Insurance

Wellness incentives: Offer some carrots with those sticks

09/13/2013

More than three-fourths of large employers are moving to penalties and/or rewards to help improve employee health, says a recent Midwest Business Group on Health survey. Some companies will offer penalties but no incentives. That could be a mistake. Experts say that incentives alone or combined with penalties work best.

Let’s Go SHOPping

09/13/2013

The one-year delay in the employer play-or-pay provisions of the Affordable Care Act health care reform law has no impact on the individual health insurance exchanges and the health exchanges for small employers, called SHOPs, which open for business this month.

Business can’t dodge ACA on religious grounds

09/11/2013

A panel of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has tossed out one of the first lawsuits objecting to parts of the Affordable Care Act, ruling that a corporation can’t object to the law on moral grounds.

IRS extends tax-free benefits to all same-sex married couples

09/10/2013

New IRS guidance affirms: Same-sex married employees are entitled to all federal spousal tax benefits, even if they live in a state that doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage.

Do you qualify for ACA’s small business tax credits?

09/06/2013

Starting in 2014, small businesses can earn a significant tax break if they provide health insurance benefits to their employees. To qualify, a small business must meet three criteria:

UPS to drop spouse health insurance, blames ACA

09/05/2013

UPS will stop offering health insurance to many employees’ spouses next year, a move the company said was prompted by fears that the Affordable Care Act won’t be affordable after all.

4 tips for talking to employees about rising health benefits costs

09/04/2013

If employees will have to bear a larger share of health benefits in your next plan year—whether in higher premiums, deductibles or copays—you can expect to get an earful during your upcoming open enrollment period. Here are four ways to prepare employees for changes and—perhaps—soften the sting:

Cursing car salesman can’t get unemployment benefits

09/03/2013

A car salesman fired after he cursed and threatened a customer has been denied unemployment benefits.

Corporations can’t object to ACA based on religion

09/03/2013

In July, the Obama administration gave employers with 50 or more employees until January 2015 to begin providing health insurance coverage for full-time employees. Some companies challenged parts of the law in court because of their owners’ religious beliefs. They lost in the 3rd Circuit.

Social Security eligibility won’t automatically qualify worker for company disability plan

08/28/2013

An employee who files for Social Security disability benefits based on the inability to work doesn’t automatically qualify for her company’s ERISA disability benefit plan when her federal benefits come through.