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Month: April 2014

Compliance Recap April 2014

The IRS has released the 2015 minimums and maximums that apply to health savings accounts (HSAs) and related high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). These increases occur annually based on a cost-of-living formula. Because the inflation rate is fairly lo…

Mobile Device HR Apps

Most people today have at least one — if not more — mobile devices. Smartphones, full-size tablets, mini tablets, "phablets" (smartphones that are usually larger in size and can do more functions than a typical phone), hand-held computers, …

Coverage For Same-Sex Spouses

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that insurers, but not employers, must offer the same health coverage to a spouse in a same-sex marriage as they offer to a spouse in a traditional marriage. According to an article in Kaiser …

The Cruel Catch-22 Of Long-Term Unemployment

It seems like it’s easier for people to find a job if they’re already employed. Consequently, it seems like the longer someone is unemployed, then the more unemployable he or she may appear. To combat this perception the Department of Labor has announc…

Do You Need to Amend Your Health and Section 125 Plans?

Many group health plans will need to be amended to reflect the required changes to benefits and waiting periods that take effect in 2014. Employers also should consider whether eligibility language will need to be updated to reduce the number of hours …

What Makes Wellness Work?

More than 75 cents of every health care dollar spent in the United States goes toward treating chronic diseases such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Becaus…

Form 5500 Filing Requirements

Form 5500 Filing Requirements
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 – 2:00 p.m. ET / 11:00 a.m. PT

Most employee benefit plans are required to file a Form 5500 annually, and penalties for not meeting this obligation can be costly. During this 90-minute basic-to-…

U.S. Surgeon General’s Report May Spur More Wellness Program Activity

A U.S. Surgeon General’s Report issued in January marks fifty years since the Surgeon General’s landmark report in 1964 that set in motion a nationwide campaign to reduce and hopefully eliminate tobacco smoking in the United States. Also in January, ru…

Mid-Sized Group (50 to 99 Employees) Insured Plans and PPACA

PPACA brings numerous responsibilities and options to employers. Below is a summary of the PPACA provisions that apply to group health plans and whether the provision applies to insured mid-sized group plans.

Counting Employees Under Health Care Reform (Part 2)

Counting employees under health care reform is not as easy as 1 – 2 – 3. The rules are quite complicated, and if not done correctly can have serious repercussions for your business. The final employer shared responsibility (“play or pay”) regulations h…

Legislative and Regulatory Update

Want to know what is happening in Washington, D.C. as it relates to the now four-year-old Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)? While parts of the law have been implemented, major additional requirements are scheduled to take effect over …

Managing Benefit Costs – A Top Business Priority

Employers of all sizes are challenged to rethink employee benefits in this new world of health care reform. Tight budgets and a still-recovering economy are spurring benefits managers to think beyond health insurance and look at their benefits as a who…