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Insurance

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.

Affordable Care Act: Dept. of Unintended Consequences

09/23/2013
On Oct. 1, the government of an Indiana county will fire more than 30 employees over age 65. Officials say they have no choice, blaming a provision of the Affordable Care Act

Family health premiums up just 4% this year

09/17/2013
Annual premiums for employer-provided family health coverage rose a relatively modest 4% this year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Family premiums averaged $16,351, with employees paying $4,565 toward the cost of their coverage.

Unemployment: Failing to report income is fraud

09/16/2013
Former employees who collect unemployment benefits while working part-time jobs must report that income.

Employers Face Oct. 1 Deadline to Explain Health Insurance Options (7 Tips to Spread the Word)

09/13/2013

This year, the traditional open enrollment season for health benefits coincides with the rollout of massive changes driven by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law requires employers to inform employees about their coverage options by Oct. 1. Here are seven tips on how to improve your benefits communication during this open enrollment season …

Wellness incentives: Offer some carrots with those sticks

09/13/2013
More than three-fourths of large employers are moving to penalties and/or rewards to help improve employee health, says a recent Midwest Business Group on Health survey. Some companies will offer penalties but no incentives. That could be a mistake. Experts say that incentives alone or combined with penalties work best.