Tag: insurance

Perks, Insurance, and Atypical Benefits–How Do You Compare?

  Beyond health insurance and retirement benefits (covered in previous surveys), the number one perk provided by the employers responding to our survey was paid holidays, with 91% percent of them offering it. Other highlights: Flextime is offered by 53% of respondents. About 33% relax their dress code in the summer, at least for some […]

Stop-Loss Insurers Would Not Be Health Exchange ‘Navigators’ Under HHS Proposal

The health reform law provides that entities called “Navigators” will assist consumers and small businesses in researching health insurance exchanges — but stop-loss insurers for self-funded health plans won’t be one of them. Those insurers, as well as individuals and other entities with too close a financial relationship to such insurers, would be excluded from […]

ACA: Expect Flex, Delay, and Some Hassle in 2013

In fact, the delays have already started, says Simon, senior legal editor at BLR. The health insurance exchange notice distribution requirement has been delayed. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has stated that the March 1, 2013, deadline for employers to distribute notices about the availability of health insurance exchanges has been delayed until […]

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 […]

U.S. Supreme Court Building

What the Supreme Court’s Upholding of the PPACA Means for Employers

By Jacqueline R. Scott, David S. Fortney, and Cynthia Ozger-Pascu Fortney & Scott, LLC In a historical ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the significant healthcare reform provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), enacted by Congress in 2010 in a sharply divided vote along partisan political lines and subsequently challenged […]

Recouping FMLA Premiums—Legal, But Not Necessarily Easy

When an employee fails to return from FMLA leave, for at least 30 calendar days, the employer may demand payment of its share of the health premiums paid during the leave. However, that may not be easy, and it may not be sensible. Most state wage and hour laws do not permit an employer to […]

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 […]

Pay Budgets for 2013–What’s the Plan?

Take the 2012-2013 pay budget survey now. For years, BLR has surveyed HR, compensation, and benefits professionals to get an accurate gauge of pay budget planning. We want to find out how companies like yours are planning for compensation this year and next. Please help by filling out our brief survey; we’ll share the results […]

Health Care Insurance Reform’s Fate in Supreme Court’s Hands

By Jessica Webb-Ayer, J.D., BLR Attorney Editor The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments on challenge to the massive health care insurance reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), enacted March 2010. Although there’s no crystal ball to tell us how the justices will inevitably rule, the oral arguments did provide […]

401(k)s, Free Food, Pet Insurance—What Benefits Are Best Employers Offering?

For years, BLR has surveyed HR, compensation, and benefits professionals to find trends in benefits. We appreciate your participation in our series of brief, targeted benefits surveys. Today’s survey topic: Benefits Other than Health Insurance. (We’ll publish the results in a future issue.) Complete the Benefits Other than Health Insurance Survey now Please participate in […]