Benefits Buzz
Offer an Affordable Group Medical Products to an Untapped Market
Everyone wants health insurance, but not everyone can afford it or they might not have access to quality coverage. Some employers struggle with the offer requirements related to the Employer Mandate, or they have employees--such as part-time or 1099 workers--who are not eligible for traditional benefits.
New Jersey has become the first state to require certain employers to offer qualified transportation benefits (i.e. Commuter Plans) to employees. Some metropolitan areas including New York City, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. have passed similar laws that require certain employers to make Commuter Plans available to their employees, but no state has mandated this benefit until now.
Last December, a federal judge in Texas District Court ruled that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was unconstitutional. The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by 20 Republican state attorneys general. These attorneys general argued that the ACA was unconstitutional because there is no longer a penalty associated with the Individual Mandate, and the judge agreed.
Last year, the Trump administration issued new regulations relating to Association Health Plans (AHPs). The primary intent of the regulations was to allow small employers to more easily band together to purchase health insurance coverage. The regulations not only allowed for AHPs to be established by employers in the same industry, but the regulations also allowed AHPs to be established by employers in a similar geographic location (e.g. city, state, metropolitan area).
Each year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) adjusts the cost sharing limits for the standard Medicare Part D plan. Earlier this month, CMS announced the adjustments for 2020. Below is a summary of the adjustments for next year:
Happy employees are better employees. They're more engaged in their work, more loyal to their employers, and make more meaningful contributions toward company goals. That's not surprising.
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