With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the federal government became much more involved in what had always been a heavily regulated, but predominately private industry. What many people have forgotten is that the ACA was not the first legislation to be passed that involved private and employer-sponsored health and welfare plans.
Topics: compliance, HIPAA, health plan compliance, Elizabeth Kay, PHI, health and welfare plans, protected health information, business associate agreement
No two Department of Labor (DOL) audits are the same, yet there are typical questions asked and documents requested. See our recent blog on the Seven Common Mistakes That Could Trigger a DOL Audit. If you are audited, it’s recommended that questions received be sorted and color-coded based on what the question references (for example, third-party administrator, client answered, etc.). In addition, keep a log of each request and the document(s) provided in response to that request. A separate file folder for each request will help organize that task. Luckily, the DOL seems to be very receptive to an organization’s preparedness. It certainly makes the auditor’s job easier when a company has everything already in place and doesn’t require time to gather it all.
Topics: Department of Labor, health plan compliance, Don't Roll the Dice on Department of Labor Audits, compliance documents, DOL audit
By Carol Taylor, Employee Benefit Advisor
D&S Agency, a UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Linda Rowings
Chief Compliance Officer, UBA
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Elizabeth Kay
Compliance and Retention Analyst
AEIS, a UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Carol Taylor, Employee Benefit Advisor
D&S Agency, A UBA Partner Firm
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
A Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) must contain:
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, summary of benefits and coverage, SBC, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
On August 22, 2014, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury released an interim final rule and a proposed rule that provide some new accommodations to employers that have religious objections to covering contraception under their group health plans. The agencies also released a fact sheet on the rules and an alternate form that religious organizations (like religious hospitals, universities and charities) may use.
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, religious objections, contraception, religious opposition to contraception, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits
By Mathew Augustine, GPHR, REBC
CEO, Hanna Global Solutions
Topics: employee engagement, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, HRA administration, talent retention
With Fall open enrollment around the corner, most employers will need to provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to eligible individuals. Here are some highlights of the requirement (as of August 2014):
Topics: health insurance exchanges, private insurance exchange, health marketplace, employee wellness, PPACA, retirement, small group employers, benefit communication, benefit consultants, benefit management, compliance with health care reform, employee health, group health insurance, healthcare consumerism, health plan compliance, health reimbursement account, insurance solutions, medical plan, self funded health plans, Group health plans, small business, dependents, dependent insurance, family insurance benefits