News | Member Benefits

7Jun2018

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Blue Blocker Lenses: Are They Worth The Hype?

June 7, 2018

blue blocker lenses, dental, dental insurance, eye health, eye safety, eye strain, vision, vision insurance Uncategorized, Vision Insurance

As our bodies continue to age, it is understandable that we begin to experience more changes. And whether we like it or not, doctors and other medical specialists are here to help us make sure that our bodies are operating at the very best levels that they can and when they are not, doctors are the people we visit to find out why.

For example, declining eyesight is one of the most common and most easily diagnosable issues our bodies may encounter throughout our lives. Worsening eyesight is often associated with getting older and while there are a variety of reasons and levels of severity, ultimately poor eyesight is typically very treatable except in certain circumstances.

As a general rule of thumb, it is suggested that you should visit the eye doctor once every one to two years. Even if you don’t feel your eyesight has changed, an optometrist will be able to know for sure and make any adjustments to your eye prescription as necessary.

30May2018

NEW Members Health Plan Launches on Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange

May 30, 2018

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Member Benefits, the administrator of the Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange, introduces long-awaited Members Health Plan (MHP) for Texas law firms.

Austin, TX— After years of building member participation in the Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange, administrator Member Benefits is introducing a new health plan option for Texas law firms. Different than traditional group health options, the Members Health Plan (MHP) is a multiple employer self-funded health benefits trust exclusively for Lonestar state law firms and their employees. Through the MHP, participating law firms will join together to pool their risk as one large multiple-employer group.

This plan aims to not just lower the cost of healthcare benefits but also reduce administrative fees and grant access to a wider variety of potential health plan benefits.

Member Benefits President and CEO Earl “Chip” Trefry Jr., CLU had this to say about the launch: “This has been over two years in the making and we’re all very excited to see it come to fruition.”

24May2018

young African American lawyer with disabilities in wheelchair smiling thoughtfully out the window

Lawyers With Disabilities Battle More Than We Think

May 24, 2018

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disability stigma, law, lawyers, long term disability, long term disability insurance, LTD, LTDi Long Term Disability

Think about it. When was the last time you saw a lawyer with a disability? And no, Netflix’s legally-blind Daredevil “Matt Murdock,” doesn’t count.

For years it has been touted that prior to the age of retirement, one out of every four working-age Americans will become diagnosed with a Long-Term Disability at some point in their career. So, if that is true, how is it that there are so few lawyers with disabilities?

Not All Disabilities Are Visible

When we initially think of a disability, our mind immediately tends to gravitate towards those in wheelchairs or walking with a cane, but there are a number of disabilities that are invisible to the eye but can be every bit as difficult to manage.

According to the 1994-1995 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) roughly 1 out of every 10 Americans is recorded as having a severe disability— in today’s numbers, that translates to 32.57 million people. In the nineties it was found that out of those 1 in 10 Americans with disabilities over 74% of them did not use any assistive devices making their disability invisible to strangers.

10May2018

Woman holding up map pointing to destination while in passenger seat of traveling car along the coast

Top 2018 Travel Destinations For The Family

May 10, 2018

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Summer is just around the corner and there is no time like the present to start planning your annual family vacation. After a grueling winter that just didn’t seem to want to go away, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel with warmer days, less rain, and the winding down of the school year. Yes, summer is the perfect time of year to get in some hard-won quality time with the family.

It may come as a surprise that many of this year’s hottest travel destinations are also kid-friendly. But where should you go?

19Apr2018

mother with breast cancer smiling and hugging her young daughter

What You Should Know: Home Breast Cancer DNA Tests

April 19, 2018

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23andme breast cancer testing, brca gene, brca testing, breast cancer, breast cancer DNA testing, breast cancer gene, breast cancer genetic testing Health Insurance

In March of this year, ancestry DNA testing giant, 23andMe, announced that they would begin testing user DNA for Breast Cancer genes, more specifically identified as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. While technically able to test for these genes for years, it wasn’t until this past March that the FDA officially signed off on it, therefore, making the 23andMe at-home DNA test, the first FDA-approved direct-to-consumer test to evaluate one’s potential risk for cancer.

What Can Your DNA Reveal

The test is offered as an add-on to 23andMe’s standard ancestry report for a total of $199 and is delivered alongside a variety of other reports designed to tell you if you possess certain genetic markers which may suggest a predisposition to things such as:

5Apr2018

man diagnosed with long term disability contemplating future

5 Most Common Long-Term Disability Claims

April 5, 2018

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long term disability, long term disability insurance, LTD, LTDi Long Term Disability

According to the Council for Disability Awareness, it is estimated that one out of every four Americans will find themselves diagnosed with a disability prior to retiring at the age of 65. Additional studies show that less than half of individuals and families have enough money saved to sustain their living expenses for even one month before feeling the financial strain— illustrating that a long-term disability diagnosis can not just be devastating for the individual but also financially devastating for their entire family.

In short, no one plans to become disabled. And yet, it can happen to anyone at any time and the chances of it happening only increase with age, lifestyle choices, and even the type of work we do on a daily basis.

Popular Long-Term Disability Claims

But while the majority of people may imagine someone who struggles with a long-term disability as wheelchair bound, the fact of the matter is that long-term disabilities can manifest in a host of different ways— some visible, some not.

22Mar2018

Daughter worrying about mothers long-term care needs

How To Know When A Loved One Needs Long-Term Care

March 22, 2018

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assisted living, elderly, family, geriatric care, long term care, long term care insurance Long-term Care Insurance

Studies show that roughly 70 percent of individuals aged 65 or older will require long-term care at some point.

But determining just when a loved one may need long-term care can be difficult both mentally as well as emotionally. To help make things easier, here are some key factors to look for when determining if your loved one could benefit from long-term care:

Recent Accidents

Accidents and medical scares are a key indicator that your loved one may need additional help. Falls, fender-benders or car accidents, mismanaging prescriptions can all be scary and stressful for loved ones, caregivers, and everyone involved.