Healthcare Legislation & Compliance Main
Secova's 2010 Business Outlook for HR Outsourcing Previous adopters of human resources outsourcing (HRO) services are making significant changes when restructuring their end-of-term contracts. According to the Everest Research Institute, the end of term multi-process HRO market holds a great significance as $6 billion of contracts are nearing renewal in 2010 - 2012. What benefits administration initiatives are corporate HR currently investing in to reduce benefits costs and manage change?
he New TPA ERISA Appeals Department Training Program Announced for Self-Insured Health Plan'sThe New TPA ERISA Appeals Department Training Program Announced for Self-Insured Health Plan's Denial and Appeal Management To Compliantly Contain Administrative Costs
For The First Time In U.S. Health Care History, ERISAclaim.com Announced The Nation's First TPA ERISA Appeal Management Department Program To Provide TPA's and Self-Insured Health Plans With A Turn-Key Set-Up Training For The In-House ERISA Appeals Management Department To Process ERISA Appeals Compliantly to Contain Administrative Costs and Avoid Unnecessary Litigations, In Wake Of The New Pending Obama Health Reform Laws Mandating ERISA Compliance for All Group Health Plans Within Six Months of The Enactment
COBRA UPDATES and EXTENDED SUBSIDIESIn response to a large number of questions received regarding eligibility for the COBRA premium reduction under current law, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has updated the COBRA page (www.dol.gov/COBRA) to add new FAQs here. We encourage readers to visit this page for updates.
How HR Views Healthcare ReformA survey about how HR views Healthcare Reform.
COBRA Premium Extension Enacted By CongressToday's healthcare is anything but simple. The current legislation seems to have acceded to most demands from Congress and the President alike. On December 21, 2009, President Obama signed legislation extending the COBRA eligiblity period through February 28, 2010 and the length of the subsidy (not to exceed the maximum period of 15 months). The new law addresses reservations businesses were facing regarding the extension of the COBRA premium susidy.
The New 2010 Obama Healthcare Reimbursement Law Webinars Announced As ERISA Appeals Procedures The Final Health Bill Passed In Senate On Christmas Eve Is Completely Consistent With House Health Bill By Incorporating ERISA Claim Regulation In Its Entirety For All Group Health Plans Into Obama Health Reform, For 200 Million Americans Under New Obama Universal Healthcare Laws. ERISA Appeal Process Is Now Mandatory For All Group Health Plans And Healthcare Providers As Well As Consumers. First Free Monthly ERISA Webinar starts on 01/18/2010, and First Advanced ERISA Claim Specialist Certification Program Starts in Feb. 2010.
Electronic Delivery of Compliance Communications: How to Tell If It’s Right for YouUnder Department of Labor regulations, certain information about employee benefit plans can be distributed electronically both within—and outside—the workplace. However, there are very specific rules about what types of information can be delivered electronically, who can receive such information—and how such information can be delivered. A careful review of these rules can help you decide whether electronic delivery makes sense for you.
ERISA Pros to Offer Seminar Series on ERISA for Group Insurance BrokersERISA Pros has announced it will offer a new series of exclusive lunch & learn round table seminars for employee benefit consultants and insurance brokers who sell group insurance. The first seminar is titled, "How ERISA Will Affect Your Group Insurance Clients in 2010," will be held on December 3, 2009.
ERISAclaim.com Announced The Nation's First Embezzlement Recovery ServicesERISAclaim.com Announced The Nation's First Embezzlement Recovery Services for Large ERISA Health Plans from the $6 Trillion Healthcare Denial Management Market 10-23-2009, Hanover Park, IL
"ERISAclaim.com is offering a unique ERISA recovery service for midsized and large sized employer-sponsored ERISA health plans from potential or probable embezzlement, kickback, concealment and negligence as well as mismanagement from TPAs and ASOs to recoup potentially hundreds of millions of dollars from current healthcare industry overpayment practice and mismanagement. ERISAclaim.com has gained its unique industry in-depth knowledge and expertise from working with every segment of health care industry in more than 10 years. With unique knowledge of the industry known facts, ERISAclaim.com is dedicated to helping large ERISA plans to recover millions of dollars on a complete contingency basis."
Secova will be presenting The Practical Considerations to COBRA AdministrationSecova, Inc. a leading provider of human resource and benefits management services, announced today that Jim Kelly, Vice President of Business Development and Karen Kerns, COBRA Unit Account Executive for Secova have been asked to speak at the National Retail Federation’s Human Resources Executives Summit .
Practical Considerations To COBRA AdministrationChanging rules, regulations and court cases make COBRA extremely complex. The improper design, compliance and administration of COBRA can have costly results for employers with high employee turnover. It is Secova’s purpose to heighten awareness of COBRA policies and procedures in order to contend with the high-turnover rate indicative of the retail industry.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Changes to HIPPA RulesThe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) expanded HIPAA by requiring new notices in the event of an unauthorized use, access, or disclosure of protected health information (PHI). If a "covered entity" discovers a breach in privacy and security protocols, it is required to provide, within 60 days of discovery, notice by first class mail to each individual whose PHI has been (or is reasonably believed to have been) breached.
Buyers Study 2008: The Trends Employers Are Facing and the Plans They're BuyingWhat are the trends employers are facing when it comes to benefits? Unum shares its study.
More Women Turning to Social Security Disability Benefits; Mothers Should Know Their OptionsWomen's rate of disability increases by 72 percent since 1999.
Swine Flu: Preparing the Workplace for a PandemicThe United States has declared a “health emergency” regarding an outbreak of swine influenza A (H1N1). Although the CDC encourages people not to panic, now is the time to activate plans and take necessary precautions. Employers should prepare for a wide range of decisions including: tough questions about restricting international travel, quarantines, educating management and employees on personal hygiene and cleaning protocols, leave from work, stockpiling antiviral medications and participating in public vaccination efforts. Littler Mendelson shares more.
Jobless Should Evaluate COBRA, Medicare in Light of 2009 Recovery Act Allsup outlines COBRA and Medicare considerations; people with disabilities need to evaluate options for continuing healthcare coverage
Cobra CalculusJennifer Benz suggests helping employees recognize the value of company-sponsored benefits is important. Before you know it, they may not be available.
The impact of the ARRA COBRA Subsidy on Domestic Partner and Same-Sex Spouse BenefitsTRI-AD's COBRA department has been receiving questions on how the COBRA subsidy applies to qualified beneficiaries who have a domestic partner or same-sex spouse. We have written an article that addresses this in detail, including examples of what amount is subsidy-eligible and what is not. Read the article at https://www.tri-ad.com/clients/dp_cobra_sub.aspx
New White Paper Tells HR How to Meet COBRA and Other Obligations Under Stimulus ActA new white paper, available for free download at HRhero.com, explains everything Human Resources professionals need to know about the new stimulus law’s effect on COBRA, unemployment insurance, tax credits and relief, health information privacy, visas, executive compensation, and whistleblowers.
New HoganPress Release Challenges the Validity of Strengths-Based Development for ManagersHoganPress is pleased to announce the publication of The Perils of Accentuating the Positive, the latest book from Robert B. Kaiser of Kaplan Devries Inc. This groundbreaking new work assembles a dream team of thought leaders in the field of management development to critically evaluate admonishments from “gurus” to managers to stop dwelling on their weaknesses and instead focus on their strengths.
As COBRA Costs Continue to Climb, Families Find Cheaper Health Insurance AlternativesAs COBRA costs continue to climb throughout the Florida and the US, many families are being forced to seek less expensive heath insurance alternatives to COBRA. Insurance companies are beginning to answer this demand by providing more health insurance plans that appeal directly to individuals on COBRA.
Supreme Court Upholds the Primacy of ERISA Plan Documents over Divorcee’s Waiver of Pension BenefitsIn a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that under ERISA, plan administrators must distribute plan assets in accordance with the terms of lawful plan documents without regard to a waiver of benefits contained in a divorce decree. In Kennedy v. Plan Administrator for DuPont Savings & Investment Plan, the plan administrator distributed the proceeds from a savings plan to a deceased employees ex-wife who was listed as the beneficiary on the plan documents despite the fact that she had earlier waived all rights to the benefits in a divorce decree. Littler Mendelson shares more.
Bridging the COBRA Gap When Layoffs LoomHR departments coping with the fallout of layoffs should make sure departing employees are aware of temporary medical coverage that is available to them. Samuel H. Fleet investigates.
The Real Problems and Challenges for Health Reform: A Post-Election PerspectiveThe economic crisis nudged out what was thought to be a common concern in the United States election: Health Care Reform. Jeff Bauer explains the Post-Election look at health care in the United States.
Take Control of the Human Resource Paper Trail, by Laura Simcox, SPHRHR professionals use ImageNow to make things clear again. Increasing HR team productivity, ImageNow enterprise document management, imaging and workflow from Perceptive Software fits the bill. Once deployed in HR, ImageNow can easily be expanded across the enterprise, compounding the time and cost savings delivered by the initial implementation.
By Laura Simcox, SPHR, Solution Manager – Human Resources, Perceptive Software
Healthcare Faces New Balancing Act in Sharing Health Data Under Revised FMLA RulesMelamedia Audio Seminar Examines Effects Of New Family Medical Leave Act Regulation On Sharing Patient and Employee Health Information Dec. 18 Audio Seminar 1 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern
HR.com offers award-winning legal, compliance resources & experts to their over 180,000 US membersHR.com and HR & Benefits Essential today announced that they have entered into an agreement that will allow HR.com premier members free access to HR & Benefits Essentials’ award-winning human resources and benefits library.
Health and Wellness: A Total Commitment for Nestle and its EmployeesMany people think of chocolate when they think of Nestle, but in fact, Nestle is the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company with a broad portfolio of brands.
Cashing in on Personal Health InformationImportance of URAC's HIPAA Privacy and Security Standards to Protect Personal Health Information Is Focus of New Issue Brief
URAC rolls out revised standards to protect personal health information and boost consumer privacy Today URAC announced the rollout of significant revisions to its health information technology standards. The changes affect Health Web Site accreditation and URAC’s HIPAA Privacy and Security Standards.
President Bush Signs 2008 ADA Amendments Act Broadening Coverage of Americans With Disabilities ActEmployers will find significant obligation changes with the new amendments to the ADA Act in the United States. Neal D. Mollen and Patrick M. Sherman share the details.
Travis Software Releases Summer 2008 Upgrade for WebCOBRA.comRelease Features Retiree Billing, Online Enrollment, and Document Upload Houston, TX. / October 1, 2008—Travis Software Corp., a market leader of advanced employee benefits software, announced today the Summer 2008 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com system. The new version offers more enhanced features, including a new Retiree Billing add-on module, Online Enrollment, and Document Upload.
Release Features Retiree Billing, Online Enrollment, and Document UploadTravis Software Corp., a market leader of advanced employee benefits software, announced today the Summer 2008 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com system. The new version offers more enhanced features, including a new Retiree Billing add-on module, Online Enrollment, and Document Upload.
IRS Releases 2009 Health Savings Account LimitsThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released Revenue Procedure 2008-29, establishing the 2009 annual Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution limitations, Littler Mendelson explains more.
HR XCEL President Called in as Software as a Service (SaaS) ExpertWRAL’s Local Tech Wire tapped Janet LeClair, president of human resources outsourcing firm HR XCEL, as an expert panelist for its “SaaS Road Show.” LeClair is highly experienced in effectively employing SaaS, a topic that is catching fire across the country.
In This Political Season, Health Care Reform is a Business IssueHealth care is on the minds of many Americans, especially during the current political race in the United States. John Hammergren shares more.
Interference With Health Benefits Termination to prevent an employee from receiving health benefits? Hanft Law explains more.
Paperless FSA AdministrationEast Providence, RI May 1, 2008 – Benefit Concepts, a leader in innovative benefits administration outsourcing solutions, today announced the implementation of their new paperless Reimbursement Benefits Account Administration service.
Trade Shows RevisitedFinding new value in old tactics
Warren L. Ezra Joins Benefit ConceptsBenefit Concepts, Inc. announced today that Warren Ezra has joined the company as Regional Sales Manager covering the Southeastern United States.
More Companies, Workers Adopt Consumer-Directed Health PlansNearly Half of Employers Now Have CDHPs, Watson Wyatt/National Business
Group on Health Survey Finds
Travis Software Releases Spring 2008 Upgrade for WebCOBRA.comTravis Software Corp., a market leader of advanced employee benefits software, announced today the Spring 2008 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com system. The new version offers more enhanced features, including expanded API, sub-domains, and coupon enhancements.
Travis Software Corp., announced today the Spring 2008 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com systemThe new version offers more enhanced features, including expanded API, sub-domains, and coupon enhancements.
American Community Partners With Employees to Benefit Three CharitiesAmerican Community Mutual Insurance Company, a leading provider of Individual and Group health insurance, announced today that it has made a $15,000 donation that will benefit three charities.
Janet Weinstock Joins Benefit Concepts to Direct Sales in the Southeastern U.S.Benefit Concepts, Inc. announced today that Janet Weinstock has joined the company as Regional Sales Manager covering the Southeastern United States. In this new role Ms. Weinstock will be responsible for the distribution and management of the benefits administration outsourcing services offered by Benefit Concepts. Ms. Weinstock has established an office in Tampa, Florida to service clients located in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. In this capacity Janet will be working with both prospective end user clients and the broker/consultant community.
Document-Shredding.Org Offers New Advertising Solutions For Document Destruction Business OwnersA leading online resource of document destruction companies in the USA is now offering paid advertising packages.
Most U.S. Companies Risk Fiduciary Liability With Retirement PlansFiduciary Liability is an unnecessary risk that plagues Fortune 1000 businesses leaving employees short of retirement goals. Fiduciary Risk Management, LLC, explains.
ProView Global selects COBRApoint to power revolutionary COBRA serviceProView Global, an industry-leading off-shore employee benefits outsourcing provider in Manila, Philippines, has recently selected COCO Development’s integrated suite of solutions including the COBRApoint 2.0 SaaS platform, COCO Payment Services and COCO Mail Solutions to further increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of their full service COBRA compliance administration services.
Travis Software Corp., announced today the Summer 2007 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com system.The new version offers more enhanced features, including Report Subscriptions, ACH Processing, and a Payment Schedule of Qualified Beneficiary (QB) premiums for easy review of upcoming payment amounts.
Report Subscriptions, ACH Processing, and Payment Updates Mark Summer Upgrade of Travis SoftwareTravis Software Corp., a market leader of Advanced Employee Benefits Software Administration, announced today the Summer 2007 upgrade of its WebCOBRA.com system. The new version offers more enhanced features, including Report Subscriptions, ACH Processing, and a Payment Schedule of Qualified Beneficiary (QB) premiums for easy review of upcoming payment amounts.
Health eHeadlinesHealth eHeadlines distributes an electronic newsletter called Consumer News Service that provides companies with a simple way to distribute helpful health information to their employees.
Reforming Health Care in AmericaThere is a “Health Care Crisis” in America, says Michael Barton. What is the future of health care delivery in America and should Health Care be
“Nationalized”? Michael Barton answers these questions and more.
Use of Consumer-Driven Healthcare Plans is GrowingConsumer-driven healthcare is becoming more popular, but it's also raising concerns for some employees. Read more in this report by the Conference Board.
HR.com Interview with GE Money’s Eric Kirchner, National Sales Leader, Benefit Solutions by GE Currently, as National Sales Leader for Benefit Solutions by GE, Eric Kirchner manages a 10-person sales team focusing on development of broker/consultant relationships nationwide. His team promotes GE's line of Wellness, Identity Theft Protection and Legal products in the employee marketplace. An interview by Claude Balthazard, Ph.D., Director of Research, HR.com.
Healthcare Companies Stumble in Providing Strong LeadershipNew ISR employee opinion study shows U.S. healthcare companies stumble in providing strong leadership and employee supervision.
Results of Mercer’s Survey of Governmental Employers on GASB 45Public-sector employers may scale back retiree medical coverage as accounting changes force a review of benefit costs to taxpayers; from Mercer Health & Benefits.
The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security 2006Cited as Leaders in Wellness, Workplace Guidance, "Auto Pilot" Retirement Savings
Japan to Overhaul Premiums for Senior HealthcareThe Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) is planning a new, separate national health insurance system for the elderly; from PacificBridge.
Standards for Measuring Health and Productivity Management Program EfficiencyNow there is an accurate way for employers, insurers and consultants to evaluate the return on investment of health and productivity management (HPM) programs; from Mercer Health & Benefits. Â
CCH, GMS Offer Health Care Screening SolutionThe CCH Comprehensive Health Care Exclusion Check helps users avoid the monetary and civil litigation risks - associated with fines and penalties - of hiring or working with sanctioned and excluded individuals or organizations.
CCH Analysis: With House Passage It's Now Up to Senate to Move on Pension ReformEstate tax, minimum wage and tax break extensions all get nod from house, but Senate expected to resist, according to CCH.
NCOA Praises House Action on Older Americans Act and Its Emphasis on Benefits OutreachThe National Council on Aging (NCOA) commends the House of Representatives for passing the Senior Independence Act (H.R. 5293) without dissent.
Enterprise Risk Management Helps Avoid Non-Compliance FinesRegulations such as the USA PATRIOT Act are forcing both public and private enterprises to address all types of risk - not just financial. IT leaders must be prepared because executives will soon turn to them for technologies that support these frameworks; from InfoTech Research.
The Cure for Your Bottom Line: Improve the Bottom Line by Reducing Employee Benefits ExpenseHealthcare in the United States has reached crisis proportions; from HighRoads.
Fiduciary Responsibilities Under ERISAJeff Chad, HR.com´s Benefits analyst leads the following overview and simplified explanation of the laws and the regulations as it pertains to fiduciaries.
Whitepaper - The Changing Healthcare Landscape: Big Changes Brewing?While there seems little chance that a solution to America´s healthcare crisis will come out of the federal government anytime soon, the states have been responding. A whitepaper report from HRN Management Group.
Hewitt Hot Topics: Canada Federal Budget 2006The Federal Budget offers temporary funding relief to certain defined benefit plans in an attempt to balance plan sponsors' interests with the need to ensure the security of pension benefits.
HIPAA Compliance....It´s BACK!Just when you thought you had cleared all of the compliance hurdles related to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), another set of requirements comes along. Â This time, it´s your electronic data that needs to be secured; from Corporate Synergies.
"Enclarity" Introduces New Software to Prepare Healthcare Industry for NPIPayers have one year to be compliant with National Provider Identifier requirements.
Availability of WebCOBRA.com's April '06 ReleaseNew release for WebCOBRA.com.
Moving from Philosophy to Reality: A New Era in Health Care ConsumerismComplimentary executive briefings set to give business leaders, human resources professionals, and the media valuable insights into health care consumerism.
China: New Health Insurance Options Becoming Available to ExpatriatesHealth insurance targeted specifically at expatriates in China will be launched in mid-2006.
EAPs Can Help Employees Manage Changing Health Care BenefitsWhen debilitated by illness and stressed from losing days at work, the last thing employees need is to decipher the dozens of confusing bills and statements that are piling up at home. For many companies and their employees - that resource can and should be their Employee Assistance Program (EAP), writes Zachary Meyer.
Benefits GovernanceGovernance comprises processes and systems by which organizations of all sizes operate. From HR.com´s Jeff Chad.
Achieve Healthcare Technologies and Genesys Form Strategic Alliance to Deliver Superior Solutions for the Healthcare IndustryJoint Offering to Improve Efficiencies and Manage the Complexity of Business Processes for Long-Term Care Facilities
New Mercer Program Helps Employers Manage Frozen Pension PlansNew Mercer program helps employers manage frozen pension plans. Freezing the plan is just the first step in managing financial and fiduciary risk.
Pinstripe Establishes Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Process Outsourcing Practice to Help Healthcare Clients Resolve Staffing ChallengesHealthcare HR Veteran Jill Schwieters Joins Firm as Head of Healthcare Group
Changing The Employee Mindset From Entitlement to Engagement: It Can Be Done!New Guide Features Tips To Motivate Workers To Make Critical Benefits Decisions
Dear Mr. President: Five Steps Toward A Stronger WorkforceRay Roe, president of Adecco Group North America, has some suggestions for motivating and retaining the American workforce.
Let 'em Eat AspirinWith health care costs rising faster than nearly any other business expense line item - up 59 percent between 2000 and 2004 - many employers are wielding the ax to health benefits; from Mark I. Schickman and M. Lee Smith.
Military Leave Quiz: True Or FalseNew USERRA Regulations. What Do You Know About Military Leave? From HRN Management Group.
Eldorado Computing & Electronic KnowlEDGE Partner to Provide World-Class Business Intelligent Reporting Tools to Healthcare PayersEldorado Computing, Inc. (ECI) announced today a strategic partnership with Electronic KnowlEDGE Corp., to provide healthcare payers with affordable business intelligence solutions that are easy-to-use and maintain.
Year-End Benefit Plan AmendmentOver the past year or so, many new regulations, laws and rules have been passed which affect employee benefit plans. Â The following is a very brief overview of some items that should have been addressed prior to the end of the year from Hanft Law.
Trends in Employee Benefits: What's Hot, What's NotThe highest priority for employer provided benefits programs should be to protect the employee from significant financial hardship due to illness, disability, or death. A recent study listed the top five HR concerns of employers and employees.
Health Benefit Cost Slows for a Third Year, Rising just 6.1% in 2005When annual health benefit cost increases peaked three years ago at nearly 15%, employers responded with an unprecedented flurry of plan redesign.
Cardiac Arrest in the Workplace--- A Growing ConcernAs the workforce ages and hours spent at the workplace increase, the likelihood of employers experiencing this event also increases. With the release of these new guidelines employers have an opportunity to update their CPR programs and create a safer workplace for their employees.
Managing COBRAWhile most HR managers would agree that COBRA provides individuals and their families with much needed coverage when they may most need it, they would also acknowledge that managing the required paperwork and timing of announcements surrounding COBRA can be a nightmare, writes Art Brooks.