As fall approaches, we can expect to hear more about how employers are adapting their health plans for 2016 open enrollments. One topic likely to garner a good deal of attention is how the Affordable Care Act’s high-cost plan tax (HCPT), sometimes called the “Cadillac plan” tax, is affecting employer decisions about their health benefits. […]
Very few of us are ready for the new PPACA reporting requirements. Many of us are aware that reports are due at year end, but haven’t even looked at the rules. Should we be concerned? The answer depends upon your company size and how your organization funds its group health benefits. What are we talking […]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes demanding information reporting responsibilities on employers starting with the 2015 calendar year. The reporting stipulation states that an information return will be prepared for each applicable employee, and these returns must be filed with the IRS using a single transmittal form (Form 1095-C & 1094-C). The filing requirements are […]
LANSING – Michigan consumers and small businesses will experience lower increases in the cost of their 2016 health insurance plan than those in many other states, according to the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS). DIFS reports that the average approved rate changes on a premium weighted basis increased by 6.5 percent for […]
SOURCE: BASIC Sept. 2015 To help employers properly classify their workers, the Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a new Administrator’s Interpretation to explain how the Fair Labor Standards Act’s definition of employee should be understood. As opposed to focusing primarily on the amount of control exerted by the employer, as was standard before, this […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce that plan year 2016 Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) agent and broker registration and training is now available. Training will be offered by CMS on the new Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS), as well as through the following CMS-approved vendors: • America’s Health Insurance Plans, […]
On July 31, 2015, President Obama signed into law H.R. 3236, the “Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015.” The new law includes the following tax provisions: • With respect to the employer mandate, veterans enrolled in a health plan under the VA or TRICARE would be exempt from being counted […]
What you need to know Registration has started, and it’s time to get your clients registered for the 13th round of Win by Losing, our free weight-loss competition. The official Win by Losing site was updated to provide the same valuable content while making it easier for teams to find the materials. Conveniently located at […]
The next open enrollment period for Marketplace coverage begins on November 1, 2015 for coverage starting on January 1, 2016. Some people can sign up for health coverage outside of open enrollment, before November 1, because they qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP). A consumer can qualify for a SEP for such circumstances as […]
Taxes and fees have always been part of the premium charged but were displayed separately on quoting materials. Now certain federal and state taxes and fees will be included in the section that lists premium and stop-loss fees for medical, prescription, dental and vision coverage. This new presentation follows similar changes to the 2016 renewal […]