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14 Matching News Items

1.  New Proposed Regs Would Expand HRAs (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Nov. 28, 2018
"These proposed rules will allow employers to offer HRAs that integrate with individual health insurance coverage. Any employer (not just small employers) can offer an HRA that integrates with an employee's or family member's individual insurance coverage. The insurance coverage could be purchased on or off the Marketplace. To receive a reimbursement from the HRA for health expenses or premiums, employees must verify they and any eligible family members have individual coverage."
2.  Health Plan Trends (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Oct. 5, 2018
11 pages. "[This report] compares the results of MMA-MI's 2018 Southeast Michigan Mid-Market Group Benefits Survey to our national benchmark, Mercer's 2017 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans. Mercer reflects large employer data (500 or more employees). Both sources provide specific data on what employers are currently doing to keep health plan costs in check."
3.  Health Plan Trends (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
July 16, 2018
11 pages. "[E]mployers are increasingly focused on cost control options that don't involve automatically shifting costs to employees. These options include encouraging cost-effective treatment venues, narrow networks, reference-based pricing and centers of excellence.... [This article reviews] ... [1] Issues affecting medical care and costs; [2] Strategies employers use to control health plan costs."
4.  The Reshaping of the ACA (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
May 31, 2018
"The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 zeroed out the ACA's individual mandate penalties.... [T]he 2020 rules for determining EHB benchmark plans ... [will be] more flexible.... More latitude on EHB benchmarks may make plans less restrictive and help control health plan costs."
5.  Wearables in Well-being Programs Producing Increased Productivity (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Aug. 24, 2017
"[E]mployees using wearable fitness trackers reported an 8.5 percent increase in productivity and a 3.5 percent increase in job satisfaction.... Over 60 percent of the employers that offer wearable device programs were satisfied or very satisfied with their programs. Forty-six percent of employers with wearable device programs felt that the programs significantly affected employee engagement."
6.  Final 1094-C and 1095-C Forms and Instructions for 2016 Posted by IRS (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Oct. 10, 2016
"The changes from the 2015 forms were minor. However, the instructions for completing the 1094 C and 1095 C forms for 2016 have changed significantly. The changes primarily were more extensive explanations on how to complete the forms."
7.  Final Nondiscrimination Rules in Health Programs and Activities (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
July 18, 2016
"If you are not a direct covered entity and your medical plan is fully insured, you may be indirectly subject to these rules because of your health insurance carrier. Many carriers sponsor health plan coverage in the Marketplace. If you are unsure whether your insurance carrier receives some form of federal financial assistance, ask.... If you are not a direct covered entity and your medical plan is self-funded, you may be tangentially subject to these rules because of your third-party administrator (TPA).... Action steps will differ depending on the type of entity."
8.  Treatment of Opt-Out Bonuses When Determining Affordability (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
July 18, 2016
"If your organization maintains a non-conditional opt-out bonus, it must be included in affordability testing for your first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2017.... Eligible opt-out arrangements need to meet specific requirements (beyond a general conditional opt-out) in order for the opt-out amount to be excluded.... The amount of the opt-out bonus can be excluded from the affordability calculation as long as reasonable evidence is provided for the entire plan year, even if the alternative coverage terminates at some point during the year."
9.  Tax Implications for Non-Discriminatory Employer-Paid Life Insurance Coverage That Exceeds $50,000 (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Nov. 18, 2015
"Your employees may have to pay taxes on the value of the following types of employer-sponsored group term life insurance: [1] Employer-paid group term life benefits that exceed $50,000; [2] Discriminatory employer-paid term life plans; [3] Employer-sponsored voluntary life coverage; [and] [4] Employer-sponsored voluntary life insurance paid for with pre-tax dollars under a Section 125 plan. This [article] clarifies the key Section 79 areas to review at the end of each calendar year. Each section details potential tax consequences ... [and] how to calculate tax liability."
10.  Examining the Final 2015 Instructions and Forms: 1094-C and 1095-C (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Nov. 5, 2015
"The draft instructions would have required all employers to report anyone covered under a self-funded HRA, despite the fact the regulations did not require this report when the HRA was paired with a comprehensive health plan. The final instructions do not require employers with HRAs to report the HRA separately in specific situations.... The final instructions significantly simplified reporting COBRA participants in a self-funded plan.... Some employers may be qualified to send substitute statements to employees, rather than completing 1095-C forms.... [E]mployers required to file these forms electronically can provide corrected paper forms if they issue fewer than 250 corrected forms."
11.  Increasing Employee Cost-Sharing (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Aug. 27, 2015
"Since the dawn of consumerism, however, opponents have been concerned that employees may decide not to seek care at all. Ultimately, if a participant does not get necessary care, the result can be more costly care down the road because of complications from untreated conditions. Studies to date do indicate that as cost-sharing is introduced, utilization is decreased. Unfortunately, these studies do not indicate whether participants are reducing necessary or unnecessary care."
12.  Health Plan Trends: Costs and Strategies for Containment (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
July 22, 2015
9 pages. "Health care cost is a significant burden for most employers. Employers primarily control cost by shifting cost to employees through plan design or increased employee contributions. At some point, employers may also want to consider other strategies to control cost. New tools may soon be available to help. These could include: [1] Population health management. [2] Payment based on episodes of care or reference-based pricing. [3] Alternative care delivery options, with a focus on the least costly venue, such as telemedicine."
13.  FMLA Changes Definition of Spouse (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Mar. 30, 2015
"According to the DOL, employers do not need to know the marriage laws of all states and countries to apply the place of ceremony definition of a spouse. Employers only need to know the marriage laws of the specific state or country where the employee requesting an FMLA leave entered into a same-sex or common law marriage. A number of organizations provide up-to-date information on same-sex marriage [laws]."
14.  New Guidance Issued on Excepted Benefits (PDF)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Link to more items from this source
Mar. 19, 2015
"The Departments have provided an enforcement safe harbor for plans that are designed to fill gaps in the primary coverage.... The Departments also intend to propose regulations clarifying the circumstances under which supplemental insurance products that do not fill in cost-sharing under the primary plan may be considered designed to fill gaps in primary coverage. This guidance will allow additional categories of benefits to be covered by a supplemental plan."

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