News

Commentary: I’ve learned a lot in recent months about the importance of civic responsibility. A vacant church property in my largely residential neighborhood has been sold to a private developer who is determined to tear down the church building and erect in its place a six-story housing development for college students. Community members have rallied, […]

Employees are increasingly bearing the burden of higher employer-sponsored health plan costs, as employers revise plan designs to shift costs from the premiums that they pay to the deductibles paid by employees. Overall, however, health plan costs appear to be better managed than in the past, with the exception of prescription drug costs. These are among […]

Many employers are providing employees with financial wellness benefits to improve their personal balance sheets. The objective, similar to physical wellness programs, is assisting employees to achieve well-managed financial lives so they will be more focused and productive at work. However, these programs may not be effective if they are not relevant to the demographic […]

The new ACA Information Center for Applicable Large Employers page on IRS.gov features information and resources for employers of all sizes on how the health care law may affect them if they fit the definition of an applicable large employer. The page includes such sections as trends and resources for ALEs; how to determine if you are […]

If an employer says they don’t have concerns about the Affordable Care Act’s looming excise tax set to go into effect in 2018, they’re probably fibbing. One in five employers with 200 or more employees say their health plans will exceed the threshold limits which begin in 2018, according to the latest report from the […]

Are U.S. employees at last beginning to realize that insurance premiums may not be the best, or only, way to pick a health plan? An Aflac study suggests that is exactly what is happening. As enrollment time rolls around, Alfac reports that while most employees continue to evaluate plans based upon premiums, more are starting […]

A new study suggests offering employees free food is an easy way to keep them happy and productive. In a survey of 1,000 office employees conducted by Peapod, a grocery delivery company, only 16 percent of workers report having access to free food at work. However, those who are offered snacks on the job report […]

You’ve mastered the complex guidelines on how to identify which employees must be treated as full-time and offered health insurance coverage to avoid the Affordable Care Act (ACA) employer shared responsibility penalties. Now there is an ERISA requirement to communicate the guidelines with participants in your summary plan description (SPD). The SPD is an easy-to-read statement describing […]

Large employers are apparently still harboring recession-related reservations about writing big bonus checks, despite difficulties in attracting and retaining top talent. A survey of representatives of 170 major U.S. companies by Towers Watson finds that the majority of respondents say that they have no plans to fully fund their bonus pools when that magic season […]

Yes, the doctor visit was outrageously expensive. But did you even try to find a cheaper one? A survey by HealthMine, a wellness group, suggests that three-quarters of Americans don’t compare prices when seeking medical services. The survey included 569 people enrolled in wellness programs. If people assume that the cost of services is relatively […]