Ask the Expert: Grace & ‘Run Out’ Periods for FSA Claims
Our claim submission deadline for Flexible Spending Account claims is March 1. Are we OK to use this date since it’s reflected in our Summary Plan Description (SPD)?
Tag: benefits
5th Circuit: Mandatory Wellness Programs Are Compatible with GINA
By Martin J. Regimbal, JD The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi–recently addressed the interplay between the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) and mandatory wellness programs. The court considered an employee’s discrimination and retaliation claims and reached a commonsense conclusion regarding the lawfulness of mandatory wellness programs.
Cracking the ACA Code (Part 2): Tips for Filling out the 1095-C Form
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor Employers with 50 or more full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), in calendar year 2015 are required to fill out Forms 1094-C and 1095-C.
U.S. Supreme Court Rules against Vermont in Long-Awaited ERISA Case
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor On March 1, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the state of Vermont in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case that could have broad implications for states’ ability to regulate healthcare practices and reforms within their borders.
Cracking the ACA Code: Solutions to Your Most Vexing 1095-C Coding Challenges
By Jennifer Carsen, JD, Legal Editor Despite the extra time bestowed by the IRS to file and distribute 1095-Cs for the 2015 tax year, coding challenges abound. How do you account for folks on COBRA? Noncalendar-year plans? And what the heck is a “Limited Non-Assessment Period,” anyway?
BLS: Compensation Costs for Private-Industry Workers Increased 1.9 %
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its figures for compensation costs in 2015.
Writing an Inspiring Vision and Mission Statement
By Cara Parker, C Parker Consulting, Inc Are vision and mission statements the same thing? What’s the difference between the two and do I really need both for my organization? Let’s delve into these questions by first highlighting the benefits of having both a vision and mission statement for your organization.
Transform Market Rules to Stop Drug Price Gouging, AHIP Execs Advise
Runaway prescription drug pricing poses a threat to health plan solvency and to the financial well-being of individuals, because a distorted market allows profit-seeking entrepreneurs to game the system with anti-competitive pricing, health plan executives told attendees at AHIP’s national health policy conference on March 9. Drug spending is growing faster than any other component […]
Are Employers Required to Post Job Openings?
For some of us, posting a job opening both internally and externally is a given. We want to ensure that we have the largest possible applicant pool to choose from for a position. But for others, whether or not to post a job is a question and not just a given assumption.
Benefits Outsourcing Is Growing, Survey Reveals
Corporate benefits departments are shifting, growing, and responding to the needs of their employees by outsourcing more time-consuming benefits functions, according to a new survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.