Blog Category | Company news

Plymouth Rock and Innovative Benefit Planning Launch Auto Insurance Discount Program

Plymouth Rock Assurance has partnered with Innovative Benefit Planning, LLC to launch a new auto insurance discount program for Innovative’s members and their employees in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. “Partnering with Innovative Benefit Planning allows us to support their mission of delivering meaningful, forward-thinking benefits to employer groups,” said Greg...

Congratulations Terriann Procida and Innovative Benefit Planning

Interactive Fire Side Chat: Evaluating and Selecting the Appropriate HRIS and Payroll Vendor Terriann Procida will offer insights on the questions Innovative sees from their clients and how to help them have a successful evaluation and implementation, along with best practices. Learn more here. Panelists: - Morris Yankell: Morris is...

National Philanthropy Day Award 2024

National Philanthropy Day was an amazing event put on by Association of Fundraising Professionals, New Jersey Chapter! Celebrating truly inspiring people in the heart of our South Jersey community! Innovative Benefit Planning was incredibly grateful to be recognized and joined by our community partners at the National Philanthropy Day Awards...

Innovative’s Mark Sulpizio to speak at Garden State SHRM Conference

Learn more about the Garden State Council – SHRM Conference here! Secure Act 2.0 changes directly impact Roth accounts, IRA, 401(k), 403(b), and many related tax breaks; however, for the purposes of this document, the focus will be on 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Plan sponsors need to review their plan...

Innovative Launches Secure 2.0 Act Readiness Checklist!

Secure Act 2.0 changes directly impact Roth accounts, IRA, 401(k), 403(b), and many related tax breaks; however, for the purposes of this document, the focus will be on 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Plan sponsors need to review their plan design, demographic data and discrimination testing to determine how the many...

Innovative Benefit Planning: 35 Years of Putting People First

This past February Innovative Benefit Planning was proudly featured in SJ Magazine for celebrating 35 years in business. We are grateful to have been recognized for our efforts, however, the true pride comes from the things we do for others, and the impact we make. Take a look at the article...

Innovative’s 5th Annual Well-Being @ Work Summit Recap

On May 7th, 2024 Innovative Benefit Planning hosted their 5th Annual Well-Being @ Work Summit, an event dedicated to making workplaces healthier, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA!  The morning started out on the right foot with breathwork and gentle stretching lead by Spencer Broad. Out on the...

Innovative Named A Samaritan Gala Honoree

Innovative Benefit Planning is honored to be recognized as a “2023 Celebration of Life Gala Honoree” at this year’s Samaritan Gala. Each year, Samaritan honors an individual and/or company for their continued passion, dedication, and love for Samaritan and the community. This year, Samaritan is recognizing Innovative for our commitment...

Innovative Benefit Planning Receives Women’s Business Enterprise Owned Certification

Innovative Benefit Planning is proud to announce that The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, has awarded Innovative Benefit Planning the national ‘Women’s Business Enterprise’ certification. “Empowering women in the workplace and acknowledging their contributions to everyday operations is not only important but extremely necessary,” said Terriann Procida, CEO. “Having a...

Innovative Benefit Planning Named “Top Employee Benefits Consultant” Award

Innovative Benefit Planning is honored to be recognized by Mployer Advisor as a winner of their “Top Employee Benefits Consultants” Awards for 2022. The program evaluates brokers based on breadth and depth of experience across employer industries, sizes, insurance products, and employer reviews. Innovative was recognized as a broker that...

Innovative Launches Employee Lifecycle Tool Kit

Innovative is excited to launch our Employee Life Cycle Tool Kit! Today’s tight labor market and the broad range of flexible work/life options make it more important than ever to properly manage each step in the employee lifecycle. Addressing their emerging needs means employers must engage their teams at each...

Innovative’s 3rd Annual Well-Being @ Work Summit Recap

On May 12th, 2022 Innovative Benefit Planning hosted the 3rd Annual Well-Being @ Work Summit, an event dedicated to making workplaces healthier, at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ!  The morning started out on the right foot with complimentary biometric screenings and breakfast during registration, while attendees also had time...

Innovative Gets Certified in Mental Health First Aid Training in the Workplace

Innovative Benefits Planning is pleased to announce that our Nurse Advocate, Erica Polaneczky, has become certified in Mental Health First Aid Training. This certification allows her to provide Mental Health First Aid in the workplace training for employers. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches employers how to identify, understand, and...

Innovative is Featured in SJ Magazine for Creating a Culture of Giving Back

Innovative Benefit Planning LLC was proudly featured this month in SJ Magazine for our culture of “giving back” to our community. We are grateful to have been recognized for our efforts, however the true pride comes from the things we do for others, and the impact we make. Take a...

Innovative Launches New Resource Page

All good things must come to an end and be replaced with something better! With that being said, Innovative Benefit Planning is thrilled to announce the launch of our new and improved resource page! After months of hard work and devotion to the client experience, we are bringing you a...

Tamalyn Wandler Joins Innovative as Director of Compliance

Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce that Tamalyn Cee Wandler, JD, has joined our team as Director of Compliance. In her new role, Tamalyn will assist clients with their compliance auditing and educating them on the various federal and state regulations, assess areas of weakness, determine potential liability, and...

Innovative Launches New Groundbreaking Benefit Performance Assessment

Innovative Launches New Groundbreaking Benefit Performance Assessment Innovative has launched our new groundbreaking, proprietary Benefit Performance Assessment. This complimentary assessment shows employers how they can cut waste, take control of healthcare costs, and provide better service solutions. All within an hour of your time and without impacting the coverage offered...

Innovative Welcomes Polina Lipskaya as Underwriting Associate

Innovative Welcomes Polina Lipskaya as Underwriting Associate Please join us in welcoming Polina Lipskaya as our newest Underwriting Associate.  In this role, Polina will be a key member of the Client Service team.  She will directly support the Account Executives, Account Managers, and Consultants with quoting, reporting and the overall...

Innovative Promotes John Romaska to Vice President of Consulting

Innovative Promotes John Romaska to Vice President of Consulting Innovative Benefit Planning is excited to announce John Romaska has been promoted to Vice President of Consulting. John previously served as our Director of Benefits Consulting, where his responsibilities included strengthening Innovative’s relationships with current clients and overall advancement of the...

Innovative Welcomes Adam Cardell as Executive Account Manager

Innovative Welcomes Adam Cardell as Executive Account Manager We are excited to announce the latest addition to the Innovative Benefit Planning team! Adam Cardell has joined Innovative as an Executive Account Manager.  As an Executive Account Manager, Adam will be responsible for strengthening Innovative’s relationships with current clients, as well...

Innovative Welcomes Carly Vettori to our Team as a Benefits Sales Consultant

Innovative Welcomes Carly Vettori to our Team as a Benefits Sales Consultant We are excited to announce the latest member of Innovative Benefit Planning! Please join us in welcoming Carly Vettori to our team as a Benefits Sales Consultant.  In this role, Carly will help us to understand the customer...

Innovative Welcomes Nicoletta Torres as New Account Manager

Innovative Welcomes Nicoletta Torres as New Account Manager We are excited to announce the latest addition to the Innovative Benefit Planning team! Please join us in welcoming Nicoletta Torres as our newest Account Manager.  As an account manager, Nicoletta will be a valuable resource to Innovative’s leadership team, employees, and...

Andrew May Promoted to Senior Account Manager – Financial Services

Andrew May Promoted to Senior Account Manager – Financial Services Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce the promotion of Andrew May to Senior Account Manager-Financial Services. Andrew has been a part of the Innovative financial service team for over two years, serving as a Financial Services Associate. During this...

Frequently Asked Questions About the Patient-Centered Outcomes/Comparative Effectiveness (PCORI Fee)

Q1: What plans does the PCORI fee apply to? A1: All plans that provide medical coverage to employees owe this fee. Medical coverage includes preferred provider (PPO) plans, health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, point-of-service (POS) plans, high deductible health plans (HDHPs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). The fee does not...

Frequently Asked Questions About the Patient Centered Outcomes/Comparative Effectiveness (PCORI) Fee

Q1: What plans does the PCORI fee apply to? A1: All plans that provide medical coverage to employees owe this fee. Medical coverage includes preferred provider (PPO) plans, health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, point-of-service (POS) plans, high deductible health plans (HDHPs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). The fee does not...

Innovative Launches New Digital Employee Benefit Guide Technology

Innovative Launches New Digital Employee Benefit Guide Technology As technology continues to transform the workplace, HR professionals are seeking new and improved ways to deliver their health plan benefits, while gaining rich backend intelligence to improve the utilization of the plan. We have the solution! Innovative Benefit Planning is excited...

Innovative Launches Employee Management Training; PeopleForce 2030

Innovative Launches Employee Management Training; PeopleForce 2030 Innovative Benefit Planning, LLC is excited to launch PeopleForce 2030, a three-part employee training series consisting of facilitated and interactive 90-minute sessions that discuss leadership competencies including “Interpersonal Savvy”, “Dealing with Ambiguity”, and “Building Resilience”. Whether your employees are charged with leading and...

December Compliance Recap

December was a busy month in the employee benefits world. President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which includes the No Surprises Act and other group health plan provisions. The Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued two interim recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines. The Department...

2021 Plan Sponsor Considerations

The events of 2020 created many new considerations for plan sponsors as individuals were faced with uncertainty and sought safety both financially and personally. The CARES Act was passed to assist individuals and businesses impacted by the pandemic, and investors witnessed a volatile investment market causing many to adjust their...

November Compliance Recap

November Compliance Recap November was a relatively busy month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. Supreme Court (Supreme Court) heard oral arguments in the case of California v. Texas, which is the case challenging the constitutionality of the ACA. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the updated Patient-Centered Outcomes...

August Compliance Recap

August 2020 Compliance Recap August was a relatively busy month in the employee benefits world. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released an updated report on health savings accounts (HSAs) that summarizes the principal rules governing HSAs and changes made to HSAs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department...

July Compliance Recap

July was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. Supreme Court (Supreme Court) upheld the religious exemption and moral exemption final rules to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraceptive mandate. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the indexed 2021 ACA affordability percentage. The President...

June Compliance Recap

June was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the updated patient-centered outcomes research institute (PCORI) fee amount and announced transition relief. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published a final rule regarding the Patient Protection and...

Innovative Welcomes Lauren Urbanski as Executive Account Manager

Innovative Welcomes Lauren Urbanski as Executive Account Manager We are excited to announce our newest member of the Innovative team, Lauren Urbanski! Lauren joins Innovative as an employee benefits Executive Account Manager.  In this role, Lauren is responsible for strengthening and maintaining Innovative Benefit Planning’s relationships with its current clients...

March Compliance Recap

March was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) into law. The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a bulletin regarding enforcement of the FFCRA. The President also signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into...

Market Performance: Tips for Addressing Employee Concerns and Prudent Plan Management

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and recent market volatility have undoubtedly presented you with new challenges as you care for your employees, families and community. We encourage you to lean on Innovative Investment Fiduciaries as a source for stability during these times. Below is our recent plan sponsor brief with some...

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Families First Coronavirus Response Act On March 18, 2020, the President signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. While largely the same as the House bill passed on March 13, the final version of the legislation differs in several material respects from the original legislation, including permitting exemptions...

Terriann Procida Invited to Join Philadelphia Business Journal Leadership Trust

Terriann Procida, CEO, has been invited to join Philadelphia Business Journal Leadership Trust, ​an exclusive community for influential business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs in Greater Philadelphia. Terriann was chosen for membership by the Philadelphia Business Journal Leadership Trust Selection Committee due to her experience, leadership and influence in the local...

December Compliance Recap

December was a busy month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) individual mandate is unconstitutional. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final instructions and final 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C forms for...

Innovative’s CEO, Terriann Procida, is Awarded “2019 Executive of the Year”

Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce that Terriann Procida has been awarded by South Jersey Biz as one of their 2019 Executive of the Year Award winners! The award recognizes and awards 20 South Jersey professionals who have “paved the way for success.” “As you read through our 2019...

Innovative Welcomes Nurse Advocate, Erica Polaneczky, MSN, APRN, ANP-C

We are excited to announce the latest member of the Innovative Benefits team! Please join us in welcoming Erica Polaneczky, MSN, APRN, ANP-C, as our Nurse Advocate.  As part of our Workplace Wellness team, Erica will help Innovative build, plan, coordinate, and deliver health promotion activities tailored specifically for each...

Innovative Welcomes New Director of Wellness & Engagement

We are pleased to announce another new member has joined the Innovative team! Please help us welcome Patricia Pellicore, CWP, as Director of Wellness and Engagement.  As Director of Wellness and Engagement Patricia will manage, develop, grow, and promote the numerous positive features of Innovative’s wellness initiatives. One of her...

Innovative’s Well-being @ Work 2019 Summit Recap

As employers, what do we need to create workplaces that are connected, flourishing and well with both business and employee in mind? This year Innovative Benefits Planning hosted our inaugural well-being summit that was dedicated to making workplaces healthier.  The room was packed full of HR professionals, C-Suite decision-makers, health...

Innovative Welcomes Lisa as Director of Compliance

We are excited to announce the latest addition to the Innovative Benefit Planning team! Please join us in welcoming Lisa A. Hill as our Director of Compliance.  As Director of Compliance, Lisa will be a valuable resource to Innovative’s leadership team, employees, and clients in ensuring all compliance needs are...

October Compliance Recap

Compliance Recap-October 2019 October was a relatively quiet month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas vacated portions of the current rule implementing Section 1557 that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and pregnancy termination. The U.S. Court of Appeals...

Ryan Kastner Receives Young Professionals Leadership Award

Congratulations to our Vice President, Consulting, Ryan Kastner, for being named to Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s (“BCRCC”) Young Professionals Leadership Class of 2019. The award honors professionals under the age of 40 who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the Burlington County Business Community. Winners are selected based on their...

30 Years and 30 Reasons to Choose Innovative

When it comes to benefits planning, there are a ton of choices out there. And, we believe we’re the most innovative company you’ll find. After 30 years, here are 30 good reasons our clients choose to work with us: We put people first We are an advocate for our clients...

Innovative Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary

Before 2019 came to an end, Innovative Benefit Planning had to officially celebrate our 30 Year anniversary, and we certainly didn’t get here alone. On July 24th, our employees, partners and clients, came together to enjoy food trucks, music, and memories from over the years. The afternoon was filled with...

Innovative Benefit Planning Named “Best of Biz 2019”

Innovative Benefit Planning has been named by South Jersey Biz, as one of their 2019 Best of Biz recipients. The Best of Biz award recognizes 102 of region’s most esteemed service providers and we are proud to say that Innovative has been selected for their “Employee Benefits” category. According to...

Vice President, Consulting, Dan Foley, Named to Rand Institute Advisory Board at Rutgers University–Camden

The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers University–Camden, an institute for public policy issues impacting southern New Jersey, announced last week that Innovative’s Vice President, Consulting, Dan Foley, has been appointed to their advisory board. Dan is joined by two other regional leaders, Amy Obsorn, vice president...

Andrew Gloninger Joins as Benefits Guardian

It gives us great pleasure in introducing our newest member, Andrew Gloninger, to the Innovative team! Andrew joins Innovative’s employee benefits department as a Benefits Guardian. This position is a key member of the client services team and will serve as a direct point of contact for our client’s employees....

Kyra Foster Joins as HR and Recruiting Coordinator

We are excited to welcome our newest member of the Innovative team. Please join us in welcoming Kyra Foster as HR and Recruiting Coordinator. In this position, Kyra is responsible for assisting with all internal and external HR related inquiries or requests, as well as providing support to the VP...

HR Person of the Year Awards Dinner

Last week, Innovative attended the 19th Annual Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year Awards Dinner as a proud Silver Sponsor. Our very own Ryan Kastner was nominated as HR Consultant of the Year! A lovely time was had by all. It was truly a successful event, raising $9,290 to benefit...

Colette Crosby Joins as Account Manager

As Innovative continues to grow, we are excited to announce another new member to the Innovative team. Please join us in welcoming Colette Crosby as Account Manager. Colette will be reporting to the Account Executives Elizabeth Ferroni and Shemelia McClain. As Account Manager, Colette will be responsible for supporting the...

Andrew May Earns Accredited Investment Fiduciary Designation

Innovative is proud to announce that Andrew May has been awarded the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies, the standards-setting body for fi360. Andrew is a Financial Services Associate working in the retirement services department. He is responsible for servicing the firm’s qualified plan clients in...

Innovative Welcomes Eileen Green as Chief Operating Officer

Innovative is proud to announce that industry executive leader, Eileen Green, has joined Innovative as Chief Operating Officer. Reporting directly to our CEO, Terriann Procida, this key new position will be integral to ensuring that Innovative has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures to provide operational excellence across...

Innovative is Awarded the “Community Impact Award”

Innovative Benefit Planning is honored to announce we are the recipient of the “Community Impact Award”. Issued by the South Jersey Biz, Innovative is featured as one of the inaugural winners in their April 2019 publication. The award honors successful companies in South Jersey that, in addition to their business...

Innovative Celebrates National Pet Day at Burlington County Animal Shelter

To celebrate our 30-year anniversary and pay thanks to our amazing community and countless partners, Innovative has pledged to give back in 30 ways this year. We are dedicated to making our community a key part of our business in 2019. From local charities and non-profits to those in need...

Innovative Welcomes Brooke Haramija as Marketing Coordinator

Brooke Haramija joins the Innovative team as Marketing Coordinator, reporting directly to Jamie Bratton, Director of Marketing & Communications. Brooke will be responsible for helping to create and implement marketing strategies for all Innovative’s products and services, by developing and implementing marketing and advertising campaigns. In addition, she will help...

Innovative Welcomes Andrew May as Financial Services Associate

We are excited to announce our newest member of the Innovative team, Andrew May. Andrew joins the firm as a Financial Services Associate.  In this role, Andrew will work with the Retirement Consulting Division and be responsible for servicing the firm’s qualified plan clients.  His duties will also include participant...

Innovative Welcomes Rbhya Pal as Actuarial Analyst

It gives us great pleasure in introducing our newest member, Rbhya Pal, to the Innovative team! Rbhya joins Innovative’s employee benefits department as an Actuarial Analyst, reporting to our Director of Benefits Consulting, John Romaska. Rbhya will be responsible for preparing client claims reports and analysis, marketing various funding arrangements...

Ryan Kastner Nominated for HR Consultant of the Year

Congrats to our very own Ryan Kastner on his nomination for this year’s HR Consultant of the Year! The Delaware Valley HR Person of the Year Award was developed in 2001 to celebrate the Human Resources industry and to recognize those in the HR profession who exemplify outstanding achievement within...

Innovative Pledges 30 Givebacks for 30 Years

To celebrate our 30-year anniversary and pay thanks to our amazing community and countless partners, Innovative has pledged to give back in 30 ways this year. We are dedicated to making our community a key part of our business in 2019. From local charities and non-profits to those in need...

10 FAQs Regarding The New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act

1.) Earned sick leave may be used for: The treatment, care or diagnosis for employee or family member Employee or family member a victim of domestic or sexual violence (*has no 25 employees +  or 1,000 hours worked requirement like the NJ Safe Act). Workplace or school/daycare closed by a public...

Is Your Workplace Wellness Program Compliant?

In a recent settlement, the Department of Labor (DOL) imposed over $160,000 in fines and penalties on an employer for the noncompliant tobacco surcharge they imposed through their plan’s Wellness Program. A common Wellness Program design is to impose a premium surcharge to employees who use tobacco products. This surcharge...

New Year, Fresh Start

2019 is in full swing and it’s the time of year that we get to designate as a fresh start and new beginnings. It’s a tradition in which we resolve to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve our health and life in...

Innovative Welcomes Shemelia McClain as Executive Account Manager

Innovative Benefit Planning is excited to welcome Shemelia McClain as our new employee benefit Executive Account Manager. Shemelia brings to Innovative more than 20 years of experience as an account manager and leader in the employee benefits industry.  In her new role as Executive Account Manager, Shemelia will be responsible...

The IRS Increases the PCORI Fee

The Internal Revenue Service announced that the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee will rise to $2.45 (from $2.39) per covered life in plan years that fall between October 1, 2018, and September 30, 2019.  This increase will have an impact on 2019 plan year rates and is attributable to...

Tax Credit Check from Horizon

Attention Horizon customers! You may have received or will receive shortly, a check in the mail from Horizon regarding a tax credit refund check. Note, this is a legitimate check and you can use these funds however you see fit. Why are you receiving this check? In late 2017, the...

Retirement Match on Student Loan Debt- UPDATE

In October we reported on a Private Letter Ruling the IRS issued for an employer interested in offering a student loan repayment benefit through their 401(k) plan.  While the ruling only applied to the plan and plan sponsor who requested it, we suspected at the time that the ruling would...

Let’s Discuss Tax Relief from Your 199A Deduction

Earlier this week we discussed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the limits placed on the deductibility of State and Local taxes for 2018. Now let’s discuss your 199A deduction. For many owners of pass-through entities, _ the new 199A deduction will generate welcome tax relief in...

There May Be a Simple Solution to Decrease the 2018 Tax Burden Through a Customized Retirement Plan Design

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 have limited the deductibility of State and Local taxes for 2018.  As a result, many high earners may be subject to additional taxes this year.  However, there may be a simple solution to decrease the 2018 tax burden through a customized retirement...

Happier Holidays, the HR Way

Most people, according to a new survey featured in HR Dive, have the greatest sense of belonging in their own homes. That may not be surprising news, but what is interesting is that one-third of respondents felt the greatest sense of belonging in their workplace. A significant percentage, 40 percent, attribute...

ACA Extensions Announced

Yesterday afternoon, the IRS released Notice 2018-94, which announced an extension of the 2019 deadline for insurers and employers to furnish forms 1095-B and 1095-C to individuals. These forms, originally due January 31, 2019 are now due March 4, 2019. Although the furnishing deadline has been extended, the IRS has...

Innovative Welcomes Mercedes Gutierrez, MD as Director of Wellness and Population Health Services

We are excited to announce another new member to the Innovative team! Please join us in welcoming Mercedes Gutierrez, MD, as Director of Wellness and Population Health Services.  As Director of Wellness and Population Health Services, Mercedes will be responsible for managing, growing, and promoting the many positive aspects of...

Innovative Compliance- The New Jersey Equal Pay Act

As of July 1, 2018, the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act (“the Act”), which amends the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”), went into effect in New Jersey. The Act applies to all New Jersey public and private employers regardless of size, except federal employers. https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S0500/104_R2.PDF Pursuant to the...

New Tri-Agency Proposed Rule on Health Reimbursement Arrangements

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (collectively, the Departments) released their proposed rule regarding health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and other account-based group health plans. The DOL also issued a news release and fact sheet on the proposed rule....

Important NJ Earned Sick Leave Update

In yesterday’s blog post, we discussed the New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law, which went into effect this Monday, October 29th.  For more on the specifics of the law.  In addition to the employer obligations outlined in the previous post, all employers with employees working in New Jersey must post...

The Benefits of Seasonal Produce

You always hear about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. Indeed, they are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other phytonutrients that are beneficial to our health! But did you know that eating seasonal produce is not only higher in nutrients, but also cheaper, better tasting, and more environmentally-friendly?!...

NJ Earned Sick Leave Law Goes into Effect

For New Jersey employers (or PA, NY or other employers who have employees who work in NJ), the NJ Earned Sick Leave Law went into effect Monday, October 29, 2018. Below is a link to a very comprehensive list of FAQs on the law, but here are some highlights: There...

Innovative Supports Oaks Integrated Care at the Moorestown Progressive Dinner

Friday, October 19th, Terriann Procida, Mark Sulpizio, Jamie Bratton, and Ryan Kastner represented Innovative at the Oak Integrated Care 14th Annual Moorestown Progressive Dinner. Each year, ten homes in Moorestown host a small group of guests for a delicious dinner prepared by a local chef. This year’s chefs came from...

Innovative Announces new VP of HR and General Counsel

Please join us in welcoming Deirdre Groenen, Esq. as VP of HR and General Counsel__. Reporting directly to our CEO, Terriann Procida, this new key member of the senior leadership team will provide guidance, conduct research, and serve as a resource for our employees and our clients.  This role is...

Innovative Shows Support of Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice at Memorial Paver Reveal

This Tuesday, Innovative Principal, Mark Sulpizio, attended an Open House at the Samaritan Center at Voorhees where Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice revealed the first of their memorial pavers. The memorial pavers are a beautiful way to memorialize loved ones and border the walkways of the gardens at Samaritan’s new Voorhees...

Innovative Welcomes Jamie Bratton as Director of Development & Communications

Jamie Bratton joins Innovative’s marketing department as Director of Development & Communications. Reporting to our CEO, Terriann Procida, this position is responsible for establishing and implementing strategic and tactical communication plans across every Innovative business unit, designed to capitalize on market opportunities, generate demand of Innovative’s services and help to...

Student Loan Considerations for Plan Sponsors-Part Two

As a follow up to our first article on student loan debt, its impact on employers and the recent IRS Private Letter Ruling (PLR) regarding student loan repayments, we’ve attached a summary of items to consider when contemplating this type of arrangement.  As this ruling has just been released, we...

Innovative’s Ryan Kastner Appointed Local United Way Campaign Cabinet Chair & Voted to Become County Board Member

Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce that Vice President, Consulting, Ryan Kastner has been appointed as United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s Campaign Cabinet chair for 2018-2019. As Campaign Cabinet Chair, Ryan’s role will assist in facilitating the United Way’s mission by working with CEOs and...

IRS Allows 401K Match for Student Loan Repayments

The IRS recently issued a Private Letter Ruling (PLR) for an employer interested in offering a student loan repayment benefit through their 401(k) plan.  While the ruling only applies to the plan and plan sponsor who requested it, the ruling will most likely expand interest in this type of program,...

Innovative CEO, Terriann Procida, Receives Mid-Atlantic Women’s Leadership Award

Last night at the Downtown Club in Philadelphia, PA, Innovative Benefit Planning’s CEO, Terriann Procida, was one of 50 women to be recognized by CEO Report as one of their 2018 Mid-Atlantic Women’s Leadership Award winners. The Women’s Leadership Awards program honors CEOs and Executives who are moving their companies...

A Hard Habit to Break

Smoking is an addiction and as most smokers know, quitting isn’t easy. Quitting smoking is a journey, not a single event. You might hit some bumps in the road during your journey to quit smoking. Having a plan to meet these challenges is an important part of quitting for good....

Ryan Kastner Promoted to Vice President, Consulting

Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce the promotion of Ryan Kastner to Vice President, Consulting. Ryan has been with Innovative for almost 6 years as Employee Benefits Consultant and like his prior role, Ryan will continue to consult with clients on their benefit and retirement plans and identify key...

Are Your Retirement Plan Committee Members Aware of Their Fiduciary Obligations?

Do your retirement plan committee members have a thorough understanding of their fiduciary obligations? In a recent court case involving the retirement plans offered at New York University, the court found that certain committee members were not fully aware of their obligations as Fiduciaries.  At Innovative Benefit Planning, we assist...

The Benefits of Positive Thinking

Many people do not know that positive thinking has a lot of health benefits. If you keep your mind in good shape, you’ll have an optimistic view of life and that affects your health and wellbeing in an extremely positive way. On the same note, thinking negatively can have an...

Wellness Team Earn Their Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® Designation

Congrats to our Worksite Wellness Coordinator, Erica Brown and our Project Manager, Kim Fisher on earning their Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® designation.  The Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® is the foremost designation available in the corporate wellness and well-being field. The CCWS course comprises of concise and comprehensive techniques in how...

Terriann Procida is Awarded “2018 Women’s Leadership Award”

Innovative Benefit Planning is pleased to announce that Terriann Procida has been awarded by CEO Report as one of their 2018 Mid-Atlantic Women’s Leadership Award winners! The award recognizes and awards CEOs who are growing and “moving their companies forward.” “This year’s Mid-Atlantic Women’s Leadership Awards winners have made outstanding...

Innovative’s Executive Account Manager, Elizabeth Ferroni, attends Annual Employee Benefits Symposium

Our Executive Account Manager, Elizabeth Ferroni, just came back today from attending the Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium in Boston, MA. Now in its 37th year, the symposium brings together thousands of benefit professionals to learn, discuss and hear from industry experts and leaders. Elizabeth is excited to be back...

June Compliance Recap

June was a relatively quiet month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. Department of Labor issued final regulations regarding association health plans. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a response in ongoing litigation regarding the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Centers for Medicare and...

Elizabeth Ferroni Promoted to Executive Account Manager

Innovative is proud to announce that Elizabeth Ferroni has been promoted from Account Manager to Executive Account Manager. Elizabeth has been an invaluable resource to the Innovative team and to our clients and is well deserving of this new title. As an Executive Account Manager, Elizabeth will maintain the ability...

Innovative Welcomes Patrick Scher

Please join us in welcoming Innovative’s new Benefits Consultant, Patrick Scher. Patrick graduated from Penn State University in 2017 with a B.S. in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship. While in school, Patrick was a summer intern with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in Radnor, PA. Prior to joining the Innovative team,...

Innovative Speaks at Leading Age NJ Annual Meeting & Expo

Last Wednesday, the Innovative team had the pleasure exhibiting and presenting at the Leading Age New Jersey Annual Meeting & Expo at Harrah’s Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Innovative representatives, Dan Foley and Ryan Kastner, presented  **Bucking the Trend: _Health Plan Cost Containment Strategies_**  to an audience of aging services providers....

Innovative Wellness Client’s Huge Loss is a Big Win

Congratulations to the Penndel Mental Health Center employees who participated in Innovative Workplace Wellness’ “Three Keys Challenge” coordinated by our Wellness Coordinator, Erica Brown. The “Three Keys Challenge” is a proprietary three-month team weight loss program that encourages participants to focus on three key factors that contribute to long-term weight...

Compliance Alert! – NJ Gov. Phil Murphy Signs Two New Healthcare Acts into Law

This past week, New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, signed two bills into law that will impact New Jersey residents. Employers who offer benefits in New Jersey and surrounding states should be mindful of these changes as they will affect employees who reside and/or receive medical treatment in New Jersey. Out-of-network...

Horizon BCBSNJ Changes Coverage for Brand Name Oral-Combined Contraceptives

Starting June 15, 2018 , Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will be making changes to the way brand name oral-combined contraceptives are covered. Previously covered with a $0 copay, brand name oral-combined contraceptives will now be subject to co-payment or coinsurance that corresponds with the member’s pharmacy...

Innovative Welcomes Ann Lipiros

This week, Innovative welcomes our newest team member, Ann Lipiros. Ann graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from St. John’s University in New York. She has experience as a retail Assistant Manager and a Benefits Account Manager. Ann will be supporting our Account team as a Benefit Guardian, serving...

Innovative Sits Comfortably with Strive

Innovative Benefit Planning has partnered with Strive Physical Therapy to combat the ill effects of a sedentary lifestyle. On Friday, May 18th Jason Melnyk from Strive met with Innovative Benefit Planning employees to educate the team on all of the intricacies of desk ergonomics during their “DeskFit” lecture. The “DeskFit” session...

IRS Releases 2019 Calendar Year HSA Contribution Limits and HDHP Deductible Minimums and Out-of-Pocket Maximums

The IRS has released the maximum contribution limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) minimum deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for the 2019 Calendar Year.  For your convenience, we’ve provided a summary below. You can reference the official document here.   Health Savings Account contribution limit for...

New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act Signed into Law

New Jersey has now become the tenth state to enact a statewide mandatory paid-sick-leave law. The New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act was signed into law on May 2nd by Gov. Phil Murphy and will go into effect on Oct. 29, 2018. Once effective, it will require New Jersey employers...

2018 Health Savings Account Contribution Limits Change Once Again

If you recall, after the passing of the tax reform bill, known formally as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the IRS adjusted the amount for HSA family contributions from $6,900 to $6,850 due to a change in inflation calculations. After public outcry and consideration of the administrative and financial...

New Jersey Newborn Mandate Changes in 2018

In January 2018, the State of New Jersey updated the existing NJ Newborn Mandate that provides health coverage for all newborns from the moment of birth for the first 31 days to provide coverage from the moment of birth for the first 60 days. The newborn child of a subscriber...

March Compliance Recap

March was a quiet month in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a bulletin that lowered the family contribution limit for health savings account (HSA) contributions. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated its model Premium Assistance Under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program notice...

PrimeMail by Walgreens Gets a New Name

Effective 3/31/2018 PrimeMail by Walgreens Mail Service will operate under the name “Alliance RX Walgreens Prime“.  Prime + Walgreens assures customers that only their name is changing. AllianceRX Walgreens Prime promises to stay consistent with their standards for communications, prescriptions, refills and service. Employers who have health plans with Horizon...

The Importance of Wellness in the Workplace

Workplace Wellness is an investment which works much like any other investment- You put in time and money in hopes of a more valuable outcome, which in this case is the health of your employees, their families and your bottom line. Engagement, motivation, strategy, and support are the keys to...

Innovative Welcomes Mima Jovanovic

Please join us in welcoming Innovative’s new Benefit Consultant, Mima Jovanovic. Mima Jovanovic is an accomplished employee benefits consultant with over 20 years of experience cultivating new business opportunities and developing strategic health and welfare programs. He brings a unique perspective to clientele; with significant experience and skills on both...

IRS RECALCULATES 2018 HSA & EMPLOYER ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Yesterday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a bulletin that includes a change impacting contributions to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Employer Adoption Assistance Programs. The family HSA contribution for 2018 has been  reduced  from $6,900 to 6,850. This change is effective January 1, 2018. We advise plan participants to...

Innovative Heads to Capitol Hill

Earlier this week Dan Foley, Ryan Kastner & Yesenia Perez from the Innovative team headed to Washington D.C. for the NAHU 2018 Capitol Conference.  During their time in Washington, the trio attended a number of informative sessions that detailed changing legislation that directly impacts the health insurance market and engaged...

Focusing on FMLA

Human Resource professionals are often asked by their employees about taking a leave of absence. Sometimes, these leaves of absences are protected by the federal government. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for certain medical and family reasons....

Innovative Supports Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

Innovative is proud to support long-time partner, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, as a gold sponsor at tomorrow night’s annual Celebration of Life Gala. The event will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ. Gala proceeds support the gift of hospice, palliative, and grief support services for all Samaritan patients...

January Compliance Recap

January was a busy month in the employee benefits world. On January 24, 2018, the U.S. Senate confirmed Alex Azar as the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed regulations regarding association health plans. HHS released the 2018...

Non-Profit Wager Win Makes the Eagles Victory Even Sweeter

After the Philadelphia Eagles secured their spot in Super Bowl LII, Innovative made a friendly wager with fellow United Benefit Advisors (UBA) partner firm, Employee Benefit Solutions (EBS) out of Massachusetts. The terms were simple- if the Eagles won, EBS would donate $500 to a Philly-area non-profit of Innovative’s choice...

Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

As you may have noticed, with an increase in media coverage regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, now is a good time to think about your company’s practices. Does your company have a sexual harassment policy? Are you confident that the sexual harassment policy has been recently updated and that...

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is!- Superbowl 2018

The Innovative team is getting ready for The Philadelphia Eagles to _ make history _ when they take down the New England Patriots in this Sunday’s Super Bowl. We’ve decided to have a little fun and team up with Employee Benefit Solutions (EBS), a United Benefit Advisors (UBA) partner firm...

Innovative Welcomes Jay O’Brien

We are excited to announce Innovative’s new Vice President of Financial Operations, Jay O’Brien. Jay will be enhancing our financial account management services and run day-to-day operations. He will also be instrumental in developing our wealth management offering. More about Jay Jay grew up on Long Island and moved to...

Trump Signs Bill to Delay Cadillac and Health Insurance Taxes

On January 22, 2018, the U.S. Congress voted to pass a bill that would continue to fund the government through February 8, 2018. President Trump signed the bill today, January 23, 2018. In addition to continuing government funding, the bill also includes two legislative victories for employers: delaying the Cadillac...

Innovative Welcomes Greg Blemlek

Please join us in welcoming Innovative’s new Director of Business Development, Greg Blemlek! Greg has worked in sales & overall growth leadership roles for most of his career. Most recently, Greg had the responsibility of leading a large regional sales and consulting team.  During this time, Greg focused on growing...

IRS Announces Extension for Furnishing 1095-B & 1095-C Forms to Employees

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service announced an extension for employers to provide 1095-B or 1095-C Forms to their employees. The IRS announced a 30-day extension, extending the due date from January 31, 2018 to March 2, 2018. The IRS has not announced an extension for filings to the IRS. Therefore,...

Innovative Supports Oaks Integrated Care

This holiday season, the Innovative team has been collecting for Oaks Integrated Care‘s Holiday Giving Drive. Oaks Integrated Care is a non-profit organization that supports adults, children and families throughout New Jersey during vulnerable and turbulent times through a variety of health and social services. The Innovative team came together...

Innovative Team Decorates Company Tree on Main Street

Last night, a group of Innovative employees made their way down to Moorestown’s Main Street where we decorated Innovative’s company tree. Innovative’s tree is one of a handful of trees lining Main Street this holiday season for the Moorestown Business Association. Our tree features snowmen made by each of our...

IRS to Send ACA Penalty Letters

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has indicated that it plans to begin notifying employers by year end of their potential liability for failing to provide sufficient health coverage that is compliant with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agency will begin notifying Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) of...

Innovative Partners with Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Water Parks

Innovative is excited to announce our new partnership with Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Water Parks. Morey’s Piers, located in Wildwood, New Jersey is an iconic seaside amusement park comprised of three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks beloved by beachgoers far and wide. Innovative has been selected as the Benefit...

Innovative Gets in the Holiday Spirit

This year, the Moorestown Business Association will be lining Moorestown’s Main Street with festive trees sponsored by local businesses. This afternoon, Innovative employees enjoyed a team lunch and decorated personalized ornaments for our company tree. The decorations for our tree reflect our organization’s core values- putting people first, creating & embracing...

Lunch N’ Burn

As a part of our “Fall Fun & Fitness Challenge” the Innovative team took part in a “Lunch N’ Burn” this afternoon lead by Innovative’s Wellness Coordinator, Erica Brown. After a healthy lunch, Erica lead the team in a “Deskercise” circuit. The team members all received resistance bands and guided...

Innovative Attends Urban Affairs Coalition Breakfast

On Friday morning, the Innovative team proudly supported our client, Urban Affairs Coalition, at the 48th Anniversary Breakfast at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Over 800 guests came together to support the mission of the UAC – to unite urban communities to improve the quality of life, build wealth and solve emerging...

Innovative Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award at National Philanthropy Day Breakfast

A handful of employees from the Innovative team attended the National Philanthropy Day Breakfast at the Mansion on Main Street this morning. The breakfast, coordinated by the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Southern NJ Chapter, celebrated several local honorees who contribute to the success of fundraising in South Jersey. Innovative...

Innovative Welcomes Shannon Palmucci and Kimberly Fisher

The Innovative team is growing again! We recently welcomed two new employees, Shannon Palmucci and Kimberly Fisher.  Shannon attended Rider University where she majored in Accounting. She is joining Innovative as an Account Associate with an extensive background in customer service including 5+ years of experience specializing in benefit administration,...

Innovative Kicks off Fall Fun & Fitness Challenge with Barre & Balance Class

From November 1st through December 20, the Innovative team is partaking in a “Fun & Fitness” Fall Challenge organized by Innovative’s Wellness Coordinator, Eric Brown. The challenge is comprised of a number of fitness activities with corresponding point values. Employees are encouraged to engage in a variety of healthy activities...

Fiduciary Rule Update

As you may remember, major components of the Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule have been applicable to retirement advice since June 9, 2017. However, on November 2, 2017, the DOL sent a final rule that would extend the transition period of its fiduciary rule by 18 months to the...

DOL Overtime Rule Defeated in Court, DOL to Appeal

As you may recall, the Department of Labor put forth overtime regulations that would have taken effect last December, enabling 4.2 million employees to be eligible for time and a half wages for every hour worked over the standard 40 hours per week. However, a number of business groups filed...

Innovative Supports Steps for Seizures

Members of the Innovative team spent this past Saturday at the Steps for Seizures 5k at Washington Lake Park in Sewell, NJ. The event was hosted by Clayton’s Hope Organization which raises funding for Epilepsy research, awareness and support. The team walked in support of Elisha’s Mission, a cause dedicated...

Innovative Celebrates Halloween with a Healthy Twist

The Innovative staff enjoyed a fun day at the office this Halloween with visits from a few of the employees’ children and furry friends. The team was treated to a healthy lunch complete with nutritious Halloween-themed desserts prepared by our Wellness Coordinator, Erica Brown and Retirement Plan Specialist, Nicole Offerman....

Innovative Wins Small Business Award from South Jersey Biz

Innovative is proud to announce that we were recognized in South Jersey Biz Magazine as one of the “Small Business Award” winners! We are excited to be recognized by the local community and named alongside some of the most successful small businesses in the region. Check out our section on...

Innovative Supports Resources for Human Development

Innovative’s Terriann Procida and Mark Sulpizio were honored to be Jerry Miller’s guest to the Resources for Human Development‘s October 18th  annual_Main Line Wine Gala._ Proceeds from the gala support four wonderful initiatives of Resources for Human Development. Terriann and Mark happily purchased a wonderful piece of artwork created by an artist from...

IRS Releases Maximum Contribution, Deferral and Compensation Limits for HSA, FSA, and 401(k) for 2018

The IRS has released the maximum contribution limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for 2018.  The IRS also released the maximum deferral and compensation limits for 401(k) accounts. Health Savings Accounts Single Coverage Maximum Contribution Limit: $3,450 ($50 increase from 2017) Family Coverage Maximum Contribution...

Innovative Supports the 13th Annual Moorestown Progressive Dinner

Innovative Benefit Planning proudly sponsored the Oaks Integrated Care 13th Annual Moorestown Progressive Dinner on Friday, October 13th. Guests gathered at a number of volunteer host homes throughout Moorestown and enjoyed meals prepared by volunteer chefs from some of the area’s most popular restaurants and caterers. Proceeds from the event...

President Trump Ends ACA Cost Sharing Reductions

On the evening of October 12, 2017, President Trump announced that cost sharing reductions for low income Americans in relation to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be stopped. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed that payments will be stopped immediately. It is...

Innovative Welcomes Luke Howard

Please join us in welcoming Innovative’s new Data Analyst, Luke Howard. Luke has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering  and during his schooling he was heavily focused on research for sustainability in conjunction with the EPA. He worked primarily with major manufacturers such as DuPont and Nestle in wastewater purification. Luke...

Compliance Alert!

Two tri-agency (Internal Revenue Service, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Interim Final Rules were released and became effective on October 6, 2017, and will be published on October 31, 2017, allowing a greater number of employers to opt out of providing contraception to employees...

Innovative to be Honored for Lifetime Achievement for Philanthropy

Innovative is honored to announce that the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Southern New Jersey will be honoring Innovative Founders, Terriann Procida and Mark Sulpizio, with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 9th Annual National Philanthropy Day Celebration. Terriann and Mark will be honored for their contributions to the success...

Ryan Kastner Moderates NPDC HR Breakfast Panel

This morning at Adelphia Restaurant & Lounge in Deptford, NJ the Nonprofit Development Center of Southern New Jersey held a breakfast panel discussion for Nonprofit Human Resource professionals. The panel discussion focused on various talent management issues in the nonprofit community. Innovative’s Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, had the pleasure...

Ryan Kastner Speaks at Pennsylvania State SHRM Conference

Earlier this morning, Innovative’s Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, had the pleasure of presenting at the Pennsylvania State SHRMconference in State College, PA. Ryan’s presentation, “Healthcare Trends in the Trumpcare Era” detailed the most recent national and regional employer health plan trends from the United Benefit Advisor’s  Annual Health Plan...

Innovative Employer Identity Monitoring and Restoration Services

Recently, Innovative had the pleasure of seeing Frank Abagnale speak at the UBA Conference in Chicago. You may recognize Frank’s name from the movie “Catch Me If You Can” where he was played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Frank became (in)famous for writing fake checks (among other things) as a teenager. Later...

Post-Equifax Cyber Breach: Retirement Plan Sponsor Considerations

Plan sponsors have a fiduciary obligation to safeguard and preserve the assets of their employee benefit plans. As the number of cyber hacks continues to increase, plan fiduciaries must take certain steps to protect plan assets. Measures include evaluating security measures currently implemented by your organization, understanding the plan’s service...

Post-Equifax Cyber Breach: Employer and Human Resource Considerations

Under EEOC regulations, employers can utilize credit checks when hiring employees, provided that the information is relevant to the position. For example, an individual who will be responsible for providing sound investment advice to clients, must prove to the company that their own credit is satisfactory. However, many vendors sell...

DOL Fiduciary Rule Delay Approved by Office of Management and Budget

As you may be aware, the Department of Labor requested to push back the final implementation date of the fiduciary rule, originally scheduled for January, to July 2019. The 18-month delay was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the White House this week. While the delay...

Regarding the New York Paid Family Leave Law

NEW YORK PAID FAMILY LEAVE LAW Eligible employees will be able to take NYPFL to take care of a seriously ill family member, to bond with a newborn, adopted or foster child, or for military exigency, as defined by the federal FMLA rules. The New York Disability Benefits Law (NYDBL)...

July Compliance Recap

July was a relatively quiet month in the employee benefits world, despite the U.S. Senate’s release of two bills in its attempt to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). First, the U.S. Senate revised its Better Care Reconciliation Act and declined to vote on its revision. Then...

ACA/BCRA Update

As you know, a few weeks ago Senate Republicans drafted a bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (“BCRA”), in an effort to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). If you remember, Republicans currently hold a 52-member majority in the Senate, therefore Senate Republicans are left...

June Compliance Recap

June was an active month in the employee benefits world. The U.S. Senate released a draft of the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 which would substitute the U.S. House Resolution 1628 that aimed to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The U.S. Supreme Court...

PCORI FILING DUE TO IRS BY JULY 31

It’s that time of year again for PCORI fees to be paid. As you may already know, the Affordable Care Act established the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The purpose of PCORI is to promote research efforts that will help Americans make better informed health decisions. To fund this effort,...

DOL Releases Additional Guidance Regarding the Fiduciary Rule

As part of our commitment to ensuring that our clients are kept up-to-date on the changes to applicable laws, the Department of Labor (DOL) has released additional guidance regarding the Fiduciary Rule. In our recent blog post, we discussed the applicability date of the Fiduciary Rule being delayed from April...

Innovative & Ryan Kastner Honored at Annual United Way Awards Celebration

This Thursday, May 18th, the Innovative team attended the Annual United Way of Burlington/Camden Counties Awards Celebration at the Ramblewood Country Club in Mount Laurel, NJ. Innovative was honored to receive the “Culture of Caring” Award for organizations with outstanding employee participation rates. Innovative’s Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, was...

The CHOICE Act and its Impact on the Fiduciary Rule & Dodd-Frank

Late last week, the House Financial Services Committee approved the CHOICE Act for consideration by the full House of Representatives. The CHOICE Act is likely the first step towards Congressional repeal of the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule. In addition to undoing or potentially replacing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform...

Float Your Way to Better Health

Every day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, our senses are being stimulated by light, sound, and other sensations. Our muscles and bones are working hard against gravity to support us with each movement that we make. If we are not careful to take care of our bodies,...

March Compliance Recap

In March, the employee benefits world watched as the House Speaker unveiled a proposal to replace parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) with the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The AHCA bill was withdrawn from consideration by the full House on March 24 because it appeared...

Innovative Spotlight- Yesenia Perez, JD, LLM

Innovative Spotlight Yesenia Perez, JD, LLM is pioneering the role of Compliance Counsel at Innovative Benefit Planning. Facing constant challenges of the ever-changing insurance industry and the impact the Affordable Care Act has had on employers nationwide, we knew we needed more compliance support for our clients. Yesenia has been...

February Compliance Recap

February had relatively little activity in the employee benefits world because a new Secretary of the Department of Health and Humans (HHS) was recently confirmed and HHS started its rulemaking under the new administration. On February 10, 2017, the U.S. Senate confirmed Rep. Tom Price as the new Secretary of...

Innovative Welcomes Jennifer Berwick

Innovative is happy to announce the newest addition to our team, Jennifer Berwick. Jennifer comes to us with a  diverse background in office administration and accounting. She will be working closely with Innovative’s CEO, Teriann Procida, where she will look to leverage her organizational talents to help Innovative’s office run...

Impact of Opt-Out Incentives on ACA Affordability Calculations

Quick Overview of Affordability   Employers may find themselves subject to a penalty if an employee goes to the Marketplace/Exchange and obtains a premium credit, because the employer plan was not affordable or does not provide minimum value.   An employee is not eligible for a premium tax credit for...

Proposed Regulations Allow for Permitted Uses of Plan Forfeitures in a 401(k) Plan

On January 18, 2017 the IRS issued proposed regulations that allowed for permitted uses of plan forfeitures in a 401(k) plan. Under these proposed rules, “Qualified Nonelective Contributions, or QNCEs and “Qualified Matching Contributions” or, QMACs would be amended to allow plan sponsors to use amounts held in the plan’s...

The fate of the Fiduciary Rule

As you may know, on Friday, February 3, 2017, President Trump signed a memorandum directing the Department of Labor Secretary to undertake a new “economic and legal analysis” to evaluate the Fiduciary Rule. To the extent that the new analysis reveals any issues, the Labor Secretary is directed to publish...

Innovative Welcomes Shannon Thomson

The Innovative team continues to grow with our most recent addition to the team, Shannon Thomson. Shannon was most recently the Executive Administrative Assistant for the Sports & Entertainment department at Aramark. She is currently working on completing her degree in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix. Shannon joins...

Ryan Kastner Included in South Jersey Magazine’s 2016 Men of the Year

Please join us in congratulating Innovative’s Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, on being included in South Jersey Magazine‘s 2016 Men of the Year.  Ryan was one of fifteen men in the South Jersey area recognized for their philanthropic efforts and contributions to their local communities.  To read more, check out...

November 2016- Compliance Recap

November was quite an active month for compliance related updates in the law with regard to employee benefits and human resources. The IRS delayed 6055 and 6056 reporting for 2017, the Overtime Rule was delayed, the government released annual benefit plan amounts for 2017, and the IRS released advanced copies...

Compliance Alert! – DOL Appeals FLSA Overtime Rule Injunction

As we expected, last evening, the Department of Labor filed a notice of appeal in the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The Department of Labor’s appeal indicates plans to challenge the injunction that put the changes to the federal overtime rule on hold by a Texas...

Phishing Email Alert

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued an alert regarding phishing attempts by a company or individual utilizing the HHS Departmental letterhead under the signature of OCR’s Director. The email appears to be an official government communication and targets employees of HIPAA covered entities and their business associates....

The Trump Administration & Healthcare Reform

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the next President of our nation. Next year, Republicans will have the majority in the House of Representatives (238 Republicans, 191 Democrats) and the majority in the Senate (51 Republicans, 47 Democrats). On November 14, 2016, House Republicans...

October 2016 Compliance Recap

October was a busy month for administrative rule-making in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final instructions for Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, guidance on the taxability of health care sharing ministry employer contributions, and health care information reporting tips. The Department of Health and Human Services...

Innovative Welcomes New Worksite Wellness Consultant

We are happy to announce the newest addition to our team, Erica Brown. Erica will be taking over the role of Worksite Wellness Consultant and will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of worksite wellness programs for Innovative’s clients. Erica Brown is a seasoned Nutritionist and Wellness Coach...

October 27th- A Night of Celebration

The Innovative team had lots to celebrate last Thursday night! Spread throughout the Philadelphia/South Jersey area, the Innovative team celebrated our Philadelphia 100 win at the Filmore in Philadelphia, our SNJBP Reader’s Choice awardin Insurance and Risk Management at Lucien’s Manor in Berlin, NJ and our Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner’s...

The Shift to Self-Funding

Year over year, more employers are making the switch from fully-insured health plans to self-funded arrangements. As of 2015, 63% of all covered employees are on completely or partially-funded employer health plans. Innovative Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, was quoted in MedCity News discussing the intricacies of self-funding. To read the...

Compliance Recap- September 2016

September was not a very active month for administrative rulemaking in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of Labor (DOL), and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) extended the public comment period for the proposed Form 5500 annual return/report revision. The IRS issued rules defining terms relating...

Innovative’s CEO Named “Outstanding Entrepreneur” by South Jersey Biz

South Jersey Biz Magazine named Innovative’s CEO, Terriann Procida, as one of their “Outstanding Entrepreneurs” in their September 2016 publication.  We are so proud of Terriann, who was named alongside a select group of successful entrepreneurs in the South Jersey area, all of whom took great risks in business and are now...

Innovative Takes on The Spartan Race

This past Saturday, September 24th, Innovative CEO, Terriann Procida, joined by Employee Benefits Consultants Ryan Kastner and Sean Healy  and her sons, Elias and Will, took on the Reebok Spartan Race at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. The course consisted of a number of grueling  obstacles including rope climbing, wall climbing, monkey...

Innovative Attends United Benefit Advisor’s Fall Conference in Chicago

The Innovative team headed to Chicago this past weekend for the United Benefit Advisor’s Fall Conference September 18th-20th. “UBA is the nation’s leading organization of independent benefit advisors who are bound by a code of conduct to actively  cultivate, validate and share wisdom with busy benefit decision makers nationwide who want...

Innovative Honored to Receive 2016 Readers’ Choice Award

For the second year in a row Innovative Benefit Planning, L.L.C. is proud to announce that we were voted  a Leader in Insurance and Risk Management in SNJBP‘s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards. We are thrilled to be acknowledged by the SNJBP  readers, who hail from Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. These communities are home...

How Corporate Wellness Programs Benefit You and Your Organization

Has your organization adopted a structured wellness program? Many employers are resistant to kickoff corporate wellness programs due to lack of knowledge and fear of high start up costs and increasing the workload on their busy Human Resources department. Read more in our Wellness Program Whitepaper about how you can...

August Compliance Recap

August remained relatively quiet in the employee benefits world, with only new draft versions of the instructions for Forms 1095-C, 1095-C, 1094-B and 1095-B. The new draft versions of the specific forms were released in July. The IRS also released the annual contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and...

August Compliance Recap

August was quiet month in the employee benefits world. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released its 2018 affordability rate, four information letters regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and its draft Forms 1094 and 1095. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) increased the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act...

Innovative Included in 2016 Philadelphia 100!

We are proud to announce that Innovative has been included in the 2016 “Philadelphia 100” list! The Philadelphia 100 is an annual project run by the Wharton Small Business Development Center and The Entrepreneur’s Forum of Greater Philadelphia. Innovative is honored to be named in this merit-based program alongside the fastest...

The Top 5 Things to Look for in an ACA Reporting Consultant

Innovative Benefit Planning’s consultants are widely considered the Affordable Care Act experts in the Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey areas. While many employers struggled with the ACA reporting for 2015 with little support, Innovative clients slept easy with employee communications, in-depth consultations, pre-form data audits, and error resolution support. Innovative...

HRAs, HSAs, and Health FSAs – What’s the Difference?

Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), health savings accounts (HSAs) and health care flexible spending accounts (HFSAs) are generally referred to as account-based plans. That is because each participant has their own account, at least for bookkeeping purposes. Under the tax rules, amounts may be contributed to these accounts (with certain restrictions)...

Innovative Named “Best of the Biz” 2016

Innovative is proud to announce that we were named “Best of the Biz 2016” in South Jersey Biz‘s August issue! Annually, South Jersey Biz complies a “Best of the Biz” list through readers’ and editors’ selections. Innovative is honored to be recognized by South Jersey Biz readers in the category of Benefit Consultant....

Employment Eligibility: How to Handle Questions about Worker Identity

Reports submitted to the U.S. government that include both names and Social Security numbers (SSNs), such as 1095 and W-2 forms, are filtered through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In some cases, employers will receive a No-Match Letter or an...

Compliance Recap- July 2016

During the month of July numerous new regulations were issued or proposed by federal agencies, and existing forms and processes were updated. In particular, penalties for various ERISA violations were increased, a major overhaul to Form 5500 filings was proposed, and draft 1095-C and 1094-C forms were released. Proposed regulations...

Salary Considerations under the New DOL Standards

On December 1, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will implement changes raising the minimum compensation for exempt employees to $47,476 annually. While salary is just half of a two-part equation that includes a duties test of essential job functions, scrutiny is under way to analyze compensation and find solutions...

June 2016 Compliance Recap

June was another quiet month for federal agencies in relation to employee benefits. A tri-agency proposed rule regarding expatriate health plans, excepted benefits, and essential health benefits was released. UBA Updates UBA’s Human Resources department released a checklist and advisor on new OSHA requirements: OSHA Reporting Changes: Employer Checklist OSHA’s...

Innovative’s CEO Honored at 2016 Brava Awards

  Last night, the Innovative team gathered at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia to celebrate Innovative’s CEO, Terriann Procida, as she was presented with SmartCEO‘s  2016 Philadelphia Brava Award. The Brava Award is bestowed upon female business leaders in the greater Philadelphia area who possess incredible leadership qualities both within...

Interim Final Rule Updating the Penalties for Certain ERISA Violations

In the beginning of July, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued an interim final rule, effective August 1, 2016, adjusting the amounts of civil penalties as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. In order to improve the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties, maintain their deterrent...

Proposed Rule Offers Guidance on Expatriate Health Plans, Excepted Benefits and Essential Health Benefits

In a tri-agency proposed rule, the Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of Treasury (Treasury) have published guidance discussing expatriate health plans (expat plans), excepted benefits, and essential health benefits (EHBs). Expatriate Health Plans The proposed rule would allow expatriate health plans, employers...

Innovative Presents at the BPAS Annual Conference

The Innovative team spent June 6, 7 and 8, 2016 at the Benefit Plans Administrative Services (BPAS) Annual Partner Conference in Philadelphia. The annual conference draws financial intermediary partners from across the country for three days of panels and breakout sessions covering a variety of topics including: technical and legislative updates, fiduciary...

Terriann Participates in SmartCEO’s “Think Tank” Discussion

On June 7th, Innovative President, Terriann Procida, joined a group of fellow Philadelphia-area Brava winners to participate in SmartCEO‘s  “Think Tank” discussion hosted by Comcast Business on Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy. Panelists spoke on the various ways their businesses engage with their local communities, how their organization’s productivity and employee...

OSHA Issues a Final Rule on Electronic Tracking of Workplace Injuries & Illnesses

Is your organization tracking workplace illnesses and injuries in accordance with new laws? Beginning in 2017, certain employers with as few as 20 employees at a single site will be required to electronically file information about employee injuries and accidents that occurred in the prior year. This means that, for many...

Ryan Kastner Selected as “20 Under 40!”

More great news! We are proud to announce that Innovative’s Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, was named one of South Jersey Biz‘s “ 20 Under 40! ” Annually, South Jersey Biz honors the accomplishments of young professionals under the age of 40 in the South Jersey area through the “20 Under...

Congratulations Terriann!

We are proud to announce that Innovative President & Founder, Terriann Procida was selected to receive Smart CEO‘s 2016 Philadelphia Brava Award! The Brava Award celebrates top female CEO’s along the east coast in Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte,  Long Island, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington. Winners are recognized for their accomplishments...

Innovative Presents “Healthy Eating on a Budget” Seminar

Last Thursday, Innovative’s Wellness Coach, Lori Drouin, and Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, headed to the Occupational Training Center of Burlington County  to present the educational wellness program “Health Eating on a Budget” to the Occupational Training Center staff. Lori walked OTC employees through a variety of ways to make healthy food choices, make...

Compliance Recap – March 2016

  The government was busy during the month of March, issuing the massive Benefit Payment and Parameters rule in addition to numerous other updates. The IRS has added filing errors relating to Form 5500 to its project list, and multiple federal agencies confirmed that the just-announced templates relating to the...

Innovative’s Ryan Kastner Named One of SNJBP’s “40 Under 40!”

Please join us in congratulating Innovative’s  Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan Kastner, on being named “40 Under 40” bySNJ Business People! Last night, Ryan was among 40 local business people under the age of 40 honored for their professional and philanthropic achievements at The Mansion in Voorhees. Southern New Jersey Business People’s  ’40...

Innovative Attends 2016 NAHU Capitol Conference

This past week,  Innovative representatives Dan Foley and Ryan Kastner headed to Washington D.C. for the National Association of Health Underwriters Capitol Conference. Below are live-tweets from the conference. #NAHUCapCon2016 Met w/ NAHU CEO Janet Trautwein 4 an exclusive UpdateFromTheHill 4 UBA partners. These will be a large part of our...

Innovative Welcomes Stacey Zielke!

Innovative is happy to announce the newest addition to our team, Stacey Zielke! Stacey, formerly a Benefit Specialist for Benefit Concepts, brings 15 years experience in the Human Resources Field.  Stacey graduated from Rider University with a degree in Psychology and earned her PHR Certification in 2006.  Stacey recently joined...

Compliance Recap- January 2016

January was a very quiet month for compliance, on the heels of the multitude of delays that came at the end of December 2015. The IRS updated its FAQs related to 6055 and 6056 reporting under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). UBA Guides and Compliance Documents UBA updated the popular...

IRS Updates FAQs Related to 6055/6056 Reporting

The long-standing IRS FAQs related to reporting under sections 6055 and 6056 on requirements provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been updated in January 2016 to reflect new information. Final instructions for both the 1094-B and 1095-B and the 1094-C and 1095-C were released in...

Compliance Recap – December 2015

2015 went out with a bang, as federal agencies and the White House issued a number of major delays relating to employee benefits. Most significantly, IRS reporting for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s play or pay requirement has been delayed, for both forms being sent to employees and...

IRS Final Rule on Minimum Value

In December 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a final rule that clarifies various topics relating to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and premium tax credit eligibility provisions. The rule finalizes regulations that were proposed years earlier. Child Income The final rule clarified language relating to...

IRS Provides Major Delay in 6055 and 6056 Reporting

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance, while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage,...

COBRA and the Affordable Care Act

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act COBRA requires employers to offer covered employees who lose their health benefits due to a qualifying event to continue group health benefits for a limited time at the employee’s own cost. COBRA provisions are found in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the...

Omnibus Bill Signed Into Law; Delays Cadillac Tax

President Obama has signed the omnibus legislation that includes the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2016 and a tax extenders package. The agreement will keep the federal government running through September 2016. Within the legislation is language that significantly impacts provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), largely...

IRS Notice 2015-87: HRAs, Affordability, and More

On December 16, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other federal agencies released IRS Notice 2015-87, which is a “potpourri” update that covers many different topics relating to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), including some relating to market reforms. The Notice generally covers health reimbursement arrangements...

Innovative’s 2015 Gift Exchange

Innovative got into the holiday spirit on Friday with our annual holiday white elephant gift exchange. The team had a great time opening (and stealing) gifts over drinks and delicious food catered by Moorestown’s Maurizio’s Bistro. Here are some photos from the event: [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []...

Innovative Receives SNJBP Readers’ Choice Award!

Innovative Benefit Planning, L.L.C. is proud to announce that we were voted  a Leader in Insurance and Risk Management in SNJBP‘s 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Innovative is honored to be recognized by the readers of SNJBP who hail from Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. These communities are home to many of our clients and...

Proposed Benefit Payment and Parameters Rule Released

Federal agencies have released the proposed rule for the 2017 Benefit Payment and Parameters. Among other items, it provides updates and annual provisions relating to: Risk adjustments, reinsurance, and risk corridors programs Cost-sharing parameters and cost-sharing reductions User fees for Federally-Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) The standards for open enrollment for the...

Agencies Issue Final Rule on Grandfathered Health Plans and Other Initiatives

On November 13, 2015, federal agencies issued a final rule that essentially combined a variety of interim final rules and non-regulatory guidance on a variety of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) initiatives such as grandfathered health plans, preexisting condition exclusions, internal and external appeals, rescissions of coverage, lifetime...

EEOC Issues Proposed Rule Relating to Genetic Information and Wellness Programs

On October 30, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a Proposed rule to amend the regulations implementing Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) as they relate to employer wellness programs that are part of group health plans. The Proposed rule would allow employers to offer...

There’s Still Time to Get Help With ACA Reporting For 2015!

As ACA reporting deadlines for the 2015 tax year quickly approach, many organizations have found that the task of 1094/1095 reporting is too arduous to take on internally. At this point in the year, many payroll providers and independent companies have implemented strict registration deadlines for early November. If you are...

CMS Provides Clarity on PACE Act Implications for States

The Providing Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act amended the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and redefined small employers as those with 50 or fewer employees; it also gives states the option to expand the definition to include employers with up to 100 employees (or, practically speaking, those...

Mark Sulpizio Named New Board Member of YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties

Please join us in congratulating Innovative’s Mark Sulpizio on his admission to the Board of Governors of the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties! Mark joins a prestigious group of community leaders who volunteer their time and expertise to bring positive change to the region. The YMCA of Burlington and...

ACA’s Auto-Enrollment Requirement Repealed

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) initially required employers with more than 200 full-time employees and that offer employees one or more health benefit plans must automatically enroll (and re-enroll existing) full-time employees into one of the health plans (subject to any waiting period authorized by law), in...

Halloween at Innovative

Last Friday, the Innovative team got into the Halloween spirit by dressing up and celebrating with friends and family at the 2015 Innovative Halloween party. Guests enjoyed delicious food prepared by Georgetti’s Catering and employees brought Halloween-themed treats for dessert. A big thank you to Mark, Terriann and our Wellness team...

DOL Issues FAQ on Mental Health Parity and ACA Market Reform Provisions

In October 2015, the Department of Labor (DOL) provided an informational FAQ relating to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) market reform provisions. Non-grandfathered group health plans and individual or group market health insurance must cover a variety of...

IRS Proposed Regulations Recognize Same Sex Marriage

In June 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v Hodges that the 14th Amendment requires a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex, and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out...

Innovative Founders Host Moorestown Progressive Dinner

Innovative Benefit Planning was proud to support Oaks Integrated by sponsoring, attending and hosting the 2015 Moorestown Progressive Dinner on October 16th. Innovative Principals, Mark Sulpizio and Terriann Procida, hosted a group of professionals from the Moorestown community for a special dinner prepared by Chef Todd-Jay Annese from Brio Tuscan Grill....

Innovative Welcomes Sean Healy!

Innovative is excited to announce the addition of our newest team member, Sean Healy! Sean, formerly a technology sales rep for ADP, brings his 5 years of expertise with HR and benefit administrative technology to Innovative.  Sean graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in accounting and later expanded into...

UPDATE- “Small Employer” Redefined

  On Wednesday evening, President Obama signed into law H.R. 1624, more commonly known as The PACE Act. This new legislation amends the Affordable Care Act and allows individual states to determine how they define small-group markets. Now, it will be up to state legislators to govern whether they will...

We’re growing! Innovative Welcomes Mary Gannon

Innovative is happy to announce the addition of our newest team member, Mary Gannon. Mary is a licensed health insurance professional with over 19 years of experience in the health care industry.  Mary worked at IBC and AmeriHealth for many years as an associate representative as well as an account...

PACE Act Passes House, Senate

The U.S. Senate, following the House of Representatives, has passed House Resolution 1624, the “Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act” or “PACE Act” which will be sent to President Obama’s desk for signature. It is anticipated the President will sign the Act into law. The PACE Act would amend the...

IRS Notice on Minimum Essential Coverage Reporting

Minimum essential coverage or “MEC” is the type of coverage that an individual must have under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Employers that are subject to the ACA’s shared responsibility provisions (often called play or pay) must offer MEC coverage that is affordable and provides minimum value....

Innovative Benefit Planning goes to UBA Chicago

September 12th-September 15th Innovative Benefit Planning team members Terriann Procida, Mark Sulpizio, Scott Agostini, Elizabeth Hann, Caitlin Boland, Ryan Kastner and Dan Foley headed to Chicago, Illinois for the United Benefit Advisors Semiannual Conference. The conference provided many informative “Boot Camp” session on compliance, surveys, marketing and Employee Navigator Training that will help...

Perfect Attendance! – How to Handle Leaves of Absence under the ACA

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer full-time employees health coverage, or pay one of two employer shared responsibility penalties. An ALE is an employer with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees (for 2015, this threshold is 100). A full-time...

Innovative Welcomes Lori Drouin!

Lori is a Licensed Practical Nurse bringing with her 17 years of experience in disease management and reproductive medicine. After a successful nursing career, Lori attended Camden County Community College where she earned her registered dietitian certificate. Now Lori is Innovative’s latest addition to our workplace wellness team working as...

Temporary Safe Harbor for Online Posting of SBCs

A Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) is four-page (double-sided) communication required by the federal government under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). It must contain specific information, in a specific order and with a minimum size type, about a group health benefit’s coverage and limitations. An SBC...

IRS Proposes Minimum Value Rule Change to Mesh IRS and HHS Rules

Beginning in 2015, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), large employers must offer affordable, minimum value coverage to their full-time employees or potentially pay a penalty. Some companies have or had been marketing a plan that they state satisfies the minimum value requirement (an actuarial value of...

HHS Proposes First of Anticipated Nondiscrimination Regulations

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued the first of the anticipated nondiscrimination rules, which sets forth proposed regulations to implement Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557 provides that individuals shall not be excluded from participation, denied the benefits of,...

Affordable Care Act Information Returns

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage,...

6055 Reporting, HRAs, and “Supplemental Coverage”

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) implemented section 6055 of the Internal Revenue Code, which requires IRS reporting from any entity that provides “minimum essential coverage” (MEC) to individuals. Employers who are applicable large employers (ALEs) have related reporting obligations under section 6056. Beginning in 2013, during the proposed rulemaking stage,...

IRS Releases Draft 2015 Instructions for 6055/6056 Reporting

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), individuals are required to have health insurance while applicable large employers (ALEs) are required to offer health benefits to their full-time employees. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage,...

Veterans with TRICARE; VA Coverage Won’t Count Toward Applicable Large Employer Status

The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act (STVHCC) of 2015 was signed into law by President Obama on July 31, 2015. The Act, also known as H.R. 3236, is focused on surface transportation programs but affects rules regarding how to count employees under the Patient Protection and...

IRS Issues Second Notice to Assist in Developing Cadillac Tax Regulations

The IRS has issued its second notice regarding the upcoming implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage, also known as the “Cadillac tax.” Beginning in 2018, plans that provide coverage that exceeds a threshold will owe the tax. The...

DOL Issues Guidance on Classification of Independent Contractors

  The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued an “Administrator’s Interpretation” to assist employers in determining if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The DOL has determined that many employers are incorrectly classifying employees as independent contractors, which can harm the worker and open the employer up...

Preventive Services Final Rules

Federal agencies released final regulations on the preventive services mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires non-grandfathered group health plans to provide coverage without cost-sharing for specific preventive services, which for women include contraceptive services. After pushback from religious employers, interim final regulations, objections from certain...

Mid-Size Employers: Transition Relief and Community Rating

The employer shared responsibility (i.e., “play or pay”) requirements went into effect in 2015 for large employers only (those with 100 or more full-time or full-time-equivalent employees). Even though they generally will not be liable for penalties until 2016, mid-size employers (employers with 50 to 99 full-time or full-time-equivalent employees)...

Innovative Benefit Planning Principal Mark Sulpizio Sponsors Community Access Unlimited Annual Golf Outing that raises $48,000 for people with disabilities and at-risk youth

Community Access Unlimited is a statewide nonprofit providing support programs and services to more than 6,000 adults with disabilities as well as youth served under the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to enable them to live independently in the community, in areas including vocational and life-skills training, education, advocacy...

Trade Bill Increases ACA Reporting Penalties;

Most employers are familiar with the penalties assessed to applicable large employers that fail to offer minimum essential coverage that is minimum value and affordable. In addition to being required to offer coverage, employers (all applicable large employers, and all employers with self-funded plans regardless of size) are required to...

U.S. Supreme Court Finds Same Sex Marriage Is Protected by the 14th Amendment

The Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v Hodges, that the 14th Amendment requires a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex, and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out of state. The...

TOP FIVE WORTHWHILE WELLNESS APPS–FOR FREE!

1. MyFitnessPal Don’t be a mindless eater! One of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off is to track what you eat and drink throughout the day. Create a profile on MyFitnessPal, enter your weight goal and begin tracking your food intake and physical activity. The app...

Mid-Size Employers: Transition Relief and Community Rating

The employer shared responsibility (i.e., “play or pay”) requirements went into effect in 2015 for large employers only (those with 100 or more full-time or full-time-equivalent employees). Even though they generally will not be liable for penalties until 2016, mid-size employers (employers with 50 to 99 full-time or full-time-equivalent employees)...

IRS Issues Additional FAQs and Hosts Webinar to Assist with Reporting Requirements under PPACA’s Play or Pay

Background In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that (1) individuals have the required minimum essential coverage, (2) individuals who request premium tax credits are entitled to them, and (3) applicable large employers (ALEs) are meeting their shared responsibility (play or pay) obligations, employers with 50 or...

Region Matters When It Comes to HSA Funding, CDHP Adoption

We’ve already discussed Health Savings Account (HSA) activity at length, looking first at the correlation between generous HSA contributions and increased enrollment in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs). Second, we looked at how HSAs have performed in recent years across different industries. Now, we’ll look closer at HSA activity across different regions of...

Top 5 Questions about Medicare Secondary Payer Rules

Under federal regulations, Medicare is a secondary payer for many individuals who have an employer group health plan available to them, either as an employee or the dependent spouse or child of the employee. Generally the Medicare Secondary Payer rules prohibit employers with more than 20 employees from in any...

Potential Employer Penalties under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Employers that do not meet the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) need to be concerned about several potential penalties. Two significant penalties include the excise tax, which can be as much as $100 per affected individual per day, and the penalties that larger employers must...

Wraparound Excepted Benefits to Launch with Two Pilot Programs

Health plan sponsors would be permitted to offer wraparound coverage to employees purchasing individual health insurance in the private market, including the Marketplace, in limited circumstances, under a new Final Rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) and other federal agencies. The Final Rule, published March 18, 2015, sets forth two narrow pilot...

Industry Differences Among Health Savings Accounts

While recent survey data shows that, on average, employers are decreasing the amount they’re willing to contribute to employee Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), there are some industries that have not seen such trends. On average, employees saw a 10 percent decrease in their average single HSA employer contribution from the previous year,...

SCOTUS and the Future of U.S. Health Care

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly referred to as “Obamacare,” was signed into law with the intention of decreasing the number of uninsured Americans and reducing the overall costs of health care in the United States. In order to increase the number of U.S. citizens covered, a...

Congress Taking (Small) Steps for Employee Wellness Programs

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) specifically encourages and promotes the expansion of wellness programs in both the individual and group markets. In the individual market, the secretaries of the departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Treasury, and Labor are directed to establish a pilot program to...

Cost Sharing Limits Changing for 2016

In the Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2016 Final Rule issued in February 2015, federal agencies included a clarification that annual cost-sharing limitations for self-only coverage apply to all individuals, regardless of whether the individual is covered by a self-only plan or is covered by another kind of plan. Cost sharing refers...

Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in Subsidy Eligibility Battle

On March 4, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in King v. Burwell, a case that centers on the meaning of statutory language in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). At question in the case is whether or not the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may issue regulations...

Compliance Recap – March 2015

Coming off a busy February, regulatory agencies were noticeably quiet during the month of March. This allowed the Supreme Court to take the spotlight with oral arguments in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) related case, King v. Burwell. A clarifying FAQ was issued regarding cost-sharing limits for...

PPACA’s Impact on How CDHPs and HSAs Work Together

Employer health savings account (HSA) funding strategies have changed in recent years in response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and its impact on employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Employers are contributing less, on average, to HSAs and the increase in popularity of cost-saving consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs)...

Definition of “Spouse” Updated for FMLA

The Department of Labor has issued an updated definition for “spouse” under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to make compliance with FMLA easier for both employers and employees. The new regulations will be effective on March 27, 2015, and will define “spouse” as a husband or wife, which...

Final Rule Issues Standards for Insurers and Marketplaces in 2016

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services issued a Final Rule with standards for insurers and Marketplaces in 2016, covering topics such as transparency in health insurance rate increases, formulary drug lists, drug mail order opt out provisions, determination of minimum...

Growing Pains: Why Adolescence Is About To Get That Much Harder

Employers that are growing up, and are in the awkward teenage years, are about to get a big surprise, and not the good kind. When a company first opens, they are excited when they first implement their benefit plans for their handful of employees. They offer one or two medical...

IRS Provides Details on Reimbursing Premiums for Individual Health Coverage or Medicare Part B, Part D, or Medigap for Active Employees

On February 18, 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2015-17. This Notice addresses employer payment or reimbursement of individual premiums in light of the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). For many years, employers were permitted to reimburse premiums paid for individual coverage on a...

Agencies Provide Guidance on Single Benefit Products and Excepted Benefits

On February 13, 2015, the regulatory agencies issued an FAQ on whether supplemental health insurance coverage that provides additional categories of benefits may qualify as supplemental excepted benefits. Many provisions of PPACA do not apply to excepted health benefits. Supplemental excepted benefits are those that are provided under a separate...

IRS Requests Input on the Cadillac Tax

Beginning in 2018, plans that provide coverage that exceeds a threshold will owe an excise tax that is frequently referred to as the “Cadillac tax.” The threshold generally will be $10,200 for single benefits and $27,500 for benefits provided to an employee, retiree, or member of a bargaining unit and...

Think 2014 tax forms are bad? Here come the 1094 and 1095 for 2015!

Our recent blog  reviewed the highlights of the new employer and insurer reporting requirements. The chart below is designed to help you sort out who should use which form, and when: For comprehensive information on coverage requirements, due dates, special circumstances, controlled groups and how to complete the forms—including sample situations—...

Highlights of Employer and Insurer Reporting Requirements

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides that individuals who do not have minimum essential (basic medical) coverage will owe a penalty unless they qualify for an exemption. Employers with 50 or more employees that do not offer affordable, minimum value coverage to their full-time employees also will...

The RFP vs. the Two Step Process — Choosing Group Health Insurance

Many employers look at employee benefits as a commodity, bidding out their plans annually — and who can blame them? Rising health care costs coupled with a challenging economic environment have forced many human resources decision-makers to focus heavily on cost. Organizations of all sizes struggle to find a balance...

Why Buy Group Health Insurance through a Broker?

Employers have a lot of choices when it comes to buying group health insurance, including going directly to a carrier (or one of its agents), buying online, or going through a broker. Direct-to-carrier paths make it more difficult to shop the market across product lines, and buying online can leave...

IRS Provides Additional Details on Premium Payment Arrangements

The regulatory agencies have recently issued guidance that may affect employers that have been reimbursing premiums for individual health coverage or Medicare Part B, Part D or Medigap premiums for active employees. In addition, new rules were issued for single benefit supplemental plans, which may affect minimum essential coverage programs...

Highlights of Employer and Insurer Reporting Requirements

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides that individuals who do not have minimum essential (basic medical) coverage will owe a penalty unless they qualify for an exemption. Employers with 50 or more employees that do not offer affordable, minimum value coverage to their full-time employees also will...

Will Health Insurance Soon Become Health Memberships?

With the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), we saw a number of hospitals and provider groups being bought and merged with larger provider groups.  This was done for two reasons.  One, in part to make sure that they were able to establish more buying power,...

IRS Releases Information and Forms for Satisfying the Individual Mandate and Claiming 2014 Premium Tax Credits

Although employers are not required to offer coverage during 2014, individuals are generally required to have health coverage during 2014 and must report on that coverage through their 2014 federal income tax return. In many cases, the employee will be able to simply state through a “yes/no” question on their...

Top 5 Questions About The “Cadillac” Tax

The excise tax on high cost plans (also referred to as the Cadillac tax and the 4980I tax) is scheduled to take effect in 2018. To date, regulations have not been issued, so many of the details about how the tax will operate are unclear. (The regulatory agencies are responsible...

Proposed Changes to Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)

The Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued proposed regulations that would update the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) requirement, including the SBC template, instructions, example calculator, and uniform glossary. If adopted, the revised form would be used...

Innovative Principal Speaks at Federal Reserve Bank

On Tuesday, January 13th Innovative’s Principal, Mark Sulpizio, was invited to participate at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum of Greater Philadelphia event at The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Mark was featured as one of five panelists invited to speak at the EFGP Advisory Boards networking event. The group discussed important topics...

Innovative Investment Fiduciaries Presents to HR Association

On Thursday, January 8th, Innovative’s Matthew Bernstein, Retirement Plan Consultant, and Mark Sulpizio, Managing Partner, were asked to speak at the Greater Princeton Human Resources Association’s (GPHRA) monthly meeting in Princeton, New Jersey. The presentation discussed the Pension Protection Act’s plan restatement requirement due April 30th 2016 which requires most...

Employees Just Don’t Understand…

Or are employers just not communicating effectively? In 2015, most organizations have employees that include Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and Millennials. Each of these generations is different in the way they find information, digest information, and act on information. Now if you read the title to this post...

Consider a Wellness Coach

Biometric testing has become the latest rage in wellness programs. If you’re unfamiliar with this, biometric testing (sometimes called biometric screening) involves measuring employees’ blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, and similar measurements of employees’ health status. This testing can be a very helpful and important part of a corporate wellness...

Are You Benchmarking Your Health Plan Correctly?

Many employers benchmark their health plans against other employers with the same carrier or using nationally available data. But the benchmarking best practice is to compare your plan with others based on plan type, region, employee size, and industry. Without this more granular data, you could be missing key data...

Determining Minimum Value and Affordability

The IRS has released final regulations that address how wellness incentives or penalties, contributions to a health reimbursement arrangement, and employer contributions to a Section 125 plan are applied to determine affordability. While these regulations were issued in connection with the individual shared responsibility requirement (also called the individual mandate),...

2015 Cost-of-Living Adjustments

Many employee benefit limits are automatically adjusted each year for inflation (this is often referred to as an “indexed” limit). The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration have released a number of indexed figures for 2015. Limits of particular interest to employers include the following. For health and...

Supreme Court Agrees to Rule on Availability of Premium Tax Credits

Premium tax credits are only available to individuals who obtain health coverage through a Marketplace. A dispute has arisen as to whether the IRS has the ability to interpret PPACA to allow the subsidy to individuals who obtain coverage through any Marketplace, or whether the language of PPACA limits eligibility...

UBA Releases 2014 Health Plan Survey Executive Summary

Recent survey data from the 2014 United Benefit Advisors Health Plan Survey, the nation’s largest health plan survey, shows that employers continue to shift a greater share of expenses to employees through out-of-pocket cost increases and reductions in family benefits, as well as delay many effects of the Patient Protection and...

The “Play or Pay” Package

The employer-shared responsibility (“play or pay”) requirements do not apply to small employers and have been delayed until 2016 for employers with 50-99 employees. This raises the question – what exactly is included in the play or pay requirement, which a small employer may be able to ignore and that...

December Wellness Newsletter

QuickBites Weight-Loss Winners The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) studies people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for a year or longer. More than 10,000 people have enrolled in the study. Once a year, members answer questions about their weight, diet, and exercise habits. The...

Compliance Recap – November 2014

The month of November brought a new delay in reporting required from self-funded plans. It also brought several new notices and regulations that may affect sponsors of group health plans and an updated employer guide and health plan compliance checklist from the Department of Labor (DOL). Transitional Reinsurance Program Filing...

Wellness While Away

We all have barriers that get in the way of leading healthy lives. As we enter the holiday season, they seem to pile up more and more. My colleagues in the office will be the first to tell you, willpower is not one of my strengths when it comes to...

Transitional Reinsurance Fee Filing Date Extended to December 5

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the deadline for group health plans to complete their 2014 transitional reinsurance fee (TRF) submission. The announcement, which was released late on November 14, 2014, states that the filing is now due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday December 5, 2014....

The Benefit Guardian Makes an Appearance at Halloween

This past Halloween we were honored to see the first ever Innovative Benefit Guardian costume from one of our very own clients.  David Liero, an employee from AFS, designed and assembled his one of a kind Benefit Guardian costume. David told us, “I first got the idea for the costume...

COMPLIANCE ALERT: Premium Reimbursement Arrangements

The Department of Labor (DOL) has just published a series of FAQs regarding premium reimbursement arrangements. Specifically, the FAQs address the following arrangements: An arrangement in which an employer offers an employee cash to reimburse the purchase of an individual market policy. Where an employer provides cash reimbursement for the...

Substance Abuse and Teens: Strategies for Prevention

Every year since 1975, the Monitoring the Future study has measured drug, alcohol and cigarette use among American youth. The study, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), surveys more than 40,000 eighth, tenth and twelfth graders. The 2013 results show a decrease in tobacco and alcohol use...

2015 Cost-of-Living Adjustments

The IRS has issued the cost-of-living adjusted figures for qualified plans and for several fringe benefits for 2015. Of particular interest to many employers are: • An increase in the maximum employee contribution to a health flexible spending account (HFSA) to $2,550 • An increase in the 401(k) and 403(b)...

Requirement to Obtain a Health Plan Identifier (HPID) Delayed

On Friday October 31, 2014 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) quietly updated its Health Plan Identifier information page to delay the requirement that insurance carriers and self-funded health plans obtain a health plan identifier (HPID). The delay is in effect until further notice. Plans that have already...

Highlights of Wellness Program Requirements

The wellness program rules provide an exception to the general rule that employers may not take a person’s health status into account with respect to eligibility, benefits, or premiums under a group health plan. Wellness programs, therefore, are allowed if they are designed to help employees improve their health; if...

Frequently Asked Questions about Grandfathered Plans

As employers determine their plan designs for the coming year, those with grandfathered status need to decide if maintaining grandfathered status is their best option.  Innovative, in conjunction with our Partner firm United Benefit Advisors, has created an FAQ to address the questions employers have about grandfathering a group health...

Essential Health Benefits, Minimum Essential Coverage, Minimum Value Coverage – What’s The Difference?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) uses terms that sound alike for three very different things. Here’s a closer look at these terms, and when they’re used. Essential Health Benefits Significantly affects individuals and small employers with a fully insured plan. Has a limited impact on self-funded and...

Update: Same-Sex Marriages and Group Health Benefits

On October 6, 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review seven cases in which the lower appeals court had ruled that a state law or constitutional provision that prohibited same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. This declination means that the ruling of the appeals court is law, and...

Compliance Alert! Deadline Approaching for Larger Self-Funded Health Plans To Obtain a Health Plan Identifier Number

To meet federal requirements, large health plans must obtain a national health plan identifier number (HPID) by November 5, 2014. For this requirement, a large health plan is one with more than $5 million in annual receipts. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has said that since health...

Skinny Plans and Minimum Value: Do these plans really pass the test?

There is a lot of buzz in the market right now as employers are implementing their plans for the upcoming year. Many employers are looking at ways to keep their costs for medical coverage low, but still meet the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). These...

DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER! Philadelphia Lunch ‘N Learn this Friday

Are your employees getting their fair share? In 2012, the DOL issued new disclosure regulations requiring service providers to disclose the services provided and fees charged to retirement plans.   Recently, the DOL has commented that the new regulations have not produced the desired effect, that plan sponsors review the disclosures...

IRS Notice Addresses Handling of Changes in Measurement and Stability Periods

Large employers (for 2015, this generally means those with 100 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees) may use either the monthly or look-back method to determine whether an employee on average works 30 or more hours per week, and for whom a penalty may be owed if adequate health...

Excepted Benefits – “Limited Scope” Dental and Vision Plans and EAPs

On September 26, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Department of Labor (DOL) released final regulations that explain when dental and vision plans and employee assistance plans (EAPs) will be considered “excepted benefits.” Excepted benefits are health benefits that are...

IRS Allows Additional Section 125 Change in Status Events

On September 18, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2014-55 which allows employers to amend their Section 125 plans to recognize several new changes in status events. Open Enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace Prior to this new notice, an opportunity to enroll in the health insurance Marketplace (or...

Our September Educational Events were a Tremendous Success!

Our Innovative team presented an educational seminar at DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Philadelphia on September 19th, and also at Fleming’s Steakhouse in Marlton on September 25th. The events, which introduced innovative solutions for controlling the costs within your health plan while complying with PPACA, attracted C-level executives as well...

IRS Issues Drafts of Instructions for Employer and Individual Responsibility Reporting Forms

The following is a summary of draft instructions.  Some of this information may change when the final forms and instructions are released. In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that individuals have the required minimum essential coverage, individuals who request premium tax credits are entitled to them,...

Innovative Investment Fiduciaries Guest Presenters

On Tuesday, September 16th, Innovative’s Matthew Bernstein, Qualified Plan Consultant, and Mark Sulpizio, Managing Partner were asked to speak at MID Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly NPEC (Non-Profit Executive Council) meeting in Hamilton New Jersey. The presentation focused on the impact of the Department of Labor’s 408(b)(2) qualified plan fee...

Frequently Asked Questions about the Transitional Reinsurance Fee (TRF)

The transitional reinsurance fee (TRF) applies to fully insured and self-funded major medical plans for 2014, 2015, and 2016. The purpose of the fee is to provide funds to help stabilize premiums in the individual insurance market in view of uncertainty about how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act...

Eating For Healthy Cholesterol

  Cholesterol The American Heart Association estimates that more than 120 million Americans have unhealthy cholesterol levels, putting them at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol is found in every cell in your body. When there’s too much cholesterol in your blood, you may develop fatty deposits in...

Group Health Plan Notices: What Do You Need To Include?

Employers that sponsor group health plans are required to give eligible employees a number of notices each year. Some notices must be given by a particular date, and some must be given as part of the enrollment packet. (This means that non-calendar year plans may need to provide Medicare Part...

Highlights of the Summary of Benefits and Coverage Requirement

Plan administrators of group health plans, which includes all employers regardless of size or type of business with the exception of those that have been grandfathered, must provide a Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to eligible individuals.  This requirement applies primarily to medical (PPO, HDHP, HMO, etc…) coverage.  There...

How Can You Help Reduce Air Pollution?

Environmental Health Works Both Ways This month we look at how the environment affects health. Knowing about health problems related to the environment is an important part of making healthy lifestyle choices. This awareness starts at home. A safe, healthy environment in the home includes: Avoiding lead Testing for radon...

IRS Issues Drafts of Individual Responsibility Reporting Forms

The following is a summary of draft forms. Some of this information may change when final forms, and the instructions, are released. In order for the IRS to verify that individuals and employers are meeting their shared responsibility obligations, and that individuals who request premium tax credits are entitled to...

A September Lunch Event Is On The Calendar!

On February 10, 2014, the IRS issued final regulations on the employer requirements, often known as “Play or Pay.” For some employers Play or Pay is delayed until 2016, for others, compliance is still required in 2015. Make sure you know where you stand. Please join us on Friday September...

Cost of Living Adjustments for 2015

Many of the thresholds in PPACA have annual cost-of-living adjustments. The IRS has released the 2015 “affordability” thresholds. Affordability is measured differently for purposes of eligibility for the premium tax credit/subsidy (and any employer-shared responsibility penalty triggered by an employee receiving a premium subsidy) and the individual-shared responsibility penalty. For...

Courts Issue Opposite Rulings in PPACA Subsidies Cases

On July 22, 2014, two Courts of Appeals issued decisions that address whether only people who live in states that have state-run Marketplaces (which are also called exchanges) are eligible to receive premium tax credits or subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). One court held that...

Additional Rules on Contraceptive Coverage

Following up on the Supreme Court’s decision in the Hobby Lobby case, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury have issued an FAQ that reminds employers that ERISA requires that plan participants be advised of a material reduction in benefits within 60 days after the reduction becomes effective....

Will Your Private Plan Owe an MLR Rebate This Year?

MLR Rebate Considerations – Private Plans As was the case last year, insurers with medical loss ratios (MLRs) that were below the prescribed levels on their blocks of business must issue rebates to policyholders. Insurers must pay rebates owed on calendar year 2013 experience by August 1, 2014. The rules...

Will Your Government or Church Plan Owe an MLR Rebate This Year?

MLR Rebate Considerations – Government and Church Plans As was the case last year, insurers with medical loss ratios (MLRs) that were below the prescribed levels on their blocks of business must issue rebates to policyholders. Insurers must pay rebates owed on calendar year 2013 experience by August 1, 2014....

The Federal Court of Appeals Says Subsidies for Obamacare are Illegal!

After an in-depth, careful reading of the Affordable Care Act, the Federal Appeals Court panel ruled 2-1 that government subsidies used to purchase health insurance on HealthCare.gov are illegal. The ruling stated that only exchanges that are run by an individual state, or the District of Columbia, are permitted to...

Fourth Circuit Court Says Subsidies in the Federal Exchange Are Legal

We now have a decision from another Court of Appeals (this time it’s the Fourth Circuit) on the exact same subsidy issue as posted earlier today. This court has held that it is legal for individuals enrolled in federally-run exchanges to receive subsidies. If this decision ultimately prevails, employers would...

Why HSAs Linked to HDHPs are Making a Comeback

According to new information from United Benefit Advisors (UBA), health savings accounts (HSAs) are outpacing health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) in both adoption and participation rates. And now that metal tier health plans [e.g., platinum, gold, silver, etc.] are allowed higher deductibles, employers are increasingly looking at HSA qualified plans for...

Follow-Up to the Hobby Lobby Decision

The Supreme Court of the United States recently decided in a case generally referred to as the Hobby Lobby case that closely-held corporations whose owners have religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptives are not required to provide that coverage to satisfy PPACA requirements. We still do not know how...

What Does July 31st Mean To You?

Form 5500 With the exception of government plans (including most public schools) and many church plans which are exempt, plans on a calendar year that must comply with ERISA must file Form 5500 by July 31st. This form is part of ERISA’s overall reporting and disclosure framework, which is intended...

Get Active for Summer!

People who are physically active live longer and have a lower risk for chronic disease. Going outdoors for exercise is good for your mental and physical well-being. Recent studies have found that, compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments made people feel revitalized and energetic. The CDC advises adults...

Have You Registered for Our July 15th Lunch Event in Cherry Hill?

Are your employees getting their fair share? In 2012, the DOL issued new disclosure regulations requiring service providers to disclose the services provided and fees charged to retirement plans. Recently, the DOL has commented that the new regulations have not produced the desired effect, that plan sponsors review the disclosures...

What Employers Need to Know about SCOTUS Hobby Lobby Ruling

On June 30, 2014 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in a case generally referred to as the Hobby Lobby case. Hobby Lobby is a family-owned for-profit corporation. The family that owns Hobby Lobby strongly believes that it would violate their deeply held religious values and obligations to provide...

Innovative Receives Rave Reviews Once Again!

Last Friday at Sullivan’s Steak House in King of Prussia, our Innovative team revealed the three greatest concerns of our market  regarding PPACA at an educational seminar lunch event. In speaking with clients and other employers in the area, it became clear that guidance is needed not only on compliance,...

How Does the New Orientation Period Affect the 90-Day Waiting Period?

The DOL recently (June 25, 2014) issued additional regulations regarding an Orientation Period for Employers. This Orientation Period is meant to provide both employer and employees alike the opportunity to evaluate whether the employment situation is satisfactory for each party. This period can occur prior to the start of the maximum...

The New Jersey Athletic Conference Board Invites Innovative As Their First Guest Speaker!

On Wednesday June 18th, Innovative’s Ryan Kastner, Employee Benefits Consultant, and Scott Agostini, Managing Director, were invited to speak at the NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) semi-annual Board of Athletic Directors meeting in Atlantic City, where they educated the attendees on the possible effects of Health Care Reform to their...

What Are The Final Regulations For PPACA’s Mandatory Reporting?

On September 5, 2013, the IRS issued proposed rules implementing the information reporting requirements under Code Sections 6056 and 6055. These proposed rules reflected a potential massive and duplicative amount of paperwork required by employers to comply with the reporting requirements of PPACA. On March 10, 2014, the IRS issued...

New Model COBRA Notices Should Be Used By Employers

The Department of Labor has published new model COBRA notices that reflect that coverage is available in the public health insurance exchanges and include information on special enrollment rights. Key points: • Employers should utilize the revised model notices. • Employers should be proactive in communicating with employees about “Marketplace”...

Summer Skin Care Myths and Facts

Your skin is one hard-working organ. (Yes, it is considered an organ. In fact, it’s the body’s largest!) Skin acts as a protective barrier between your internal organs and the outside world. It’s a busy communications hub, constantly updating info on touch and temperature, and passing that info along to...

Highlights of the Patient Centered Outcomes (PCORI) Comparative Effectiveness Fee

Updated June 2014 The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee applies from 2012 to 2019. The fee is due based on plan/policy years ending on or after October 1, 2012, and before October 1, 2019. The fee is due by July 31 of the year following the calendar year in...

Don’t Miss Our Next Seminar Lunch Event in King of Prussia!

PPACA Strategies- Innovative Solutions to Control Your Bottom Line With the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, CEO’s and CFO’s have never paid more attention to employee benefits than they are now. Please take advantage of the opportunity to be the most informed person in the room!...

Do You Have The Correct Form To File Your PCORI Fees?

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) fee is imposed on insurers and plan sponsors of self-insured group health plans, with plan years ending after September 30, 2012 and before October 1, 2019. Sponsors of calendar year plans are required to pay the annual fee by July 31 of each year...

Are The Fees In Your Retirement Plan Reasonable?

Are your employees getting their fair share? In 2012, the DOL issued new disclosure regulations requiring service providers to disclose the services provided and fees charged to retirement plans.   Recently, the DOL has commented that the new regulations have not produced the desired effect, that plan sponsors review the disclosures...

Searching For Answers? Find Out How Your Company Compares

Don’t Miss Your Chance To Participate In The Largest Health Plan Benchmarking Survey In The Country! End your search for answers by participating in the 2014 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey…and you will automatically be entered in a raffle to win the new iPad Air!!!  Your survey needs to be...

COMPLIANCE ALERT! Self-Funded Health Plans Must Obtain a Health Plan Identifier Number

To meet federal requirements large health plans must obtain a national health plan identifier number (HPID) by November 5, 2014. For this requirement, a large health plan is one with more than $5 million in annual receipts. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has said that since health...

How Does COBRA Affect Marketplace Enrollment?

The Obama Administration announced last week that workers who are eligible to continue health insurance coverage through COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), will now have the option of purchasing a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace without having to wait until open enrollment. In many cases, workers will be...

Join Us For Our Lunch ‘N Learn May 16th: Managing Benefit Costs In The Health Care Reform Era

On February 10, 2014, the IRS issued final regulations on the employer-shared responsibility requirements, often known as “Play or Pay.”  For some employers Play or Pay is delayed until 2016, for others, compliance is still required in 2015.  Where do you stand? Please join us for a sizzling lunch where...

Innovative Exhibits at the 28th Annual Tri-State HRMA Conference!

It was a “hole-in-one” day at the Westin in Mount Laurel on May 1st where about 250 attendees, and numerous exhibitors, came together for a day of education, networking and fun!  Innovative Consultants Ryan Kastner, Dan Foley and Matt Bernstein, along with our Managing Director Scott Agostini, challenged attendees to...

Understanding Arthritis

Understanding Arthritis More than one in five adult Americans has some form of arthritis. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness and limited movement in affected joints. There are at least 100 different types of arthritis. The two most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Exercise is a valuable tool for managing...

Congratulations to Maria Black!

Time flies when you’re having fun!  Maria Black is celebrating 13 years with Innovative Benefit Planning this month!  As a Senior Account Manager, Maria works diligently with her clients on designing and administering their employee benefit packages.  Maria’s clients love and appreciate her, as evidenced by the frequent “Wows!” that...

Innovative Consultant, Ryan Kastner, Advises PEBA Attendees on Managing Benefit Costs

The 32nd Annual PEBA Forum took place last Thursday April 24th at the Hilton on City Line Avenue in Philadelphia.  Innovative was proud to be an Exhibitor at this event and arrived ready to encourage attendees to take a chance at our mini golf game in order to win a...

Our Innovative Team Continues To Grow With Scott Agostini As Managing Director!

We are very excited to announce the addition of Scott Agostini to Innovative Benefit Planning.  As Managing Director, Scott will provide oversight on the day-to-day business operations.  In addition, Agostini will use his many years of Human Resources management experience to grow Innovative’s HR consulting practice.  Most recently, Agostini was...

Cost-Of-Living Adjustments for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

The IRS has issued the 2015 cost-of-living and coverage adjustments for HSAs.  All limits have increased for 2015 as follows: Annual contribution limitation: Individual $3,350 (up from $3,300) Family $6,650 (up from $6,550) Annual Maximum Out-Of-Pocket Limits for HDHP*: Individual $6,450 (up from $6,350) Family $12,900 (up from $12,700) Annual...

Innovative’s Mark Sulpizio Is Quoted In Employee Benefit Advisors

In the last few years, executive level employees have made a shift from working for larger companies, to running smaller companies.  However, the benefits typically available at smaller companies can’t compare with those of their larger counterparts.  So what is an employer to do in order to attract and retain...

Proposed Regulation: Health Plans Participating in the Exchange Must Provide a 90-Day Grace Period for Subsidized Coverage

For those individuals that purchase a subsidized health insurance plan through the Exchange, and have previously paid at least one full month’s premium during the benefit year, the insurance plan must provide for a 90-day grace period for premium payment before canceling for non-payment.  Within this 90-day period, claims for...

Join Us At The 32nd Annual PEBA Forum On April 24th!

Innovative is looking forward to being an exhibitor at the 32nd Annual PEBA (PennJerDel Employee Benefits & Compensation Association) Forum this month, on Thursday April 24, 2014.  The event will take place at the Hilton on City Line Avenue and is expecting an attendance of more than 300 compensation, benefit...

How Fit Are You?

Fat or Fit? Being healthy and fit is not just about being thin. Managing health is important for everyone, no matter what their size or shape. Not smoking, eating a healthy diet and managing stress are all vital to good health. Regular physical activity greatly reduces health risks too, even...

Join Us May 9th For Our Princeton Lunch ‘N Learn: Are The Fees In Your Retirement Plan Reasonable?

_ Are your employees getting their fair share?  _ In 2012, the DOL issued new disclosure regulations requiring service providers to disclose the services provided and fees charged to retirement plans.   Recently, the DOL has commented that the new regulations have not produced the desired effect, that plan sponsors review...

Regulation Update: House Votes Full-Time As 40 Hours!

In a House vote of 248 to 179 last Thursday, the definition of full-time employee under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was changed from 30 hours per week back to 40 hours per week.  The bill was sponsored by Rep Todd C. Young, a Republican from Indiana. ...

Look Who’s In The News!

Terriann Procida, one of Innovative’s Founding Partners, is once again recognized by the local community for her charitable contributions.  Her work as Chairperson for the Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Annual Gala for three years was recognized at the 2014 Gala by awarding her the Samaritan Circle of Excellence Award.  In...

Searching For Answers? Find Out How Your Company Compares

Don’t Miss Your Chance To Participate In The Largest Health Plan Benchmarking Survey In The Country! End your search for answers by participating in the 2014 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey…and you will automatically be entered in a raffle to win the new iPad Air!!!  Your survey needs to be...

Innovative Welcomes Two New Team Members!

We are happy to announce the addition of two new members to the Innovative team:  Molly Greer and Jennifer Fitzwater! Molly Greer is a return employee to Innovative after a 13 year respite.  Molly’s previous experience in eligibility and claims has allowed a seamless transition back to Innovative.  Molly is...

Marketplace Enrollment Deadline Is Delayed For Some

The March 31, 2014 deadline for enrolling in the Marketplace is less than a week away, but for those who have at least started the enrollment process by that deadline, there will not be a penalty for an incomplete application.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,...

Organics is a growing industry in the United States

Organics is a growing industry in the United States. This is especially apparent in the produce aisle. Today, nearly all supermarkets offer a variety of organically grown fruits and vegetables. Sales of organic produce in 2013 increased by 12% over 2012 sales. In fact, 35¢ of every dollar spent on...

IRS Releases Final Reporting Regulations

In order for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify that individuals and employers are meeting their shared responsibility obligations and that individuals who request premium tax credits are entitled to them, employers and issuers will be required to provide reporting on the health coverage they offer. The reporting requirements...

Option for Some to Renew Policies That Do Not Fully Meet PPACA Standards

On March 5, 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Bulletin that allows state insurance departments to permit the renewal through October 1, 2016, of individual and small group policies that do not meet the “market reform” requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act...

The Deadline Is Just A Few Weeks Away…

The Individual Mandate went into effect January 1, 2014.  Compliance for this mandate requires that non-exempt U.S. citizens and legal residents must purchase and maintain “minimum essential coverage” which includes:   •    Individual market plans offered within a state, whether through or outside the Exchange •    Eligible employer-sponsored plans •   ...

It Was A Busy Month At Innovative With Two Outstanding Lunch Events and a Gala!

We did not let the snow get in our way in February!  The month started off with _ Mark Sulpizio, Innovative Investment Fiduciaries, LLC Principal _, guiding attendees through the Retirement Fee Disclosure Regulations that went into effect in 2012 at a fantastic Seminar Lunch Event at McCormick & Schmick’s...

Don’t Miss Your Chance To Participate In The Largest Health Plan Benchmarking Survey In The Country!

End your search for answers by participating in the 2014 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey…and you will automatically be entered in a raffle to win the new iPad Air!!! With close to 11,000 employers participating in 2013, Innovative Benefit Planning, in conjunction with United Benefit Advisors (UBA), annually conducts the...

Final Regulations Issued on Eligibility Waiting Periods

On February 20, 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final regulations on the eligibility waiting period requirements. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides that plans may not require an employee who is...

Final Regulations on Play or Pay: Non-Calendar Year Plans and Next Steps for Employers

Non-Calendar Year Plans Large employers with non-calendar year plans do not have to provide coverage until the start of the 2015 plan year, but the plan year effective date applies only if they meet a number of requirements. The most significant of these are: The employer had a group health...

Final Regulations on Play or Pay: Large Employer Responsibilities and Potential Penalties

If an employer is large enough for the play or pay requirements to apply (100 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees for 2015 and 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees for 2016 and beyond), two separate requirements, and potential penalties, apply. Full-time continues to mean 30 or...

Final Regulations on Play or Pay: Delay for Some Employers, and Who Is “Large”?

On February 10, 2014, the IRS issued final regulations on the employer-shared responsibility requirements, often known as “play or pay.” This is the requirement that large employers offer adequate coverage to their full-time employees or pay penalties. The final regulations follow the proposed regulations (which were issued in January 2013)...

Compliance Alert! Employer Mandate Delayed For Some Employers

The Obama administration announced Monday February 10, 2014 yet another delay in the Employer Mandate portion of PPACA.  The first delay pushed the requirement back to 2015 for all “large” employers, meaning those with over 50 employees.  This new delay states that companies with 50-99 employees will not have to...

What Is The DASH Diet?

The DASH diet is a healthy eating plan based on the research studies: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet has been proven in National Institutes of Health research to help  lower your risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and lowering cholesterol. Blood pressure control with the DASH...

Congratulations to Dan Foley and Ryan Kastner!

A key component of Innovative’s 2014 Strategic Plan is Focusing on improving Ourselves, Client situations and Innovative (FOCI).  Dan Foley and Ryan Kastner embraced the initiative of self-improvement by completing the 13 modules of training classes and passing a rigorous examination to earn the designation of Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist®...

The 2014 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey Is Open!

End your search for answers by participating in the 2014 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey…and you will automatically be entered in a raffle to win the new iPad Air!!! With close to 11,000 employers participating in 2013, Innovative Benefit Planning, in conjunction with United Benefit Advisors (UBA), annually conducts the...

2014 Federal Poverty Level Numbers Released by the HHS

The 2014 FPL guidelines have been released and are available here: Federal Register, Volume 79 Issue 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2014).  For employer purposes, they matter primary because eligibility for the premium subsidy is based on FPL.  The FPL is up 1.5% over last year.  The level for a household...

Wellness Program Clarifications: Tobacco and Outcome-Based Alternatives

Additional PPACA clarifications were released by the HHS and DOL on January 9, 2014 through an FAQ.  Here are the updates you need to know concerning your Wellness Program: Wellness Programs The FAQ states that a plan that offers an annual opportunity to receive an incentive for non-use of tobacco...

PPACA Update: Mental Health And Substance Abuse

A recent FAQ was released by the DOL and HHS to clarify certain regulations within PPACA.  Here is the update on mental health and substance abuse disorders: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders Coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services are an EHB, so non-grandfathered individual and small...

PPACA Update: Expatriate Plans, Fixed Indemnity Policies (Individual Market) and Volunteer Firefighters

Recent clarifications became available from the HHS and DOL regarding several PPACA regulations.  Below are the updates for Expatriate Plans, Fixed Indemnity Policies, and Volunteer Firefighters. Expatriate Plans Insured expatriate plans do not need to comply with most PPACA provisions. The FAQ clarifies that a plan is considered an insured...

New Update To Coverage Under “Preventive Care”

On January 9, 2014, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of the Treasury (IRS) issued clarification on several outstanding issues within PPACA through an FAQ.  Here is what is new for preventive care: Preventive Care The requirement that non-grandfathered plans...

New Clarifications On Out-of-Pocket Maximums Under PPACA

On January 9, 2014 the HHS and DOL issued a new FAQ that addressed issues outstanding under PPACA.  Here is the update for out-of-pocket maximums: Out-of-Pocket Limits The FAQ clarifies that, for non-grandfathered plans, the out-of-pocket maximum: Must include deductibles, coinsurance and copayments for essential health benefits (EHBs). A plan...

Do You Know When To Use A Wrap Around Plan Document Or Wrap Around SPD?

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) regulates employee pension plans and welfare benefit plans, with the exception of government and church plans.  It is required by ERISA that  plan sponsors  describe the terms and conditions of its welfare benefit plans on an official written plan document that...

Do You Have Questions About Eligibility Waiting Periods? You Are Not Alone!

The 90-day maximum for eligibility waiting periods is effective as of the start of the 2014 plan year.  As employers are beginning to implement this new requirement, many have questions.  Together with United Benefit Advisors (UBA), we have created a PPACA Advisor that addresses a number of recurring questions about...

Terriann Procida To Receive The “Samaritan Circle of Excellence Award”

We are so proud to announce that Innovative’s Co-Founder, Terriann Procida, will be receiving the “Samaritan Circle of Excellence Award” at this year’s Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Annual Fundraising Gala in February.  The award will be presented to Terriann for her outstanding leadership and dedicated volunteer service to promoting comfort,...

W-2 Reporting in 2014: Do You Have To Report Your Health Plan Costs, Or Not?

Employers that issued 250 or more W-2s in 2012 will need to include the cost of health coverage provided to an employee during 2013 on the employee’s W-2. Unlike most PPACA requirements, the 250 W-2 threshold is based on each employer’s situation, not the entire controlled group.  The rules have...

What Are Excepted Benefits?

“Excepted benefits” are health benefits that are limited in some way, such as stand-alone dental, long-term care, hospital indemnity, and Medicare supplement policies. Excepted benefits do not need to meet all of the PPACA requirements and they are not considered “minimum essential” benefits.  The agencies have proposed three changes to...

Who Will Be Paying An Additional Medicare Tax?

The IRS issued final regulations on the additional 0.9 percent Medicare tax owed by high earners beginning in 2013. Employers must withhold this additional 0.9 percent from the employee’s pay only (there is no employer “match”) once the employee’s pay exceeds $200,000. If you would like a White Paper on...

What are the Projected 2015 Figures ?

HHS and the IRS released anticipated 2015 figures, including: A transitional reinsurance fee (TRF) of $44 (down from $63 for 2014) Maximum out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses of $6,750 for single coverage and $13,500 for family coverage (up from $6,350 and 12,700 respectively for 2014) A deductible maximum in the small group...

5 Easy Strategies for Coping with Stress

Stress is a fact of life. A little stress can make you feel energized. It may even help you get things done. But constant stress can take a toll on your health. The effect can be both physical and mental. Poorly managed stress is a factor in many chronic health...

Frequently Asked Questions About The W-2 Reporting Requirement

Employers that issued 250 or more W-2s in the prior calendar year must include the value of “employer-sponsored group health coverage” on their employees’ W-2s. This means that an employer that issued 250 or more W-2s during 2012 must include the value of employer-sponsored coverage on the employee’s 2013 W-2...

Who Is Eligible For The Small Business Tax Credit?

Beginning in 2014, the small business tax credit will only be available to small employers that offer coverage through the SHOP marketplace. Several counties in Washington and Wisconsin will not have SHOPs available in 2014, however. In Notice 2014-6, the IRS states that employers located in those counties will still...

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Extended

HHS has announced that the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) also has been extended through January 31, 2014. The PCIP will be replaced by marketplace coverage, but to accommodate PCIP enrollees who have not been able to obtain coverage through the marketplace, the PCIP is being extended for one month....

HHS Announces Extensions to Enrollment and Premium Deadlines for Marketplace Coverage

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released an Interim Final Rule that formally extends some of the marketplace (also known as the exchange) deadlines and encourages insurers to provide additional extensions if possible. Extensions Affecting the Federally-Facilitated Small Business Health Options Program (FF-SHOP) Marketplace The rule...

New Option for Individuals Who Have Lost Coverage to Purchase a Catastrophic Policy

Currently, catastrophic coverage only is available in the marketplace to people under age 30 and to those who do not need to meet the individual mandate either because the cost of coverage exceeds eight percent of household income or they qualify for a hardship exemption. Catastrophic plans generally will cover...

IRS Issues Notice about Same-Sex Spouses under Section 125 Plans, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Health Savings Accounts

On Dec. 16, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2014-1 which provides some answers about covering same-sex spouses under Section 125 plans in light of the Windsor decision. In the Windsor decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that prohibited...

Do You Understand the 2014 Requirements for Your Wellness Program?

The wellness program rules provide an exception to the general rule that employers may not take a person’s health status into account with respect to eligibility, benefits, or premiums under a group health plan. Wellness programs, therefore, are allowed if they are designed to help employees improve their health; if...

7 Healthy Eating Strategies For The Holidays

Some of our most cherished traditions are centered on food, particularly at this time of year. Most dieters will tell you that December is a tough time to follow a weight-loss plan. There are sweet temptations everywhere you turn. Friends and families are getting together over festive meals. A fresh-baked...

Maximum Deductible for 2015 – Affects Small Employers With Fully Insured Plans

HHS has announced that it expects that in 2015 the maximum deductible for insured small group plans will be $2,150 for employee-only coverage and $4,300 for family coverage (up from $2,000 and $4,000 respectively for 2014).* While there may be modifications when the final notice is released, the figures likely...

Changes Affecting Small Insured Plans

Beginning in 2015, if an insurer agrees to use a composite rate, the rate could not be changed during the year, even if the composition of the group changes. Insurers are encouraged to follow this practice during 2014. This applies both inside and outside the SHOP marketplace. The HHS actuarial...

Transitional Reinsurance Fee – Affects Large and Small Employers, Whether Fully Insured or Self-Funded

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued an update on the Transitional Reinsurance Fee (TRF) as follows: A Transitional Reinsurance Fee (TRF) will be assessed on both insured and self-funded plans for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 calendar years to help...

Open Enrollment for the Marketplaces – May Affect Large and Small Employers, Whether Fully Insured or Self-Funded

Open enrollment for the individual marketplaces for 2015 coverage will run from Nov. 15, 2014, through Jan. 15, 2015.  Coverage would begin on Jan. 1, 2015, for individuals enrolling from Nov. 15 through Dec. 15, 2014, and on Feb. 1, 2015, for those enrolling from Dec. 16, 2014, through Jan....

Additional Medicare Withholding For High Earners

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published Final Regulations on the Additional Medicare Tax (AMT) on Nov. 29, 2013, and an updated and comprehensive FAQ on Dec. 2, 2013. There are few changes from the proposed requirements. In summary: -The requirement for additional withholding was effective Jan. 1, 2013. -The requirement applies to...

Maximum Out-of-Pocket for 2015 – Affects Large and Small Employers, Whether Fully Insured or Self-Funded

HHS has announced that it expects that the maximum out-of-pocket limit for non-grandfathered plans in 2015 to be $6,750 for employee-only coverage and $13,500 for family coverage (up from $6,350 and $12,700 respectively for 2014). While it is possible that there will be modifications when the final notice is released,...

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 – Key Clarifications Made By Final Regulations

The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) seeks to ensure that medical plans, including group health plans, that provide mental health and substance use disorder benefits do so in a manner that generally is on par with the medical benefits offered under the plans. The MHPAEA...

Our November Lunch Events Were A Huge Success!

Guests at our Fiduciary Best Practices lunch event that was held at DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Philadelphia on November 14th learned more about the fee disclosure regulations that went into effect in 2011.  Innovative’s own Mark Sulpizio discussed how to better understand the fee disclosures provided and address what...

Congratulations To Dr. William F. Muhr Of South Jersey Radiology!

Innovative would like to offer heartfelt congratulations to Dr. William F. Muhr, CEO of South Jersey Radiology, on his recent recognition by the readers of South Jersey Biz magazine as one of the areas 25 most respected names in business.  Readers were asked to nominate local executives who are ensuring...

Congratulations To Bob Pekar Of Twin Oaks Community Services

Innovative would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Bob Pekar, CEO of Twin Oaks Community Services on his recent recognition by the readers of South Jersey Biz Magazine as one of the areas 25 most respected names in business in 2013!  Mr. Pekar is a licensed clinical social worker who...

Insurers Given Permission to Renew Policies That Don’t Meet PPACA Requirements

Yesterday (Nov. 14, 2013) the White House announced that insurers will not be required to meet most of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) if they renew individual or small group policies that were in effect on Oct. 1, 2013. The Department of Health and...

Ryan Kastner, Employee Benefits Consultant, Educates CTP Guests About PPACA

On October 24, 2013, Ryan Kastner was honored to speak to an audience of 45 about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) at a workshop conducted by Career Transition Partnership (CTP) at Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill.  Ryan walked attendees through a timeline of provisions within PPACA, focusing...

2014 Cost-Of-Living Adjustments for Health Plans, Section 125 Plans and Social Security/Medicare

Many employee benefit limits are automatically adjusted each year for inflation (this is often referred to as an “indexed” limit). The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration have released the indexed figures for 2014. Because inflation is relatively low and some amounts are adjusted only if the increase...

IRS Announces Retirement Plan Limitations For 2014

On October 31, 2013 the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration announced cost-of- living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement–related items for the tax year 2014.  The following highlights a breakdown of limits that have changed, as well as those that remain unchanged: Limits...

Are You Ready For Thanksgiving? Tips For A Healthier Feast This Year!

Feast without Fear at Thanksgiving The average American will consume 2,500 calories or more at Thanksgiving dinner. And that doesn’t include the nibbles and drinks beforehand or the second slice of pie before bed. Check out these practical strategies for preventing heartburn after the big meal. Don’t Nibble Before Dinner...

UBA’s Private Exchange “Benefits Passport” Is Now Open!

Employers, are you looking for an affordable insurance option to help reduce your costs, increase efficiency, simplify administration and provide exceptional value to your employees in light of Health Care Reform?  Your search is over. United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nation’s leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, announced yesterday the...

Health FSA “Use-It-Or-Lose-It” Rule Modified

What some would consider a long overdue change to FSA plans came down from the US Department of Treasury yesterday.  The FSA “use-it-or-lose-it” provision, which has required employees to spend pre-tax dollars set aside for certain medical expenses by the end of the year or forfeit those funds, was put...

Self-Funded Employers Get Some Relief: Pay Only 2014 Transitional Reinsurance Fee!

Some employers with self-funded health plans can breathe a sigh of relief this week. The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that certain self-funding employers will be exempt from paying the second and third year Transitional Reinsurance Program Fees imposed by the Affordable Care Act. The first year...

Health Plan Benchmarking Regional Findings: How Does Your Plan Compare?

The benefits landscape remains in a state of flux as the cost of health care continues to increase and recruitment and retention of quality employees becomes more competitive.  Combined with the potential impact from Health Care Reform legislation, employers are increasingly challenged to find accurate information that will help them...

Is Eligibility For The Marketplace A Section 125 Change In Status Event For Non-Calendar Year Plans?

With the October 1st opening of the Health Insurance Marketplace, some employers have inquired about where they stand if an employee would like to leave their plan.  In particular, those employers with a non-calendar year Section 125 plan have asked for guidance on whether entering the Exchange is considered a...

Boiling Down PPACA

We’ve had a lot of employers request a simple, at-a-glance way to see all the PPACA requirements that apply to their business. This is no easy task given group size, SHOP exchanges and self-funding variables! Let’s just look at a few provisions that are effective for the plan year beginning...

Innovative Welcomes Matt Bernstein!

We are pleased to announce the addition of Matthew Bernstein to the Innovative team.  Matt is a graduate of Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts.  As a Qualified Plan Consultant, Matt will be identifying, developing and nurturing potential client relationships in the Greater Philadelphia area.  Matt is a dynamic,...

How Does Your Health Plan Stack Up Against Your Competitors?

See how your health plan stacks up against your competitors! Results from the United Benefit Advisors (UBA) 2013 Health Plan Survey are in! Employers can now benchmark their health plan costs and design against the nation’s largest health plan benchmarking survey of nearly 11,000 respondents. to receive a Benchmarking report...

New Guidance on HRAs and Premium Reimbursement Arrangements

On Sept. 13, 2013, the IRS issued Notice 2013-54, which includes details on permissible health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), provides some clarification on minimum essential, minimum value and affordable coverage, and addresses payment of individual premiums through an employer-provided plan. HRAs Most people had expected that standalone HRAs would have difficulty...

What Is A “Common Law Employee?”

As part of PPACA, every employer needs to determine whether or not they are “large” which, according to Health Care Reform, means employing 50 or more full time or full-time equivalent employees.  Who exactly does this include?  Contractors? While there is no set definition of a “Common Law” employee, there...

Vending Machine: Friend or Foe?

It’s not that hard to keep fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks on hand at home. But the workplace is another story. If you haven’t brought a snack from home, you’re likely to visit the vending machine. If you look carefully, you can often find healthy – or at least...

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN – NOW WHAT?

The failure of the U. S. Senate and House of Representatives to agree on a new budget for the Fiscal Year (beginning October 1) is resulting in a furlough of more than 800,000 federal workers and government agencies temporarily closing or cutting back the operations of numerous federal facilities and...

IRS Provides Process to Correct Over-Withholding of Same-Sex Spouse Benefits

On Sept. 23, 2013, the IRS issued Notice 2013-61. This notice provides a special process for employers to make refund claims or internal adjustments of FICA and federal income tax (FIT) that was withheld or paid in connection with same-sex spouse benefits. Employers that prefer to use the normal refund...

Highlights of the SHOP Exchange

PPACA requires that a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchange/marketplace be established in each state for small employers. For 2014, all states will use 50 employees as the cut-off for small employer status.* Beginning in 2016, all states must use 100 employees as the cut-off. The SHOP exchanges/marketplaces will...

DOL Announces Non-Enforcement of Marketplace/Exchange Notice

PPACA requires employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act to provide a notice about the upcoming health marketplaces (also called exchanges) to their employees. The notice is due Oct. 1, 2013. On Sept. 11, 2013 the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it will not penalize employers that do...

A Delay for Out-Of-Pocket Maximums

A few weeks ago several media outlets picked up a FAQ that the Department of Labor issued in February of this year. The FAQ may be accessed here: FAQs About Affordable Care Act Implementation Part XII Some of the reports have created confusion about the requirement, and the scope of...

Practice Positivity to Help Beat Stress

Being a positive thinker can affect your life more than you realize.  Practicing positive thinking may make you a healthier person. Lower rates of heart disease and mental illness are linked to positive thinking. Positive psychology is a new branch of psychology that’s about 15 years old. Specialists in positive...

IRS Releases Proposed PPACA Reporting Rules

On Sept. 5, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the long-awaited rules that describe the reporting that plans, employers, and insurers will need to provide in support of the individual shared-responsibility and employer shared-responsibility requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The rules are proposed, so...

Highlights of Exchange Notice Requirement

Most employers must give a notice about the upcoming health exchanges/marketplaces to all existing employees by Oct. 1, 2013. Employees hired after that date must receive the notice within 14 days following their start date. All employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must give the notice....

Frequently Asked Questions about the Exchange (Marketplace) Notice

This FAQ is based on Department of Labor (DOL) Technical Release 2013-02, which does not provide specific guidance on many issues. Consequently, some of the answers in this FAQ are based on agency guidance provided in similar situations. The answers in this FAQ assume the employer is completing the model...

IRS Issues Rules on Same-Sex Marriages

On Aug. 29, 2013, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2013-17, which describes how the IRS will handle same-sex marriages for federal tax purposes in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that found a part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The ruling says: The IRS will consider...

The October 1st Deadline Is Just Around The Corner: Employers Must Provide Notices Regarding Availability of Exchange Coverage

A provision of the 2010 health care reform law requires employers to provide notices to all employees regarding the availability of health coverage options through the state-based exchanges created pursuant to that law.  The DOL issued temporary guidance on May 8, 2013 (Technical Release 2013-02) and model notices for employers...

Ensure Employee Health and Reap the Benefits

It sounds simple enough: improve workforce health, reduce health care costs. It’s a private matter, one’s health, but many employers invest in on-site exercise equipment, sports teams or any number of activities that not only promote camaraderie, but wellness as well. On the other side of the coin, many more...

The Real Story on Out-Of-Pocket Maximums

Last week several media outlets picked up a FAQ that the Department of Labor issued in February of this year. The FAQ may be accessed here: FAQs about Affordable Care Act Implementation Part XII  Some of the reports have created confusion about the requirement, and the scope of what has...

Frequently Asked Questions About Grandfathered Plans – Part Two

Those employers with grandfathered status need to decide if maintaining grandfathered status is their best option for the coming year.  Here is a continuation of the questions asked most frequently, and answers, about grandfathering a group health plan. Q5:  How are changes measured? A5:  Changes are measured cumulatively since March...

Frequently Asked Questions About Grandfathered Plans – Part One

As employers determine their plan designs for the coming year, those with grandfathered status need to decide if maintaining grandfathered status is their best option.  Following are some frequently asked questions, and answers, about grandfathering a group health plan. Q1:  May plans maintain grandfathered status after 2014? A1:  Yes, they...

Seafood, Your Healthy Heart Hero

Seafood and Your Healthy Heart Following a healthy diet is a proven way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Pairing healthy eating with a physically active lifestyle will lower that risk even more. Most of us know which types of food can contribute to heart disease. We try to...

The Individual Mandate: Noteworthy Numbers

For 2013: The tax filing threshold is $10,000 if filing single and $20,000 if married and filing jointly. Federal Poverty Level (FPL) in the 48 contiguous states is $11,490 for a single household and $45,960 for household of four.  It is $14,350/29,440 in Alaska and $13,230/27,090 in Hawaii. The subsidy...

Individual Mandate: Who Is Exempt?

While most people must obtain coverage or pay penalties, individuals in these situations will not be penalized if they do not obtain coverage:   They do not have access to affordable coverage (cost exceeds 8 percent of modified adjusted gross household income) Their household income is below the tax filing...

Individual Mandate: Who Is Eligible For Premium Subsidies?

To help lower-income people meet the requirement to have insurance, a premium subsidy will be available to a person who: Purchases coverage through a public marketplace/exchange; and Has a household modified adjusted gross income between 100 or 133 percent (depending on their state) and 400 percent of Federal Poverty Level...

PPACA And The Individual Shared Responsibility Requirement

Although the employer shared responsibility requirements have been delayed to 2015, the individual responsibility requirement (also known as the individual mandate) is still scheduled to take effect in 2014.  Under the individual mandate, most people residing in the U.S. will be required to have minimum essential coverage, or they will...

MLR REBATE CONSIDERATIONS – PRIVATE PLANS

As was the case last year, insurers with medical loss ratios (MLRs) that were below the prescribed levels on their blocks of business must issue rebates to policyholders.  Insurers must pay rebates owed on calendar year 2012 experience by Aug. 1, 2013. The rules for calculating and distributing these rebates...

MLR REBATE CONSIDERATIONS – GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH PLANS

As was the case last year, insurers with medical loss ratios (MLRs) that were below the prescribed levels on their blocks of business must issue rebates to policyholders.  Insurers must pay rebates owed on calendar year 2012 experience by Aug. 1, 2013. The rules for calculating and distributing these rebates...

IRS Confirms Play or Pay Delay

On July 9, 2013 the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2013-45, which confirms that the employer shared responsibility penalties and reporting requirements will not apply until 2015.  Last week the Department of the Treasury and the White House blogged that this announcement was coming.  The IRS Notice states that employers...

Play It Safe Outside!

BUGS BEWARE! Mosquitoes, ticks and people all share the great outdoors as their playground. The insects may be more than a nuisance to be swatted away. In the U.S., mosquitoes may transmit some rare but serious diseases including West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, dengue and eastern equine encephalitis. Ticks...

Spanish Version of Notice of Exchange is Now Available

The DOL has provided Spanish versions of the model notice regarding the exchange/health insurance marketplace.  While employers are not specifically required to provide the Spanish version to Spanish-speaking employees, since the notice is supposed to be understandable by the average employee, providing the Spanish version where appropriate is advisable. There...

Play or Pay Penalty Delayed To 2015

On July 2, 2013 the Department of the Treasury and the White House used their blogs to announce that the employer reporting requirements, and the employer shared responsibility/Play or Pay penalty, are being delayed until 2015.  The Treasury said that it will provide a formal announcement and additional details next...

PPACA: Individual Grace Period

Effective Date for Individual Mandate Delayed For Some People On June 26, 2013 the IRS unexpectedly issued a notice that gives individuals who are eligible for coverage under an employer-sponsored health plan, but who have not elected coverage under that plan, until the start of the 2014 plan year to...

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Legally-Married Same-Sex Spouses Entitled to Federal Recognition and Lifts California Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

The United States Supreme Court has issued two decisions that expand same-sex marriage rights. In the first, United States v. Windsor, No. 12-307 (June 26, 2013), the Court ruled unconstitutional a law denying federal recognition of legally-married same-sex couples. In the second, Hollingsworth, et al. v. Perry, No. 12-144 (June...

The 2013 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey Has Closed And The Winner Of The iPad Is…

THE WINNER IS:  The Philadelphia Zoo!!! We had an overwhelming response to our 2013 UBA Health Plan Benchmarking Survey and we are happy to announce that we have randomly picked the winner for the Apple 32 GB iPad!  With over 18,000 plans participating, including more than 75 plans from our...

Have You Made Any “Material Modifications” To Your Plan Since Your Last SBC Was Issued?

If a group health plan or health insurance issuer have made any material modification (during the plan year) in terms of the plan or coverage involved that’s not reflected in the most recent Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC), the plan or issuer must provide notice of the modification to...

COMPLIANCE ALERT!! Final “SHOP” Regulations Issued

On June 4, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), issued final regulations implementing the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) related to the establishment and operation of the Small Business Health Options Program (“SHOP”). The final regulations delay by...

PCORI Fee Due Date

By July 31, 2013, most issuers of health insurance policies and plan sponsors of self-insured health plans must pay a fee of $1 per covered life as a result of new provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  The fee will partially fund the Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute...

PPACA: Certificates of Creditable Coverage

Affects all plans, whether fully insured, self-funded or grandfathered, and regardless of employer size, as of Jan. 1, 2015. Because pre-existing condition limitations will not be permitted after the start of the 2014 plan year, certificates of creditable coverage would not need to be provided after Dec. 31, 2014.  (This...

8 Men’s Health Myths Exposed

Men get their health news from many sources: friends at the gym, their doctors, current publications and the Internet. A lot of the information is accurate. Some of the info mixes truth and rumor. Some of it is just plain wrong. Let’s take a look at eight popular myths about...

AGENCIES ISSUE FINAL RULES ON WELLNESS PROGRAMS

On May 29, 2013 the Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor jointly issued a final rule that addresses how wellness programs must operate under PPACA beginning in 2014. In many respects the final rules carry forward the rules that have been...

Health Care Reform Lunch Events Scheduled for July – Register Now!

In the last few weeks, Innovative hosted two more Health Care Reform seminar lunch events in Weehawken and Marlton.  Since the November election we have hosted ten of these events, and have been requested to present at several networking events.  The feedback on our program is excellent and we appreciate...

Do You Know What The Summary Of Benefits & Coverage Requirements Are Under Health Care Reform?

A Summary of Benefits & Coverage (SBC) is required starting the first day of the first plan year after September 23, 2012, or the first day of the first open enrollment period after this date. Health insurers and group health plans must provide the SBC and the Uniform Glossary to...

COMPLIANCE ALERT! Employers Must Provide Notices Regarding Availability of Exchange Coverage

A provision of the 2010 health care reform law requires employers to provide notices, by March 1, 2013, to all employees regarding the availability of health coverage options through the state-based exchanges created pursuant to that law. In January, the Department of Labor had announced delayed enforcement of the exchange...

A Great Day at the Tri-State SHRM Expo!

As both an exhibitor and speaker at the May 13th event in Mount Laurel, we had a great time meeting and speaking with all of the attendees.  Our custom-made fortune cookies were a big hit!  Terriann spoke at a breakout session on the topic of Play or Pay within PPACA.  ...

Women’s Health Myths

Do you go online to learn about your health? You’re not alone. A recent Pew survey showed 72% of Internet users looked for health info online. And women are more likely to do so than men. But you do need to be careful. Not all health sites are accurate. And...

AN UPDATED SUMMARY OF BENEFITS AND COVERAGE FORM AND ANNUAL LIMITS WAIVERS

The agencies have released an updated Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) template that plans will need to use for 2014. The updated template has very few changes from the version used for 2013. The primary change is that the 2014 SBC must state whether or not the plan provides...

Wellness Incentives and the Play or Pay Requirement

The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and the Treasury have issued several updates that affect employer-sponsored group health plans. Wellness Incentives, HRAs, Minimum Value and Affordability The IRS has released proposed regulations that address how wellness incentives or penalties are applied to premium affordability (for purposes of the...

The Department of Labor Begins Auditing Group Health Plans for PPACA, GINA and Wellness Program Compliance

Employers that have had their group health plans audited by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA, the arm of the U.S. Department of Labor that enforces Title I of ERISA) are aware of the broad nature of the document requests and compliance reviews carried out under these audits. The EBSA...

Innovative Welcomes Stayce Godfrey-Smith To Our Team!

Stayce joined the Innovative team mid-April as a Benefits & Eligibility Specialist.  Her extensive background in health and welfare administration will prove invaluable in her new role, as will her experience in client service and management.  As an integral addition to our Account Management team, we are confident that Stayce...

COMPLIANCE ALERT! Important Transition Relief for Non-Calendar Year Plans

The January 1, 2014 effective date of the Pay-or-Play requirements under health care reform presents special issues for employers with non-calendar year plans.  Prior to the release of the proposed regulations under the shared responsibility rules, employers with non-calendar year plans would either need to comply with the Pay-or-Play requirements...

Innovative Is Proud To Support the Seventh Annual American Heart Association Go Red for Women Luncheon!

On Thursday April 11, 2013 Innovative attended the Go Red for Women Lunch Event at Lucien’s Manor in Berlin, New Jersey.  Today, heart disease is STILL the #1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.  But it can be prevented.  Knowledge of the risk factors for heart...

Essential Health Benefits, Minimum Essential Coverage, Minimum Value Coverage – What’s The Difference?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) uses terms that sound alike for three very different things.  Here’s a closer look at these terms, and when they’re used. Essential Health Benefits Significantly affects individuals and small employers with a fully insured plan.  Has a limited impact on self-funded and...

Managing Seasonal Allergies

The Worst Offenders Seasonal allergy is caused by tree pollen in the early spring. During the late spring and early summer, the irritating pollen is usually from grasses. Weeds are the typical pollen source in late summer and into the fall. Tree Pollen In springtime, trees release huge amounts of...

Employers, Do You Know What You Need To Do Before January 2014 To Comply With PPACA?

The provisions associated with health care reform pose many questions for employers, most importantly, what do I need to do and when?  Here is a checklist of items to cross off your list before January 2014: Calculate and pay the Patient Centered Outcome Fee if the plan is self-funded (insurers...

REGISTER NOW!! Health Care Reform Lunch ‘N Learn Events in Weehawken and Marlton

Since the November Presidential election, Innovative has hosted eight Lunch N’ Learn events in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, and we have just added two more!  We will be having our first Weehawken event at The Chart House Restaurant this month on April 24th, and we will be back...

PPACA Update: External Claims Appeals Requirement

Applies to all nongrandfathered plans, whether fully insured or self-funded, and to all sizes of employers. PPACA requires all nongrandfathered plans to follow detailed processes for claims appeals, including a process for external review that includes 16 consumer protections required under the NAIC model act.  Due to practical difficulties meeting...

Terriann to Speak about Health Care Reform at Tri-State HRMA’s 27th Annual Conference

Since the election in November, Terriann Procida has been educating employers about Health Care Reform, specifically the new Play or Pay regulation.  Do you know what you need to do to begin budgeting for the 2013-2014 PPACA Provisions?  Do you understand how potential penalties associated with Play or Pay may...

PPACA Update: Certificates of Creditable Coverage

Affects all plans, whether fully insured, self-funded or grandfathered, and regardless of employer size, as of Jan. 1, 2015. Because pre-existing condition limitations will not be permitted after the start of the 2014 plan year, certificates of creditable coverage would not need to be provided after Dec. 31, 2014.  (This...

PPACA Update: Eligibility Waiting Periods

Affects all plans, whether fully insured, self-funded or grandfathered.  Applies to all sizes of employers, as of the start of the 2014 plan year. The agencies have issued proposed regulations that state that an eligibility waiting period cannot be more than 90 days.  This literally is 90 calendar days —...

PPACA Employer Fees: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and Transitional Reinsurance (TRF)

The IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services have issued final regulations that provide details on two new, temporary fees that will be due as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  These fees will be calculated and paid directly by self-funded plans.  The fees...

Play or Pay: Non-Calendar Year Transition Rules for Measuring in 2013

A non-calendar year plan that had coverage in place on Dec. 27, 2012: Will not owe the “inadequate coverage penalty” on any employee who was eligible for coverage on Dec. 27, 2012 (and on employees hired after that date, if they would have been eligible under the rules in effect...

Innovative Attends Saint Joseph’s University Career Fair

Innovative Benefit Planning is looking for highly motivated individuals to join our growing team.  As a part of our recruiting initiative, we participated in the spring 2013 Career Fair at Saint Joseph’s University where we were among 161 companies searching for the best and the brightest.    The turnout was impressive,...

Final Regulations Issued on Market Reforms-Fair Health Insurance Premiums for Fully Insured Health Care Plans

Impacts all non-grandfathered fully insured small group plans (both in and outside the exchange) beginning with the 2014 plan year: The changes in the rules that apply to fully insured small groups, whether the coverage is provided inside or outside the exchange, are significant.  From an employer standpoint, the most...

Final Regulations Issued on Market Reforms-Guaranteed Access for Fully Insured Health Care Plans

Impacts all nongrandfathered fully insured plans, whether inside or outside the exchange, beginning with the 2014 plan year: Guaranteed issue and renewal will apply to all insured plans regardless of size.  Participation and employer contribution requirements will not be permitted under the guaranteed availability rules, although insurers may impose participation...

Final Regulations Issued on Essential Benefits and Actuarial Value for Fully Insured Health Care Plans

Impacts non-grandfathered small-group plans (both in and outside the exchange) beginning with the 2014 plan year: Beginning with the 2014 plan year all nongrandfathered plans in the small group market – whether inside or outside the exchange – will need to provide the “essential health benefits package” (EHB package). The...

It’s Time to Get Your Yoga On!

Yoga and Back Pain Prevention Lack of exercise is a risk factor for developing back pain. Exercise not only strengthens the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders, but it also relaxes the back, reduces pain and increases flexibility. It is recommended to do 15 to 30 minutes of back...

FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Minimum Value for Self-Funded Health Care Plans

Impacts all self-funded plans as of the start of the 2014 plan year Self-funded plans (regardless of size) will not be required to provide the ten “essential health benefits” or coverage at a “metal level” as some plans will be required to do.  (The essential health benefits are coverage within...

FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Minimum Value for Fully Insured Health Care Plans

Impacts large fully insured plans with 50 or more employees: Large group insured plans are not required to provide the ten “essential health benefits” or coverage at a “metal level” as small plans will be required to do. (The essential health benefits are coverage within these categories – ambulatory/outpatient, emergency,...

COMPLIANCE ALERT: Labor Department Releases New FMLA Model Forms and Notice Poster

The U.S. Department of Labor has released revised model Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) forms to administer federal FMLA leave and a notice poster. The updated forms should be used by employers immediately, although they include no substantive revisions despite recent rulemaking on the FMLA military caregiver leave provisions...

Self-Funded Health Care Plans FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Out-of-Pocket Limits

Impacts all non-grandfathered self-funded plans beginning with the 2014 plan year The FAQ also talks about the out-of-pocket maximum requirements.  Beginning with the 2014 plan year, plans may not have an out-of-pocket maximum that is larger than the allowed out-of-pocket limit for high-deductible health plans (HDHP) issued in connection with...

Fully Insured Health Care Plans FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Out-of-Pocket Limits

Impacts all nongrandfathered fully insured plans beginning with the 2014 plan year: The FAQ also talks about the out-of-pocket maximum requirements.  Beginning with the 2014 plan year, plans may not have an out-of-pocket maximum that is larger than the allowed out-of-pocket limit for high-deductible health plans (HDHP) issued in connection...

COMPLIANCE ALERT: Labor Department Releases New FMLA Model Forms and Notice Poster

The U.S. Department of Labor has released revised model Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) forms to administer federal FMLA leave and a notice poster. The updated forms should be used by employers immediately, although they include no substantive revisions despite recent rulemaking on the FMLA military caregiver leave provisions...

Self-Funded Health Care Plans FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Preventive Care

Impacts all non-grandfathered, self-funded plans now: The agencies have received many questions about the requirement to provide first-dollar preventive care.   They have now issued a FAQ that clarifies that: While plans generally do not need to provide out-of-network preventive care if there are no in-network providers able to provide the...

Fully Insured Health Care Plans FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Preventive Care

Impacts all non-grandfathered fully insured plans now: The agencies have received many questions about the requirement to provide first-dollar preventive care.   They have now issued a FAQ that clarifies that: While plans generally do not need to provide out-of-network preventive care if there are no in-network providers able to provide...

FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Whistleblowing for Self-Funded Health Care Plans

Impacts all self-funded plans beginning April 2013 PPACA prohibits employers (including insurers) from retaliating against an employee for reporting possible violations of PPACA to his employer or to the government, providing testimony about the possible violation or refusing to violate the law.  It also prohibits retaliating or taking an unfavorable...

FAQ Released: Final Regulations Issued on Whistleblowing for Fully Insured Health Care Plans

Impacts all fully insured plans beginning April 2013 PPACA prohibits employers (including insurers) from retaliating against an employee for reporting possible violations of PPACA to his employer or to the government, providing testimony about the possible violation or refusing to violate the law.  It also prohibits retaliating or taking an...

The “Set Sail: Samaritan Celebration of Life Gala” Was A Great Success Once Again!

The Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Annual Gala took place Saturday February 23rd with a “Cruise” theme, complete with music, dancing, gambling, auction, and of course, great food!  Kathy Orr, CBS 3 Eyewitness News Emmy-Award-Winning Meteorologist brought great energy to the event as the emcee.  With over 230 in attendance, the...

Terriann Scheduled to Speak about Health Care Reform at Tri-State HRMA’s 27th Annual Conference

Since the election in November, Terriann Procida has been educating employers about Health Care Reform, specifically the new Play or Pay regulation.  Do you know what you need to do to begin budgeting for the 2013-2014 PPACA Provisions?  Do you understand how potential penalties associated with Play or Pay may...

Do You Monitor Your 3(38) Adviser?

If you don’t, maybe you should.  Many people mistakenly assume that when they hire a 3(38) they no longer have to worry about any fiduciary responsibility.  They are wrong.  While they wouldn’t necessarily be held responsible for the day-to-day decisions made by the 3(38), over time, if they are not...

PPACA’s “Affordability” Requirement is Clarified by the IRS

The IRS finalized a rule that clarified that the health coverage “affordability” requirement (that an employee’s premium contribution not exceed 9.5 percent of household income) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will be based on self-only coverage, according to a Business Insurance online report. Employers with plans...

PPACA Update: Women’s Preventive Services

Proposed rules that would make it simpler for religious organizations and religious-affiliated not-for-profit organizations like hospitals and schools that have a religious objection to providing contraceptive services were released by the DOL on Feb. 1, 2013. These employers would notify their insurer of their objection, and the insurer automatically would...

Innovative Benefit Planning Welcomes Ryan Kastner to the Team!

We are pleased to announce the addition of Ryan Kastner to the Innovative team.  Ryan is a graduate from the Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University in Maryland.  As an Employee Benefits Consultant, Ryan will be identifying, developing and nurturing potential client relationships in the Greater Philadelphia area.  Earning...

PPACA Update: Minimum Essential Coverage

On Feb. 1, 2013, HHS and the IRS issued two proposed regulations that provide details on the individual shared responsibility requirement. PPACA requires that non-exempt individuals obtain “minimum essential coverage” or pay a penalty. Minimum essential coverage includes individual insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA and similar government programs, and...

PPACA Update: IRS Issues Final Regulation on Tax Credits

On Feb. 1, 2013, the IRS issued a final regulation that provides the long awaited answer of whether family members of an employee who has access to affordable self-only coverage are eligible for a premium tax credit/subsidy.  The answer is that they are not – if the employee has access...

HRA Restrictions Under PPACA

Because PPACA prohibits annual dollar limits on essential health benefits, HRAs that are not integrated with other group health coverage (usually a major medical plan) will not be permitted after Jan. 1, 2014. The January 24, 2013 DOL FAQ states that an employer-provided HRA will not be considered integrated (and...

PPACA Update: Notice of Exchange Has Been Delayed

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) have recently issued more FAQs and proposed rules that address several employer obligations under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). On Jan. 24, 2013, the DOL issued a FAQ...

Are You Trying To Stick With A Healthier Eating Plan? If So, What Should You Do When You Go Out To Eat?

Restaurant Strategies When Dining Out Keep this baker’s dozen of tips in mind next time you eat out to help you prevent mindless overeating: Avoid all-you-can-eat restaurants, especially if you’re likely to try to “get your money’s worth” with the sheer quantity of food. This style of dining is no...

COMPLIANCE ALERT! Final HIPAA Privacy Regulations are Published

The Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published its long-awaited final privacy and security regulations (“Final Rule”) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) on January 25, 2013. The Final Rule becomes effective March 26, 2013, and, in general, covered...

Innovative Supports the Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Gala!

For the third consecutive year Terriann Procida is Chairing the Samaritan fundraising gala.  This year the theme is “Set Sail:  Samaritan Celebration of Life Gala” and it will take place on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at The Westin Mount Laurel.  Samaritan has provided hospice care for more than 55,000 families...

What All Employers Need to Know About the “Cadillac Tax”

Starting in 2018, employers offering health plans that exceed a certain cost (the total employee and employer cost) would be subject to a 40% excise tax on the amount above that value.  For individual coverage, the threshold would be $10,200 and for family coverage the threshold would be $27,500.*  The...

Coordinating Exchange and Plan Open Enrollments

On Jan. 2, 2013, the IRS issued a detailed rule that, among other things, provides that noncalendar-year plans may amend their Section 125 plans to allow employees to make midyear changes because of PPACA.  Open enrollment for the exchanges will begin in October 2013 for a Jan. 1, 2014, effective...

How Will an Employer Know if an Employee Applies for a Premium Subsidy in the Exchange?

On Jan. 14, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued another lengthy proposed rule under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  Among other things, the proposed rule provides some information on how employers will be notified if an employee applies for a premium subsidy /...

Terriann Presents to the Philadelphia Chapter of Women Presidents’ Organization!

As an area business owner herself, and an expert on Health Care Reform, Terriann Procida is honored to present “Health Care Reform:  An Update on PPACA Since the Election” to the Philadelphia Chapter of Women Presidents’ Organization.  The PPACA provisions present some challenges to employers in deciphering the new regulations...

PPACA: What Do Employers Need To Do Between Now And January 2014?

The provisions associated with health care reform pose many questions for employers, most importantly, what do I need to do and when?  Here is a checklist of items to cross off your list before January 2014: Calculate and pay the Patient Centered Outcome Fee if the plan is self-funded (insurers...

Stand, Stretch and Move!

A Vanderbilt University study estimated that Americans spend about 55 percent of waking time sitting. That’s about seven and a half hours in a chair every day. A growing body of research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise your risk of developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer,...

What Should Employers Already Be Doing To Comply With PPACA?

Plans: May not have a lifetime dollar maximum on any “essential health benefit”   May not have an annual dollar limit on an “essential health benefit” that is over a certain amount   Must cover the employee’s dependent children until the dependent reaches age 26 – even if the child...

Thanks to the Fiscal Cliff Deal, Roth 401(k) Conversions Are Allowed for All

As part of the fiscal cliff deal employees have been given the ability to take funds in a pre-tax 401(k) account and convert it into a Roth 401(k) account.  Prior to this most recent provision in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, only amounts that were deemed distributable could...

Health Care Reform Update: IRS Proposes Regulations on Employer Penalty

The Internal Revenue Service has released proposed regulations on the health care reform employer “shared responsibility” penalty provision. This is the penalty on “large” employers (those with at least 50 full-time or full-time equivalent employees) that do not provide affordable minimum essential coverage for full-time employees and their dependents and...

Compliance Alert! DOL Begins Auditing Group Health Plans for PPACA, GINA and Wellness Program Compliance

Employers that have had their group health plans audited by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA, the arm of the U.S. Department of Labor that enforces Title I of ERISA) are aware of the broad nature of the document requests and compliance reviews carried out under these audits. The EBSA...

Individual Mandate Tax – What is the Cost for Non-Compliance?

Last June the Supreme Court ruled that PPACA, including the individual mandate, is constitutional. Under the law, individuals are required to purchase health care insurance and if they do not, the penalty will be a tax.  In order to avoid this tax, a person must have “minimum essential” coverage.  This...

HHS ISSUES PROPOSED RULES ON ‘BENEFIT AND PAYMENT PARAMETERS,’ MULTI-STATE PLAN PROGRAM

The following is a summary of proposed regulations. Some or all of the provisions may change when final rules are issued. On Dec. 5 and 7, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two more sets of proposed rules that provide added details on how the Patient...

Health Care Reform Lunch N’Learns a Huge Success! More to come…

In light of the outcome of the November Presidential election, Innovative hosted three Lunch N’ Learn events  over the last few weeks at Fleming’s Steak House in Marlton,  DelFrisco’s Steak House in Philadelphia and Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Parsippany.  We also joined Ultimate Software at a fourth event at...

Make Time – and Space – for Workouts

Create a Home Gym Cold weather and short days make it harder to exercise outdoors in the winter. For those times when it’s too wet, too cold or just too dark to work out outdoors, why not retreat to your own home gym? For a minimal investment, you can transform...

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED RULES ON HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET RULES

On Nov. 20, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued proposed rules that address a number of health insurance market reforms.  The rule is still in the “proposed” stage, which means that there may — and likely will — be changes when the final rule is issued....

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED RULES ON WELLNESS PROGRAMS

On Nov. 20, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services, the IRS and the Department of Labor jointly issued a proposed rule that addresses how wellness programs may operate under PPACA beginning in 2014. The proposed rule would largely carry forward the rules that have been in effect for...

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROPOSED RULES ON ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS AND ACTUARIAL VALUE

On Nov. 20, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed rule that addresses a number of questions surrounding essential health benefits and determining actuarial and minimum value. This rule is still in the “proposed” stage, which means that there may — and likely will —...

CORRECTING OPERATIONAL MISTAKES CAN ELIMINATE FIDUCIARY LIABILITY

Over the past decade, plan sponsors have become familiar with the voluntary correction programs offered by the IRS and Department of Labor, including the Service’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) and the DOL’s Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP).  These programs offer formal ways for sponsors to correct certain administrative...

Healthy Employees Lead to Wealthy Employees

We all know that employer-sponsored wellness programs are effective at extending quality of life by maintaining good health and reducing health risks that can worsen over time. Companies also obtain financials savings from implementing wellness programs. For instance, for every dollar spent on wellness, medical costs are reduced by $3.27...

Innovative Welcomes Michelle Bross!

We are so excited to welcome Michelle Bross to the Innovative team!  Michelle comes highly recommended and her extensive background in office administration will be well utilized as Innovative continues to grow.   Best of luck in your new role Michelle!

Critical Amendment Deadline Approaching for Defined Benefit Plans

Sponsors of single-employer defined benefit pension plans will need to amend those plans soon to comply with a critical requirement of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the PPA).  As explained more fully below, meeting this deadline is crucial because the IRS has conditioned anti-cutback relief on a timely amendment. ...

Health Plan Design Drives Regional Costs

United Benefit Advisors (UBA), one of the nation’s largest employee benefit advisory organizations, announces more key findings from its 2012 Health Plan Survey. As health care costs continue to increase and recruitment and retention of quality employees becomes more competitive, accurate and detailed benefits benchmarking data is imperative for employee...

What Employers Need To Know Right Now About Health Care Reform And What The Election Results Mean For PPACA

Maintenance of the status quo in Washington, D.C. (the re-election of Barack Obama, with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives and a Democratic majority in the Senate) means that implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will move forward largely as the law was passed...

In this Election, Health Care Takes Center Stage

By Thomas Mangan, CEO, United Benefit Advisors UBA and CFO magazine weigh in on the health insurance exchange market in the face of health care reform. Today marks a historic milestone in the leadership of America as millions of people head to the polls to elect or re-elect our president....

The Benefits of Napping

Quick Takes Naptime – Not Just for Toddlers Lions nap, dogs nap, even dolphins take brief naps.  In fact, 85% of all mammal species are polyphasic sleepers, meaning that they sleep for short periods throughout the day.  Generally, humans are monophasic sleepers, meaning we divide the day into two parts,...

Play or Pay: Applying the Employer Shared Responsibility Penalties

PPACA calls for two possible penalties, one for not offering “minimum essential” coverage and a different penalty for offering coverage that is considered inadequate because it is not “affordable” and/or it does not provide “minimum value.” (A)    The “no offer” penalty applies if the large employer does not offer “minimum...

Play or Pay: How Does an Employer Determine Average Hours Worked?

An employer may simply look at its population on a current, month by month basis if it wishes to.  However, to avoid the complications that may arise if an employee alternates between working more and less than 30 hours, or to simply reduce calculation frequency,  IRS Notice 2012-58 gives an...

COMPLIANCE ALERT: 2013 Annual Benefit Plan Amounts

2013 INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS Following recent announcements by both the IRS and the Social Security Administration, we now know most of the dollar amounts that employers will need to administer their benefit plans for 2013.  Many of the new numbers are slightly higher than their 2012 counterparts. For instance, the annual...

Play or Pay: How Will An Employer Count Hours?

It is expected that current DOL rules for counting hours for pension plan purposes will be used to count an employee’s hours of service as a full-time employee or full-time employee equivalent.  Under these rules, a person is considered to have completed an “hour of service” with each hour for...

COMPLIANCE ALERT! CRITICAL AMENDMENT DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS

Sponsors of single-employer defined benefit pension plans will need to amend those plans soon to comply with a critical requirement of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (the PPA).  As explained more fully below, meeting this deadline is crucial because the IRS has conditioned anti-cutback relief on a timely amendment. ...

The Play or Pay Penalty – How Are Employees Counted Under PPACA?

Determining how many employees you have is important for several purposes under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  So far, no final rules have been issued, but on Aug. 31, 2012, the regulatory agencies issued safe harbors for 2014 on several key issues. The agencies have also provided...

Important Information About New Jersey 51-100 Health Benefits Plans

A benefit feature that encourages use of generic drugs will be included in all 51-100 health benefits plans. All Aetna 51-100 new business and renewing plans with December 1, 2012 and later effective dates will include a benefit feature that encourages members to use generic drugs as a first choice....

Philadelphia Interactive HR Workshop – “Strategies from Industry Leaders in an Era of Change”

Please join Innovative at the Ultimate Software interactive HR workshop. Innovative’s own Terriann Procida will be featured speaking about how to uncover the hidden risk in your benefit package through advanced analytics and predictive modeling. Your company needs a skilled and forward-thinking HR leader more than ever before. So are...

Five Great Whole Grains

This month we’re highlighting five whole grains that have much to offer when it comes to nutrition and flavor. The next time you’re at the supermarket or natural foods store, look for foods made with amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur or quinoa and expand your whole-grain horizons. Barley The Story: Barley...

United Benefit Advisors Welcomes Terriann Procida as a Board Member!

Terriann will be joining the United Benefit Advisors (UBA) Board of Directors effective January 1, 2013.  As one of the nation’s largest employee benefits advisory organizations, UBA is comprised of more than 140 of the most successful and most trusted independent employee benefits advisory firms in North America and Europe. ...

Congratulations Liz!

We are proud to announce that today Liz Silver, Innovative’s newest Account Manager, passed the third and final test to obtain her RHU designation.  All that hard work paid off Liz!  Congratulations on a great accomplishment!

Did You Ever Get So Covered In Mud That…

You wondered if you would ever get clean?  We did!  On Saturday September 15th, teams of warriors came together at the New Jersey Motorsports Park to raise money for cancer research and to honor cancer survivors in a tribute called the Bill Bottino Mud Run.  Just as cancer survivors had...

All That Sneezing Getting You Down?

The weather turns cooler, the leaves turn colors and pumpkins are everywhere.  It’s the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors, unless you suffer from allergies. Are your eyes itchy and watery?  Do you have a runny nose?  Are you coughing?  Does your nose itch?  Do you have dark circles under...

Innovative Speaks at MetLife Stadium!

Thank you Ultimate Software for inviting Innovative to be a part of your interactive HR workshop at MetLife Stadium yesterday in the Toyota Coaches Club!  Our own Terriann Procida was asked to be a guest speaker at this fantastic event.  Her presentation focused on changing the current reality of cost...

New Jersey Interactive HR Workshop

“Strategies from Industry Leaders in an Era of Change” Please join Innovative at the Ultimate Software interactive workshop.  Innovative’s own Terriann Procida will be featured speaking about how to uncover the hidden risk in your benefit package through advanced analytics and predictive modeling. Your company needs a skilled and forward-thinking...

MORE GUIDANCE ON “FULL-TIME” EMPLOYEES AND 90-DAY WAITING PERIOD

Starting in 2014, larger employers (generally, those with 50 or more employees) may face “shared responsibility” penalties if any of their “full-time” employees receive subsidized health coverage through an “Affordable Insurance Exchange.”  At the same time, virtually all employer health plans will become subject to a 90-day limit on any...

Do You Know What You Need To Know About Comparative Effectiveness Research Fees?

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), health insurers and self-funded plan sponsors will be required to pay a tax called the comparative effectiveness research fee.  The proceeds are to be used to support research conducted by a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.  This research will be centered on...

IRS Issues Temporary Guidance for Identifying Full-Time Employees and Applying Waiting Periods

On Aug. 31, the IRS issued Notices 2012-58 and 2012-59, which provide safe harbors for 2014 (and perhaps beyond that date) on how to address some of the open questions on how the employer-shared responsibility penalties will apply. The notices affirm that employers that hire new employees who are reasonably...

Health Care Reform, Costs Likely Will Alter the Nature of Wellness

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on health care reform, the future of employer-sponsored health care insurance remains murky at best.  One health trend, though, looks like it’s here to stay as more insurers, employers and workers buy into corporate wellness programs. Yet the makeup of such programs...

Employers Prep for New Moves under PPACA

As the 2013 enrollment time draws near, employers are preparing to jump through a few extra hoops thanks to the recently reaffirmed health care reform law. In addition to the usual notices and benefit communications that employers must prepare and distribute to their employees, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care...

Homegrown Superfruits

Blueberries Drive anywhere in the state of Maine in the month of August and you’re likely to find a blueberry festival in progress or at least a roadside stand selling boxes of just-picked wild blueberries. Locals enjoy the little berries by the handful or in pies, muffins, jams, pancakes and...

A Surprise for Jeannine!

When Jeannine Bandiera, Innovative Account Manager, arrived at what she thought was a client pre-renewal meeting, she was pleasantly surprised.  She entered the beautifully decorated conference room and was showered with baby gifts!  Jeannine would like to thank everyone at Engineering Resource Group for their thoughtfulness.  Baby Bandiera will arrive...

PPACA FSA Contribution Limits

•    Applies to all employers who sponsor a health flexible spending account (FSA) •    Effective as of the start of the 2013 plan year May not change plan year simply to delay application of the limit •    Employee salary reduction contribution may not exceed $2,500 per health FSA per year...

LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PPACA

Nearly all employers will be affected by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) — but not necessarily in the same ways. A company’s compliance requirements largely will depend on its size, method of plan funding and other factors. Do you know which provisions apply to you? As a...

MURAL ARTS TROLLEY TOUR – A FABULOUS EVENT FOR A GREAT CAUSE!

On Wednesday July 25th, Innovative proudly sponsored the Mural Arts Program Trolley Tour hosted by the Professional Women’s Roundtable.  Jane Golden, Director of the Mural Arts Program, is truly a gift to Philadelphia.  Through the Mural Arts Program, Jane has used art to inspire change in communities throughout the city...

HIGHLIGHTS OF W-2 REPORTING REQUIREMENT

•   Must include the value of “employer-sponsored group health coverage” on W-2s beginning with the 2012 W-2 (to be issued in January 2013) •    Except that, do not need to include this information if the employer issued fewer than 250 W-2s for the prior calendar year* o    This means the...

HIGHLIGHTS OF ADDITIONAL MEDICARE WITHHOLDING FOR HIGH EARNERS

•    Effective Jan. 1, 2013 •    Applies to all employers •    Must withhold an additional 0.9 percent of the employee’s share for Medicare/HI (from 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent) once the employee’s wages exceed $200,000 Employer does not match this additional 0.9 percent Additional 0.9 percent is not capped Additional...

MLR REBATE CONSIDERATIONS

Because the guidance provided by the regulatory agencies has been fairly general, employers continue to have questions about how to handle the medical loss ratio (MLR) checks. Below are answers to some common questions, based upon either the guidance issued by the agencies regarding MLRs or how similar situations have...

Camping With Kids

Pick a Campground If you’ve never camped with children before, or you’ve never camped at all, preparing for a night outdoors may seem daunting. Your first step is to research your options: •    Assemble a list of campgrounds within an hour or two of home. •    Novice campers will want...

HHS Report on MLR Provides Breakdown of Upcoming Rebates:

HHS has released a report on the first round of rebates to be provided under health care reform’s medical loss ratio (MLR) requirements.  The report contains calendar year 2011 data–insurers are required to pay rebates by August 1, 2012 based on their 2011 MLR. The report provides a detailed breakdown...

Health Care Reform Still Stands – What Do Employers Need To Do Now?

On June 28th, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the individual mandate and most of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  Because the individual mandate was found to be acceptable, most of the rest of the law (including the exchanges and the requirement that larger employers provide minimum coverage...

OVERVIEW OF MEDICAL LOSS RATIO REBATES

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to spend a minimum percentage of their premium dollars on medical claims and quality improvement.  Insurers in the large group market must achieve a medical loss ratio (MLR) of 85%, while insurers in the individual and small group markets must achieve an MLR...

SUPREME COURT LARGELY UPHOLDS PPACA

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the individual mandate and most of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  As expected, it was a close decision — 5-4 — with Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Breyer, Ginsburg, Kagan and Sotomayor agreeing that the individual mandate is a permissible tax....

Innovative Sponsors A Mural Arts Program Trolley Tour July 25th!

With more than 3,000 murals on display throughout the city, Philadelphia’s often referred to as the “Mural Capital of the World.”  After a special visit from Mural Arts Program founder Jane Golden, we’ll hop aboard a trolley to explore the city’s incredible collection of murals with knowledgeable tour guides while...

Compliance Alert! PREPARING FOR THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to publish its decision on the legality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or PPACA (also called health care reform, HCR and ACA), by the end of June.  What they will decide is anyone’s guess.  Here are the possibilities (in no particular...

THE 2012 UBA HEALTH PLAN BENCHMARKING SURVEY HAS CLOSED AND THE WINNER OF THE NEW 32 GB IPAD IS…