Alpha e-News Update

June 2013

June                       

The Alpha Group Agency
4200 Rockside Road, Suite 300
Independence, Ohio 44131
216-520-3300
Health Reform Regulations

Explaining Health Insurance Exchanges to Your Employees

 

In the coming months employees are going to have lots of questions regarding healthcare reform. Read here for some tips on how to address common questions about exchanges. View Article

Design-based Safe Harbor Checklists

    

safe harborCertain safe harbor plan designs will automatically satisfy ACA's minimum value requirement. The following plan designs are proposed as safe harbors:  View Article

Employee Benefits

Advantages of Benchmarking Your Benefits Program

   

benchmarkAn attractive benefits program is vital for your recruiting and retention efforts, but is also a significant expense. To ensure you are providing a package that is both competitive and economical, you need to know how your offerings compare to others in your industry. Benchmark data can provide valuable insight for evaluating your benefits package, something that is more important than ever in light of health care reform.
Wellness Trends

What You Wear Can Make You Sick

  

clothesWhen putting an outfit together, have you ever stopped to consider the potential health risks of your choice? Surprisingly, what you wear can affect your health. Here's how. View Article

LIVE WELL, WORK WELL 

live well work well   

We are pleased to provide you with our newWellness Newsletter, Live Well, Work Well.  Please feel free to download and print or email this to your employees!  This month's topics include:

  • Fireworks Safety
  • Three Common Exercise Excuses and How to Beat Them
  • Summer Savings Tips
  • Baked Fish and Vegetables

Download Live Well, Work Well - June Issue

HR Best Practices
Making Flex-Work Work for Everyone  

          

Many companies are allowing their employees to decide both where and when they complete their work. Here are some tips on how to properly manage flex-work in your office. View Article
5 Tips for Educating Your Workers About Your Non-Core Benefits Offerings 

      

puzzleAs businesses prepare for the fi rst round of open enrollment  under PPACA, more companies are lookingat non-core benefits and what they can offer for employees. Here are tips on how to educate your employees on non-core benefits. Read White Paper
Financial

Signs That You May Not Be Ready to Retire

   

carThe road to retirement can be difficult to navigate. This article offers some warning signs that readers might not be ready to go full speed ahead with the transition from worker to retiree. A graphic shows the percentage of pre-retirement earnings that Social Security might replace for low, medium, and high earners.  View Article

Quick Links 

 
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Financial Learning Center

  

Lemon Velvet Supreme

 lemon velvet supreme  

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe 

Yield: 6 servings 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla yogurt, fat-free

3 Tablespoons instant, lemon pudding mix

8 squares graham crackers, crushed

1 can (4 ounces) mandarin orange slices, drained (or your favorite fruit) 

 

Preparation:  

1. Combine vanilla yogurt and pudding mix; gently stir together.
2. Layer bottom of serving dish with crushed graham crackers.

3. Pour pudding mixture over cracker crumbs.

4. Top with mandarin orange slices or your favorite fruit.

 

Per Serving:

Calories 150

Total Fat 1 g

Saturated Fat 0 g

Sodium 21 mg

Protein 5 g

 

Download Recipe

 
Did You Know?
Did You Know? 

The IRS released slightly higher figures for 2014 for HSA contribution limits and out-of-pocket expense limits under a high-deductible health plan (HDHP):

 

HSA contribution limits:

  • Individual: $3,300
  • Family: $6,550

HDHP out-of-pocket expense limits:

  • Individual: $6,350
  • Family: $12,700
CARRIER NEWS
 carrier partners    
MEDICAL MUTUAL -Nurse Line program is now available to all new and renewing 51+ groups participating in the SuperWell Impact and Essential programs.

UNUM - GetBenefitSmart.com
A USEFUL TOOL FOR EMPLOYEES - Unum developed this tool to help employees learn and decide which benefits work best for their age and stage of life. View site>>
 
ANTHEM - Three Ohio Hospitals Replace ER Physician Groups

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