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Friday, April 27, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that the 2018 annual contribution limit to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for persons with family coverage under a qualifying High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is restored to $6,900. The single-coverage limit of $3,450 is not affected. This is the final word on what has been an […]
Archive for the ‘Health care cost’ Category
IRS Changes Course (Again) and Restores 2018 HSA Family Limit to $6,900 | California Benefit Brokers
Benefits Easy: Intro to Self-Funding | California Employee Benefit Advisors
As we head into the second month of 2018, companies have already begun the arduous task of submitting budgets and finding ways to cut costs for the new year. One of the most effective ways to combat increasing health care costs for companies is to move to a Self-Funded insurance plan. By paying for claims out-of-pocket instead of paying […]
What You Need to Know about Health Flexible Spending Accounts | California Benefit Advisors
A health flexible spending account (FSA) is a pre-tax account used to pay for out-of-pocket health care costs for a participant as well as a participant’s spouse and eligible dependents. Health FSAs are employer-established benefit plans and may be offered with other employer-provided benefits as part of a cafeteria plan. Self-employed individuals are not eligible […]
Self-Funding Dental: Leave No Stone Unturned | California Benefit Advisors
With all of the focus that is put into managing and controlling health care costs today, it amazes me how many organizations still look past one of the most effective and least disruptive cost-saving strategies available to employers with 150 or more covered employees – self-funding your dental plan. There is a reason why dental […]
The Best Ways to Minimize Your Risk When Selecting a Stop Loss Carrier – Part 2 | California Benefit Advisors
In the first part of this two-part blog, I recommended a number of important items to keep in mind as you select a stop loss carrier. Additionally, here are a few other things you will want to look for, or ask about, when selecting a stop loss carrier. While this is not an exhaustive list, […]
Tax Treatment of Fixed Indemnity Health Plans | California Benefit Advisors
A fixed indemnity health plan pays a specific amount of cash for certain health-related events (for example, $40 per office visit or $100 per hospital day). The amount paid is neither related to the medical expense incurred, nor coordinated with other health coverage. Further, a fixed indemnity health plan is considered an “excepted benefit.” Under […]
Medicare Part D: Creditable Coverage Disclosures | California Benefit Advisors
Entities such as employers with group health plans that provide prescription drug coverage to individuals that are eligible for Medicare Part D have two major disclosure requirements that they must meet at least annually: Provide annual written notice to all Medicare eligible individuals (employees, spouses, dependents, retirees, COBRA participants, etc.) who are covered under the […]
Top Five Compliance Assessment Surprises | California Benefit Advisors
Our Firm is making a big push to provide compliance assessments for our clients and using them as a marketing tool with prospects. Since the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) began its Health Benefits Security Project in October 2012, there has been increased scrutiny. While none of our clients have been audited yet, we expect […]
Keeping Pace with the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act | California Benefit Advisors
Last fall, President Barack Obama signed the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act (PACE), which preserved the historical definition of small employer to mean an employer that employs 1 to 50 employees. Prior to this newly signed legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was set to expand the definition of a small employer to include […]
Best and Worst States for Group Health Care Costs | California Benefit Advisors
Employer-sponsored health insurance is greatly affected by geographic region, industry, and employer size. While some cost trends have been fairly consistent since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was put in place, UBA finds several surprises in its latest Health Plan Survey. Based on responses from more than 11,000 employers, UBA recently announced […]
