As you may recall, with the introduction of Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) imposed specific notice requirements on employers. Each year, employers whose healthcare plans include prescription drug benefits are required to notify all Medicare beneficiaries and the CMS of the “creditable” or “non-creditable” coverage status [...]
The Drug Enforcement Association (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day for this Saturday, October 22nd. Between 10am and 2pm you can take any unwanted, unused or expired prescription drugs to a participating collection site near you for the medications to be safely disposed of. The first Take-Back Day was in 2010 with [...]
Article as seen in Employee Benefit Adviser on October 11, 2016, written by Stephany Verstraete Today widespread confusion persists regarding what is required to unleash the powerful cost savings potential of a robust telehealth benefit. Articles whitewash the landscape with talk of “average utilization rates,” and “check-the-box” options promising to do it all. The reality [...]
In a world of increased convenience, you can do your taxes online, you can get breaking news online and you can make reservations for your favorite restaurant online. In recent years, healthcare has followed suit with online resources and digital mechanisms to make your well-being easier to track and medical treatment more convenient to access. [...]
Article as seen in HHC Group Newsletter distributed from HHC Group. A new study by Johns Hopkins University concludes that hospitals are taking exorbitant markups, mostly in markets in which they face little or no competition. The researchers found no correlation between price and care quality. Published in the journal “Health”, the study quantifies the [...]
One of the biggest concerns of small business owners continues to be the paid and unpaid leave bills passing out of committee. In the Senate, the Healthy Workplace Act S.B. 2147 would require all employers to provide up to 7 paid sick days each year. The House passed H.B. 3297, creating the Employee Paid Health [...]
If your health plan is like most, finding ways to help members manage healthcare expenses is a top priority. Offering one or more tax advantaged healthcare spending account can help. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) – Employers and employees can contribute to an HSA tax free and funds can roll over from year to year. To [...]
Article written by Gregory Seay as seen in HartfordBusiness.com on September 19, 2016 HBJ PHOTO | Gregory SeayConnecticut Spring & Stamping President William “Bill’’ Stevenson on the shop floor of the Farmington manufacturer. In its 77 years as a manufacturing “job shop,” Connecticut Spring & Stamping in Farmington has cultivated a varied 700-client [...]
New rules mandated by the Department of Labor could affect many small businesses, driving up labor costs and creating more red tape. These rules, effective on December 1, 2016, raise the salary threshold for eligible workers from $23,660 to $47,476 and to $134,004 for highly compensated employees. This means that salaried workers earning less than [...]
In a handful of years, we’ve seen a resurgence in hospital consolidation, which is the merger or acquisition of two or more hospitals with the goal of combining assets and maximizing efficiencies1. PricewaterhouseCoopers deemed 2016 “the year of merger mania” for hospitals, physician practices and healthcare systems2, and so far, it’s living up to their [...]
