Insurance

Health reform: After Supreme Court vote, compliance scramble begins

08/22/2012

If you took a wait-and-see approach to implementing health benefit changes until the Supreme Court ruled on the health care reform law, it’s time to kick your planning into high gear. Several short-term deadlines are approaching that require HR’s immediate attention.

Grand jury: S.F. eateries took tips on health care surcharge

08/21/2012

A San Francisco civil grand jury has concluded that 38 restaurants built into their prices the cost of providing city-mandated employee health coverage—and then never offered the benefits to workers. The grand jurors’ suspicion: That restaurateurs pocketed a substantial portion of the money.

Reminder: Give employees summary of benefits/coverage

08/21/2012

Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the legality of the Affordable Care Act, your first responsibility under the law is to ensure that for open enrollment periods beginning Sept. 23 employees receive a summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) and a glossary that defines basic health benefit terms.

9% of employers may drop health benefits by 2014

08/16/2012

In 2014, when the employer-mandate provisions of the Affordable Care Act kick in, 9% of employers may drop health benefits, according to a survey of benefits managers by the consulting firm Deloitte.

Take control of your workers’ comp costs

08/14/2012

Workers’ compensation insurance provides compensation to employees for loss of income and for medical payments when they’re injured on the job. Since employers ultimately bear the expense of workers’ comp benefits, it’s smart to understand how the system works and the proactive steps you can take to control costs.

What employers must do now to meet Affordable Care Act deadlines

08/03/2012

When the U.S. Supreme Court decided in June to uphold most of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act health care reform law, the clock started ticking on a number of benefits-related deadlines employers must meet. From summaries of benefits and coverage to health care flex funds to health benefits reporting on 2012 W-2s, now is the time to review your health insurance obligations.

Deloitte ‘grosses up’ pay to cover tax on domestic benefits

08/03/2012

Deloitte has adjusted the salaries of employees who include domestic partners on their medical or dental plans to help offset the taxes they have to pay on the benefit. The perk is available to employees living with same- or opposite-sex registered domestic partners.

Analysis: Supreme Court’s landmark health care reform decision

07/24/2012

On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act. But the decision does not mean that the validity of the ACA is settled once and for all. Future legal challenges, and, of course, the November elections, may determine the law’s ultimate fate, but for now, prudence is the wisest course of action. Employers should proceed as if the law is constitutional.

Study: Health costs continue slower growth in 2013

07/23/2012

Health care costs are expected to grow at about 7.5% next year, reflecting the sluggish economy and employer efforts to hold down expenses, says a new study by Pricewaterhouse-Coopers.

After Supreme Court’s ACA ruling, 5 strategic steps to take

07/11/2012

Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act, it’s time to weigh the strategic impact on your organization. Take these five steps to clarify decisions you need to make between now and 2014.