Keeping You Current
November 2015 Monthly Newsletter
Please enjoy this November edition of Keeping You Current.          
  1. 2015 Data from the UBA Health Plan Survey Are In!
  2. ACA's Auto-Enrollment Requirement Repealed
  3. 2016 IRS Benefit Plan Limits Now Available
  4. Reporting Plan Documents under ERISA and Cafeteria Plan Rules
  5. Individual Mandate Penalty "Sharply Increases" In 2016
  6. SEAC December Workshop
2015 Data from the UBA Health Plan Survey Are In!  

More than 18,000 health plans sponsored by nearly 11,000 employers have been analyzed for the nation's largest health plan cost report.
  • Rates are up modestly, but increases are on the horizon. Find out what factors are driving rates up-and keeping them in check.
  • Overall costs vary significantly by industry and geography. Benchmark costs in your area.
  • The upcoming Cadillac tax isn't restricted to "rich" plans alone. Could you be at risk for this tax?
  • Employees are feeling the squeeze financially, but they now have more shopping options. How do your plans compare?
  • Wellness program adoption is up, but plan design is changing.
  • And much, much more!

 

Download a complimentary copy of the UBA Health Plan Survey Executive Summary. Contact us to benchmark your plan against others in your region, industry or size bracket. 

ACA's Auto-Enrollment Requirement Repealed 

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) initially required employers with more than 200 full-time employees and that offer employees one or more health benefit plans to automatically enroll (and re-enroll existing) full-time employees into one of the health plans (subject to any waiting period authorized by law), in accordance with DOL regulations.
 
Following delays in the DOL regulation, the "Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015" which was signed by President Obama on November 2, 2015, repealed the auto-enrollment requirement. Employers are still free to use default or negative elections for employee enrollment.
     
2016 IRS Benefit Plan Limits Now Available 

The IRS recently released the 2016 benefit plan amounts including 401(k), Social Security and Health Plan limits. To help you keep track of it all, we have a simple but  comprehensive document on our website that includes both 2015 and 2016 limits. You can find it under Employer Resources on our Health Care Reform
Reporting and Plan Documents under ERISA and Cafeteria Plan Rules   

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was signed in 1974. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is the agency responsible for administering and enforcing this law. For many years, most of ERISA's requirements applied to pension plans. However, in recent years that has changed, and group plans (called "welfare benefit plans" by ERISA and the DOL) now must meet a number of requirements.

Cafeteria plans, or plans governed by IRS Code Section 125, allow employers to help employees pay for expenses such as health insurance with pre-tax dollars. Cafeteria plans are not ERISA plans, but many of the components benefit plans offered through a cafeteria plan are subject to ERISA. This is because a cafeteria plan serves as a vehicle for employees to elect benefits and pay for them. This can create confusion for plan sponsors when they determine what ERISA obligations they have in relation to their cafeteria plan, as well as to their individual offerings.

Use this new guide to help you understand the interplay between ERISA and cafeteria plans and reporting and plan document requirements under both. 

ACA's Individual Mandate Penalty Increases in 2016  

The ACA's penalty for individuals going without health coverage increases significantly in 2016 to $695 per adult and $347.50 per child, or 2.5 percent of the household's income - whichever is higher. If you have employees that are not covered by a spouse's or your company's plan, BDR can help them get the coverage they need. There are options for every budget. Contact the licensed agents at BDR to get started today. 

Get Ready for 2016 with SEAC     
       
The Sacramento Employer Advisory Council will hold another expert-packed workshop at the Alumni Center on the campus of Sacramento State University on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 entitled Cleaning House: Getting Policies and Practices Ready for 2016. This workshop will get you organized and ready for all 2016 will bring. Click here to register for the event, contact [email protected] for more information and visit the SEAC website for more information.
 
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Benefits Done Right will be closed
Thursday, November 26, 2015 and
Friday, November 27, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!



Benefits Done Right Insurance Agency, Inc.
601 University Avenue, Suite 250 / Sacramento, CA  95825
800-482-1817 / Fax: 916-564-9228

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