The article below was published on October 17, 2017 by BenefitsPRO, written by Alan Goforth. Photo source: BenefitsPRO Benefits professionals have been on a roller-coaster ride since the 2016 presidential election. That ride includes the highs of lofty rhetoric, the lows of as-yet unfulfilled promises, and uncertainty about what may lie around the [...]
The article below was published on June 18, 2017 by Employee Benefit News, written by Brian M. Kalish. Image Source: benefitnews.com Introduction Despite the uncertain future of the Affordable Care Act and pending replacement legislation, clients should continue finalizing their 2018 health and benefit offerings, contribution strategies, vendor terms, plan operations and employee [...]
The below article is from Employee Benefit News, written by Andrew Brickman, on April 11, 2017. I remember an old advertising line from a discount retailer that said, “An educated consumer is our best customer.” The discounter was promoting the idea that customers who understand the true cost and value of products are loyal and [...]
NAHU is very concerned about current proposals in Congress that would undermine the employer-sponsored health insurance system by eliminating or placing a cap on the employer-tax exclusion for health insurance. Eliminating the exclusion would also eliminate most of the advantages of employer-sponsored insurance while capping it would degrade the benefit and serve as a tax [...]
While we are awaiting an announcement from the IRS, the cap put on allowable employee contributions to Flexible Spending Accounts is expected to increase by $50. The cap index, which is based on the medical component of the consumer price index, did not increase last year. Inflation has been high enough to support an increase [...]
Article as seen in Benefits Pro on October 12, 2016 written by Cindi A. Slater M.D. Open enrollment is upon us and for the majority of employers, that means offering employees a high deductible health plan. It is also the time of year when benefits professionals are most likely to remind employees to shop around [...]
The article below is from LinkedIn Pulse, by Andy Neary Employers across the country are looking to provide employees with the largest and widest PPO networks as a means of giving employees choice. Somehow the health insurance industry has determined that networks should be "all-inclusive". The more medical professionals and facilities in your network, the [...]
Article from Employee Benefit News Commentary: The Affordable Care Act reporting deadlines are rapidly approaching, presenting a major administrative burden for employers who face penalties for failing to report in a timely and accurate manner. While there has been significant discussion of employer roles and responsibilities, employees have been largely left out of the equation. [...]
On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court, in Obergefell v. Hodges, struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage. Previously, in 2013, the Supreme Court ruled, in United States v. Windsor, that federal law must recognize a same-sex marriage that was valid under state law. The Obergefell decision will have little impact on [...]
