Kristen Russell
Kristen founded Fall River Employee Benefits as the culmination of her insurance industry career as an actuary, underwriting executive & consultant. As an Assistant Vice President at Great-West Healthcare (now part of CIGNA), she managed a $1 Billion block of health insurance. She also worked as a Senior Consultant at Reden & Anders, consulting to insurance companies and large employers throughout the country. Ms. Russell received a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in Actuarial Science, is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and achieved Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries through a rigorous nine-year series of exams.
Kristen grew up in Iowa but has lived in Colorado since 1993, currently living near our office in the Lower Highlands neighborhood near downtown Denver. She enjoys bicycling, hiking, traveling and has a special passion for non-profit volunteering. She is married to an incredibly talented photojournalist, has two adult stepdaughters and an adorable Border Collie/Lab mix named Chaco.
Notice of Class Action Settlement in BCBS Antitrust Lawsuit
If you purchased or were enrolled in a Blue Cross or Blue Shield health insurance or administrative services plan between 2008 and 2020, a $2.67 billion settlement may affect your rights.
Action Needed on ARPA's COBRA Provisions
During the past month we have been fielding all sorts of questions regarding the 100% premium subsidies for COBRA coverage for Assistance Eligible Individuals (AEIs) under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). One of the biggest misconceptions is that employers who have a TPA that handles their COBRA administration might believe that they don’t need to do anything. This is absolutely FALSE.
Test Your ACA Knowledge With a Quiz
March marks the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Are you an “ACA Guru,” or could your ACA knowledge use a refresher? Take the 10-question Alera ACA Quiz to find out!
If you have any questions about whether your plans and employer policies are ACA-compliant, contact your Fall River Client Manager today!
Which Vaccination Phase Are Your Employees In?
As of February 14th, 37.5 million Americans and 630,000 Coloradans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Now that vaccination is available, we’ve been getting more questions about when a plan member can get it and how they go about doing so. What’s the best way to determine when and where they’ll be able to receive the vaccine?
Slash Healthcare Costs Without Slashing Benefits
Healthcare costs have increased faster than inflation almost every year for at least the last 30 years. Switching carriers, raising out-of-pocket costs, and asking employees to pay more out of their paychecks should be your last resort.
Paying Hospitals to Keep People Out?
What Made the Cut in the Final Tax Cut Bill
2018 HSA Limits Announced
2016 Changes Reporting to 1095 Forms Due March 2nd, 2017
As we blogged about last month, the filing deadline for the 1095 reporting required of large employers has been pushed back to March 2nd from January 31st. There are some general changes to the process, and also changes to the 1095 forms themselves.
Drug Price Relief may be Fleeting Despite “Patent Cliff”
Employers spend approximately 18-20% of their healthcare costs on prescription drugs, and the rapidly increasing cost of specialty drugs is causing this to inch ever up. To offset these cost hikes, we’re always keeping our eyes on expensive drugs that are coming off patent and facing cost-slashing competitors soon. There are eight blockbuster drugs (those with a billion dollars or more in sales) coming off patent in 2016.