Medicare Part D Notice Reminder:
Emerging Trends:
Articles
Medicare Part D Notice Reminder:
Deadline of October 14th
Thursday, September 22, 2016
As you may recall, with the introduction of Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) imposed certain notice requirements on employers. Employers are required to notify all Medicare beneficiaries of the “creditable” or “non creditable” coverage status of their prescription drug plan at least once every 12 months. […]
Drone Insurance: A Market on the Rise
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
The drone market is forecasted to hit $4.8 billion by 2021. With so many companies and individuals employing unmanned aircraft, the need for insurance coverage will only increase.
2017 HSA Contribution Limits
Thursday, September 8, 2016
The IRS recently released the cost-of-living adjustments for health savings accounts (HSAs) and qualified high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) for the 2017 calendar year.
Employer Reporting – 2016 Draft Forms and Instructions
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
The IRS has released the 2016 draft forms and instructions for the ACA employer reporting requirement.
OCR Phase 2 HIPAA Audits Underway
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun Phase 2 of its HIPAA Audit Program.
Defending Against An Invisible Threat
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Pragmatic Cybersecurity for the Interconnected Business THINK YOUR BUSINESS IS REASONABLY SAFE FROM A CYBER-ATTACK? Think again. The threat is so widespread that there is an entire black market built to arm hackers with the tools they need to breach your systems. Even worse, 50 percent of online traffic is automated. It does not sleep. It is ever-present, […]
5 Things Washington State’s Best Employers Do
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Washington State’s best employers know that offering meaningful and valuable benefits is key to attracting and retaining top talent, but that is easier said than done.
Emerging Trends:
Health Plan Cost Savings Strategies
Monday, August 15, 2016
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2015 Employer Health Benefits Survey, health insurance premiums for employers have cumulatively increased by 65% from 2010 to 2015, vs. overall inflation which has only increased cumulatively by 11% over the same time period.
Equipment Exposures Often Overlooked
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
In a time where construction activity has exceeded prior high watermarks, contractors are increasingly utilizing owned and rented equipment for projects. From an insurance standpoint, there are key areas of coverage that need to be addressed when structuring a contractor’s equipment program. Continued rental expense and rental reimbursement are a few coverage areas that deserve consideration.
§4980H Affordability – Opt-Out Guidance
Friday, July 22, 2016
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released proposed rules addressing the relationship between opt-out arrangements and affordability for purposes of subsidy eligibility through a public Exchange and potential §4980H(b) penalties. First addressed in Notice 2015-87 last December, the proposed rules confirm and further clarify that unconditional opt-out payments need to be added to the employee contribution for purposes of determining affordability, while conditional opt-outs generally do not.
HHS Releases Discrimination Rule Affecting Transgender Benefits
Monday, July 18, 2016
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released the Final Rule implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits certain types of entities from discriminating in health programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex (including gender identity-based discrimination). Most affected entities are not likely to have discrimination issues related to most of these categories; however, the new rules include significant requirements related to health coverage for transgender individuals that may force changes to current benefits.
Providence-Swedish Health & Services May Be Leaving Premera Blue Cross
Thursday, July 14, 2016
We received notice late Wednesday that Providence-Swedish Health & Services has decided to terminate their contract with Premera Blue Cross, effective January 1, 2017.
At this time we do not know if this decision to terminate is a final position on the part of Providence or part of their negotiations with Premera.
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