Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter

July 7, 2017

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Employee Benefits Jobs

Retirement Plan Consultant
Intac Actuarial Services
in NJ, NY

Flexible Spending, HSA, HRA, COBRA Sales
Stanley Benefit Services, Inc.
in NC

Director - Plan Administration
CliftonLarsonAllen
in IL

Plan Administrator for Retirement Plans
Dana Consulting Group, Ltd.
Telecommute

Senior Regulatory Support Consultant
Transamerica
in NY

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Webcasts and Conferences

Latest Trends in Health Care Technology
July 20, 2017 in GA
Worldwide Employee Benefits Network [WEB] - Atlanta Chapter

How New Health Services are Reshaping Employee Benefits
July 25, 2017 WEBCAST
Fidelity Health Marketplace

Fiduciary Rule: What You Should Do Today to Remain Compliant
July 25, 2017 WEBCAST
Multnomah Group

Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning
August 10, 2017 WEBCAST
Employee Benefits Security Administration [EBSA], U.S. Department of Labor

ERISA Basics Part II: Working with Employers on Reporting and Compliance Requirements
August 15, 2017 WEBCAST
American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law

Controlling Health Benefit Costs Through Self-insurance: Practical Guidance for Small & Mid-Size Employers
August 23, 2017 WEBCAST
Clear Law Institute

401K Plans: Beyond the Basics
September 8, 2017 WEBCAST
Lorman Education Services

ACA Reporting Requirements and Lessons Learned
September 15, 2017 WEBCAST
Lorman Education Services

Responsibilities of an Internal ESOP Fiduciary
September 26, 2017 WEBCAST
National Center for Employee Ownership [NCEO]

2017 Annual Conference
October 22, 2017 in MD
ASPPA [American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries]

Don't Do That With Your ESOP
November 7, 2017 WEBCAST
National Center for Employee Ownership [NCEO]

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[Guidance Overview]

New Fiduciary Rule Takes Effect for Health Savings Accounts (PDF)
"While acknowledging that HSAs generally hold fewer assets and may exist for shorter durations than IRAs, the DOL determined that HSA owners are entitled to receive the same protections from conflicted investment advice as IRA owners. The DOL also recognized that HSAs may have associated investment accounts that can be used as long-term savings accounts for retiree health care expenses. In addition, the DOL clarified that the final rule does not apply to recommendations to welfare plans (such as health plans, disability plans or term life insurance) where they do not contain an investment component."
Cowden Associates, Inc.

[Advert.]

Online Learning Course: HSA and HRA Basics - Discount for BenefitsLink readers

Sponsored by International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans [IFEBP]

This e-learning course will provide an in-depth look at HSA and HRA programs as well as how these programs interact with an HCFSA. Use code BL2017 for 15% discount - good through July 31.


Four Things to Know When Trying to Offset Personal Injury Lump Sum Settlements
"Some ERISA Plans have 'presumed allocation for offset' provisions that help determine how much of a lump sum settlement can be offset. But some state statutes 'conclusively establish' how to allocate lump sum personal injury settlements, which complicates things." [Arnone v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., No. 15-2322 (2nd Cir. June 22, 2017)]
Lane Powell PC

No Private Right of Action Under Health Care Reform's Provider Nondiscrimination Provision
"Although the court did not address the merits of this case, ... health care reform's provider nondiscrimination provision does not require plans or insurers to contract with any willing provider, and permits setting varying rates of reimbursement based on quality or performance. FAQ guidance indicates that the agencies will take no enforcement action against a plan or insurer under the provider nondiscrimination provision provided that the plan or insurer is using a reasonable good faith interpretation of the statutory provision." [Ass'n of N.J. Chiropractors, Inc. v. Horizon Healthcare Services, Inc., No. 16-8400 (D.N.J. June 13, 2017; unpub.)]
Thomson Reuters / EBIA

Senate Health Care Stabilization Funds Could Offset Premium Hikes
"The Better Care Reconciliation Act [BCRA] allocates $15 billion in both 2018 and 2019, and $10 billion in both 2020 and 2021, for short-term stabilization funding to cover high-cost claims in a reinsurance program ... The health insurance industry is calling for greater subsidies for low-income people to help them pay their out-of-pocket expenses. It also wants a continuation of the ACA's reinsurance program as a way of stabilizing the market in the short term."
Bloomberg BNA

Comparison of the American Health Care Act and the Better Care Reconciliation Act (PDF)
29 pages. "This report contains three tables that, together, provide an overview of AHCA provisions and BCRA provisions, as baselined against current law. Table 1 includes provisions that apply to the private health insurance market; Table 2 includes provisions that affect the Medicaid program; and Table 3 includes provisions related to public health, taxes, and implementation funding." [Report R44883, July 3, 2017]
Congressional Research Service [CRS]

[Advert.]

Now is a great time to join Worldwide Employee Benefits Network (WEB)

Sponsored by WEB - Worldwide Employee Benefits Network

WEB members represent more than 25 professions and 30 areas of expertise within the pension and benefits industry -- administrators, consultants, attorneys, accountants, investment managers, communications experts and benefits managers. Join today.


Comparison of the 2017 House and Senate Health Care Bills
"A major difference between the two bills is the treatment of individuals who let their health coverage lapse. While the House bill would extract a 30% penalty to be charged by the insurer for one year when an individual applies for new coverage, the Senate version would impose a 6-month waiting period before new coverage could take effect for an individual with a break in coverage of at least 63 days during the previous 12-month period. The Senate draft would make minor changes to the effective dates and would restructure the tax credits for low-income individuals buying health insurance. Most of the Senate draft's tax cuts would be effective in 2017 or 2018."
Bloomberg BNA

A New Medical Insurance Alternative to Obamacare: Packaged Medical Insurance
"Packaged medical insurance is a bundled insurance product that contains several distinct lines of coverage and, in some cases, additional non-insurance products that can help you save money on medical care.... While all the products contained in packaged medical insurance may be purchased separately, some packaged medical insurance products may allow you to use a single application for all the products they contain. Some may also centralize your billing and claims so that you don't need to pay multiple monthly premiums or file claims with separate insurance companies."
eHealth

The Hidden Subsidy That Helps Pay for Health Insurance
"As Republican senators work to fix their troubled health care bill, there is one giant health insurance subsidy no one is talking about. It is bigger than any offered under the [ACA] -- subsidies some Republicans loathe as handouts -- and costs the federal government $250 billion in lost tax revenue every year. The beneficiaries: everyone who gets health insurance through a job, including members of Congress."
The New York Times; subscription may be required

[Opinion]

The Overlooked Solution to the Health Care Puzzle: Fixing the ACA
"Fixing the ACA requires addressing existing problems such that the ACA's objectives can better be achieved.... The ACA's objectives were primarily to [1] Expand insurance coverage. [2] Increase access to and affordability of necessary medical care. [3] Broaden the way risk is shared in insurance markets, eliminating price and coverage discrimination by health status.... The BCRA and AHCA have different objectives."
Urban Institute

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David Rhett Baker, J.D., Editor and Publisher
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BenefitsLink Health & Welfare Plans Newsletter, ISSN no. 1536-9595. Copyright 2017 BenefitsLink.com, Inc. All materials contained in this newsletter are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of BenefitsLink.com, Inc., or in the case of third party materials, the owner of those materials. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notices from copies of the content.

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