Total Benefit Solutions – Page 28 – Total Benefit Solutions Inc

ACA Individual 2017 Open Enrollment Important Update

October 8, 2016October 27, 2016Ed MacConnell

2017 ACA ” Obamacare” plans open enrollment important update. The annual open enrollment period opens on November 1st 2016 and ends January 31st 2017. Independence Blue Cross will be the only insurer available in 2017 in the Philadelphia 5 County Area. With the passing of the Affordable Care Act changes come annually or even more often. Unfortunately not all of those changes are benefiting the consumer. This year here are some major changes that our clients on Individual Non Medicare plans need to be aware of… If you are a enrolled on an ACA compliant plan with Aetna or United Healthcare your plan is going away. Neither Aetna or United… Read More

HHS Penalties Increase

September 26, 2016Ed MacConnell

On September 6, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued an interim final regulation that adjusts civil penalties for inflation. The interim final regulation does not follow the usual procedures that offer a notice and comment period. As such, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has not been issued and a comment period is not provided due to potential delay in the applicability of the regulation. Click to download this bulletin For more information please contact your Total Benefit Solutions account manager at (215)355-2121

IBC: How to pay your health insurance bill

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016Ed MacConnell

Click to watch this quick video on payment options for Independence Blue Cross individual health insurance plans. As always if you have any questions please contact your dedicated Total Benefit Solutions individual account manager at (215)355-2121.

HR 360:Most Common Summary Plan Description (SPD) Mistakes

July 20, 2016Ed MacConnell

One of the most important documents participants must receive automatically when becoming covered under a health benefit plan that is subject to ERISA (the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act) is a summary of the plan, called the Summary Plan Description or SPD. The fact is, many employers are confused about this very important ERISA-required disclosure, which can put them at risk. Click this link to download the publication

ACA: Important Implementations & Delays in 2016

July 15, 2016July 17, 2016Ed MacConnell

As our third year of the ACA Open Enrollment Period arrived, it’s time to examine some of the new implementations in 2016. Some of the major components, especially those affecting businesses were delayed or deferred since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. This year is considered to be a big year due to the “full implementation” of the employer mandate as well as a number of changes, repeals, and moratoriums on other sections of ACA. Some of the key changes are listed below: CHANGES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS Full implementation of the Employer Mandate Currently it is not mandated that employers provide health care to their employees. Moving forward, however, if… Read More

FAQ Suggests Employers Include Marketplace Options with COBRA Notices

July 15, 2016Ed MacConnell

On June 21, 2016, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury (collectively, the “Departments”) issued the 32nd Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) FAQ describing information that may be appropriate to include with COBRA notices. Many wondered if it were appropriate to provide information and if so, what kind of information could be provided about the Health Insurance Marketplaces/Exchanges (“Marketplaces”) so that COBRA-eligible individuals could consider health coverage alternatives available through the Marketplaces and possibly investigate whether they may be eligible for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. Click the link to download the entire bulletin

Total Benefits & Healthiest You

July 13, 2016July 8, 2016Ed MacConnell

Healthiest You is more than a typical Teledoc benefit. Whenever members have questions or they are simply not feeling well, they can effortlessly connect to a 24×7 telehealth hotline for the diagnosis and treatment of illness, second opinions and consultations. They have board-certified, licensed physicians in every state waiting to provide exceptional care. They can even prescribe medication and save a trip to the doctor’s office, whether members are at home or on the road. Want more information? Click here to see the site.

Think HR Comply: Small Business Support from Total Benefit Solutions

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016Ed MacConnell

We are pleased to introduce to you a our sponsored client service—ThinkHR. If you are involved with employee issues, this will be a value-added benefit that will save you time and money. ThinkHR offers ThinkHR Live, a team of HR experts standing by to answer your questions or provide advice. This phone-based support service is available from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central each business day. You also have access to ThinkHR Comply, an award-winning online resource center for all of your workforce issues. Download this brochure, it describes the scope of HR topics that are handled by the ThinkHR Live team. The service is provided to all Total Benefit… Read More

Critically Important: Insurance for Serious Illness

July 11, 2016July 8, 2016Ed MacConnell

Good news: You’ve got health insurance (at least, all Americans are required to or pay a penalty). Bad news: It doesn’t cover everything. Especially if something really bad happens, like a heart attack or stroke. Yes, a decent major medical plan will cover many of the health-related expenses related to a serious illness. But you’d likely still be left with significant out-of-pocket costs for deductibles and copayments. Medical insurance also doesn’t usually cover other related costs, such as travel to treatment centers, child care during absences or recovery, home modifications or rehabilitation charges. And if you lose income while you’re unable to work, you could have a tough time paying… Read More

Amerihealth NJ: No Longer Providing COBRA Administration

July 10, 2016July 7, 2016Ed MacConnell

AmeriHealth New Jersey has announced that they will no longer provide administrative services for the continuation of coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and Retiree Billing services. AmeriHealth NJ will discontinue COBRA administration and Retiree Billing services in 2016 for customers on the following schedule: For customers renewing January 1 through July 31, COBRA administration services will end on December 31, 2016. For customers renewing August 1 through December 31, services will end on their 2016 renewal date. Approximately 30 days before COBRA administration services end, COBRA members will be notified that their COBRA plan is being transferred to another service provider, and their COBRA eligibility will continue uninterrupted. … Read More

Limited Benefit Medical Plans

July 10, 2016July 8, 2016Ed MacConnell

Why Consider a Limited Benefit Medical Plan? When it comes to medical benefits, employers used to face two choices — comprehensive employer-paid medical plans or no insurance at all. However, with the inception of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the option not to offer medical insurance no longer exists for some employers. Limited benefit medical plans can be powerful tools for recruiting and retaining employees in situations where traditional medical benefits are not offered or affordable. These plans can also be useful in increasing productivity through reduced absenteeism due to illness, improving employee morale and as a means to provide the level of coverage required by law.… Read More

Reminder: PCORI Fees Due August 1

July 9, 2016July 8, 2016Ed MacConnell

The annual Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCORI) fee is due to the IRS August 1, 2016. The fee, charged to certain health insurance policies, is used to support the activities of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization (NGO) established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Fully- and self-insured group health plans ( Including HRA’s) are subject to PCORI fees. A health insurer will pay the fee on behalf of the employer if the plan is fully insured. Click here to read the bulletin from Primepay As always please contact your Total Benefit Solutions dedicated account manager at (215)355-2121 if you have any further questions or concerns.

Now Available from Total Benefit Solutions: Low Cost ERISA Wrap SPD Documents

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016Ed MacConnell

Wrap Summary Plan Description (SPD) If you offer group health insurance you’re now required by ERISA law, enforced by the Department of Labor and now the Affordable Care Act, to distribute a Wrap SPD within 120 days of the Plan’s effective date. The ERISA and ACA required Group Health Insurance Wrap SPD document is now available for a $99 one-time fee. You only update your Wrap SPD document as your benefit options change. The low cost Wrap SPD document is limited to fully insured group health insurance plans only. Here are the Wrap SPD document requirements by ERISA and the Affordable Care Act as succinctly as possible: If… Read More

Total Benefit Solutions: New Starmark Self Insured Plans for Small Groups

July 5, 2016Ed MacConnell

Total Benefit Solutions is proud to announce that we are now appointed with Starmark to provide affordable and predictable self insured medical plans to small businesses. Starmark® administers self-funded health benefit plans exclusively for smaller businesses nationwide. Employers choose from extensive plan design choices to create a self-funded health plan to meet their unique needs and budget, while stop-loss insurance from Trustmark Life Insurance Company provides protection against large covered claims. Click Here To View A Client Testimonial Click here for more information and to watch a short video about these products and how your organization might benefit from a self insured plan.

Mental Health Parity Triggers

June 29, 2016June 21, 2016Ed MacConnell

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (“MHPAEA”) requires a group health plan that offers mental health and substance use disorder benefits to be at parity with medical and surgical benefits. As such, financial requirements and treatment limitations for mental health and/or substance use disorder benefits cannot be more restrictive than the medical and/or surgical benefits offered. Click the link below to read the entire bulletin. Click to read Mental Health Parity Non-Compliance Triggers

IBC: Launch of identity theft protection services for group customers and their members

June 22, 2016June 20, 2016Ed MacConnell

Starting in June 2016, Independence Blue Cross is pleased to offer identity theft protection services to our commercial group customers for their employees with Independence coverage. Identity theft protection options Identity theft protection services will be provided by Experian® and include two options: ProtectMyIDTM is for adults. Eligible subscribers and their adult dependents can enroll individually. FamilySecureSM is for children under the age of 18. A parent or legal guardian can activate membership and enroll all children. Employers who choose to offer these new services to their employees simply opt in using the IBXpress employer website. If they choose not to offer these services, they do not need to take… Read More

Final Regulations Shed Light on Wellness Programs

June 22, 2016June 16, 2016Ed MacConnell

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Title II prohibits all employers with at least 15 employees from using genetic information (which includes the current and past health status of a spouse and children) in making decisions about employment. On May 17, 2016, the EEOC announced final regulations under the ADA and GINA Title II regarding wellness programs. These regulations are similar to the proposed rules issued last year and more restrictive than the existing HIPAA rules. All three rules need to be carefully looked at when implementing incentive-based programs. Click the link below for the full bulletin. Download Final Regulations Shed Light on Wellness Programs –

Now Available: Health Advocate Member Advocacy

June 21, 2016June 21, 2016Ed MacConnell

Total Benefit Solutions clients can now take advantage of enrolling on Health Advocate as a group or as an individual/ family! It’s part of our Benefit Aid packages and it’s so easy you can enroll today by clicking here or ask your Total Benefit Solutions account manager at (215)355-2121 for more information. This video will tell you all about the benefits of Health Advocate!

IBC Breaking News: Changes to SEP On-Exchange Verification Process

June 20, 2016Ed MacConnell

Changes to SEP On-Exchange Verification Process Starting June 17th, 2016 individuals enrolling in coverage through a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) on the Marketplace will need to provide specific documents to verify eligibility for certain SEPs, including: Loss of minimum essential coverage Change in primary place of living Birth Marriage Adoption, placement for adoption, placement for foster care, or child support or other court order Individuals who apply for these SEPs will be sent an Eligibility Notice for 2016 Coverage by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. To confirm eligibility and avoid a disruption of coverage, individuals must provide the required documents for each SEP by the deadline indicated within… Read More

For calendar year plans, the 2015 plan year Form 5500 is due to be filed electronically no later than August 1, 2016.

June 16, 2016Ed MacConnell

For calendar year plans, the 2015 plan year Form 5500 is due to be filed electronically no later than August 1, 2016. Please click the link below to download the complete bulletin. Download Form 5500 Filing Reminder –

Checking Your Employee Handbook for Benefit Provisions

June 6, 2016Ed MacConnell

Handbooks are important for many reasons such as informing employees of their rights and duties, communicating available resources, and outlining paid time off policies. With respect to health and welfare benefits, here are a few things to consider: Download Checking Your Employee Handbook for Benefit Provisions

Nondiscrimination regs cover TPAs, dental and more

May 13, 2016May 13, 2016Ed MacConnell

Nondiscrimination regs cover TPAs, dental and more The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has completed nondiscrimination regulations that might have a major effect on insurers that sell public exchange plans but might not have much of an effect on others. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the HHS Office of the Secretary posted a 362-page preview version of the final regulations today. The official version of the final rule, which is based on a draft released in September, is set to appear Wednesday in the Federal Register. Read the story at Life & Health Pro

2017 Inflation Adjusted Amounts for HSAs

May 6, 2016May 5, 2016Ed MacConnell

The IRS released the inflation adjustments for health savings accounts (HSAs) and their accompanying high deductible health plans (HDHPs) effective for calendar year 2017. Most limits remained the same as 2016 amounts. Click the link below to download the bulletin. 2017 Inflation Adjusted Amounts for HSAs

Health Care Reform: 8 things the IRS wants small employers to know about the health care tax credit

May 5, 2016May 5, 2016Ed MacConnell

The Affordable Care Act’s small business health care tax credit is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Click the link below to download the whitepaper 8 things the IRS wants small employers to know about this credit: 8 Things to Know About the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit For more information about the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit contact your Total Benefit Solutions, Inc account manager at (215)355-2121 or visit your ThinkHR library at www.thinkhr.com and log in. Watch a video below about the Small Business Healthcare Tax Credit

Form 1095-C Notification Reminder and Frequently Asked Questions

March 19, 2016March 20, 2016Ed MacConnell

Form 1095-C Notification Reminder and Frequently Asked Questions 2015 Forms 1095-C must be furnished to individuals by March 31, 2016. Generally, if Forms 1094-C and/or 1095-C are incorrect and incomplete, a penalty may apply if not corrected by the due date and the employer cannot show reasonable cause. Briefly, the amount of penalties can range from $50/form with a $500,000 maximum penalty/year to $250/form with a maximum penalty of $3M/year. Click here to download Form 1095-C Notification Reminder and Frequently Asked Questions – 031516R As always please contact your Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. account manager at (215)355-2121 if you have any questions or concerns about this bulletin, or any other… Read More

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