The Obama administration announced recently that the Play or Pay mandate will be delayed until 2016 for employers with 50-100 employees.  Employers with 100 or more employees will still be subject to the mandate for calendar year 2015.   The administration laid out a three-tier approach:  For larger employers with 100 or more employees, 70% of employees must be offered coverage in 2015, … [Read more...]

The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that it will NOT levy penalties on employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act who fail to notify their employees of Exchanges by the PPACA's October 1, 2013 deadline. Click here to visit the DOL's Frequently Asked Questions page featuring this topic. The page also contains model notices that employers can use as a guide should they decide to … [Read more...]

Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued Technical Release No. 2013-02. This release contains temporary guidance and model notice language to assist employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with their notification requirement under new FLSA Section 18B (as added by Section 1512 of the Affordable Care Act). Such employers must notify employees of health coverage options … [Read more...]

The government will require most Americans to have health insurance by 2014. The government has enacted this provision as a way to get healthy people who don't feel the need to pay for coverage to buy insurance. That way, the healthy people can help fund the cost of people who require more medical care. Several states filed, and lost, a suit against the federal government saying that it is … [Read more...]

The 2014 health care reform provisions are coming fast and we want to share with you additional guidance about California Assembly Bill AB1083. Under AB 1083, large and small fully-insured group health plans may not include a waiting period of greater than 60 days before an individual becomes eligible for coverage. This is not a change to California state law, but we bring this to your … [Read more...]

The Exchange's Small-Group Market Will Offer Better Choice, Online Tools, Convenient Shopping and Billing, and Competitive Rates SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Covered California™, the state's new health benefit exchange, announced the insurance carriers and rates for its small-group market, the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP). While rates vary by region, Covered California SHOP premiums … [Read more...]

A key component of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is the creation of new Health Insurance Marketplaces,* which are meant to expand access of affordable coverage to individuals starting next year. Although that timeframe may seem far off to some, in the meantime employers must notify their employees of the various options available through these online portals in a mere … [Read more...]

Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued  Technical Release No. 2013-02 . This release contains temporary guidance and model notice language to assist employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with their notification requirement under new FLSA Section 18B (as added by Section 1512 of the Affordable Care Act). Such employers must notify employees of health coverage options … [Read more...]

The Covered California Benefit Exchange hosted a press conference May23rd, during which it announced the selected participants for the new Covered California individual health insurance marketplace. Thirteen plans will be made available in 19 rating regions statewide - to the 5.3 million Californians who can purchase insurance through Covered California. Many may qualify for federal subsidies … [Read more...]

Final regulations on wellness programs and rewards for group health plans were issued on May 29, 2013 by the Departments of Treasury, Labor and Health and Human Services. These regulations apply to insured and self-insured group plans, both grandfathered and non-grandfathered, for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. The final regulations confirmed the maximum wellness reward … [Read more...]