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Applications for Early Retirement Reinsurance Program Now Being Accepted by HHS
The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) has begun accepting applications for the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). Created by the Affordable Care Act as a bridge to the new health insurance marketplace established by the Exchanges in 2014, this $5 billion program will provide much needed financial assistance for employers, including businesses, unions, state and local governments, and nonprofits, so retirees can get quality, affordable insurance. Click here to continue.
Options for Obtaining a Determination Letter for your Qualified Retirement Plan
Employers with qualified retirement plans are required to periodically amend and restate their documents to stay in compliance with all legal requirements. Click here to continue.
HHS Opens Web Portal to Provide Health Care Access Information
HHS has launched a new website that provides information for consumers about both public and private health coverage options available in their states. This is the "web portal" required by recent health reform legislation. Click here to continue.
Guidance Issued on New "Patient's Bill of Rights" and Insurance Reforms
The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury have issued another round of guidance regarding certain insurance market reforms and patient protection requirements under the health care reform law. These interim final regulations provide guidance on pre-existing condition exclusions, lifetime and annual dollar limits on benefits, rescissions and appropriate notice requirements. They also clarify the impact that the prohibition against lifetime limits will have on Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Click here to continue.
FAQ About Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
On July 1, 2010, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) released complaince guidance in the form of one Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) regarding compliance with the "substantially all" test required by the interim final regulations issued by EBSA on February 2, 2010, and which is effective for plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010. Click here to continue.
DOL's 'Game-Changing' FMLA Revisions
New guidelines from the Department of Labor portend a change in how organizations may deal with which employees are eligible to take unpaid FMLA leave. What does HR need to know to remain compliant? Click here to continue.
HHS Announces New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
Affordable Care Act Program to provide temporary coverage for Americans without insurance due to pre-existing conditions now through 2014 when the new Insurance Exchanges are established. Click here to continue.
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CVS Caremark and Walgreens Announce New PBM Network Pharmacy Agreement
CVS Caremark Corporation and Walgreens announced that the companies have reached an agreement on terms under which Walgreens' retail pharmacies, which include Duane Reade and Happy Harry's, will continue participating in the CVS Caremark pharmacy benefit management (PBM) national retail network for existing, new and renewal plans. This includes CVS Caremark's commercial pharmacy network and its Medicare Part D pharmacy network. Please note: Horizon BCBSNJ, which uses CVS Caremark as its Pharmacy Benefits Manager, has indicated that their members may continue to use their CVS Caremark prescription benefits at Walgreens' pharmacy locations without interruption and with continued coverage in accordance with their benefit plans designs.
Health Costs: Sharing the Pain
Companies are shifting more responsibility for the rising costs of health care to employees, according to a recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. More than 40% of the 700 companies surveyed intend to increase employee contributions for health-insurance coverage, while an equivalent number plan to increase medical cost-sharing, including higher deductibles and copayments, at the point of care. Click here to continue.
Does It Pay to Remain "Grandfathered"?
Employers must now weight the benefits of retaining the grandfathered status of their healthcare plans, following the recent release of rules that clarify what will be required.
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Reform Could Accelerate Shift to High Deductible Plans
High-deductible plans, with or without an attached savings account, may provide the best flexibility to meet the coverage limits-both minimum and maximum-inherent in the health reform legislation. Click here to continue.
Disabilities, Claims on the Rise
The leading causes of disability in the U.S. are musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders, such as back pain and joint and muscle disorders, according to research from the Council for Disability Awareness. Click here to continue.
Social Media Won't Work for Benefits Information: Survey
Many U.S. workers use social media for personal reasons, but they aren't as keen about receiving benefit communications through online sites such as Facebook and Twitter, according to a survey released by the National Business Group on Health. Click here to continue.
Wellness and Health Care Reform: The Battle for Both Cost Containment and a Healthier Workforce
Employers need to plan ahead to reap the benefits from new wellness incentives. It's not a cure-all, but health care reform attempts to hold down rising costs in coming years through several provisions that make workplace wellness programs more affordable and attractive to both employers and employees. Click here to continue.
Rating Health Plan Carriers
Health-plan service is more important than cost to a majority of employers, accordingto a first-ever ranking of employer health-insurance plan carriers. Most of theemployers expressed relatively low levels of satisfaction with their carriers and half have investigated changing plans. Click here to continue.
In Pursuit of Pearly Whites
Cosmetic dentistry has been a staple of dental practices since the 1990s, when the widespread availability of teeth whitening products revolutionized the market. Even the Great Recession couldn't vanquish vanity; steady consumer demand for teeth bleaching, tooth-colored fillings, implants and other cosmetic procedures has kept dentists smiling even through tough economic times. It's also helped keep dental benefits popular and prompted some leading dental insurers to broaden plan coverage to include cosmetic services. Click here to continue.
CLASS Act Advances Employees' Awareness of LTC Options, Costs
The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act created under the umbrella of health care reform likely will bring new awareness to long-term care. Next, authorities say, employers must decide whether they prefer to offer the baseline public program, a private LTC plan or neither. Click here to continue.
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New Workers Hazardous to Health
As companies increase hiring, employers need to remain vigilant about safety initiatives because new hires and younger workers are more prone to injuries. Employers must plan to integrate new employees into the workplace, including developing job-specific training for each new employee - and making sure such training includes the physical motions of the job and doesn't just rely on lectures or classroom training. Click here to continue.
Basic Guide to CSA 2010
Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) is a new initiative by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to improve motor carrier and driver safety. You must prepare yourself for CSA 2010 because it will change the way FMCSA addresses safety performance and safety ratings and will likely have a large effect on the way you do business. Also, more than ever before, it makes drivers accountable for safe on-road performance, not just their employers. Click here to continue.
Workplace Violence: Protecting Employees Without Violating the Law
Roughly 15 years ago, the federal Centers for Disease Control declared workplace violence a "serious public health problem." Since then, several federal agencies have attempted to either define or track workplace violence, and countless articles have been written about the topic. Click here to continue.
Natural Disasters
As we approach this hurricane season and the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, now is an appropriate time to consider the lessons of that disaster. Swift action must be partnered with careful planning to help minimize employers' exposure to liability after a natural disaster occurs. Click here to continue.
Credit Card Hackers Visit Hotels All Too Often
A study released this year by SpiderLabs, a part of the data-security consulting company Trustwave, found that 38 percent of the credit card hacking cases last year involved the hotel industry. Click here to continue.
Cybersecurity Insurance: Many Companies Continue to Ignore the Issue
After a year of high-tech breaches at some of the nation's biggest companies, a provision in a Senate bill calls on the White House to encourage a market for cybersecurity insurance to protect businesses from debilitating costs brought on my hacking and compromised information. Click here to continue.
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President Signs Flood Insurance Extension
President Obama recently signed HR 5569, the "National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2010" into law. The law retroactively reauthorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enter into new contracts for flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through September 30, 2010. Click here to continue. |
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Aetna Global Benefits: Healthcare News
Click here to read a report on healthcare issues around the world.
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