December 2016
Stay Current Newsletter
A1Frequently Asked Employee Questions Answered 

We interviewed our account management team in order to share some of the most common questions we receive from group administrators and your employees following open enrollment. 

Q: "Why haven't I received my new ID cards yet?" 

A: "Once the enrollment has been processed by the insurance carriers it can take an additional 10 - 15 business days to receive new ID cards. If you are switching plans within the same carrier , your medical ID number remains the same and you can still use your existing ID card.  If you are enrolled with Kaiser , they do not issue new cards to existing members unless you make a special request with member services. If you are changing carriers , please disregard ID cards from your previous carrier; these are automatically mailed out. You can expect new ID cards from the new insurance carrier in 10 - 15 business days. If you need to see a doctor prior to receive receiving your card , give the provider your member ID number and explain to the provider your enrollment is being processed." 

Q: "I'm still showing under my old plan, what should I do?"

A: "Notify us (team BDR) to make sure that your plan change was processed accordingly."

Q: "I'm not showing in the system, but I am being payroll deducted for my benefits?"

A: "All enrollments will be retroactive to your plan effective date regardless of the day it was processed. Also please hold on to any bills incurred during the time that you are showing inactive with the carrier - we will help facilitate any reprocessing of claims during this time."

Q: "I received my bill and the renewal changes are not showing and/or employees are showing in the wrong plan." 

A: "Carriers are still processing open enrollment changes and changes should reflect within one to two months. If they do not, then notify your account manager."

Q: "We cancelled our medical/dental/vision or life insurance contract last month. Why am I still getting billed?"

A: "Please do not pay the bill. Notify your account manager."

Still have questions? Contact us today. 
If you would like us to address additional questions in our next newsletter email your suggestions to info@benefitsdoneright.com  
Employment Eligibility Form I-9 Has Been Updated  A2

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (UCIS) released the revised version of Form I-9, the Employment Eligibility Form. Employers may begin using the new I-9 form immediately, but must discontinue the use of the old form, dated March 8, 2013, no later than January 22, 2017.

Read the blog to learn about the key updates to the form. 

Click here to learn about the key changes of the ruling. 
Ease Central Employer Webinar  A3

Ease Central provides weekly webinars for group administrators. The following is covered:
  • Demo of the employee experience
  • Demo of the company administrator experience
  • Walk-through of setup, management and reports
Sign up for a webinar today! 

In addition, look for a special communication next month highlighting the various Ease Central enhancements that have been released over the last several months.
A5 IRS Delay in 6055/6056 Reporting for 2017

The IRS has announced a limited extension for the 1095-C forms for the 2016 reporting year. This extension applies only to the 1095-C forms furnished to employees. There is no extension of the deadline for filing 1094-C and 1095-C forms to the IRS.

Click here to read about the delay in 6055 and 6056 reporting for 2017.
A4Question of the Month 

Q: What Is the Form 1094/1095 Filing Obligation of Affiliated Employers in an
Aggregated ALE Group?

A: If you are part of a group of employers with more than 50 full-time employees (or full-time equivalents), you are obligated to file Forms 1095-C for your full-time employees even though you employ fewer than 50 full-time employees. You will use Form 1094-C to transmit those forms to the IRS. As explained below, there is no such concept as consolidated reporting by the parent company for purposes of this filing.

The reporting obligation is tied to the definition of "applicable large employer" (ALE) for purposes of employer shared responsibility under Code § 4980H. Code § 4980H applies the Code's controlled group rules when determining whether an employer is an ALE. If the employers in the controlled group employed at least 50 full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees on a combined basis during the preceding calendar year, then each employer is treated as an ALE member within an aggregated ALE group for the current calendar year.

Although the number of employees is combined to determine whether there is an aggregated ALE group, once that determination is made, each separate legal entity (i.e., each ALE member) has an independent reporting obligation. This obligation extends to each employer within the aggregated ALE group, including those with fewer than 50 full-time (and full-time equivalent) employees. Thus, each ALE member within the aggregated ALE group (including both the parent corporation and the subsidiary corporation in your case) is generally required to file Form 1095-C for each of its employees who was a full-time employee for at least one month during the calendar year. Each ALE member also is generally required to transmit Forms 1095-C for its full-time employees by filing an authoritative transmittal with the IRS on Form 1094-C, using its own employer identification number (EIN). (Part II, line 21 on the authoritative transmittal is used to indicate that the ALE member is part of an aggregated ALE group.) Note that the 2016 instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C (see our Checkpoint article) contain an expanded discussion (including more examples) for filings made by ALE members that are part of an aggregated ALE group.

There is no provision under health care reform for aggregated or consolidated reporting on Forms 1094 and 1095 for employers within an aggregated ALE group. Your parent corporation may agree to prepare the necessary forms for you to file, but the forms must reflect your company's information, and your company will not be relieved of liability for any errors in the forms prepared by your parent corporation. For more information, see EBIA's Form 1094/1095 Workbook at Sections VII.C ("Completing Form 1094-C") and VIII ("Form 1095-C Report/Employee Statement: Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage"). See also EBIA's Health Care Reform manual at Sections XXVIII.B ("Large Employers Are Potentially Subject to an Assessable Payment (Penalty Tax)") and XXXVI.D ("Information Reporting of Employer-Sponsored Coverage (Applicable Large Employers)").
A6Harassment Prevention Training in 2017

Some California employers are required to complete mandatory training under California AB1825. This training is facilitated by a qualified trainer, and meets AB1825 compliance requirements. Employers not subject to AB1825 may also want to attend as the material is relevant to those who are responsible for supervising others. 

Training Program Details
Thursday January 26, 2017
9:00AM Registration
9:30 - 11:30AM Training 

You will receive more details and registration information Wednesday December 21, 2016. Make plans now to attend.  
A6Office Closure: Christmas Holiday 

Benefits Done Right will be closed Friday, December 23, 2016 and Monday, December 26, 2016 for Christmas.

We will process and respond to all email, faxes and voicemails promptly when normal business hours resume at 7:30 AM on Tuesday, December 27, 2016. 
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