Wow! That was fast! Less than a month ago, on March 28, 2016, to be exact, federal agencies closed the comment period for the proposed revision of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) template and its related documents. On April 6, […]
Supplying a regular paycheck is an obvious role employers play in supporting their employees’ happiness, but there are other ways organizations can help their employees and plan members be content. The World Happiness Report 2016 Update came out last month, ranking happiness levels […]
You may have dreaded the process, rejoiced over extensions and delays or even lost sleep as the March 31 deadline approached to provide the Affordable Care Act (ACA) 1095 forms to employees. But you did it—Your health plan participants are in possession of […]
Remember last summer when the weather was warm and sunny and you thought the SBC guidance was finalized? Surprise! Now there’s a sequel! In February 2016, federal agencies proposed a revised version of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) template and […]
In a new International Foundation Benefits Communication survey, only 19% of employers reported their employees have a high level understanding of their benefits. When asked why this is, employers overwhelmingly said their employees do not read the information they provide or they […]
The short turnaround time to answer a HIPAA audit request puts pressure on you to be ready at any time. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act requires the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to perform […]
A recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court may make it harder for ERISA health care benefit plans to recover benefits paid when a plan participant receives a settlement from a third party. As a result, plan sponsors and administrators may wish […]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most individuals to obtain minimum essential health coverage or pay a penalty, with some exceptions. The penalty for not having coverage is to be paid when individuals file their federal tax return; for the 2015 tax […]
Legislative changes along with a new political environment in Canada mean the topic of medical marijuana will likely pick up steam in the coming months and years. While much is unclear, Mike Sullivan lays out important factors for benefit plan sponsors to […]
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” —Albert Einstein Fortunately, when it comes to ACA reporting, the IRS agrees“. . . the IRS will not impose penalties under Sections 6721 and 6722 on ALE members that can […]
