Author: Cleveland Benefits Partners
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Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) Rebates: A Timely Reminder
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) introduced the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) to ensure that health insurance companies spend a significant portion of premiums on medical care and quality improvement activities rather than administrative costs and profits. When insurers fail to meet the MLR threshold, they are required to issue rebates to plan sponsors. Understanding MLR…
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Open Enrollment: Your Annual Check-Up for Benefits
Navigating health insurance can feel like planning a vacation. You wouldn’t pack for a beach trip if you’re headed to the mountains, right? Similarly, choosing a health plan requires careful consideration. Open enrollment is your chance to design a plan tailored to you; it is your yearly opportunity to review and adjust your employee benefits…
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Empowering Millennials: Building a Competitive Benefits Package
Today’s workforce is a mix of generations, but you can’t afford to overlook Millennials, the largest generation in the workforce. Known for their flexibility and problem-solving skills, Millennials bring a powerful combination of experience and value to any company. Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are a driving force in today’s job market. This generation…
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Compliance Recap July 2024
FORM 5500 FILING FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE PLANS The Form 5500 series is a component of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s (ERISA) reporting and disclosure framework. The Form is used to report information on the qualification of the plan, its financial condition, investments, and its operations. It also guarantees that participants, beneficiaries, and regulators have access…
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Question of the Month: FSAs and FSA Carryovers
Q: What are the time and dollar limits for flexible spending arrangements (FSA) and FSA carryovers? A: For 2024, the most that can be deferred to an FSA is $3,200 (a $150 increase from 2023). The amount of a 2024 FSA balance that can be carried over into 2025 is $640 (up from $610 in 2023).…
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Understand Your Spending Power: What You Can Buy with Your FSA, HSA, or HRA
Medical expense accounts can help you save on all kinds of healthcare costs. Here are some you may not know about yet. HSA, FSA, and HRA can typically be used for: Expenses that might be covered, but check your plan: Important Considerations: Additional Tips: By understanding the nuances of HSAs, FSAs, and HRAs, you can…
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Navigating the Alphabet Soup: HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs Explained
Managing healthcare costs can feel like deciphering a complex code. Three acronyms frequently pop up: HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs. But what exactly do they mean, and which one is right for you? Let’s break down these accounts and explore how they can help you save on qualified medical expenses. Understanding the Accounts: Who Can Use…
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Empowering Gen X: Building a Competitive Benefits Package
Today’s workforce is a mix of generations, and Gen X is a group you can’t afford to overlook. Known for their flexibility and problem-solving skills, Gen X employees bring a powerful combination of experience and value to any company. Gen X, those born between 1965 and 1980, makes up a significant chunk (27%) of today’s…
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Compliance Recap June 2024
ACA PREVENTIVE CARE MANDATE REMAINS IN PLACE WITH AN EXCEPTION In a recent decision, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a key provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that mandates private insurance cover preventive services without cost to patients. However, the court also ruled that the plaintiffs are exempt from complying with this mandate,…
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HSAs Made Easy: Learn the Essentials & Protect Your Savings from Mistakes
Health savings accounts (HSAs) have become a vital part of many employers’ benefits packages, offering employees a powerful tool to manage healthcare expenses while benefiting from tax advantages. However, managing HSAs goes beyond just facilitating contributions. It also involves understanding and addressing mistakes with distributions that employees might encounter. This article delves into the basics…
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PCORI Fee Filing Deadline
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund fee, often referred to as the PCORI fee, can be a source of confusion for employers offering health insurance plans. This article aims to simplify what the PCORI fee is, why it exists, and how it impacts your business. What is the PCORI Fee? The PCORI fee is an…
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Benefits 101: What Is an HDHP?
In today’s world of complex health insurance options, High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) have become increasingly popular. But with a name like “high deductible,” it’s natural to have questions. Let’s break down the basics of HDHPs: What is an HDHP? An HDHP is a health insurance plan with a higher deductible than traditional plans. This…
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Investing in Health Prevention and Wellness: A Smart Bet
The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” rings truer than ever in today’s world. While reactive healthcare plays a crucial role in treating illness, a growing emphasis is being placed on the power of health prevention and wellness. Investing in preventive measures and promoting overall well-being isn’t just about…
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Compliance Recap May 2024
PREPARE NOW TO PAY THE PCORI FEE The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee funds research that evaluates and compares health outcomes, clinical effectiveness, and the risks and benefits of medical treatments and services. Effective through 2029, the IRS treats this fee like an excise tax, applied to all covered lives, including employees, retirees, spouses,…
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Form 5500: What You Need To Know
Attention Employers: Don’t Miss Your Form 5500 Deadline! Here’s a simplified breakdown of what you need to know about filing your employee benefit plan report: Who Needs to File? Employers subject to ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) with employee benefit plans, unless exempt. What to File? Form 5500 (annual report) for each employee benefit…
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Empowering Baby Boomers: Building a Competitive Benefits Package
A Baby Boomer is someone born between 1946 and 1964. This generation is currently between 58 and 78 years old (in 2024). They tend to have a strong, loyal work ethic and excel at face-to-face communication and building relationships with colleagues. Boomers have a wealth of experience accumulated over long careers. They value jobs that…
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Protect Your Mental Health with an EAP
Mental health isn’t just the absence of illness. It’s a continuum ranging from severe symptoms such as panic attacks and major depression to excellent mental strength and well-being. Sometimes you’re not ill, but you aren’t well either – and you need help. If you’re feeling down about work or a problem in your life and…
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Compliance Recap April 2024
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION BANS NON-COMPETE CLAUSES On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized a rule banning most employers and employees from entering into non-compete clauses, effective 120 days post-publication in the Federal Register. This move aims to eliminate these clauses across all levels of workers, with a narrow exception for senior executives’ pre-existing agreements.…
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Caring for Your Mental Health
Overview Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness. How can I take…
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Benefits 101: What Is Voluntary Life Insurance?
Life Insurance at Work: Your Guide to Voluntary Coverage We all juggle life’s different responsibilities, and ensuring our loved ones are financially secure in case of our passing should be a top priority. Life insurance offers a safety net but typically the amount of coverage included as a standard company-paid life insurance policy isn’t enough…
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Benefits Check-up: 6 Compliance Issues Affecting Your Clients’ Health
A health plan is more than a product or service; it’s a relationship. All productive and healthy relationships—especially in the benefits space—rely on trust. When an employer extends trust in a broker or insurance carrier to purchase something as critical as healthcare—for people as critical as their workers and families—we’re obligated to raise all factors…
