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Alpha e-News Update
December 2014
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The Alpha Group Agency
4200 Rockside Road, Suite 300
Independence, Ohio 44131
216-520-3300 |
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 HIPAA Certificates of Creditable Coverage No Longer Required in 2015
Effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, the ACA prohibits health plans and issuers from imposing pre-existing condition exclusions (PCEs). The ACA's prohibition on PCEs makes HIPAA Certificates of Creditable Coverage unnecessary. This Legislative Brief explains that, beginning Dec. 31, 2014, health plans and issuers are no longer required to issue HIPAA Certificates.
View Article
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Know Your Benefits
How to Research Health Care Prices
This Know Your Benefits flyer outlines how health care prices are determined and offers resources to help employees compare costs of health care procedures, plus other tips for lowering the cost of their own care. View ArticleDownload our KNOW YOUR BENEFITS handouts for employee distribution or include the link on your benefits webiste
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 ERISA FAQ
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for employee benefit plans maintained by private-sector employers.
What is an ERISA Plan? This Legislative Brief includes a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help employers determine whether their employee benefits plans are subject to ERISA. It addresses the employers and plans that are subject to ERISA, including the ERISA exemptions for payroll practices and voluntary plans.
Reporting and Disclosure Rules: This Legislative Brief includes a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help employers understand ERISA's requirements for reporting and disclosure. It includes information on ERISA's rules for plan documents, summary plan descriptions (SPDs) and the Form 5500.
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Live Well, Work Well
Please download and print or email this month's LIVE WELL, WORK WELL Newsletter for your employees! This month's topics include:
- Wintertime Workouts
- Unplugging for the Holidays
- Indoor Air Pollution
- Credit Card Savings
- Potato Soup
Download Live Well, Work Well - December Issue
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HR Brief: Human Resources Tips
This month's HR Brief gives an overview of several HR topics, including the conflicting same-sex marriage rulings in federal appeals courts, a new NLRB ruling concerning employee social media accounts and hiring practices for temporary workers.
View HR Brief December Issue
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Tips for Your 2014 Taxes
 The end of the year will be here before you know it, but there's still time to take steps that may help reduce your 2014 tax liability. Here are some ideas to consider.
View Article
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The IRS recently announced a new annual contribution limit for health Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) starting in 2015.
According to this guidance, for taxable years beginning in 2015, the dollar limitation on employee salary reduction contributions to health FSAs will be $2,550, an increase of $50 from the amount for 2014.
The FSA dollar limit first became effective in 2013, as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Prior to the end of 2014, cafeteria plan documents should be updated to reflect the ACA's new health FSA dollar limit.
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Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted cauliflower? Been there, done that. But roasting a whole head of cauliflower? Now we've got your attention. This recipe has you slathering cauliflower in a spicy yogurt marinade and roasting it at a high temperature. The result is an amazingly delicious dish that's as dramatic in presentation as it is easy in preparation. Serve it with a big green salad (we suggest lime juice and olive oil for the dressing) for an easy weeknight supper or your next "the vegetarians are coming to dinner" party.
Download recipe
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 Health FSA Guidance for Employees
The Health FSA Guide explains what health flexible spending accounts are and how they work, discusses why they are a good choice and provides several FSA case studies. Also, the FSA Expenses lists will give examples of Eligible and Ineligible medical expenses. Click here to view the FSA materials.
- Health FSA Employee Guide
- FSA Eligible Expenses
- FSA Ineligible Expenses
Steve Orlando is Alpha's on-site FSA expert! If you or your employees have additional questions about FSA's or any consumer-driven health product, Steve can help.
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Individual Health Insurance Marketplace (Exchange)
 Beginning in 2014, Health Insurance Marketplaces (also known as Exchanges) provide an alternative market for buying health insurance. The Marketplaces offer a choice of private health insurance plans, determine whether individuals qualify for lower costs based on their household sizes and incomes, and share information about eligibility for public insurance programs, such as Medicaid.
Alpha can provide you with a quote, review plan options, calculate subsidy dollars and assist with the enrollment process.
Request a Quote
Shop for Rates/Plans on my own
More information on Individual Insurance
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Alpha Benefits, Inc. / Alpha Financial Services, Inc. / Alpha Property & Casualty, Inc. / AlphaHR, LLC.
Stability in an ever-changing environment.
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