Insurance

Employers forecast health benefit costs to rise slightly in 2014

10/16/2013

U.S. employers expect health benefit cost per employee will rise by 4.8% on average in 2014, according to early responses from an annual survey by consulting firm Mercer. Cost growth slowed to 4.1% in 2012, a 15-year low. The projected increase for 2014, while still relatively low, represents a slight uptick in the rate of growth.

4-point checklist clarifies open enrollment

10/10/2013

With key pieces of health care reform going into effect, employers that offer health benefits have even more to consider when implementing this year’s open enrollment. Make the most of your annual benefits sign-up by following this checklist.

Fired for death threats? No unemployment for you!

10/08/2013

A Commonwealth Court has ruled that a Ridgway man who was fired for threatening his bosses can’t collect unemployment benefits.

No penalty for not providing ACA notice? Maybe, maybe not

10/07/2013

The Affordable Care Act required you to provide employees with notices regarding the health insurance exchanges by Oct. 1. The DOL first posted an FAQ absolving employers that didn’t provide these notices from penalties. However, later clarifications by the DOL imply that this isn’t a consequence-free zone …

Delay for buying small business health coverage

10/02/2013

Small businesses owners seeking to go online to buy health insurance for employees through the government’s Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP) will have to wait until November, the Obama administration has announced.

Review whether partially disabled employees can be removed from workers’ comp

10/01/2013

Do you have former employees collecting both workers’ compensation and partial disability benefits for an on-the-job injury? Thanks to a recent Court of Appeals of North Carolina decision, now is a good time to see if they may no longer be eligible for those workers’ comp benefits.

Penn State to require worker weigh-ins, med screenings

09/30/2013

In an effort to control health care costs, Pennsylvania State University is requiring covered employees and their spouses or partners to provide specific health information and submit to a battery of blood tests. Otherwise, they’ll pay a $100 surcharge on top of their health premiums.

No penalty for failing to deliver insurance-option letter by Oct. 1

09/25/2013

Initially, there was talk that employers would be hit with $100-per-day fines for failing to notify employees of their health coverage options by Oct. 1. But the U.S. Small Business Administration announced last month that “there is no fine or penalty under the law for failing to provide the notice.”

Study: ACA won’t spike individual health premiums

09/24/2013

Individuals shopping for health insurance in state-based exchanges beginning Oct. 1 are unlikely to encounter skyrocketing premiums, according to a new study by the RAND Corp. However, researchers caution that the cost of policies in the individual market will vary between states.

SBA: No penalties for dropping ACA employee-notification ball

09/23/2013

The Small Business Administration has issued a coy blog post observing that the ACA doesn’t penalize employers that don’t comply with a key employee-notice requirement.