 2006 will equal over 90,000 for MBA itself and more than double that amount by all MBA affiliates.
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Q: How many people are employed in MBA, RJW and affiliated companies?
A:
MBA and RJW currently have a combined Maryland staff of just short of 100 employees but at the current rate of growth this number is expected to reach 150 by the end of year 2006. The MBA and RJW affiliate companies sub contract with major firms, one with over 500 employees on staff.
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Q: What role does MBA have in the CREW program?
A:
MBA is the first party administrator and “Plan Administrator” providing in force employer and employee customer service; claims processing and adjudication services; access to and management of the PPO networks; and compliance management for CREW. RJW as an affiliate of MBA negotiates, places, and files, the insurance wholesale, direct net of any remuneration with world insurers. Actuarial services are provided by an outside actuarial firm.
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Q: Who is Advance Benefit Services LLC (ABS)?
A:
Advance Benefit Services as an affiliate of MBA and RJW assists association member employers in the implementation, design, presentation, and enrollment of employees and dependents under national association benefit programs. ABS will be assisting individual association member employers that wish to participate in CREW.
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