Confused by Medicare? Learn How Our Approach Leaves You Feeling Confident About Your Choices!

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End of Summer Social Media Drive 2018

Please help us get the word out on social media in August & September You Could Win a $25-$100 Amazon Gift Card!!! While everyone is getting ready for the End of Season BBQs, gearing up for Back-to-School, and trying to fit in as much adventure as possible the next few weeks, we here at Total Benefit Solutions are getting ready for our busiest time of year: Open Enrollments! Your friends and family members may not be concerned with the open enrollment period.. YET, but it is quickly approaching and we’d like to help them! As always, We appreciate all the referrals and recommendations that we get online from everyone, but we… Read More

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Guidance Issued on QSEHRAs

  Under the Affordable Care Act, a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) must be integrated with a group health plan (as it could not meet the market reform provisions on its own) and was not able to reimburse employees for individual premiums. However, on December 13, 2016, President Obama signed into law the “21st Century Cures Act” which established QSEHRAs (a special standalone HRA). Click to Download Guidance Issued on QSEHRAs This guidance is big news for small groups who would prefer to provide a reimbursement as opposed to a group health plan. Please contact your Total Benefit Solutions account manager at (215)355-2121 if you have any questions or concerns.  

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Breaking News: CMS Announces Open Enrollment Dates and More

CMS issued final rule to increase choices and encourage stability in health insurance markets for 2018 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final Market Stabilization rule to help lower premiums and stabilize individual and small group markets, and to increase choices for Americans. Individuals obtaining coverage in the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act have faced double-digit premium increases, fewer plans to choose from, and a market that continues to be threatened by insurance issuer exits.*  The CMS rule is designed to provide some relief for patients and issuers now. “CMS is committed to ensuring access to high quality affordable healthcare for all Americans and… Read More

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ACA Individual 2017 Open Enrollment Important Update

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

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Total Benefits & Healthiest You

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.  

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Critically Important: Insurance for Serious Illness

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

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

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

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Notice of Subsidies in the Federal Marketplace

The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requires each Health Insurance Marketplace (“Marketplace”) to notify any employer whose employee was determined to be eligible for Advance Premium Tax Credits (“APTC”) and Cost Sharing Reductions (“CSR”) because the employee attested that he or she was not: • enrolled in employer sponsored coverage, or • eligible for employer coverage that is affordable and meets minimum value requirements. In 2016, the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (“FFM”) will begin issuing these notices to employers. State-based Marketplaces began this notification process in 2015. Click the link to download the complete bulletin. Download Notice of Subsidies in the Federal Marketplace

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2017 Inflation Adjusted Amounts for HSAs

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

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

  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

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Now Available: Empower Me Benefits Private Exchange

Total Benefit Solutions has partnered with Empower Me Benefits to provide our clients with best in industry benefits technology that‘s customizable for even the smallest employer. The EmpowerMe Benefits Exchange allows you to remain complaint with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), easily manage benefits, and control health care costs with a single solution. The EmpowerMeBenefits Exchange is an online benefit marketplace and benefits administration platform designed specifically to meet the needs of small and mid-sized companies. The Exchange provides employers with an enrollment and administration platform that aids employers in ACA compliance. This web-based solution allows you to offer any medical coverage next to pre-selected ancillary, voluntary, and TPA products.… Read More

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Medicare Exclusions-Who Pays First?

Medicare primary payer rules are complicated. Especially when it comes to different employer sizes and special circumstances like End Stage Renal Disease and disabilities.  Coverage issues can be significantly complex when mixing Medicare and employer coverage, or individual coverage for those who are early Medicare enrollees. Chances are, if you are already enrolled on Medicare, AND you are getting bills from providers, you are already experiencing these problems, or you are encountering a coordination of benefits issue. It’s always best to speak to a professional when encountering these problems, most especially a health insurance professional. If at all possible, before getting enrolled on Medicare. The documents below may help provide… Read More

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2015 Compliance Compilation

The attached resource file is a compilation of all of our compliance bulletins for 2015 provided by our business partners at Emerson Reid and your benefits support team. Click the link below to download the entire 2015 compilation: 2015 Compliance Compilation    

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IRS Extends Employers’ and Insurers’ Reporting Deadlines Under the ACA

IRS Extends Employers’ and Insurers’ Reporting Deadlines Under the ACA   On December 28, the U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service announced a limited extension of the early 2016 due dates for the 2015 information reporting requirements for employers and insurers under the ACA. This is the first year that employers and insurers are required to report certain information about health coverage to employees, other individuals to the IRS. Specifically, employers will have two additional months beyond the February 1 due date to provide individuals forms for reporting on offers of health coverage and the coverage provided. The deadlines to report this information to the IRS are extended by three… Read More

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Health Reform: PACE Act halts small group expansion

In what only be called good news for employers with 50-99 employees, On October 7, 2015, the President signed into law bipartisan legislation, the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (“PACE”) Act, which maintains the “50 or fewer” definition of a small employer. The PACE Act contains language that permits a state to use the expanded small group definition (employers with 100 or fewer employees). At this point, it is unclear whether states will retain the “50 or fewer” definition or opt to expand the small group market. Click here to view The PACE Act Halts Small Group Expansion Bulletin As always please contact your Total Benefit Solutions account manager at (215)355-2121… Read More

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Health Reform: ACA Compliance Partnership

Total Benefit Solutions has partnered with industry leaders such as PrimePay to provide ACA Compliance tools to our valued clients. To learn more about this new ACA Compliance tool, please download the bulletin below and contact your Total Benefit Solutions dedicated account manager  at (215)355-2121 today! Click to Download

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Key Facts You Need to Know About: Cost-Sharing Reductions

A recent analysis shows that more than 2 million marketplace enrollees who are eligible for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) are foregoing this extra level of financial assistance by enrolling in plans that do not qualify. Consumers can receive CSRs only if they enroll in a silver level plan through their marketplace. Many of those who chose not to receive CSRs are likely enrolling in bronze plans with lower premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs. It’s important to communicate the benefits and trade-offs of receiving CSRs to the consumers you are assisting, especially those with significant health care needs. To learn more about cost-sharing reductions, check out this helpful resource from the Center on Budget… Read More

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IRS Webinar Series Offered on ACA Provisions

  The IRS is hosting a series of educational webinars to help you understand the Affordable Care Act’s employer provisions and related requirements. The IRS designed these webinars for business owners, tax managers, employee benefits managers, and health coverage providers.   Employer Shared Responsibility and Information Reporting Learn about the ACA’s employer shared responsibility provisions and information reporting requirements for employers and providers of minimum essential coverage. August 20, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. September 16, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage Information Reporting Requirements for Applicable Large Employers Learn about employer-sponsored health coverage information reporting requirements for applicable large employers, including who is required to report, what information the… Read More

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Health Care Reform: Taxes and Fees-PCORI Fee, Transitional Reinsurance Fee, Insurer Fee and Excise Tax

Health Care Reform: Taxes and Fees-PCORI Fee, Transitional Reinsurance Fee, Insurer Fee and Excise Tax   From United Healthcare: Taxes and fees under the health reform law impact both fully insured and self-funded plans. But, they impact funding types differently. Employers with self-funded health plans submit applicable health reform fees directly to the government, and those with fully insured health plans will see fees prorated into their premiums. The fees are prorated over 12 months. Here is what you need to know about these fees and how they will impact your business. Please note that this document, provided by United Healthcare, has carrier specific language, however please contact your Total Benefit… Read More

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Download our Mid-Year Compliance Bulletin Compilation

Our Mid-year Compliance Bulletin Compilation is now available, featuring all of our released compliance bulletins for January through June. This document acts a resource for you to have all of the latest health reform information and updates in one place. You can click on a bulletin title in the table of contents and it will bring directly to the corresponding page. Click the link below to download the document.   2015_Compliance_Compilation_mid_year

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CMS has approved applications from DE and PA to create state-based Health Insurance Marketplaces.

HR News Alert from HR360.com Brought to you by Total Benefit Solutions Inc June 17, 2015 Approval Dependent on Certain ConditionsThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has conditionally approved applications from Delaware and Pennsylvania to create state-based Health Insurance Marketplaces.Background Exchanges (also known as Health Insurance Marketplaces) provide an option for individuals to buy private health insurance. The Exchanges also operate the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) as an option for qualified small employers to purchase employee health coverage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued final rules relating to Exchanges which include standards for their establishment and operation (among other things). The… Read More

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Protections for LGBT Workers

    The EEOC has explained on its website that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (“LGBT”) individuals may bring valid sex discrimination claims against employers. A memorandum lists insurance issues involving benefits for same-sex couples as an issue of particular interest to the EEOC. Click Here to Download Protections for LGBT Workers – 060815R

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Health Advocate: Medical Health Advisor

Total Benefit Solutions, Inc now offers the Medical Health Advisor benefit! Watch this short video and ask us how your organization can benefit from offering this personal health advocate service to your employees!  

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Relief for Small Employers Reimbursing Individual Policies

An employer cannot offer employees cash to reimburse the purchase of an individual policy, whether or not the employer treats the money as pre-tax or post-tax to the employee. Such arrangements (called “employer payment plans”) are subject to the market reform provisions of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), including prohibition on annual limits and the requirement to provide certain preventive services without cost sharing with which it cannot comply. These arrangements may be subject to a $100/day excise tax per applicable employee (which is $36,500 per year, per employee). Click the link below to read the bulletin: Relief for Small Employers Reimbursing Individual Policies – 031915R  

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