Year: 2023
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Trending Topics: Fertility Benefits
Did you know that in 2017 the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization recognized infertility as a disease? Approximately 17.5% – roughly one in six couples– are affected by infertility in the U.S. As societal norms and employee expectations continue to evolve, companies are recognizing the importance of offering comprehensive benefits packages that…
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Compliance Recap -June 2023
PCORI FEE DUE DATE APPROACHES Employers offering self-funded medical plans, including health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) must report and pay fees to the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) by July 31. If the plan was fully insured, employers can rely on their insurance carriers to handle the fee payment. The current annual fees are: For plan years…
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Financial Safety Nets – Don’t Let Your Employees Slip Through the Cracks!
In the wake of the Great Depression and WWII, employers started to add benefits packages. Healthcare had fallen by the wayside for families working to access the basic necessities of life. The idea was to support the employee’s personal needs while keeping and attracting the best talents in the workforce. This trend of offering benefits…
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12 Ways HR Can Calm Fears about ChatGPT and AI Replacing Humans
Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a swirling sense of anxiety, depression, excitement, and joy all at once. Many people want to use AI to make their work easier, to become more efficient. However, they are also fearful that the robots may replace them. Human Resources professionals have an obligation to prepare the workforce for a future in…
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Information Is Power – Be an Informed Healthcare Consumer!
With health care costs on the rise, it’s more important than ever to take responsibility for your medical care choices. Asking questions and researching your options are good ways to start taking control of how much you spend on health care. Becoming an educated healthcare consumer is important for making informed decisions about your health and…
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ADP Survey Reveals What Employees Really Want from Work
Workers want higher pay, more flexibility, and support from employers, according to ADP’s People at Work 2023 survey. HR professionals can compare the results with their own responses in the most recent HR Exchange Network State of HR report. Specifically, more than 40% of employees said they are underpaid. The most satisfied employees were those with a hybrid schedule,…
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Compliance Recap May 2023
CLAIMS SUBSTANTIATION FOR PAYMENT OR REIMBURSEMENT OF MEDICAL AND DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSES A memorandum released by the IRS Chief Counsel responds to a request for assistance regarding the reimbursement of medical and dependent care expenses. Addressed is whether reimbursements of medical expenses from a health flexible spending arrangement (FSA) provided in a cafeteria plan should…
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Benefits 101: What Is an EAP?
As much as employers might prefer that employees’ personal affairs do not interfere with their work, the reality is that problems outside of the workplace can and do impact job performance. Many of these issues go unaddressed due to fear of stigmatization, leading to further declines in employee health and productivity. Anxiety and stress, financial…
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What Is a Total Rewards Package?
Total rewards packages refer to the compensation and benefits plans that companies offer. This phrase, however, extends beyond mere salary or wages and traditional benefits, like health insurance, to provide both recruits and employees with a rundown of what makes the employer special. Some in Human Resources might regard the total rewards package as the…
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Benefits 101: What is an HSA?
Are you the type of person who loves to save money? You’ll be happy to know that there’s a way to do so with your health care costs. It starts with medical expense accounts which let you set aside money to pay for certain health products and services. One type of medical expense account is…
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Compliance Recap April 2023
2024 BENEFIT PARAMETERS FOR MEDICARE PART D CREDITABLE COVERAGE DISCLOSURES ANNOUNCED The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Fact Sheet announcing the 2024 benefit parameters for Medicare Part D. These factors are used to determine the actuarial value of defined standard Medicare Part D coverage under CMS guidelines. Each year, Medicare Part D requires…
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Up and Away – Healthcare Costs Are Taking Off
Healthcare costs, and consequently employee health benefit costs, have been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. The U.S. as a nation spends more on health care than any other developed country but has worse health outcomes. How is this possible? Four Key Factors Driving U.S. Healthcare Costs: Aging Population Healthcare gets more expensive…
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Volunteering and It’s Surprising Mental Health Benefits
Volunteers make an immeasurable difference in people’s lives and often serve with the intention of helping others. But, did you know that volunteering can benefit your mental health as well? While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge…
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What Are Medicaid Redeterminations and Why Do They Matter to Employers?
When we see the recent onslaught of news about Medicaid redeterminations (aka “the unwinding of Medicaid”), we might automatically relate it to individuals and not necessarily realize that some employees might have declined their company’s benefits and enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic. Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides medical insurance…
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Employee Benefit Trends: What is a Lifestyle Spending Account?
A Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA) offers employers an opportunity to help fund health and wellness costs that a traditional group health plan won’t cover. LSAs are often used as perks to attract and retain quality employees and could be a desirable piece of the employee benefits puzzle. What Is a Lifestyle Spending Account? A Lifestyle…
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Benefits 101: Vision Insurance
According to WebMD, the eyes are the most highly developed sensory organs in your body. Did you know that more of your brain is dedicated to the sense of sight than to all of the other senses combined? So, it makes sense that you would do all that you can to protect and care for these…
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Fact Sheet for Consumers About the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a consumer-facing fact sheet to help people know what to expect at the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The Department of Health and Human Services is planning for the federal PHE and the COVID-19 national emergency to expire at the end of the day…
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Compliance Recap – March 2023
IRS RELEASES 2024 EMPLOYER SHARED RESPONSIBILITY PROVISION PENALTIES The dollar amount used to calculate the employer shared responsibility provision penalties (ESRP) has been provided for 2024. As background, the penalties can be assessed under Code § 4980H(a) if an applicable large employer (ALE) fails to offer minimum essential coverage to the required number of full-time…
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Two Areas Impacting Benefits When the COVID-19 Emergencies End
When the COVID-19 public health emergency and national emergency were declared in 2020, no one anticipated they would still be in place in 2023. On January 30, 2023, the President announced the intent to end the emergencies on May 11, 2023. The impact of the emergencies on employer-sponsored benefits affected certain coverages, reimbursements, and timelines.…
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What Is Rage Applying in HR?
Rage applying is when young employees in professional fields get fed up with the workload, boss, compensation, or all of the above and apply to as many other companies as they can while soaking in their anger. The act of applying to other jobs when one’s morale is low is nothing new. But the term…
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5 HR Trends in Recruiting and Talent Acquisition During Layoffs
As businesses big and small struggle with high inflation and an economic downturn that may turn into a recession, recruiting and talent acquisition often gets pushed aside. Human Resources leaders are doing more with less and trying to handle the additional stresses of the times. As a result, strategizing for the future – when the economy may…
