A letter to our participants and partners regarding coronavirus (COVID-19)
Update 5/5/20: See our new blog post: We’re here for you, with answers
Update 3/31/20: My team and I were excited to share with you last week that the CARES Act, passed by Congress on Friday afternoon, contains a provision allowing eligibility of over-the-counter drugs and medicines without a prescription for Health FSAs, HSAs, and certain HRA plans that include all IRS-allowed out-of-pocket medical/dental/vision expenses. We know this is only a tiny part of the relief that is needed and which we hope this Act will begin to provide, but this is a great change for our participants and partners, and we hope it will prove especially helpful during our current situation. We’ve updated our Common Participant Questions and Common Partner Questions with some additional practical details about this change, and of course we are always available for any questions you may have.
Update 3/27/20: Our team has compiled some common COVID-19 questions from our participants and partners, and provided responses in two new posts. We will continue to update these posts as the situation progresses and as we monitor key developments and concerns of our clients. Find them here: Common Participant Questions and Common Partner Questions
Update 3/25/20: I wanted to let you know that we have successfully transitioned most of our team to working at home. The last few team members still in the office are maintaining safe social distancing within the office, and are prepared to work from home at a moment’s notice if it becomes necessary. We are beginning to see some trends in the questions we are receiving from participants and partners, and we will be posting some of these questions and our responses in a special FAQ very soon, which we will continue to update as the situation changes. Our compliance team is also closely monitoring legislation changes and will keep you updated on relevant information. And as always, reach out to us with your questions; we are here to help!
Update 3/17/20: I want to update you on our continued efforts and commitment to preserve both business continuity and the health and safety of our employees and their families. Our technical services team is in the process of transitioning most of our in-office team members to working remotely this week, leaving only a handful of staff still in the office by the end of the week. Many of our team members have worked remotely for more than a decade so we already have appropriate measures and controls in place. Remote work is familiar to the ProBenefits team and it should be a smooth transition. Thus far, we are not experiencing an increased volume of calls and emails due to the situation at hand. But if that should change, we ask for your patience as we respond with our usual care and consideration to every question received. If you call and experience an extended wait time, feel free to send us your question or a request for a call back by email to Trust@ProBenefits.com, or by using our online Contact form. Also, if you haven’t logged in to our web portal, now is a great time to set up your account and learn about all the information available to you there. As always, we are here to help!
March 13, 2020
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting more and more people and companies around the world and in our back yard, I want to first take this opportunity to say that all of us here at ProBenefits care about all of you – our participants and employer and broker partners – and we hope for your wellness and safety during this evolving situation.
As a trusted partner, we also want to assure you that we are taking precautions to preserve both business continuity and the health and safety of our employees and their families. We have procedures in place to allow our employees flexibility in their work locations, and we are closely monitoring the situation in our area. We are prepared to continue processing your claims and administering your plans whether we are working in our office or from our homes.
We will continue to take things day-by-day and act based on World Health Organization (WHO) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance. We will also continue to support the organizations in our community fighting hunger and helping those in need, and we encourage you to do the same if you are able.
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We hope you all stay safe and healthy!
Gary Knight
President