resources
June 3, 2019
Health Plan Costs and Premium Increases | 2018 UBA Health Plan Survey Trends
Average health plan costs continue to rise, with 2018 premium increases at the highest level in the last decade. The average initial or proposed rate increase reported for 2018 was 13.9%, with final rate increases averaging 9.8% after negotiation. Initial analysis indicates that employees bore ...
May 31, 2019
Update on Nondiscrimination Regulations for Health Care Providers
On May 24, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a proposed rule to revise its regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557. OCR also released a fact sheet and press release. The proposed rule would ...
May 31, 2019
Update on Nondiscrimination Regulations
On May 24, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a proposed rule to revise its regulations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557. OCR also released a fact sheet and press release. The proposed rule would ...
May 29, 2019
Health Savings Accounts: What You Need to Know
A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-exempt trust or custodial account set up with a qualified HSA trustee (such as a bank or insurance company) that is used to pay or reimburse certain medical expenses. HSAs were first available as of January 1, 2004, and have grown greatly in popularity. ...
May 28, 2019
Bringing Design Thinking to HR
Across industries, design thinking has continued its rise in popularity. At its core, design thinking is about centering people in the creation of products. Whatever you’re designing, whether a process or a tool, connecting your work to the people who will use it makes a better solution. As HR ...
May 22, 2019
FAQ about the PCORI Fee Due July 31
You have a PCORI filing and payment obligation if: You sponsor a major medical self-insured health plan You sponsor a fully-insured health plan and a self-funded health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) You sponsor a health plan that meets minimum essential coverage only (MEC) Employer-sponsored ...
May 21, 2019
Is it Time for Unlimited Time off?
While more and more perks — catered lunches, on-site gyms, immunizations programs — are about employee health, wellness, and happiness, they ultimately are also designed to keep workers at work. A recent article in Quartz at Work points out that more than anything, employees want more time off ...
May 15, 2019
Advocacy in Action | Large Hospital Bill Assistance
A member’s wife had incurred large hospital and treatment bills totaling over $75,000. The member wanted to make sure the claims had been processed and paid correctly by the carrier and the balance due amounts being billed by the service providers were valid and should be paid. The member knew ...
May 14, 2019
Employee Compensation | Money Talks
April 1 may be April Fool’s Day, but for many workers April 2 is no joke. For 2019, it represents National Equal Pay Day, or the day up to which women have to work to make what men made the previous year on average. For women of color, the day is even later in the...
May 13, 2019
Update on DOL’s Association Health Plans Final Rule
On April 26, 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an appeal in the court case that recently invalidated portions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s June 2018 association health plan (AHP) final rule. The DOL’s final rule broadened the definition of “employer” under the Employee Retirement ...
