UBA News Archives - Page 6 of 9 - Fairmount Benefits

Regulations Regarding Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance, Excepted Benefits, and Lifetime/Annual Limits | PA Benefit Advisors

January 3, 2017

Recently, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (collectively the Departments) issued final regulations regarding the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance, standards for travel insurance and supplemental health insurance coverage to be considered excepted benefits, and an amendment relating to the prohibition on lifetime … Continued

Employer Exchange Subsidy Notices: Should You Appeal? | PA Benefit Advisors

December 16, 2016

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), all public Exchanges are required to notify employers when an employee is receiving a subsidy (tax credits and cost-sharing reductions) for individual health insurance purchased through an Exchange. According to the final rules published in August 2013, employers have the right, but are not required, to … Continued

VOI vs. ROI: A Business Case for Wellness | PA Benefit Advisors

December 7, 2016

VolkBell began the exploration into health and wellness about eight years ago. It was something our partners would say, “Just made sense.” At the time, health care costs were skyrocketing across the nation, particularly in our home state of Colorado, and the nation’s obesity rates were at an all-time high. In our research, we observed … Continued

Long-Term Care Insurance: Employee Education Makes the Difference | PA Benefit Advisors

December 5, 2016

Most Partners of United Benefit Advisors (UBA) and their clients have benefits enrollment down pat. They know what to communicate to employees, and when. Employees, too, are usually familiar with the process. For example, they know what to expect when they start comparing their medical plan options to their 401(k) contributions. But not all benefits … Continued

The Shift Away from Health Risk Assessments | PA Benefit Advisors

November 30, 2016

Historically, employers have utilized health risk assessments (HRAs) as one measurement tool in wellness program design. The main goals of an HRA are to assess individual health status and risk and provide feedback to participants on how to manage risk. Employers have traditionally relied on this type of assessment to evaluate the overall health risk … Continued

UBA Special Report: 2016 Trends in Employer Wellness Programs | PA Benefit Advisors

November 22, 2016

The latest round of regulations in the area of wellness (what employers can and can’t do) is proving to be a hotly contested topic. Employers are eager to offer incentives as a way to both encourage wellness and also lower health care costs. However, employee privacy is on the line, and some argue, at risk. … Continued

Going Where Others Fear to Tread: When COBRA and the FMLA Cross Paths | PA Benefit Advisors

November 17, 2016

In some of my previous blogs, the foundation of the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) continuation coverage was reviewed. Now that the groundwork has been laid, it is time to tread into the territories (or laws) where employers can lose their footing. The area covered in the following is that of the intersection … Continued

2016 Election Results: The Potential Impact on Health and Welfare Benefits | PA Benefit Advisors

November 11, 2016

Following the November 2016 election, Donald Trump (R) will be sworn in as the next President of the United States on January 20, 2017. The Republicans will also have the majority in the Senate (51 Republican, 47 Democrat) and in the House of Representatives (238 Republicans, 191 Democrat). As a result, the political atmosphere is … Continued

2016 Health Plan Survey: Topline Trends at a Glance | PA Benefit Advisors

November 4, 2016

The 2016 UBA Health Plan Survey contains the validated responses of 19,557 health plans and 11,524 employers, who cumulatively employ over two and a half million employees and insure more than five million total lives. Our data reflects the experiences of 99% of U.S. businesses in rough proportion to their actual prevalence, not just the … Continued

What to Expect in 2016 – Clarifying Some of the Confusion of the ACA | PA Benefit Advisors

October 27, 2016

One thing rings true when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA): “expect the unexpected.” I know this sounds cliché, but it was my best attempt to describe the experience HR professionals encounter as they attempt to comply with this somewhat murky piece of legislation. Last year on December 28, we were alerted a … Continued

Category: UBA News