At Sagewell Partners, we feel strongly about making sure our clients are working with the best and latest information. Mostly we like to communicate in person, but frequently we’ll send valuable, timely updates on a variety of issues that directly affect our clients’ operations. Knowledge is power, and we want you to benefit from it.
Benefits Briefs
As a valued client of Sagewell Partners, our goal is to keep you informed about important issues and legislation that may affect your benefits decisions and approach. These Benefits Briefs are designed to highlight key compliance-related and/or actionable benefits topics – keeping you up-to-date in a time-effective manner.
- August 12, 2016: HRAs, Taxpayer ID Solicitation And Updated 1094/1095 Instructions
- August 10, 2016: 2016 1094/1095 Draft Forms Released; ACA Reporting; DOL Increases Penalties
- July 14, 2016: Proposed Regulations Address Cash-in-lieu Arrangements
- July 12, 2016: New OT Rules; ERISA Compliance; ACA Calculating Hours Of Service
- July 5, 2016: ACA Reporting Deadline for Electronic Filers was June 30, 2016
- June 28, 2016: Rethinking Flex Credit And Cash In Lieu Designs; COBRA Election Notice
- June 20, 2016: EEOC Sample ADA Wellness Program Notice; Webinar Registration
- June 10, 2016: Increased Audit Activity Webinar; PCORI Fee; Safe Harbor Percentages; Appeal For PTC
- June 7, 2016: EEOC Issues Resource Document On Leave As A Reasonable Accommodation
- June 1, 2016: Compliance Webinar – How To Prepare For Increased Audit Activity: ACA, HIPAA, And DOL View Report Campaign Preview HTML Source Plain-Text Email Details
- May 24, 2016: EEOC Issues Final Regulations On Wellness Programs And The ADA And Under GINA
- May 18, 2016: ACA Reporting To The IRS; HSA/HDHP Limits For 2017; PCORI Fees; New SBC
- April 28, 2016: DOL Issues Guide To Help Employers Administer FMLA
- March 15, 2016: HHS Issues Final Benefit Payment and Parameters for 2017
- March 7, 2016: Compliance Webinar, Compliance Seminar and New SBC
- January 13, 2016: IRS Provides Guidance on Retroactive Application of 2015 Transit Limit; Employee Benefit Compliance Chart
- January 4, 2016: Pittsburgh Sick Days Ordinance Ruled “Invalid And Unenforceable”
- December 29, 2015: IRS Extends Information Reporting Deadlines; W-2 Reporting Guidance
- December 23, 2015: The Impact Of Retroactive Parity Between Mass Transit And Parking Tax Exclusions
- December 21, 2015: Cadillac Tax Delayed; Requesting An Extension On ACA; Cafeteria Plan Amendments
- November 24, 2015: Compliance Alert – Final Rules Issued
- November 20, 2015: Pittsburgh “Paid Sick Days” Ordinance Effective Date Pushed Back 60 days
- November 6, 2015: National Compliance Webinar
- November 5, 2015: Fourth Quarter Rush
- October 30, 2015: EEOC Issues Draft Regulations On GINA And Wellness
- October 28, 2015: Electronic Filing Of Forms 1094 And 1095
- October 20, 2015: Pittsburgh “Paid Sick Days” Ordinance Effective January 11, 2016
- October 14, 2015: Third Quarter Round Up
- September 28, 2015: New IRS Resources For ACA Compliance; AlliantCHOICE Webinar
- September 18, 2015: Compliance Webinar On Wellness; Reinsurance Fee Reminder
- September 8, 2015: Creditable Coverage; Reinsurance Fee; 5 Misconceptions ACA; Open Enrollment Notice
- August 10, 2015: Pittsburgh City Council Approves ” Paid Sick Days Act” Bill
- August 4, 2015: Another Notice and Request for Comments on the Cadillac Tax
- July 15, 2015: Final Regulations on Preventive Care Address Contraceptive Coverage and Confirm Prior Subregulatory Rules
- Jul 14, 2015: Increased Employer Reporting Penalties and New IRS System for Electronic Filing of ACA Returns
- July 6, 2015: Same-Sex Ruling’s Impact On FMLA
- July 1, 2015: United States Supreme Court Same-Sex Marriage
- June 24, 2015: Clarification on ACA Reporting, Cash in-lieu, King v. Burwell, Dependents Age 26
- June 25, 2015: King v. Burwell Decision
- June 18, 2015: Agencies Issue Final SBC Regulations Effective Fall 2015, ERISA Form 5500
- June 15, 2015: Mid-year ACA Compliance Checkup, PCORI Fee Reminder
- June 3, 2015: Out-of-Pocket Limits under the ACA, Employer Reporting, Private Marketplace Solution, Cadillac Tax
- May 27, 2015: DOL Releases Revised FMLA Forms
- May 22, 2015: Upcoming Webinars: Cadillac Tax 5-26, Private Exchange Solution 6-11
- May 20, 2015: “How Recent Court Decisions Impact Your FMLA Program” Webinar
- May 18, 2015: Cadillac Tax Webinar, DOL FAQ On Preventive Services, Embedded Deductible For 2016
- May 12, 2015: Cadillac Tax Webinar, 2016 Limits for HSAs, Voluntary Benefits and ERISA
- April 21, 2015: EEOC Issues Draft Regulations On Wellness Programs And The ADA
- Mar 27, 2015: Philadelphia Enacts Paid Sick Leave
- Mar 20, 2015: Regulatory Roundup: Flex Credit and More
- Mar 4, 2015: ACA – IRS Reporting Resources, the Cadillac Tax
- Feb 26th 2015: DOL Expands FMLA Protections for Same-Sex Spouses
- Feb 9th, 2015: Benefits Brief: Anthem Security Breach
- Feb 4th, 2015: Benefits Briefs: ACA Taxes, Temps, Assistance and More
- January 19th, 2015: Upcoming Webinar – Filling in the Blanks: What you need to know about Employer Reporting
- January 7th, 2015: Benefits Brief: Agencies Release Proposed Regulations Modifying SBC Provisions
- Dec 30, 2014: Year End Reminders for 2015 Pay or Play Implementation
- Dec 16, 2014: ACA Impact on Benefit Plan Administration
- Nov 10, 2014: Employers Cannot Reimburse or Incentivize Employees to Enroll in Exchange
- Nov 5, 2014: Ebola and ADA Compliance Awareness
- Nov 3, 2014: HPID Delay, EEOC Suit Alleges Commonplace Wellness Program Violates ADA and GINA; FSA Update; and Reinsurance Fee Reminder
- Oct 20, 2014: Latest Affordable Care Act FAQ Guidance and ACA 2015 Action Items
- Oct 17, 2014: Supreme Court Rejects Appeals in Same-Sex Marriage Cases
- Oct 13, 2014: ACA Action Items: HPID and Transitional Reinsurance Fee
- Sept 5, 2014: ACA Employer Reporting Instructions and Reinsurance Fee Submission
- August 15, 2014: Upcoming ACA Assistance – Save the Dates – and other ACA Updates
- July 23, 2014: Conflicting Decisions on Subsidies in Federally Facilitated Exchanges
- July 16, 2014: EEOC Issues Updated Enforcement Guidelines on Pregnancy Discrimination Act
- July 2, 2014: Supreme Court Ruling on ACA Contraceptive Coverage Mandate
- June 26, 2014: ACA PCORI and Reinsurance Fees
- June 6, 2014: Same-Sex Marriage Developments and Employee Benefit Plan Implications
- May 30, 2014: PCORI Fees Due and COBRA Special Enrollment Period
- April 24, 2014: Inflexible Leave Policies and the ADAAA
- Feb 24, 2014: Final Regulations Released on the 90-day Waiting Period Limit
- Feb 12, 2014: Final Pay or Play Regulations Summary
To view our full archive of Benefits Briefs, click here.
White Papers
Health Care Reform Survival Guide for Employers – Health Care Reform means a lot of changes for your plan design, plan administration, eligibility rules, plan finances, and employee communications. This guide will help you survive and manage through these changes. DOWNLOAD PDF
Health Care Reform: What You Need to Know – This employee communication piece on Health Care Reform provides an easy to follow Q&A format to help simplify and clarify key issues. DOWNLOAD PDF
Health Care Reform Timeline – This legislative brief provides a timeline of the implementation of key Affordable Care Act (ACA) reforms that affect employers and individuals. DOWNLOAD PDF
Benefits in Detail: Is PTO the way to go? – Unlike traditional employer-controlled time off packages, PTO plans are in the hands of the employee, which can present several challenges. DOWNLOAD PDF
Surveys
2015 SHRM Benefits Survey – This annual survey provides comprehensive information about the types of benefits U.S. employers offer to their employees. DOWNLOAD PDF
2015 Kaiser Employer Health Benefit Survey – This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, and other relevant information. DOWNLOAD PDF
2015 Health Plan Design Benchmark Summary – This report provides benchmarking information on six key plan design measures: individual out-of-pocket maximum; individual deductible; emergency room copay; coinsurance; office visit copay; prescription drug deductible.
DOWNLOAD PDF
2014 Wellness Benefits Survey – This survey was intended to uncover the trends in current wellness programs, along with gauging future employer needs, as more companies utilize this strategy as a portion of the overall health plan. DOWNLOAD PDF
2014 Survey Results: Affordable Care Act – These are the results of the 2014 Affordable Care Act Survey. Conducted in early 2014, the survey gauged how employers around the country are reacting to ACA reforms and regulations. DOWNLOAD PDF
Helpful Links
Health Benefits Laws Compliance Assistance: The Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and More
Access to the websites below is being provided as a convenience by Sagewell Partners and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any products and services provided by any vendor. Once you click on a link, a new window will appear for you to navigate the vendor’s website. Sagewell Partners is not responsible for the content of any external, third-party website and the links provided below are not an exhaustive list of available resources.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Related Guidance
- Statute
- HealthCare.gov
- Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
- EBSA’s Affordable Care Act Main Page
- Updated COBRA Model General Notice (Document Download)
- Updated COBRA Model Election Notice (Document Download)
- HHS Bulletin Allowing COBRA Qualified Beneficiaries to Enroll in Health Insurance Marketplace
- HHS Fact Sheet
ACA Insurance Carrier Resources
- Aetna Health Reform Connection
- CIGNA Informed on Reform
- Highmark on Health Care Reform
- Kaiser Family Foundation
- United Healthcare | United for Reform Resource Center
- UPMC on Health Care Reform
Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act
Additional Resources