Corporate Partners

Retirement Not Out of Reach With Nationwide

Nicolette Querry Corporate Partners, County News

Congratulations to Nationwide Retirement Solutions, a MACo Gold Corporate Partner, on earning top honors from J.D. Power in its 2018 Group Retirement Plan Satisfaction Study.

J.D. Power Nationwide Study
Source: J.D. Power 2018 Group Retirement Satisfaction Study℠

J.D. Power awarded Nationwide 1st place with a score of 770 out of 1,000 in the Mixed Plan Segment category. It scored 26 points higher than the average and 35 points higher than the below average companies ranked in the study.

The study results are based on member responses from more than 9,500 group retirement plans.

 

Nationwide assists employers in offering a successful retirement plan by providing more value and better service. Receiving the highest ranking in this year’s J.D. Power Group Retirement Plan Satisfaction Study validates both our commitment to the participant experience and position as an industry leader. Nationwide’s retirement plans business has experienced above-industry growth in the past five years, reflecting our commitment to building a culture of excellence. However, the greatest measure of our success is the satisfaction of our clients and our ability to help them reach their retirement goals.

– John Carter, Nationwide President of Retirement Plans

Quote courtesy of NACo’s State Association Executive Director’s 2nd Quarter 2018 Quarterly Newsletter

WHAT NOW?

Watch Nationwide’s “Women and Retirement” webinar rebroadcast.

Celebrate “Save for Retirement Week” October 21-27, 2018.

Aetna Brings Opioid Alternatives to the Forefront

Natasha Mehu Corporate Partners, Health and Human Services

Exparel — now covered through Aetna’s dental program as part of their comprehensive opioid crisis efforts — provides a non-addictive, one-time injection pain relief alternative. 

Aetna has launched a DocFind platform for its members to help them find providers that offer opioid alternatives for surgeries. One of those alternatives, Exparel, is now covered in Aetna’s dental program. From Aetna’s news release:

Aetna is the first and only dental carrier to cover EXPAREL for wisdom tooth extractions, a decision stemming from the company’s ongoing commitment and comprehensive strategy to fight the opioid epidemic.

As part of this strategy, Aetna is also making it possible for members to find and search for providers who offer opioid alternatives like EXPAREL by using the DocFind platform.

Visit Aetna to learn more.

Aetna is MACo Gold Corporate Partner.

More info on MACo Corporate Partnerships.

BGE Brings Baltimore City Electric Buses

Nicolette Querry Corporate Partners, County News, Environment, Transportation and Public Works
3_PROTERRA-CATALYST-E2-BUS
Image of Proterra 40′ Catalyst E2 Bus, provided by Proterra

Baltimore Gas and Electric, a MACo Gold Corporate Partner, will become the first Baltimore City company to have an electric bus vehicle fleet. It will also break national ground for becoming the first utility to incorporate electric shuttle buses into its fleet of vehicles.

BGE

The new buses, 40′ Proterra Catalyst® E2 Shuttles, will transport employees between BGE’s Baltimore headquarters and its Spring Garden’s campus. The first bus was unveiled March 15, with the second bus arriving in April.

BGE’s Press Release Shares its CEO’s thoughts about the project:

Zero-emissions electric buses address so many needs, from furthering our understanding of the electric vehicle technologies our customers are using, to reducing the demand on downtown parking, to minimizing our impact on the environment. We are always looking for better ways to serve our customers, and this clean, efficient and practical transportation solution is just another example of our commitment to identifying innovative new approaches.

– Calvin G. Butler, BGE CEO

Proterra shares the excitement in its Press Release about the partnership:

Utility support of innovative electric vehicle programs and grid transformation is critical as more consumers and transit providers opt for EVs, presenting both system wide opportunities and challenges along the way. We’re grateful to partner with BGE, a utility that is thinking big about the future of electrification, and supporting BGE through this technological transition as well as optimizing around an interconnected, distributed energy future.

– Ryan Popple, Proterra CEO

Proterra’s buses have zero emissions, unlike other buses their size which use 11,000 gallons of diesel fuel and produce more than 480,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions every year. These buses achieve 22 MPGe while diesel buses average 3.86
MPG.

The Maryland Public Service Commision is currently reviewing a proposal to install 24,000 chargers thus making Maryland the second largest electric vehicle fleet in the nation.

Aetna Partners with Howard County to Save Lives

Leslie Velasco Corporate Partners, County News
DSC_2840
Howard County Executive Alan Kittleman at the press conference addressing the partnership with Aetna

Aetna, a MACo Gold Corporate Partner, has partnered with Howard County by providing its first county donation of naloxone.

Aetna provided the county with 408 naloxone kits to be placed in the box of every automated external defibrillator, AED, box in county-owned buildings. Following the press conference on the partnership, that occurred December 12, the first group of 25-county employees was trained to use the kits.

Aetna’s Maryland Operations President Michael Bucci:

Not only is Aetna the County’s provider of health care services, it’s an area where many of our employees live and work – including myself. I’m honored that Aetna can help make a difference by donating these Narcan kits to Howard County. The opioid epidemic does not discriminate; these kits can, and do, save lives.

Howard County Press Release:

In the months to come, the Health Department will work with other departments of county government to bring training to employees.

DSC_2956
A naloxone kit being placed in an AED machine

Howard County Executive Alan Kittleman has provided an hour of leave to each county employee to use for training.

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman:

We’re battling the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history,  Our county, like other counties in Maryland and across the country, is experiencing the tragic impact of this crisis every day. We’ve got to try new and innovative approaches to fight this, and the partnership with Aetna will allow us to add Narcan to all AED boxes in county-owned buildings. We’ll have Narcan available for overdose emergencies, just as we have AEDs and Stop-the-Bleed kits for other emergencies.

Earlier the day of the press conference, Deputy Sheriff Dave Manning used naloxone to reverse a heroine and methadone overdose in the county courthouse. The naloxone, retrieved from the AED box, was placed by the sheriff’s department – a process that began about a month ago.

In 2017, 216 overdoses occurred in Howard County with 55 fatalities. Naloxone saved the lives of 90 percent of the 161 non-fatal overdoes.

Conduit Street Podcast, Episode #5 – The Power of Partnership

Kevin Kinnally Business Affairs, Corporate Partners, County News, Economic Development, Education, General Assembly News, Housing and Community Development, Information Technology, Intergovernmental Relations, MACo Events, News You Can Use, Planning and Zoning, Public Information and Ethics, State Budget and Fiscal Issues, Taxes and Revenues, Winter Conference

MACo’s Winter Conference will focus on intergovernmental cooperation and ways that counties can partner with entities in the public and private sector to achieve the best results for Maryland’s residents. Sessions will highlight collaboration across county lines and service areas to address priorities like the opioid epidemic, Next Gen 9-1-1, and the environment, along with other important topics like mutual aid agreements and cooperative purchasing.

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson discuss the MACo Winter Conference and its focus on reviewing timely issues that will be relevant during the upcoming Maryland General Assembly Session.

MACo has made the podcast available through both iTunes and Google Play by searching Conduit Street Podcast. You can also listen on our Conduit Street blog with a recap and link to the podcast.

Listen here:

Learn more about MACo’s 2017 Winter Conference:

Calvert County Recognized for Staff Training Practices

Quote Michael Sanderson Corporate Partners, Government Liability and Courts

The Local Government Insurance Trust, a MACo corporate partner, recognizes members each year for outstanding efforts to address risk management issues. At this year’s LGIT Annual meeting held October 27 in Annapolis, Calvert County received an award for their outstanding efforts with staff training.

From the LGIT event program:

With this outstanding effort, it is obvious that Calvert County understands the benefits and positive impact loss control and risk management training can provide. County attendance at training continues to benefit not only Calvert County staff and personnel, but the citizens of Calvert County and the community as a whole.

MACo Welcomes Correctional Healthcare Provider, PrimeCare Medical, as Newest Corporate Partner

Virginia White Corporate Partners, County News

PrimeCare Medical, Inc., providers of correctional healthcare, have signed on as MACo’s newest Bronze Corporate Partner.

PRIMECARE_logo_newPrimeCare Medical, Inc. is committed to managing and reducing risk in correctional healthcare by providing cost-effective quality healthcare management, continuously improving the standards of care and striving for national accreditation for all facilities. Dedicated to correctional healthcare, PrimeCare Medical prides itself on strong client relationships, and effective and efficient management of healthcare services – heralding these attributes as hallmarks of their success. PrimeCare Medical provides comprehensive healthcare services to county jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers throughout the Northeastern United States, specializing in correctional healthcare management through the significant contributions and strong moral values of their employees. Learn more about PrimeCare Medical.

County governments are always looking for new ways to deliver efficient and effective services to their constituents. MACo’s Corporate Partner Program was established to provide a forum for companies and organizations to market themselves to county decision-makers. Through the exchange of ideas and information, lasting partnerships have been formed. For more information, contact Leslie Velasco.

MACo Welcomes Bill2Pay as New Silver Corporate Partner

Virginia White Corporate Partners, County News

MACo is pleased to welcome Bill2Pay as a MACo Silver Corporate Partner.Bill2Pay

Bill2Pay’s strong commitment to provide the most complete and accurate billing & payment processing services to Tax Collectors is second to none. Bill2Pay leverages decades of industry knowledge to blend traditional practices with modern technology to deliver unparalleled billing and payment solutions. Bill2Pay specializes in providing custom solutions for the Tax Collector market. (Learn more)

Learn more about MACo’s Corporate Partner Program or contact Leslie Velasco for more details!

2017 Aspire Awards from NACo & Nationwide – Submissions Due May 26

Corporate Partners, County News, Employee Benefits and Relations

The National Association of Counties (NACo) and Nationwide Retirement Solutions are excited to launch the 2017 Aspire Awards which honors and recognizes counties for innovative solutions and promoting employee retirement savings. Submissions are due May 26, 2017.

Are you aware that over 350,000 county employees from more than 3,000 county agencies are saving for retirement with the NACo Deferred Compensation program? That’s 350,000 citizens who were given the opportunity to take an active role in planning for their future – 350,000 community members who, in the face of numerous and competing financial demands, took that opportunity, and decided to utilize a trusted program to save. In a day and age when individuals and organizations alike are pushed to do more with less, NACo is eager to recognize the monumental contribution from NACo’s county plan sponsors in marketing this cornerstone program successfully and helping that number of participants reach new heights.

Please review the guidelines here for further information. Please address questions to Carlos Greene at NACo at cgreene@naco.org or 404-263-3656.

Register to Attend CEIWC’s 2017 Free Workers’ Comp Seminars

Corporate Partners, Employee Benefits and Relations, News You Can Use

Register to attend one of Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company’s Workers’ Compensation Seminars. Specialists in safety services, premium audit, claims management along with legal professionals will provide a valuable half-day best practices overview.

Upcoming Seminar Dates:

  • Thursday, April 20 at the Pikesville Double Tree Hotel: Register here
  • Thursday, May 4 at the Easton Tidewater Inn: Register here
  • Thursday, October 5 at the Bowie Comfort Inn Hotel: Register here
  • Thursday, October 12 at the Frederick Holiday Inn and Conference Center: Register here

Registration will begin at 8:30 am and the seminar will go from 9:00 am until 1 pm. Admission is free but online reservations are required. Executive continental breakfast and refreshments will be provided.

Watch the YouTube video below to see why you should attend a policyholders seminar.

Key Presenters:

  • Elizabeth Torphy-Donzella, Esq., Shawe Rosenthal, LLP
  • Dr. Stephen Fisher, Director of Medical Services, Chesapeake Employers

Topics of the seminars’ informative presentations:

  • Employment Law – Best Practices to Avoid Wage and Hour Claims
  • Top 3 Most Common and Costly Injuries and Steps to Prevent Them
  • Understanding the Premium Audit Process
  • Chesapeake Employers’ Claims & Medical Health Services Team Approach for Better Claims Outcomes & an Improved E-Mod.
  • Chesapeake Employers’ Legal Defense Services Overview
  • Mock Workers’ Compensation Hearing with a Maryland Workers’ Comp. Commissioner

For more information please contact Carolyn Gutermuth at 410-494-2170. CEIWC is a MACo Gold Corporate Partner.