Employee Benefits Blog

SCOTUS Decision Settles Subsidies. Now Let's Tackle Runaway Healthcare Costs. 

Well that was a close one! If anyone missed it, the Supreme Court of the United States last Friday held in favor of the defendants and found subsidies included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) applied to all states and not just the ones that set-up state-run Exchanges.Did anyone really expect this 30,000+/- page body of work to fall, based upon the interpretation of just a few words?

Regardless of your feelings about this latest ruling, or the law in general, most folks agree that it is time to move on. The last four years have been action packed and filled with non-stop controversy regarding this law. In the end, another four years of confusion and uncertainty won't help the citizens of this country.

While there are many aspects of the law that make absolutely no sense and are terribly problematic, there are also many aspects that are great: guaranteed issue, no medical questions for enrollees, 100% coverage for preventative services and streamlined enrollment are all good things that have come from the law. Mandates, reporting and penalties are areas that will require years for individuals and employers to fully understand and fully comply at it is time to move on. The last four years have been action-packed and filled with non-stop controversy regarding this law. In the end, another four years of confusion and uncertainty won't help the citizens of this country. 

The ACA Cadillac Tax 101: What You Need To Know

As one of the most controversial features of the Affordable Care Act, the so-called Cadillac Tax is currently scheduled for implementation beginning in 2018. This deadline looms large in the minds of many business owners, as the Cadillac Tax, as the law is written, will have a significant impact on businesses of all sizes.

The 40 percent tax targets plans that provide workers with the most generous level of health benefits. These plans are typically employer-paid plans, with low deductibles and little cost-sharing for employees. The excise tax will be applied in 2018 to coverage for health plans exceeding $10,200 for individual coverage and $27,500 for self and spouse or self and family coverage. Any dollar amount beyond these specified caps will be considered excess health spending, and will be penalized at 40 percent, payable by the insurer (e.g. employer).

We’ve been posting all across social media for quite some time now, mostly adding commentary to breaking news and intriguing thought pieces on employee benefits.

But for years now we’ve been told by our clients, strategic partners and industry peers, that we really have an interesting approach to employee benefits – so much so that we needed to find ways to demonstrate this thought leadership to others.  So with that, we’ve entered the blogosphere.