Tag / ACA

by Medcon Benefit Systems Group, Inc.

What Should You Look for When Searching for an Employee Benefits Advisor?

When evaluating, expanding and maintaining your benefits, including self-funding, fully insured or voluntary benefits, look for these qualities in a broker:

1. Comfort and trust level: Do you feel comfortable working with your broker? Do you feel they have your best interests in mind? Do you trust their intentions – are they assisting you with meaningful benefits or merely “selling” benefits?

2. Resources: Does your broker have resources to evaluate how your plans are working? Can they compare them to other plans in the marketplace; do they have benchmarking tools? Are they providing any level of HR services or tools?

3. Experience: Has your broker implemented both self-funded and fully insured plans? Have they worked with large groups, small groups? Do they have experience in traditional and voluntary plans? Short- and long-term disability? Long-term care? Do they have a working relationship with various carriers? Enough to know who requires what and who provides exceptional service?

4. Strategy: Is your broker experienced enough to actually think out of the box and provide innovative solutions? Do they have a long-term strategy for your future over a three- to five-year plan, or do they just bring you a spreadsheet with a “pick a rate” strategy for the year?

5. Compliance and Regulation: Is your broker well-versed in all things ACA (Affordable Care Act) as well as the DOL, ERISA, HIPAA and Plan Document requirements, just to name a few?

6. Compensation Disclosure: Do you know each and every year exactly how much your advisor is compensated on each product?

All of these questions should be answered with confidence in your relationship with your benefits partner. You know up front exactly what to expect from your CPA and your lawyer. They are strategic business partners and have responsibilities in the success of your firm. We submit that your benefits is every bit as important, should not your partner be chosen just as carefully?

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by Medcon Benefit Systems Group, Inc.

HSA Limits and Out Of Pocket Maximums Released for 2015

The IRS has released HSA contribution limits as well as maximum out of pocket amounts for 2015.

The maximum HSA contribution will be $3,350 for individuals with self-only coverage, up from $3,300 for 2014. For those with family coverage, the maximum contribution will be $6,650, up from $6,550.

The maximum out of pocket expense will increase to $6,450 for single coverage from $6,350 and to $12,900, from $12,700, for family coverage. These changes will take effect in 2015, and will impact group health plans in both the small and large group markets.

Please reach out to your MedCon Benefit Systems representative with any questions.

by Medcon Benefit Systems Group, Inc.

Employer Mandate Delay – How Will it Affect Your Group?

On July 9, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2013-45 to provide formal guidance on the delay of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) large employer “pay or play” rules and related information reporting requirements. The provisions affected by the delay are:

  • § 4980H employer shared responsibility provisions;
  • § 6055 information reporting requirements for insurers, self-insuring employers and certain other providers of minimum essential coverage; and
  • § 6056 information reporting requirements for applicable large employers.

*For 2014, compliance with the information reporting rules is completely optional and the IRS will not assess penalties under the pay or play rules. Both the information reporting and the employer pay or play requirements will be fully effective for 2015.

One-year Implementation Delay

According to the IRS, the delay of the reporting requirements provides additional time for input from employers and other reporting entities in an effort to simplify these requirements, consistent with effective implementation of the ACA. This delay is also intended to provide employers, insurers and other providers of minimum essential coverage time to adapt their health coverage and reporting systems.

The delay of the employer mandate penalties was required because of issues related to the reporting requirements. Because the reporting rules were delayed, the Treasury believed it would be nearly impossible to determine which employers owed penalties under the shared responsibility provisions.

The pay or play regulations issued earlier this year left many unanswered questions for employers. The IRS highlighted several areas where it would be issuing more guidance. Presumably, the additional time will give the IRS and Treasury the opportunity to provide more comprehensive guidance on implementing these requirements.

Effect on Other ACA Provisions

The delay does not affect any other provision of the ACA, including individuals’ access to premium tax credits for coverage through an Exchange and the individual mandate.

Individuals will continue to be eligible for the premium tax credit to purchase coverage through an Exchange as long as they meet the eligibility requirements (for example, their household income is within a specified range and they are not eligible for other minimum essential coverage).

Click here for a chart illustrating the provisions that will and will not be affected by the employer mandate delay.

**This Legislative Brief is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice.
by Medcon Benefit Systems Group, Inc.

Exchange Notice Requirements Delayed

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers to provide all new hires and current employees with a written notice about ACA’s health insurance exchanges (Exchanges), effective March 1, 2013.

On Jan. 24, 2013, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that employers will not be held to the March 1, 2013, deadline. They will not have to comply until final regulations are issued and a final effective date is specified.

This MedCon Benefit Systems, Inc. Legislative Brief details the expected timeline for the exchange notice requirements.

Exchange Notice Requirements

In general, the notice must:

  • Inform employees about the existence of the Exchange and give a description of the services provided by the Exchange;
  • Explain how employees may be eligible for a premium tax credit or a cost-sharing reduction if the employer’s plan does not meet certain requirements;
  • Inform employees that if they purchase coverage through the Exchange, they may lose any employer contribution toward the cost of employer-provided coverage, and that all or a portion of this employer contribution may be excludable for federal income tax purposes; and
  • Include contact information for the Exchange and an explanation of appeal rights.

This requirement is found in Section 18B of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which was created by the ACA. The DOL has not yet issued a model notice or regulations about the employer notice requirement.

When do Employers have to Comply with the Exchange Notice Requirements?

Section 18B provides that employer compliance with the notice requirements must be carried out “[i]n accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary [of Labor].” Accordingly, the DOL has announced that, until regulations are issued and become applicable, employers are not required to comply with the exchange notice requirements.

The DOL has concluded that the notice requirement will not take effect on March 1, 2013, for several reasons. First, this notice should be coordinated with HHS’s educational efforts and IRS guidance on minimum value. Second, the DOL is committed to a smooth implementation process, including:

  • Providing employers with sufficient time to comply; and
  • Selecting an applicability date that ensures that employees receive the information at a meaningful time.

The DOL expects that the timing for distribution of notices will be the late summer or fall of 2013, which will coordinate with the open enrollment period for Exchanges.

The DOL is considering providing model, generic language that could be used to satisfy the notice requirement. As a compliance alternative, the DOL is also considering allowing employers to satisfy the notice requirement by providing employees with information using the employer coverage template as discussed in the preamble to the Proposed Rule on Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Programs and Exchanges.

Future guidance on complying with the notice requirement under FLSA section 18B is expected to provide flexibility and adequate time to comply.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

 

*This MedCon Benefit Systems, Inc. Legislative Brief is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice.