Pension Administrator
Actuaries Unlimited, Inc.
in CA

Client Relationship Manager
Sikich LLP
in MN

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Participant Loans
April 17, 2015 WEBCAST
(McKay Hochman Co., Inc.)

Form 5500 Workshop 2015
May 8, 2015 in OR
(SunGard Relius)

Form 5500 Workshop 2015
May 8, 2015 in MN
(SunGard Relius)

401(k) Plan Workshop 2015
May 12, 2015 in VA
(SunGard Relius)

401(k) Plan Workshop 2015
May 12, 2015 in TX
(SunGard Relius)

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[Guidance Overview]

Summary of 2016 Medicare Advantage Final Notice and Call Letter (PDF)
40 pages. "The majority of the changes proposed in the Advance Notice were the result of continuing implementation of the provisions of the [ACA], as well as continuing steps towards CMS' efforts to provide [Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug] enrollees with higher quality of care, more transparency and more information, and to continue moving towards quality based payments for both plan sponsors and providers. Most of the items proposed in the Advance Notice were adopted and finalized without modification in the Final Notice. Many of the changes for 2016, such as calculation/rebasing of the county Benchmarks, revisions to benefit parameters, and updates to risk score calculation components, will affect nearly all Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. This document presents a summary of key changes for 2016 as adopted in the Final Notice." (Wakely Consulting Group)  

[Advert.]

Join us at the 2015 IHC FORUM & Expo in Atlanta June 23-25

The 6th Annual IHC FORUM & Expo Atlanta is part of the ONLY conference series 100% dedicated to HealthCare Consumerism—where employers, brokers, health plans, TPAs, consultants & providers gather under ONE roof to LEARN, CONNECT and SHARE!

[Guidance Overview]

Fact Sheet: New Jersey Paid Family Leave Law
"Which employers are covered? ... Which employees are eligible? ... For what reasons can employees take paid 'Leave'? ... How much are employees paid while on paid 'Leave'? ... Who pays for the paid 'Leave'?... How much paid 'Leave' do employees get? ... Are employers required to hold employees' jobs open? ... Is intermittent paid family leave allowed to care for sick relative? ... How much notice must employees provide? ... Is a medical certification required? ... Can employer require substitution of paid time off?" (Ogletree Deakins)  

Wellness Committees: Four Reasons Why You Can't Afford Not to Have One
"[1] It makes it easier to get employee buy-in.... [2] It enables the company to tailor the program to a more diverse group.... [3] It gives you a number of different perspectives.... [4] It's a great recognition tool." (HR Benefits Alert)  

UHG Piloting Rewards for Health in App Collaboration
"UnitedHealthcare is testing the waters of consumer rewards and digital engagement, in a new partnership with Walgreens that's aiming to spur better health choices. UnitedHealthcare's fully insured members in Arizona and Illinois will be able to earn Walgreens Balance Rewards points for completing health activities like walking. The two companies are collaborating with a pilot integration of the UnitedHealthcare Reward Me program, via its Health4Me app, and Walgreen's Balance Rewards loyalty program." (Healthcare Payer News)  

Control Health Benefit Costs with Voluntary Coverage (PDF)
"Reluctant to stop offering benefits such as health insurance, many employers have turned to cost-sharing to keep premiums down. But this strategy is putting many of America's workers in serious financial jeopardy.... One solution to this seeming conundrum is offering your employees voluntary benefit plans designed to help bridge their financial exposure. Products such as hospital confinement indemnity plans can help offset the cost of hospitalization and some of the most common out-of-pocket expenses associated with a hospital stay. Some plans also offer additional coverage for health screenings, outpatient surgery and diagnostic procedures." (Colonial Life)  

[Advert.]

Prevention and Well-Being Congress - May 5-6 - SanDiego

Challenge the way you think about wellness and reposition your program. Understand the role of employer and employee accountability, comply with new incentives rules and integrate technology customized to impact your workforce.

[Opinion]

Testimony on Behalf of U.S. Chamber of Commerce to House Subcommittee Hearing on Individual and Employer Mandates in the ACA (PDF)
"Our reality today under the ACA is very different than what was promised. Over the last four years, our insurance premiums have risen 60%. Our single coverage now costs $6,400 annually and family coverage costs $19,200 annually. However, we have also had to double our deductibles to $2500 and raise the out-of-pocket limit by two thirds. While our insurance offering complies with the ACA as affordable, only 4% of our hourly staff have enrolled ... [and] my offering of coverage to employees in many cases makes them ineligible for ACA subsidies for their dependents.... The reporting required is costly, complex and confusing. All employers have had to either create or buy new software as we have, or contract with a service to do so. As I write this, it is unclear whether the federal government can actually use the data in its systems. It is clear that the assumptions inherent to the ACA were wrong." (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)  

[Opinion]

Chief Actuary Blows Away Make-Believe Medicare 'Doc Fix'
"There are two major differences between this so-called 'fix' and previous ones. The first one is real: Previous increases have been offset by cuts to other government spending, and this one is not. The second one is fiction: That this doc fix is a permanent solution to the fee problem.... [T]he Chief Actuary has a significantly higher estimate of the gross cost of increasing physicians' fees over the next 10 years than the CBO did.... [T]he differences are trivial for the first few years, but they grow with time. Over the entire 11-year period, the Chief Actuary estimates the increase in payments will be $205 billion, $29 billion more than CBO's estimate." (National Center for Policy Analysis Health Policy Blog)  

Settling Disputes with the Department of Labor (PDF)
107-page outline of presentation for American Law Institute. Topics include: [1] Do you really want to settle? [2] Settling litigation brought by the DOL: Section 502(l), Indemnification complications, and PTE 79-15; [3] Prohibited Transaction Exemptions when not settling with DOL: PTE 2003-39; Is a release of claims against a Party in Interest a Prohibited Transaction? [4] Whether to use VFCP: Covered transactions eligible for VFCP; Transactions eligible for PTE 2002-51; [5] Settling with parties other than DOL: Settling litigation, particularly class action litigation; Plan as plaintiff in class action litigation; and [6] EBSA website excerpts. Appendices include sample notices, settlement agreements, and closing letters, along with EBSA Examination Referral Checklists. (Utz & Lattan, LLC)  

Which State Law Reporting, Recordkeeping and Disclosure Mandates Does ERISA Permit that Relate to State Criminal, Insurance, Healthcare, Tax, Domestic Relations, Labor or Other State Laws?
71 pages. "ERISA permits a state-law reporting or disclosure mandate directed at an ERISA plan, a plan participant or beneficiary, a plan sponsor or contributing employer, or a third party interacting with an ERISA plan, such as a service provider, that implements a state law that ERISA does not otherwise preempt, but only to the extent the mandate is needed for the effective administration of such state law.... Preemption is unaffected by whether the mandate arises from a law that explicitly refers to ERISA. Plan sponsors must comply with all state-law mandates that ERISA does not preempt regardless of plan terms. On the other hand, plan administrators must comply with all state-law mandates with which plan terms require compliance." (Albert Feuer, via SSRN)  

Final 162(m) Regs Clarify Certain Exceptions (PDF)
"The clarifications included in the final regulations primarily focus on two areas: [1] The need for equity plan documents to contain per-employee limits on equity awards in order to qualify the grants of such awards for the qualified performance-based compensation exception (QPBC Exception); and [2] The treatment of restricted stock units (RSUs) and phantom stock arrangements with regard to the transition period afforded to newly public companies." (Exequity)  

ACLI Supports National Retirement Planning Week, April 13-17
American Council of Life Insurers

Prudential Group Insurance Offers New Accident Insurance Product
Prudential Financial, Inc.

National Academy of Social Insurance Announces Executive Search
National Academy of Social Insurance

New Fiduciary Score for Target Date Funds
Target Date Solutions

Schneider Electric Selects Benefitfocus to Create Consumer-Driven Employee Benefits Experience
Benefitfocus

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