Blog

Oct
16
2021

New Issues for 2022 Group Plan Open Enrollment

by CoreMark | posted in Uncategorized

Employers are entering the second year of open enrollment taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still having an outsized impact on the process and which has changed the face of health insurance. There are a number of issues that will have an effect on health plans, including regulations and laws affecting coverage that were born out of the pandemic. Mercer LLC recently published a list of compliance-related priorities that health plan administrators and sponsors have to consider, including: Legal and regulatory changes Health plan transparency in coverage rules takes effect on Jan. 1, 2022. Newly introduced regulations require…
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Oct
16
2021

Don’t Forget a Cell Phone Policy for Driving Staff

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

The amount of deadly and injury accidents attributed to distracted driving continues to increase despite laws in virtually every state banning people from texting and engaging on their smartphones while driving, as well as from talking without a hands-free device or system. Don’t forget that occupational health and safety laws also apply when employees are driving as part of their job, and as a result, the risks should be effectively managed and addressed in your Injury and Illness Prevention Plan. But one area that you may have overlooked is the use of mobile phones while driving. A substantial body of…
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Oct
15
2021

Group Plan Affordability Level Set for 2022

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

The IRS has announced the new affordability requirement test percentage that group health plans must comply with to conform to the Affordable Care Act. Starting in 2022, the cost of self-only group plans offered to workers by employers that are required to comply with the ACA, must not exceed 9.61% of each employee’s household income. Under the ACA, “applicable large employers (ALEs)” — that is, those with 50 or more full-time employees (FTEs) — are required to provide health insurance that covers 10 essential benefits and that must be considered “affordable,” meaning that the employee’s share of premiums may not…
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Oct
15
2021

Prepare Your Business for Delays in Postal Service

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

You may not think of postal delays as a cost of doing business or a risk to your operations, but slower mail can pose a number of issues for timely correspondence and package deliveries. The U.S. is facing the specter of longer delivery times for first class mail, and the longer the mail has to travel the longer it will take to get there. That’s thanks to changes that were implemented by the United States Postal Service starting Oct. 1. You should prepare for these changes and expect delays in mail and parcel delivery, as well as in sending your…
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Sep
14
2021

COVID-19 Drives Surge in Employment Practices Claims

by CoreMark | posted in Uncategorized

Employers are being hit with a wave of COVID-19-related employment lawsuits, which is starting to have an effect on employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) rates and coverages. A tally by the law firm of Fisher Phillips found that as of August 2021 there had been 2,950 COVID-19-related employment lawsuits filed in the U.S. Most of the complaints concern remote work arrangements, workplace safety and discrimination. Lawyers predict a new wave building as employers get pushback from some employees about their vaccine policies and continuing safety measures. The most common COVID-19-related complaints are: Remote work and leave issues (28% of total)…
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Sep
14
2021

Accident Insurance Can Save Your Workers from Ruin

by CoreMark | posted in Uncategorized

Even if you are providing your staff with health benefits, they could be left under great financial pressure if one of them has a major accident off the job that leaves them debilitated and unable to work. Millions of working Americans struggle with managing out-of-pocket costs for non-medical and medical expenses after suffering an unexpected event such as an accident. If you are already offering your employees health insurance coverage, you can help fill the gap by also offering voluntary accident insurance, which can pay for: Lost wages, Deductibles and other expenses not covered by insurance, Transportation to and from…
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Sep
14
2021

Play It Safe with a Vehicle Fleet Safety Program

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

A work-related vehicle accident will cost an employer an average of at least $16,500, according to OSHA. If injuries are involved, that figure can quadruple. If there’s a fatality, you could be looking at costs exceeding half a million dollars. Not to mention the suffering and broken lives that kind of event leaves in its wake. To ensure your employees are safe at all times, and are also protecting the public, you need to have in place: A proper maintenance program for company vehicles, and A safe driving program. Your employees play a key role in the success of both programs….
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Sep
14
2021

COBRA Subsidies Ending; Employers Must Send Out Notices

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

The 100% COBRA health insurance subsidies for workers who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic are about to expire on Sept. 30, and that means employers who have former staff receiving those subsidies must notify them of their expiration. If you have former employees who are still on COBRA benefits and receiving the subsidy that was required by the American Rescue Plan Act, you will need to send them a timely notice that the 100% subsidy will end at the end of September and that they will have to start paying premiums if they wish to continue coverage after…
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Aug
12
2021

What You Need to Know About New Health Plan Transparency Rules

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

Regulations are slated to take effect over the next few years that will greatly increase the transparency requirements for group health plans. The regulations issued under the Trump administration will require health insurers in the individual and group health markets to disclose cost-sharing information upon request, make cost-sharing information available on their websites and disclose negotiated rates with in-network providers. The rules are designed to help health plan enrollees choose the plan that is best for them and their family, as well as to give them a full picture of what they can expect to pay for services as part…
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Aug
12
2021

Rules Allowing Mid-Year Health Plan, FSA Changes Will Sunset

by CoreMark | posted in Newsletter

A temporary rule that allowed covered employees to make mid-year election changes to their health plans and revisit how much they set aside into their flexible spending accounts (FSAs) will sunset at the end of the year. The rules gave employers the option to allow their employees to make changes to their health plans, including choosing a new offering, but it did not require that they allow them to make these changes. The more relaxed rules were the result of provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which was signed into law in December 2020 by President Trump, and subsequent…
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