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Legislative/Regulatory Update |
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List Released of Counties for Which "Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate" SBC Notices Will Be Required for 2012
The Department of Health and Human Services released the list of counties in the United States for which certain group health plans (and issuers offering health insurance coverage) will be required to provide relevant notices in a "culturally and linguistically appropriate manner" for 2012. The list, which will be updated annually, identifies those counties in which 10 percent or more of the population is literate only in the same non-English language. Click here to continue. |
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FAQs Clarify Summary of Benefits and Coverage Regulations
Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions regarding implementation of the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) provisions of the Affordable Care Act. These FAQs have been prepared jointly by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (the Departments), and answer questions from stakeholders to help people understand the new law and benefit from it. |
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Preparing for DOL Fee-Disclosure Rules
While the disclosures to plan participants don't begin until August, HR leaders should be communicating now with employees to make sure they understand that such fees already exist -- even if they haven't been disclosed before. HR leaders should also make sure their staff will be able to understand the disclosures they will receive from service providers -- and that such fees are "fair and reasonable." Click here to continue. |
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IRS Gives Game Plan for COBRA Audits
COBRA is a law with a double bite: both the DOL and the IRS routinely conduct COBRA audits and issue penalties. The IRS recently published a checklist of what it examines in these audits. Click here to continue.
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Health Costs Projected to Increase Less than 10% for 2012
Costs for all types of medical plans in the U.S. are expected to increase by 9.9 percent for 2012, according to a survey by Buck Consultants. This is the first time since 2001 that Buck's survey has projected cost increases less than 10 percent for any type of plan. Click here to continue.
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Changes on the Healthcare Horizon
As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders the constitutionality of the healthcare-reform law, employers are considering the implications of the possibly soon-to-exist healthcare-insurance exchanges. They are also seeing rising healthcare costs -- and many are passing those costs along to employees. Click here to continue. |
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U.S. Chamber Releases Workplace Wellness Toolkit
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has released a new toolkit to help small and medium-sized employers plan, implement, and evaluate workplace health promotion programs. The toolkit titled, "Workplace Wellness Programs: Promoting Better Health While Controlling Costs," provides practical suggestions for workplace wellness activities, and highlights ways to engage the community. Click here to continue. |
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The Tools, They are a-Changin'
Health care analytics technology is breaking down information silos, and improving health care coordination, outcomes, costs. Click here to continue.
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Importance Of Retirement Programs In Employment Decisions Jumps For Younger Workers
The percentage of America's younger workers who say an employer-sponsored retirement program is important for either joining or staying with an employer has jumped sharply in the past two years, especially at employers that still offer a pension plan, according to a recent survey. Click here to continue. |
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Thrown Some Curves, Service Providers Finally 'Ahead of the Curve' for 401(k) Disclosures
It's taken more than a year for retirement plan service providers to gear up for fee disclosures, but they finally seem to be prepared for the new reporting requirements that go into effect July 1. Click here to continue. |
Defined Contribution Equals Social Security in Retirement Importance
Defined contribution retirement plans now equal Social Security in importance when it comes to retirement security among people ages 50 to 66, according to a new survey from the Insured Retirement Institute. Click here to continue. |
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10 Tips When Considering Cyber Insurance
Data breaches are like lightning: one never knows when or where they'll strike-or how much damage they will cause. Click here to continue. |
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The Ethics of Risk Management: No Easy Answers
Everyone makes risk-related decisions that affect others, but how often are risk management decisions examined or discussed from an ethical or moral perspective? Click here to continue. |
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Workers' Comp Insights: Understanding Aspects of Claim Resolution
Dealing with workers compensation claims isn't always as straightforward as one might hope. Unfortunately, sooner or later, employers will have an employee who is injured on the job. By reviewing common points of concern, you can increase your ability to manage WC claims. Click here to continue.
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