Obama Lawyers Argue that the Bulk of Health Reform Law Can SurviveThere seems to be some controversy surrounding healthcare reform's all or nothing approach. On January 27th, the Obama administration told the Supreme Court that most of the health reform law can survive even if they declare the required health coverage provision unconstitutional. The 26 states and independent business groups challenging the law still believe the entire law must fall if the mandate is struck down. Click here to read more on the February 2nd article hosted by Insurance Broadcasting. Wellness Programs Reap RewardsClick here to listen to a broadcast from January 31, 2012, where Gina Payne, the national director of wellness at CBIZ, will discuss the best practices for creating a wellness culture at your workplace. Catholic Priests Read Letters at Mass Protesting Obama Health Ruling"Sun Jan 29, 2012 - U.S. Catholic bishops and priests across the country read out letters at Mass on Sunday protesting plans by President Barack Obama's administration to force religiously-affiliated nonprofit groups to offer birth-control coverage to wormen employees." Click here to read more on this article by Reuters posted on January 30th by EBN. Health Accounts Continue to Grow in U.S."Account-based health plans in the U.S. continued to grow in 2011...The theorgy behind these acounts is that by giving individuals more control over funds allocated for health care services, they will spend the money more responsibly and choose to avoid unnecessary overuse of health care, especially once they become more educated about the actual price of health services." Click here to read more on this article by Stephen Miller, CEBS, hosted by SHRM. Wellness Programs Produce More Productive WorkersAt this point, it is clear that wellness programs can help your employees transition to a healthier lifestyle, but did you also know that these programs can create a more productive work environment? As Americans increase focus on their personal well-being through wellness programs, they are also more productive and miss fewer days of work according to a recent study. Click here to read an article discussing this study from Insurance Broadcasting. Have You Visited www.fairhealthconsumers.org?“The increasingly large number of Americans who are forgoing or delaying medical or dental treatment because of cost concerns should know that there is a place they can turn to find out about cost before they see a doctor or begin treatment,” said FAIR Health CEO Robin Gelburd. “Consumers looking to take control of their health care expenses and reduce cost anxiety should not feel alone knowing they have an independent organization offering objective and comprehensive information on their side.” Click here to read an article about FAIR Health hosted by Insurance Broadcasting, and be sure to visit www.fairhealthconsumer.org to compare healthcare costs in your area. Health Care Reform May Violate the Religious Freedom Restoration ActAn interesting article from Insurance Broadcasting examines the American Center for Law and Justice's challenge pending before the Court regarding Health Care Reform's constitutionality on religious grounds. Click here to read more on this article. Hospitals and Physicians are Facing Big Challenges from Health Care ReformIn a recent survey conducted by Towers Watson, HR executives recognize the magnitude of change coming for Hospitals and Physicians Offices as a result of Health Care Reform, but they are struggling with the complexity of the industry's impending transformation. For more on the insight gathered from this survey, click here to view an article by Ed Emerman posted by Industry Broadcasting. The IRS has Issued Revised Guidance on Reporting Health Coverage on W-2 FormsOn January 4, 2012, the IRS released Notice 2012-9 to clarify a portion of the health care reform law, explaining what must be included on 2012 W-2 forms regarding health coverage. W-2 Forms for the 2012 tax year (distributed in January 2013) must include the total cost of health care coverage, both the employer and the employee portion. The COBRA applicable premium is the amount that should be reported (without adding the 2% admin fee). Employers who issue fewer than 250 W-2 Forms and employers who provide coverage through self-insured church plans (exempt from COBRA) are relieved of the requirement until further notice from the IRS. Be advised, you could have fewer than 250 employees, but distribute more than 250 W-2 Forms depending on turnover. Please consult with your tax accountant for guidance. Click here to view an article from the EBIA staff summarizing the notice, or click here to view EBN's coverage of this news by Jonathan M. Calpas and Brian M. Pinheiro. Deficit Issues May Put a Stop to Heath Care ReformExtending health care coverage to more than 30 million uninsured Americans doesn't come without a price to taxpayers, and with the state of the federal deficit, spending cuts are a big issue heading into 2012. This topic was discussed in a recent article by Insurance Broadcasting. Click here to read more. Health Insurance ExchangeMany of you may have heard this term but do not fully understand how this portion of Health Care Reform can impact you and your business. Click here to read an article from Insurance Broadcasting that helps clarify this potion of the bill. Consumer-Driven Health Plans Showed Continued Growth in 2011"Enrollment in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) continued to grow in 2011, according to the 11th annual EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey. In 2011, 7 percent of the U.S. adult population was enrolled in a CDHP, through a group plan or individual policy, compared with 5 percent in 2010." To read more on this article written by Stephen Miller and hosted by SHRM click here. Many employees don't fully understand their benefits options...This is unfortunate, but true. Taking the time to host employee meetings and answer questions on your company's benefits platform prior to renewal can save you time and energy throughout the year. To see the statistics click here to read and article written by Lisa Gillespie and hosted by ebn.HHS Issues Final and Interim Rules on Medical Loss Ratio Requirement"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), issued a final rule and an interim final rule (we think that sounds odd too), along with a related fact sheet, revising medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements for health insurance issuers under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)." To read more on this article written by Stephen Miller and hosted by SHRM click here. Massive HSA Analysis Reveals True Impact: 9 Stats You Should See"There are two reasons an employer would want to enroll workers into a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA): Lower costs and get employees to become smarter consumers. And new research shows those two goals are being met"...to read the full article written by Christian Schappel and hosted by hrmorning.com click here. HEALTH REFORM UPDATE: Agencies Delay Deadline for Health Benefit Summaries"The U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services -- the federal agencies responsible for implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) -- announced via an online frequently asked question (FAQ) response that they will not require sponsors of group health plans to comply with the requirements to create and distribute to employees a standardized "summary of benefits and coverage" and uniform glossary by march 23, 2012, as they originally proposed"...for full article from Stephen Miller, CEBS, hosted by SHRM click here. Employees Want Health Plans That Are Simple, Personalized and Support Their Own Health Improvement...according to an article from Insurance Broadcasting, click here for more information.Consumers are Taking Charge of their Health Care Costs with Health Savings Accounts...For an article hosted by Insurance Broadcasting discussing the related surveys click here.We want our clients to stay healthy during open enrollment season! For tips on staying healthy click here for a story written by Shana Sweeney hosted by ebn.NLRB Posting Notice Requirement Delayed"The National Labor Relations Board has postponed the implementation date for its new notice-posting rule by more than two months in order to allow for enhanced education and outreach to employers, particularly those who operate small and medium size businesses..." Click here to read more on this article from the NLRB. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Interactive Time LineClick here to follow the Employee Benefit News interactive guide to the recently passed health care reform law as its provisions are defined, modified and implemented. Message to Employees: Get Proactive During Benefits Enrollment"With benefits open enrollment season, employees at U.S. companies are faced with making decisions regarding choices for health care and other benefits plans for 2012..."for the full SHRM story written by Stephen Miller click here. Wells Fargo gives staff difficult health care choices...read more on this story from Reuters by clicking here.Keeping an eye on health care reformThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010. One week later, the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 was signed, modifying certain provisions of the PPACA. The result is a massive bill of over 3,000 pages, and implementation will likely stretch into the next decade. Many of the provisions are unclear, and regulations are yet to be written. We will periodically update this page as more information becomes available. While the bill is extremely complex, we would like to begin with some information on key provisions that may impact your plan, your employees, and their families. New for 2010: Tax Credit for Small BusinessTo qualify, an employer must (1) cover at least 50 percent of the cost of health care coverage for employees, based on the single rate, (2) have less than the equivalent of 25 full-time workers, and (3) must pay average annual wages below $50,000. The credit is worth up to 35 percent of small business premium costs in 2010. Please consult with your tax advisor, or visit www.irs.gov for more information. Immediate Reforms
Delayed Reforms
Please note: "Grandfathered" plans may be exempt from certain reforms. We will continue to provide you with updates on applicable regulations as they are announced. A Few Web Resources: |