At Morris & Garritano, we pride ourselves on an unmatched level of personalized service. Our clients and their employees have access not only to our team of friendly and helpful experts but our entire Benefits Resource Library of digital insights and guides.
Find clarity and accessibility with our glossary of insurance terms and lingo, easy carrier contacts, library of video resources, and more. At M&G, we strive not only to provide the best in insurance, but also a comprehensive understanding and complete confidence in your benefits.
Our dedicated Advocacy Team is ready to assist you with any challenging questions or individual support you may require, be it for accessing care, deciphering a bill, or any other matter. Feel free to reach out to our friendly Advocacy Team via phone (855-662-1029) or email (AdvocateServices@morrisgarritano.com). We’re here to support you during our office hours, which are Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM PST.
For everything else, find useful information at your fingertips in our digital resource library.
Learning the Lingo
From copays to deductibles, HMOs and PPOs, find clarity in insurance term literacy. Learn the lingo with this easy-to-understand glossary of the most commonly used (and misunderstood!) words and phrases.
Contact Your Carrier
Find easy access links to contact your carrier. Whether needing to pay a bill, file a claim, or make a request, we’ve compiled all the contact information you’ll need to easily find your carrier and get connected.
Ask an Advocate
While you can contact our helpful Advocacy Team by phone or email during regular office hours, you may also explore our comprehensive resources to learn more about the frequently asked questions and topics we specialize in.
Se Habla Español
Para asistencia en español, por favor llame al 855.662.1029 y oprima 1 o envíe un correo electrónico a AdvocateServices@morrisgarritano.com
What to Expect at Open Enrollment
Feel confident and prepared with tips from our experts on what to expect during Open Enrollment. Whether changing your coverage, renewing elections, or navigating a carrier change, find comfortability and ease in your process.
Video Library
Find quick-bite videos breaking down common topics for better understanding of your coverage and general insurance processes. We discuss frequently asked questions and offer clarity in an easy and accessible space.
Open Enrollment is the annual window when you are able to make changes to your benefits elections. It happens once a year around the same time every year. You can talk with us or your company’s HR to find out when your group renews.
You can add dependents to your plan during your annual open enrollment period or if you or your dependent(s) have a qualifying event outside of open enrollment (such as a marriage, divorce, birth, loss of coverage, etc.)
Eligible dependents may include your children up to the age of 26 and/or your spouse or domestic partner.
It is important to know that if you are adding a child or spouse with a different last name, some carriers require documentation (such as a birth or marriage certificate) proving that they are your dependent.
Loss of coverage, gaining new coverage, marriage, birth of a child, divorce, etc. are considered Qualifying Events. You typically have 30 days from the date of the event to report your QE and make changes.
This depends on the plan you are currently enrolled in, but your deductible is the amount you must pay before your insurance kicks in. After you hit your deductible, then you will pay coinsurance until you hit your out-of-pocket max. Exact amounts will vary from plan to plan.
Your out-of-pocket max is the maximum amount you will pay in your plan year for covered, in-network services.
Coinsurance is what you pay after you meet your deductible. Once you hit your deductible, your insurance will start to pay a set percentage of your medical costs.
An example of this is say you have 30% coinsurance on hospital visits. Once you hit your deductible, you would pay 30% of the costs and your insurance would pay the other 70%.
The main difference between the two is that an HMO is a permission slip system. You need to get established with your in-network primary care provider first and then they can refer you to any specialist that you might need or request to see.
A common example of this is having a mole you want looked at, you would need to go to your primary care provider first, and then they can refer you to a dermatologist within the in-network medical group if it’s something the primary care provider can’t help with themselves first.
If you were on a PPO and you wanted to see a dermatologist, you could just make an appointment with them directly. You would not need the referral from your PCP first.
HMOs do not have out-of-network benefits.
PPOs have in and out-of-network benefits, but the in-network benefits are much better.
HMOs give you coverage with a medical group and these are based on geographical locations. If you are traveling with an HMO, only emergency services will be covered. If the need is not an emergency, you are expected to wait to receive care until you are back with your primary care doctor.
PPOs give you coverage wherever there are in-network providers. This is beneficial if you travel or visit family a lot you can go to an in-network doctor out of state and still be covered.
Do not delay or ignore the bill as this may have negative impacts on your credit. The quickest way to verify a bill is to create an online account with your insurance carrier which will allow you to view processed claims. If you’d like additional assistance with this process, please reach out to our Advocate Services team members at 855-662-1029 or via email AdvocateServices@morrisgarritano.com
Resources provided by our carrier partners offer greater insight and understanding to coverage with regular updates. Digital assets and guides live here for your regular, reliable, and convenient access at any time.
Notices, updates, and alerts impacting your coverage and policy are an important part of your comprehensive understanding. Keep track of issued notifications and relevant information here, complied for your convenience.
The below items are designed to help educate and inform you on your employee benefits program.
Get a step-by-step walkthrough on some of the most commonly used features of your Employee Navigator Benefits Administration Portal.
Ensure your organization stays compliant with Medicare rules. Distribute the required Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage Notice to all Medicare-eligible participants by October 14, 2026 to help them avoid late enrollment penalties and meet federal requirements.
The temporary Medicare Part D premium stabilization subsidies are ending after 2026. As a result, some Medicare beneficiaries may see changes to their standalone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) premiums and coverage options in 2027.
For many people, Medicare can feel mysterious or confusing as they approach age 65. The program is structured differently from the employer-sponsored health plans most people are accustomed to, including its approach to preventive care.
What "covered" should feel like.
What "covered" should feel like.
What "covered" should feel like.
What "covered" should feel like.
What "covered" should feel like.
