AAG Donates Back To School Supplies to Local Charity

August 07 - Posted at 2:01 PM Tagged: , , , , ,

AAG has recently donated 30 backpacks, full of school supplies, to Community for Partnership for Children to help ensure local foster children are ready for back to school season. AAG fulfilled the holiday wishes of over 30 children this past season through the assistance of generous community donations.

 

Community Partnership for Children is a 501 © (3) not-for-profit agency who serves children and their families in the  Volusia, Flagler, and Putnam areas.

 

For more information on how you can help, visit www.communitypartnershipforchildren.org

Healthcare Reform Recap: What Was and Was Not Delayed?

August 02 - Posted at 2:01 PM Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

On July 2, 2013, the U.S. Treasury Department delayed enforcement of the employer “play or pay” mandate penalties and reporting requirements by one year to 2015. Removing the penalties for noncompliance and the requirement to report compliance or noncompliance essentially allows large employers one more year to prepare for implementation of the play or pay provisions.

 

There has been some confusion, however, on the healthcare reform changes taking effect in 2014 regarding what was and was not postponed. Still taking effect in 2014 are the State Exchanges (and the October 1, 2013 employer’s notice of Exchange requirement), the individual mandate to obtain minimum essential coverage, federal premium assistance, the 90-day limit on waiting periods, the termination of all pre-existing condition limitations for all participants, the removal of annual limits on essential health benefits and the optional increase in wellness program incentives from 20% to 30% (50% if tobacco related).

 

Please contact our office for more information on Health Care Reform and how it will impact your business.

Reminder: PCORI fee due by July 31, 2013

July 29 - Posted at 9:40 PM Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

If your company offered either a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) as part of your employee benefits package in 2012, you must report and pay the PCORI fee for your 2012 plan year no later than July 31, 2013. Please note that the penalty for not filing can be as high as $10,000 per month.

 

You must use the IRS Form 720 to report and pay the PCORI fee.

 

If you used a third party administrator to handle the administration of your HRA or MERP plan, they should have provided you with the necessary information to complete Form 720 as they are not permitted to file this with the IRS on your behalf.

 

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Summer Wellness Tips- Staying Cool When Exercising in the Summer

July 23 - Posted at 2:02 PM Tagged: , , , , , , ,

It is time to take your winter treadmill routine outdoors to the parks. Summer is here and you are prepared to sweat! But before you lace up your running shoes, read these eight tips to help you keep cool during the summer months.

 

Safety tips

Heat-related illness is serious, but that does not mean you are doomed to spending summer indoors in the air-conditioned gym. Review these safety tips before you step out into the sun:

 

  1. Exercise in the early morning or late evening hours. The temperature is the coolest at this time. Avoid exercising midday because it is the hottest part of the day.

     

  2. Drink up! Do not wait until you are thirsty to start hydrating. Make sure to drink adequate amounts of fluids. If you are exercising for an extended period of time, you may need to replace the salt and minerals lost through sweat. If you are on diuretics (water pills) or a low-salt or fluid restricted diet, talk to your doctor first about your specific fluid needs.

     

  3. Wear lightweight, loose fitting clothing. Consider dressing in clothes made with moisture wicking fabric.

     

  4. Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. try to exercise in the shade if possible. Play tennis on a court shaded by the trees or take a walk in a wooded park.

     

  5. Rest early and often. Take breaks in shady areas.

     

  6. Gradually get used to the heat. It takes 7-10 days for your body to adapt to the change in temperature. Start by exercising for a short time, at a low intensity. Save long, hard workouts until after you are acclimates to the summer air.

     

  7. Mind the weather. Do not exercise on the hottest days. Keep an eye on the heat index. The heat index is a calculation of the temperature and humidity. It measures “how hot it really feels” outside. Be cautious when the heat index gets above 80 degrees. Consider working out indoors. Walk around a shopping mall or do a workout DVD in your air-conditioned home.

     

  8. Stop if you don’t feel well. If you have any of the warning signs of heat-related illness, stop your workout right away.

     

Recognize Warning Signs of Heat Illness

The heat can take its toll on your body and make you sick. Heat-related illness can even be life threatening. Learn how to spot signals of heat-related illness. They range from cramps to muscle spasms to more serious signs like dizziness or fainting. If possible, move to a cool place to help cool the body down and drink fluids .

 

Heat exhaustion is a warning sign that your body cannot keep itself cool. Stop exercising right away. Heat exhaustion is dangerous and may lead to heat stroke. Symptoms include:

 

  • excessive thirst
  • heavy sweating
  • weakness
  • dizziness
  • headaches
  • cramps
  • nausea or vomiting
  • dehydration

     

Heat stroke is life-threatening. Stop exercising right away and call 911 for any of the following symptoms:

  • unusual behavior, hallucinations or confusion
  • fainting
  • seizures
  • fever of 104 degrees F or greater

     

Heat illness is more likely to occur in people who:

  • are 65 or older
  • infants and children up to age four
  • have chronic illnesses
  • are obese

UnitedHealthcare PBM Change effective 9/1/13

July 18 - Posted at 2:33 PM Tagged: , , , , , ,
Effective September 1, 2013, the PBM (prescription benefit manager) for UnitedHealthcare will be changing from Medco/ExpressScripts to OptumRx. UHC has decided to make this change as part of their transition to consolidating prescription benefits management for their members. By bringing all pharmacy benefit services in-house, this will allow UHC to help members better manage their health care.

 

 

How Will This Change Effect Me?

 

There will be NO CHANGE to a member’s current prescription benefit coverage as a result of the move to OptumRx.

 

Members will receive a new UHC ID card in the mail with the new OptumRx information on it. The new card will not be effective until September 1st. Members will also receive communication direct from UHC to help inform them about this change also.

 

Members will still have access to over 64,000 network retail pharmacies, including all large national chains, and many local community pharmacies.

 

Most current mail service prescriptions that have remaining refills will automatically transfer over to OptumRx. Prescriptions for certain medications, like painkillers, will not transfer. In this instance, members will receive a letter from UHC letting them know their current prescription will not transfer over to OptumRx and they will need to obtain a new mail order prescription from their doctor.

 

Please contact our office for more information on this transition.

July 2013 Monthly Topic- Summer HR Tune Up

July 12 - Posted at 2:02 PM Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Our topic for this month focuses on performing an HR Tune Up of current policies and procedures to ensure you are up-to-date and compliant.

 

 Areas covered include:

 

  • Conducting a Discipline & Discharge training for your management team
  • 7 Factors for “Just Cause”
  • Arbitration Agreements
  • Verifying Time Records
  • Comp Time
  • Changing Definition of Supervisors
  • NRLB Posting
  • ADAAA
  • FMLA

 

Contact us today for more information on this topic.

HHS Launches Health Insurance Marketplace Educational Tools

July 08 - Posted at 2:01 PM Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The Obama administration recently kicked off the Health Insurance Marketplace education effort with a new, consumer focused HealthCare.gov website paired with a 24-hours a day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and sign up for private health insurance. The new tools will help Americans understand their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment for the Exchange begins October 1, with coverage beginning January 1, 2014.

 

The website will continue to add functionality over the summer months so that, by October, consumers will be able to create accounts, complete an online application, and shop for qualified health plans. For Spanish speaking consumers, CuidadoDeSalud.gov, will also be updated to match HealthCare.gov’s new consumer focus.

 

Key features of the website include integration of social media, sharable content, and engagement destinations for consumers to get more information. The site will also launch with web chat functionality to support additional consumer inquiries.

 

Between now and the start of open enrollment, the Marketplace call center will provide educational information and, beginning October 1, 2013, will assist consumers will application completion and plan selection. In addition to English and Spanish, the call center provides assistance in more than 150 languages through an interpretation and translation service. Customer service representatives are available for assistance via a toll-free number at 1-800-318-2596 and hearing impaired callers using TTY/TDD technology can dial 1-855-889-4325 for assistance.

Health Care Reform Employer Mandate Delayed Until 2015

July 03 - Posted at 2:30 PM Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The U.S. Administration announced on July 2, 2013,  that it will not require employers  to provide health insurance for full time workers under the Health Care Reform Employer Mandate (also known as Pay or Play) until 2015. This move will cause a delay in a key provision of Health Care Reform that was scheduled to go into effect in 2014.  The delay represents the administration’s response to widespread complaints about the reporting requirements for employers who are subject to the mandate.

 

The Affordable Care Act requires all employers with more than 50 full time workers to provide affordable health insurance or face a fine as much as $3000 per employee. The policy has raised concerns that companies would downsize their workforce or cut workers’ hours in order to dodge the new mandate.

 

The Obama Administration has announced that this provision was delayed so officials could simplify reporting requirements and give employers ample time to adjust their health care coverage.

 

The postponement does not affect other central provisions of the law, including the individual mandate or the establishment of the health insurance marketplaces, known as Exchanges, which are both still set to go into effect in January 2014.

 

Formal guidance is expected to be released this week. The Obama Administration has said that once the formal guidance is release they will work with employers to encourage them to voluntarily implement this information in 2014 to allow for a smoother transition into 2015.

How to Avoid the Health Care Reform Penalty for Groups With Over 50 Employees

July 02 - Posted at 2:02 PM Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Beginning in 2014, large employers (those with 50 or more employees) that do not provide “qualifying” coverage and who have employees who receive a subsidy for Exchange coverage may be subject to certain tax penalties, as high a $3000 per year per employee, under Health Care Reform.  We can show you a lower-cost alternative to traditional major medical that will help you avoid these penalties. The cost ranges from $105-$125 per month for employee only coverage and the premium is tax deductible to the employer.

 

For employers who choose to not offer an ACA compliant plan in 2014, the penalty is an excise tax, therefore not deductible. 

 

This could be the perfect solution for large employers who are looking for an alternative to the high cost of traditional major medical coverage while avoiding the potential penalties of ACA. 

 

Please contact our office if you would like more information about this program and your options as an employer in 2014 with Health Care Reform.

SHOP Model Notices Now Available in Spanish

July 01 - Posted at 2:01 PM Tagged: , , , , , ,

The DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has made available Spanish language versions of model notices to employees of health coverage options. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires employers to provide employees with a notice of their health insurance coverage options available through the future health insurance exchanges no later than October 1, 2013. The English version of these model notices were released in May 2013.

 

Please contact our office for copies of the model notice(s) in English and/or Spanish.

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