Tag: healthcare

Responding to insufficient FMLA/CFRA medical certifications and suspected fraud

Most employers require medical certification when administering FMLA or CFRA leave of absence requests. But the certification process isn’t always as cut and dry, especially in California. For instance, what should you do if the documentation from a healthcare provider is vague, incomplete, or ambiguous? What can you legally do if the documentation doesn’t provide […]

Healthcare Countdown Too Complex? Sorry, SCOTUS Says ‘Get Going’

Here, for example, is a (brief?) summary of what you and your organization will face in 2013: Health Insurance Administration Simplification During 2013 and on to 2016, HHS is to develop uniform standards to reduce the clerical burden on patients, healthcare providers, and health plans. A health plan must comply with the new requirements by […]

Health Care Reform and Employers

New Urgency on Healthcare Reform: More Pointers for Employers

By Jason Lacey Foulston Siefkin LLP The legal underpinnings of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on healthcare reform are complex, but the bottom line is very clear for employers: Nothing has changed. The law that went into effect March 23, 2010 (the Affordable Care Act, or ACA), and has been in effect ever since, remains […]

Healthcare Premiums During Leave—FMLA Hassle #12

For guidance, we consulted BLR’s Family and Medical Leave Act Compliance Guide, which states: Employers who provide group healthcare coverage typically require employees to pay a portion of the premium for the health plan, typically collected by the employer through an authorized payroll deduction. An employee on FMLA leave is required to make that same […]

Taxmageddon on the Horizon?

What’s Taxmageddon? Taxmageddon comes at the end of 2012, when the payroll tax and unemployment benefits extension ends and at the same time we’re likely to need another debt limit increase. If no action is taken, there will be dramatic cuts in spending that are built into the federal budget process, Aitken says. Aitken offered […]

Steps You Can Take To Prevent Workplace Violence

Workplace violence can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide, one of the leading causes of job-related deaths. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of violence in your workplace.

Health Insurance—What Are Best Employers Doing to Control Costs

For years, BLR has surveyed HR and benefits professionals to find trends in benefits. We appreciate your participation in our monthly series of brief, targeted benefits surveys. Today’s survey topic: Health Insurance. (We’ll publish the results in a future issue.) Please participate in this brief survey and we’ll determine what employers are doing with this […]