Federal health care policy and the risks in relying on Congressional Budget Office estimates
As we move closer to the next election year, Congress is considering several bills that would affect employee benefits plans. It will be interesting to see how many candidates tout the CBO’s rosy cost and coverage projections for healthcare policy aspects of their platforms.
California requires employers to give notice of certain FSA withdrawal deadlines
A new California law will require employers to notify their FSA enrollees – via two different modes of communication – about any deadline to withdraw funds from the FSA where that deadline is prior to the end of the plan year.
Extra Payroll Deduction for 2015
Raise of hands: Who knew that 2015 has a possible 53 payroll deductions (if an employer pays weekly)? Since January 1, 2016 falls on a Friday, the pay cycle is pushed back to December 31, 2015, resulting in the possibility of 53 weekly deductions. This rare event...
OSHA Implementing New Rules for Reporting Workplace Death
I am a part of a group within Lockton that is currently studying for the SPHR/PHR certifications. Last week in our study session, we talked about OSHA, and as luck would have it, I also came across the following update to some of their workplace rules. First of all,...
5 Take Aways From This Year’s OE
5 things to take away from this year’s Open Enrollment Open Enrollment for most employers has wrapped up, or is close to being over for the year. We compiled a list of a few things that we came across and hope you can remember to make next year’s OE even smoother than...
Looking Forward: Health Reform in 2015 – a Webcast
Mark your calendar: the Lockton Benefit Group Compliance Services Practice is hosting a complimentary webcast at 2 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 22, 2015. Employers hoping to stay abreast of the latest health reform developments (and take a look at what lies ahead)...
HR Technology Success Secret: Good Testing
HR Technology Success Secret: Good Testing. Here’s three keys: Pat, one of our project managers, recently sent in this “War Room” photo to our team to celebrate the crucial state of parallel testing. This is a stage where the implementation has been theoretically...
Obesity Costs the World $2 Trillion
Obesity continues to garner significant attention, both in the medical community and in the media. That’s no surprise because the problem isn’t going away, and in fact continues to worsen. It’s estimated that half of the world population will be obese by 2030 if the...
Tech Effects on Healthcare (Part 2)
The Future of Interconnected Healthcare in the U.S. Will be Enabled and Constrained by Technology When I posted the first part of this discussion earlier this week, we chatted about how advances in technology were arriving at an opportune time to dramatically impact...
Tech Effects on Healthcare (Part 1)
The Future of Interconnected Healthcare in the US will be Enabled and Constrained by Technology If you know anything about my aversion to winter, it will probably not surprise you that I found myself out in Los Angeles recently for a conference. But what made this...
EEOC Criticized by Senate Committee for Wellness Litigation
Some of you have expressed dismay at recent EEOC litigation challenging routine (and ACA/HIPAA-compliant) wellness programs for alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Turns out Congress is a bit dismayed too. At a hearing yesterday of the...
Virus on the Rise
Computer CryptoWall Virus on the Rise When you hear someone talking about a virus on the rise, you probably instantly assume they are talking about the Ebola virus that has caused an outbreak in West Africa. But there is another virus on the rise that you should be...
ICYMI: Aetna acquired bswift for $400M
Breaking HR Technology News In case you haven't heard yet, yesterday, insurance provider Aetna announced its acquisition of benefits administration and private health insurance exchange technology provider bswift. You can read our initial release for more information....
Aetna Acquires bswift
Benefits Administration Technology Firm Acquired by Insurance Provider as Private Exchange Technology Musical Chairs Game Continues Greetings from Los Angeles! While I’ll be sharing some blog posts over the next weeks about why I’m out on the west coast and about the...