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Blog

Explore expert insights, tips, tools, and articles created to help your organization navigate the healthcare landscape.

Change Management - Key Elements for 2024

Solid change management strategies are crucial for organizations to navigate the complexities of today’s business landscape effectively. Grasping the key elements of change management will help organizations successfully navigate through organizational change. To do so, there are a few key elements to keep in mind when navigating change. 

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Driving Change: Why Benefits Brokers Can Lead the Path to Health Equity

In today's ever-evolving employment landscape, the role of the benefits broker has moved past traditional boundaries. Benefits Brokers are now change makers and stand at the forefront of a crucial movement – advancing health benefits equity and reshaping the very landscape of health benefits. In this blog, we'll explore how equity takes center stage, and why the time for change is now.

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Elevating Nonprofit Leadership: Discover Insights with "Benefits Like a Boss" Podcast

In the realm of nonprofit leadership, continuous learning and inspiration are key. That's where the "Benefits Like a Boss" podcast steps in, a treasure trove for nonprofit professionals seeking wisdom and innovative strategies. Looking back at our favorite podcast episodes from 2023, we’re excited to share a few that can reshape your approach to nonprofit management and workforce wellness.

Click here to go to nonstophealth.com/podcast, where all podcasts are accessible. 

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Embrace the spirit of Giving Tuesday

Embrace the Spirit of Giving Tuesday with Nonstop Health

As the season shifts to the cozy embrace of fall, it's a perfect moment to celebrate the spirit of giving. Nonstop Health is delighted to usher in the Giving Tuesday countdown, spotlighting the incredible nonprofits that enrich our communities every day.

Giving Tuesday transcends a mere date on the calendar (Tuesday, November 28, to be exact) —it's a movement that galvanizes the globe in an outpouring of generosity. In the days leading up to this special Tuesday, we're featuring the life-changing work of 12 nonprofits across our social media channels, one for each day, in a show of gratitude and recognition.

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The Link Between First-Dollar Coverage and Primary Care

Hearing is Believing

Megan* slowly put her hand back in her lap as she was called upon to ask her question at her company’s open enrollment meeting. “So what you’re saying is…” began Megan, a director, and single mother, “... with this new health insurance benefit, as long as I’m in-network, I can get the care my family and I need without worrying about the cost?”

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2023 TOP Insurance Employer

IBA Top Insurance Employer of 2023: Nonstop Administration and Insurance Services, Inc.

Every year, Insurance Business America (IBA) polls employees on their satisfaction with their employer’s benefits, culture, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Nonstop Administration and Insurance Services, Inc. (Nonstop) received a satisfaction rating of over 80%, making it one of the top insurance employers of 2023.   

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Benefits Like a Boss Episode 18

This very special episode of Benefits Like a Boss was recorded live from NACHC’s 2023 Conference for Agricultural Worker Health. 

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Closing the Health Benefits Communication Gap Between Employees and Company Leadership

In recent years, the balance of power has shifted from employer to employee. As a result, many employers are relying heavily on benefits packages to attract and retain talent. 

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Nonstop Health™ Partners with ANCOR to Support Association’s Efforts to Address Direct Service Provider Workforce Crisis

New partnership will help ANCOR members unlock savings on annual premiums, eliminate upfront out-of-pocket expenses for employees and their families.

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Perform a Health Benefits Resources Audit

Are you providing the right health benefits resources for your employees? Maybe it’s time for an audit.

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Missouri Association of Manufacturers Offers Nonstop Health™ to Member Organizations in New Partnership

Small- to large-sized manufacturers in the state save on annual premiums, and eliminate upfront out-of-pocket expenses for employees and their families.

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Episode #17 of Benefits Like a Boss

Benefits Like a Boss Episode 17

On this episode, #17 of Benefits Like a Boss, we are joined by a powerhouse in the nonprofit space, winner of the 2022 California Nonprofit of the Year Award, Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS).

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The Future of Health Benefits

A lot has changed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of what employees expect from their employers. One of the most dramatic changes we’ve seen is the new-found leverage employees gained over employers during The Great Resignation, which appears to be here to stay. And in what has been dubbed “The Great Reshuffle,” many of those employees who left their jobs in recent years are seeking out employment with companies who provide better benefits.

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Nonstop's January Blog

The Benefits Paradox

Think back to the last time you started a new job. You’re meeting new people, immersing yourself in the company culture, learning processes and systems, and trying to do your actual job on top of it. It’s like having two jobs at once. In another country. Where you don’t speak the language. 

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Nonstop's November B

Defining your existing workforce challenges

Employing diverse talent increases performance, no matter the industry. There are so many ways that cross-cultural influences have a positive impact on performance, productivity, and organizational growth. Unfortunately, a report found that 65 percent of full-time employees at large corporations experienced at least one basic need that went unmet. 

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Aligning health benefits planning with overall corporate strategy

When reviewing long- or short-term business strategy, make health care benefits a part of the conversation. The goal is cost containment and increasing employee satisfaction. In doing so, it’s  important to educate employees regarding coverage options to maximize usage. 

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Evolution of a Brand. A New Look for Nonstop

Evolution of a Brand. A New Look for Nonstop

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Nonstop's August Blog

Check out our latest podcast episode

There are two things you need to add to your bucket list to experience what an inclusive and caring culture feels like: a visit to France and working at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

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Nonstop's June Blog

Opportunities to Personalize Health Benefits Plan Design

Employers have an opportunity to adapt their approach to health benefits plan design to accommodate for unexpected upfront costs, as well as meet the unique needs of employees. 

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Our latest podcast episode is here!

The latest podcast episode is here! CEO Michael Schaub and CFO Lacey Lively of Northeastern Rural Health Clinics in Susanville California share their own style of management that is anchored in being where the action is, making sure the fridge is always stocked with refreshments and constantly making sure staff know they're accessible. Listen in to hear creative ways to keep employees feeling valued, heard and laughing through the day to day. https://www.nonstophealth.com/podcast/

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Nonstop's May Blog

The Future of Health Benefits: Improving Outcomes for Employees and Their Families

The relationship between employees and their employers is evolving, especially in terms of their personal health. “Employee well-being is predicted to have the greatest impact on the workplace of the future,” Forbes reports. “Workers now expect their employers to view them as individual human beings and provide benefits that support them on a personal level.”

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Nonstop's April Blog

The Role of Health Benefits When Becoming an Employer of Choice

Today’s employees have a wider variety of professional options than at any point in history. In 2021, 51% of U.S. employees were actively seeking new job opportunities as a result of burnout, the accessibility of remote work, and collective disruptions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, high-performing employees now can exert greater control over the job market, where demand for leading professionals outweighs supply.

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Leveraging Health Benefits to Improve Employee Recruitment and Retention

As recently as 2020, 43.4% of U.S. adults ages 19 to 64 were “inadequately insured,” The Commonwealth Fund reports, where roughly one-quarter of adults with employer-provided health plans were underinsured.  Innovative health benefits therefore can turn the heads of workers fed up with the shortcomings of traditional health insurance.

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Nonstop's January Blog

What Job Applicants Want to Hear About Health Benefits

Rising healthcare costs are on the minds of both existing and potential employees. Health benefits therefore factor into workers’ employment decisions more than ever before. And while financial compensation is always important, workers are increasingly balancing competitive salaries with desirable health and wellness benefits, among others.

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Improving Employee Recruitment and Retention with Innovative Health Benefits Plan Design

As an employer, adopting and advertising competitive health benefits is an effective tool for employee recruitment and retention. Companies that approach health and other benefits in a strategic way have above-average recruitment and retention rates, SHRM reports. With this in mind, innovative health benefits plan design can become a differentiator for employers looking to attract and retain top talent.

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Infographic: The Traditional Approach to Health Insurance is Backwards

In the United States, even employees with employer-sponsored health insurance struggle to access or pay for basic primary care. The upfront costs of healthcare make annual and preventative healthcare cost-prohibitive for financially vulnerable employees.

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ICYMI: Virtual Town Hall: Episode 7 - Creating a Culture of Financial Health for Your Organization

We hope you were able to join us for our most recent Virtual Town Hall session, featuring retirement benefits expert Renee Shew, Vice President of Mutual America Financial Group. Renee gave us an incredibly dynamic overview of why it’s so critical that you invest in the financial wellness of your workforce, and she shared tools, strategies and resources to help you boost the financial security of your employees.

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Virtual Town Hall: Creating a Culture of Financial Health for Your Organization

Join us for our next virtual town hall on October 29th at 10am PT featuring retirement benefits expert Renee Shew, Vice President of Mutual America Financial Group. With an estimated 27% of Americans surveyed have recently had to tap into their retirement savings to offset financial hardship due to COVID-19, the pandemic is having a significant impact on employee financial health. Renee will share tools and resources to mitigate this threat to your employees’ financial future.

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Virtual Town Hall: How to Kick Employer Sponsored Health Benefits--In the Nuts and Bolts

We hope you were able to join our most recent town hall, where we discussed real-life stories of incredible health benefits savings from our friends Angie Rodriguez, Director of Human Services for East Harlem Council for Human Services and Mitch Austin, Human Resources and Compliance Director for Gateway Residential Services.

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Virtual Town Hall: Help Employees Repair and Reset Their Retirement

Be sure to join Derreck Smith, Senior Marketing Manager of Nonstop and Erik Daley, CFA, retirement benefits expert and managing principal for the Multnomah Group on July 30th at 10AM PST for a 30 minute town hall conversation showcasing strategies to help your employees repair and strengthen their retirement benefits portfolio in this time of economic uncertainty.

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How Healthcare Literacy Can Save Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services1, only twelve (12%) percent of adults in the United States have proficient healthcare literacy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines health literacy or healthcare literacy as "the degree to which an individual has a capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions."2 The expenses of improperly accessed healthcare negatively impact both the individual and the overall cost of healthcare premiums, adding to expense for your organization as well.

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Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Update: What You Need to Know

Quick Summary

  • UPDATE: As of July 3, 2020, the application deadline has been extended to August 8, 2020
  • The SBA has about $125 billion in loan forgiveness funds for those that qualify
  • To ease access to these funds, application restrictions were lifted and later the deadline to apply was extended. Candidates who may not have previously qualified need to review the recent updates

Read or download the full guide in this post from the link below

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East Harlem Council for Human Services, Inc. Stomps Down Annual Employee Health Insurance Bill 34%

New York nonprofit abandons traditional fully-insured health plan design to reduce employer-sponsored health insurance premiums and improve benefits through first-dollar coverage.

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Nonstop Presents: Navigating Unemployment Insurance

Essential Unemployment Insurance Insight for Nonprofits with Laura Achee, Enrollment Manager, UST.

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Recap: Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

We hope that you were able to join our team at Nonstop and Laura Green, HR Business Partner from Nonprofit HR for a timely conversation about mental health strategies in the workplace. If not, or if you just want to learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of your employees and how your organization can act in a way that’s organized, passionate, and will keep your valued team members thriving—we’d love to take a moment to break down a few key points of that conversation, and tell you how to find out more.

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The Protection Health Workers Deserve - MassMutual’s HealthBridge Program

In a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a desire to support heroic healthcare and health center workers, putting themselves on the front lines of a global healthcare crisis, MassMutual has created free term life insurance with those heroic healthcare workers in mind.

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Statement from CEO David Sloves

Exactly 99 years ago, on May 31-June 1 of 1921, hundreds of Black Americans were brutally attacked, interned, and murdered in Tulsa, Oklahoma in what now politely gets called the "Tulsa Race Massacre." It is shameful that we have made such little progress.

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The Fallacy of Skin in the Game

If you've been looking at the current pandemic crisis and wondering why the healthcare system has become so broken, you need to read Nonstop’s new article by CEO David Sloves, published via Benefits Pro. "The Fallacy of Skin in the Game," tackles the recent history of the American healthcare system and the challenges of consumer-driven approaches to plan design, as well as potential solutions as we take a thoughtful look to re-approaching the healthcare industry. Read thr full post here: https://www.benefitspro.com/2020/05/07/the-fallacy-of-skin-in-the-game/

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Nonstop Presents: Workplace Strategies to Support Mental Health

The rhetoric of "uncertain times" has become all-too-familiar in every aspect of your personal and professional lives during these past few months. However, what many of us are really craving are compassionate solutions to bring stability into this moment of uncertainty — especially when it comes to the workplace. As part of our monthly series of employee-oriented, solutions-driven conversations that explore ways organizations can better support their employees, you’re invited to join Nonstop and Nonprofit HR for: Workplace Strategies to Support Mental Health.

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Nonstop Presents: Tech Talk

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created an atmosphere of uncertainty in every aspect of life, but for many American workers and the organizations they work for, the biggest adjustment in day-to-day life revolves around their work as they move from the workplace to remote work.

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The Nonstop Wellness Program Now Offered through Health Insurance Brokers

CONCORD, Calif. April 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonstop Administration and Insurance Services, Inc. (Nonstop) has announced that they will now sell their flagship product through a channel program to health benefits brokers nationally.  

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The New Abnormal

Today's news continues to be a downward spiral... More COVID-19 cases, more shutdowns by more economic sectors around the US (and globally) and an investment marketplace that has devalued literally the entire value of the world economy by around a third.

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Nonstop and ANCOR Announce New Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:10/3/2019
Nonstop Administration and Insurance Services, Inc.
(503) 260 – 5634
Nonstopwellness.com

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Nonstop Administration & Insurance Services, Inc., Announces Partnership between California Primary Care Association (CPCA) And Community Health Ventures (CHV)

Nonstop Administration & Insurance Services, Inc., Announces Partnership between California Primary Care Association (CPCA) And Community Health Ventures (CHV) – An Affiliate of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) – via the Value in Benefits (ViB) Program to Provide Access to Affordable Employee Healthcare for Community Health Centers in California

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Pregnancy and Health Insurance

Pregnancy can be such a wonderful time of life, but it can also be very stressful.  There’s a lot to do and a lot to plan for.  One of the most important things you can do is review your health insurance coverage.  Before you get pregnant, or as soon as you find out, look at your policy.  It’s important to know what your health insurance covers during this unique time.

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Price Research 101

Price Research 101

No one likes getting bills, especially unexpected ones.  If you have ever had a health care procedure and received the bill in the mail with shock and dismay, this information is for you.

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In-Network vs Out-of-Network Providers

In-Network vs Out-of-Network Providers

There are all types of health care providers and you probably have some that you prefer over others.  It’s important to know who is within your Provider Network (also called in-network).  

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Explanation of Benefits EOB Dissected

Explanation of Benefits (EOB) Dissected

You know that document that comes from your health insurance company that you almost always think is a bill at first?  Yep, that one - The Explanation of Benefits or EOB.  You're not alone!  Many people confuse it with a bill which is why SOMEWHERE on the EOB it should say boldly THIS IS NOT A BILL.

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Make the Most of Your Routine Health Visits

Make the Most of Your Routine Health Visits

Routine health visits, often called check-ups or well-visits, are a great time to discuss your health concerns with your healthcare provider. You can talk to them about anything, but here are some topics that are generally covered:

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Understanding Health Insurance Terms and Plans

Understanding Health Insurance:Terms and Plans

Health insurance is complicated.  While it’s something we all have a need for, almost none of us are formally taught what the options are, what to look for, or what circumstances might indicate a propensity for one plan over another. 

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Five Reasons Why Everyone Should Have a PCP

Five Reasons Why Everyone Should Have a PCP

If you don’t already have a primary care provider (PCP), you should seriously consider finding one.  It’s a good idea for everyone to have a PCP.

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Partial Self-Insurance 101

What is Partial Self-Insurance?

Partial self-insurance (PSI) is a healthcare model where employers purchase less expensive high deductible healthcare plans (HDHPs) for employees.

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Direction Services' Employees Response to Improved Health Benefits

Direction Service is a non-profit organization located in Springfield, OR that specializes in multi-service care for individuals and families dealing with various disabilities. They are a company of roughly 54 employees that has managed to provide care for over 2,000 families in their area.

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Making the Right Healthcare Purchasing Decisions as a CFO

Nobody knows a company's financial situation better than the CFO, and most times, they aren't even involved in the process of choosing the right health care plans for their employees. In order to evaluate plans effectively and come up with a well-rounded solution, it's important that all parties (CEO, HR team, and CFO) be involved in the health care purchasing process.

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Knowing Your Options

For small-to-midsize nonprofits, choosing an insurance plan might seem daunting. With so many options available, it can be hard to distinguish between them all and to identify what is the best fit for your organization. The advice of a broker or consultant can be beneficial, but they shouldn't be the only one you consult when it comes to choosing a plan. 

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The Growth of Partial Self-Insurance

In today's competitive job market companies can find it hard to afford to retain quality candidates. For nonprofits specifically, this is even more challenging. How can an organization that isn't self-funded offer benefits that will attract and retain highly skilled individuals? The answer to this lies in more substantial employee healthcare. 

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Thought Leader Q&A: John Chiang, former CFO for Asian Health Services

Today we welcome John Chiang, former CFO for Asian Health Services (AHS) in Oakland, California. AHS, founded in 1974, is a community health center that provides primary, dental and behavioral health services to more than 27,000 underserved patients.  As a nationally recognized community health center model, AHS stands at the forefront of quality and innovation.  

John was instrumental in moving AHS over to the Nonstop Wellness program in 2014, which has saved the organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in premium costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

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Six Questions to Ask Healthcare Brokers During Renewal Season

Healthcare brokers are the eyes and ears into the ever-changing healthcare market, and what potential new options might be on the table for an organization. As such, nonprofits must have a broker relationship that meets the unique needs of the organization. Even if you’re happy with your existing representation, it’s worth taking a step back and at least talking with other brokers to see if they have a different approach that may be a better fit for your group.

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How to navigate partially self-funded health insurance plans - The Business Journals

Image: Reader's Digest

Anthony Lopez writes for The Business Journals about the business owner's daunting task of navigating health insurance options, and how different options will affect their business.

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5 strategies for addressing employees’ financial needs during open enrollment - Employee Benefit News

This article by Randy Stram for Employee Benefit News discusses the drop in the percentage of employees who say they feel in control of their finances, and how employers can help through healthcare benefits education.

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Employers anticipate healthcare benefits costs will rise 5% next year - Fierce Healthcare

This article by Leslie Small for Fierce Healthcare discusses what employers are doing to counter the predicted 5% increase in heathcare benefits costs over the next year.

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Start an outside-the-box conversation to improve open enrollment process - Employee Benefit News

Nick Otto writes for Employee Benefit News about engaging employees to better ensure peak participation rates in open enrollment and to increase understanding of the process.

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Leveling the self-funded field - Benefit News

This article by Robert Bull for Benefit News discusses how technology has removed the barriers to self-funding that used to exist for small- to mid-size employers.

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Top Five Questions Every Nonprofit Leader Should Ask Heading into Renewal Season

As one of the biggest line items in any organization’s budget, employee healthcare should be a central conversational point for all nonprofit leaders, especially in the months leading up to renewal. Understanding the details of the current plan, as well as creative alternatives that might provide better benefits for less money, are critical to ensuring the financial health of the organization and the physical (and financial) wellbeing of employees. Leaving these discussions to the last minute – or not having them at all – can leave everyone vulnerable to the rising costs of healthcare.

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Thought Leader Q&A: Mike Wurtsmith, Board Chair of Thunder Bay Health Center

Recently, we spoke with Mike Wurtsmith about the larger role that nonprofit boards should be playing when it comes to choosing health benefits for their organization’s employees.

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The Healthcare Approach You’ve Likely Never Heard Of – and How It Will Forever Change Your Recruitment and Retention Efforts

Finding talented staff may not be all that difficult. But convincing them to actually work for your organization? That’s a whole different story. Our current job market is constantly evolving, with more niche positions, an emphasis on flexibility, fast paced technology growth, and gig economies on the rise. Those organizations that can shift on a dime most often win the talent pool.

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Health Insurance 101: Common Misunderstood Healthcare Terms

A few years ago, the Journal of Health Economics found that 86 percent of Americans couldn’t define the basic terms associated with their health insurance – deductible, copay, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. And in 2016, a survey by PolicyGenius found that 96 percent of Americans overestimate their understanding of these terms, with only 4 percent able to define all four of the above concepts. The correlating result? This lack of knowledge or true understanding is likely leading to increased – and possibly unnecessary – healthcare spending.

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Five Reasons Why You Should Partially Self-Insure

PSI – shorthand for partial self-insurance– is a highly effective way for nonprofits to provide employees with access to quality, affordable health insurance without eating away at fragile budgets. But many organizations, stuck in the staid method of traditional fully-funded insurance, likely haven’t been exposed to PSI. This could be due to myriad factors, including a lack of willingness on their broker’s part to explore alternatives because of the high commissions earned from some fully funded plans (e.g. lower deductible/higher premium plans).

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Employers boosting benefits packages to attract top talent - Employee Benefit News

Nick Otto writes for Employee Benefit News about the strategies employers are using to keep their healthcare benefits offerings competitive and attract and retain talented employees.

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What's worse, 56 percent of Americans don't think they'll have affordable health insurance in the future. (Photo: Shutterstock)

One in four Americans skip medical attention because of cost - Benefits Pro

This article by Katie Kuehner-Herbert for Benefits Pro discusses how many Americans - even those with insurance - are skipping doctor's visits because of high out-of-pocket costs.

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Effective Employee Healthcare Decisions Require a Collaborative Approach

In many organizations, HR departments are often solely responsible for making decisions around employee healthcare, with CFOs and other leaders coming onboard for final approvals.   However, key player involvement – especially from the CFO – early in the process can be a game-changer when it comes to creating a more effective and well-rounded healthcare program for staff.

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How – and Why – CFOs Can Take the Lead in the Employee Healthcare Decision Process

CFOs (should) play a critical role in supporting decisions around employee healthcare, going beyond simply signing off on the budgetary needs. The process begins early by getting curious and asking tough questions about how healthcare spending has been tracked and audited within the organization, and where there is opportunity for more savings.

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Are healthcare cost-shifting efforts at a tipping point? - Benefit News

A recent study from DirectPath, an employee engagement and healthcare compliance technology company, has found that employers are looking for “creative methods” to slow down healthcare costs.

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The Need for CFO Involvement in Employee Healthcare Decisions

Healthcare is one of the biggest line items in a nonprofit’s budget, but CFOs are often on the periphery of the decision-making process. However, making a well-rounded decision that focuses on both the budget and employee satisfaction requires that CFOs become more intimately involved in employee healthcare management, working closely with other key players such as the CEO and HR manager.

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Small Businesses Must Be Both Cautious And Creative In Today's Choatic Health Benefit Market - Forbes

Image: SHRM

Todd Hixton, contributor for Forbes, takes a look at how small businesses are faring under the uncertainty of healthcare these days. He poses the question, "What health benefit strategy makes sense for small businesses until the direction of the new administration becomes clear?"

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Nearly One In Five LinkedIn Members Say Health Insurance Affected Job Choice - Forbes

Bruce Y. Lee, a contributor for Forbes, writes about how the types of health insurance available can make a difference in what jobs people take.

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Creating a Culture of Innovation with Employee Health Care - BoardSource

This article from BoardSource, written by Mike Wurtsmith, discusses the importance of nonprofit boards playing a role in employee healthcare purchasing.

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4 Ways Employers Can Reshape the Health Benefits Market - Mercer Signal

Jean Moore writes for Mercer Signal about the clout employers hold when it comes to employee healthcare purchasing, and how organizations can positively influence the future of healthcare.

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With A High Deductible, Even A Doctor Can Shortchange His Health - Kaiser Health News

Dan Gorenstein writes this must-read for Kaiser Health News, highlighting one research physician’s personal experience on a high deductible health plan when he had an emergency, and how it plays into his research on HDHPs and consumer health. 

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Cost-Containment Strategies for Employers - Memphis Daily News

Tim Finnell, writing for the Memphis Daily News, takes a quick look at what employers can do to contain rising healthcare costs.

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The self-insurance solution — with or without the ACA - Employee Benefit Advisor

In this article, Paul Johnson writes for Employee Benefit Advisor about self-insurance as a solution to rising healthcare costs and a stable solution regardless of ACA outcomes.

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Large Employer Health Plans Could Also See Some Impacts From Affordable Care Act Overhaul - Kaiser Health News

Michelle Andrews provides an overview for Kaiser Health News of the Affordable Care Act regulations that impact employer plans, and how these might change under a repeal or replacement of the act.

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Why Self-Funded Healthcare is a Great Option for 2017 - Employee Benefit News

This article by Paul Johnson for Benefit News takes a basic look at why self-funding is a good option for small- to mid-sized businesses, and can help them stay competitive against larger organizations.

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The Future Of Employee Healthcare Under Trump: What You Need To Know

Since election day, the future of healthcare in the US has been unpredictable, to say the least. More aptly, the healthcare industry is in a state of chaotic uncertainty with many unanswerable questions, and a lack of clarity and real solutions from the new administration (save a repeated promise to repeal the ACA – without any solid plans for a replacement).

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Nonprofit Workplace Challenges Predicted for 2017 - The Nonprofit Times

The NPT staff writes about the trends to watch in nonprofit operations during 2017 - staffing, workflow, finance, and fundraising.

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How social service nonprofits are getting employees to stick around - Chicago Business

Lisa Bertagnoli writes for Chicago Business about the problem nonprofit organizations are having with recruiting and retaining employees.

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A revolution in health care is being spurred by self-insurance, also referred to as self-funding.

The case for self-funding at small and mid-sized businesses - Benefits Pro

Paul Johnson writes for Benefits Pro about the search for new and innovative healthcare solutions to better suit small and midsize workplaces.

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Employer mandate is leading concern of bosses in 2017 - Benefit News

Image: Global Reporting Initiative

Phil Albinus writes for Benefit News about the top employee benefit concern among employers - their role in the Affordable Care Act.

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ACA Changes On the Horizon

While the future of the ACA hangs in the balance, the fact remains that the law is still in existence until those critical decisions are made. As such, ACA mandates and regulations – both old and new – need to be strictly adhered to.
Below is a quick round up of changes to the ACA that are coming down the pike for 2017… at least for the foreseeable future.

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Health Care Reform Updates - 2018 Cost-Sharing Limits Released

HR360 Posted on December 21 2016 09:50 AM -

HHS Issues Final Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2018

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How self-funding can help control rising specialty drug costs - Benefit News

Raymond DePaola writes for Benefit News about how self-funding beats traditional coverage in lowering or containing prescription drug costs.

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Editorial: Making "More Skin in the Game"  for Patients Work - Modern Healthcare

This editorial piece by Merrill Goozner, editor of Modern Healthcare, looks at the challenges of rising healthcare costs, and how those rising costs impact employees' spending in other ways.

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Enrich benefits package by adding health, retirement options: SHRM study - Benefits Pro

Image: UIC News Center

Dan Cook writes for Benefits Pro about how employers can make their benefits packages more enticing to potential hires.

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5 Healthcare Trends that Could Affect you in  2017 - The Fiscal Times

Beth Braverman reports on the top five healthcare trends in 2017 in this article for The Fiscal Times. She notes that "the American health care system faces massive uncertainty heading into 2017," as more Americans gain coverage but fewer can afford it.

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Another survey points out how woefully uninformed Americans are when it comes to their employer-sponsored benefits. (Photo: iStock)

American workers need more benefits education - Benefits Pro

Dan Cook writes for Benefits Pro about the results of a recent survey by the insurer Guardian, which reveals that many Americans do not understand the benefits (health or otherwise) they are receiving.

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Internal Revenue Service Delays Affordable Care Act Reporting Deadline

The IRS has extended the due dates for furnishing 2016 Forms 1095-B and 1095-C to covered individuals and full-time employees, respectively, from January 31, 2017, to March 2, 2017. In addition, the IRS is also extending good faith penalty relief to reporting entities who can show they made good faith efforts to comply with the calendar year 2016 information reporting requirements. However, the deadline to file 2016 Forms 1094-B, 1095-B, 1094-C, and 1095-C with the IRS was not extended, and remains February 28, 2017 (or March 31, 2017, if filing electronically). Source: HR360

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Employers struggling with ACA reporting requirements - Benefit News

Brian M. Kalish writes for Benefit News about the enormous penalities for which employers are on the line if they do not stay in compliance with the Affordable Care Act.

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Employers struggling to attract, retain employees  - Benefit News

Amanda Eisenberg writes for Benefit News about the struggle employers are facing in attracting and retain employees with critical skills, high potential, and a top performance record.

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Don't ignore your continued compliance obligations under the current ACA. (Photo: Getty)

How employers & general counsel can prepare for changes to the ACA - Benefits Pro

Kristen Rasmussen recently wrote for Benefits Pro about what companies need to do to prepare for the possible repeal of, or dramatic changes to, the Affordable Care Act.

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Public sector employers focused on stability in benefits - Benefits News

This article written by Cort Olsen for Benefits News discusses Met Life's 14th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trend Study, which examines benefits trends in the public sector.

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Research shows the cost of employer-sponsored health plans is rising, but a new study from SHRM sheds more light on how what covering an employee actually entails. (Photo: iStock)

Healthcare takes up 7.6 percent of employer budgets, study shows - Benefits Pro

Jack Craver writes for Benefits Pro about a new report from the Society of Human Resource Management that displays the effect that rising healthcare costs has had on employers and employees.

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Is High Deductible Health Insurance Worth the Risk? - The New York Times

Reed Abelson of The New York Times takes an alternate – and more positive – look at employee reactions to high deductible health plans (HDHPs).

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How Companies of All Sizes Can Access Big Benefits - Mercer Signal

Todd Renner writes for Mercer Signal about “a whole new ecosystem of health benefits” that support recruitment and retention of talented staff. High deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) are noted as good options even for small businesses to consider.

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Profiting from health: The self-insurance story - MedCity News

In this article for MedCity News by Adam Schaefer, we look at the reality employers face when it comes to purchasing fully-funded group insurance (the standard group policy from an insurance carrier).

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[Image credit: Bloomberg]

Tips to help employers buy healthcare benefits for employees - Benefit News

Loretta Metzger writes for Benefit News about the dramatic change in the healthcare benefits landscape in recent years. Costs are increasing exponentially, actual benefits are decreasing in quality, and employees are paying a greater share of premiums.

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5 questions advisers are always asked – and how to answer them - Employee Benefit Advisor

As open enrollment approaches, employees begin to turn to their employers, human resources advisors, and benefit advisors to understand the benefits being offered to them. Aldor Delp writes for Employee Benefit Advisor about the top questions employees ask brokers.

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Doctor takes a patient's blood pressure. Health-care costs at large U.S. businesses are expected to rise 6% in 2017, according to an annual survey of 133 major companies.

Employers Shift Higher Health Care Costs to Workers  - The Wall Street Journal

Rachel Emma Silverman of the Wall Street Journal examines the rise of high deductible health plans (HDHPs), and how in 2017 84% of large employers plan to offer an HDHP to employees (35% will only offer an HDHP as an option). The average deductible of an employee only plan is now approximately $1500.

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To drive real health care reform, look to what employers are doing - STAT

Hank Gardner wrote this article for STAT, discussing recent research about the correlation between healthcare cost increases and slow wage growth, and how employers can carry out “their own do-it-yourself, market-based health care reform.”

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Why a strategic plan is important for all employee benefit programs - Benefits News

Suzy K. Johnson recently wrote for Benefits News about the need for Chief Financial Officers and Human Resources managers to collaborate to create long-term strategic healthcare benefits plans.

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According to a new report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, as the cost of health care continues to grow, more and more small and mid-size businesses are choosing self-insurance. (Photo: iStock)

Self-insurance rises among small and medium-size employers -  Benefits Pro

Jack Craver writes for Benefits Pro about the increase of self-insuring healthcare benefits among small and mid-size businesses.

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How To Improve Employer Spending On Healthcare

In the wake of news around increases in household incomes (5.2%) and the slow growth of employer healthcare premiums, Leah Binder writes for Forbes about how more employers are looking for ways to support and streamline healthcare costs.

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[Image: Bloomberg]

Employers need to communicate benefits to attract jobseekers - Benefits News

Amanda Eisenberg writes for Employee Benefits News about the increasing importance of a good benefits package to people seeking employment.

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The Missing Debate Over Rising Health-Care Deductibles - WSJ

Drew Altman writes on increasing deductible costs, “which are transforming the nature of health insurance from more comprehensive coverage to skimpier insurance with higher out-of-pocket costs.” 

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Florida Medicaid expansion rally

Uninsured rate drops, but medical expenses still drag millions into poverty - Modern Healthcare

Bob Herman writes for Modern Healthcare about the consequences of shifting more out-of-pocket healthcare expenses to employees.

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Employers passing rising healthcare costs onto employees - Benefits News

As the cost of providing employees with healthcare benefits rises (at an average of $500 per employee this year), many employers are choosing to push those costs onto employees in order to maintain budgets.

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Top Affordable Care Act Updates from  HR360

Be sure your organization is staying up-to-date on the most recent changes to the Affordable Care Act. HR360 has just announced changes to Pay or Play for 2016, out-of-pocket maximums for 2018, and Forms 1094-B and 1095-B instructions.
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Companies move toward self-insurance as healthcare rates increase - Benefits News

Amanda Eisenberg from Benefits News takes a look at how increases in employee healthcare (5-10% for many employees) is causing a shift to more self-funding.

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Burden of Healthcare Costs Moves to the Middle Class - The Wall Street Journal

Image: Rand

Anna Louie Sussman of The Wall Street Journal focuses on how middle class workers are struggling to pay for healthcare in a time when wages are stagnant, employers are cost-shifting, and deductibles are on the rise.

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Does the ACA Scare You? 5 Things To Keep Your Business Compliant, Covered, And Saving Money - Forbes

Michael Z. Stahl recently wrote for Forbes, “2014 survey by the National Small Business Association found that small employers spend an average of 13 hours or $1,274 a month just to keep up with Affordable Care Act compliance.” 

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Community health centers need more doctors - San Diego Tribune

In this article by Kevin Mattson and Maria Carriedo-Ceniceros for the San Diego Tribune, the authors estimate that there will be a shortage of 90,000 primary care doctors in the next five years. Unfortunately CHCs bear the brunt of this issue and face recruitment/retention issues due to the populations they serve and “lower salaries compared to private hospitals and health systems.”

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Happy employees make a happy company - Benefits Pro

Employee engagement and happiness is key to retaining and attracting top talent, but the elusive question remains: What makes employees happy? Benefits such as a health plan can improve workplace morale, along with many other factors.

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Employers Expect Lower Premium Hikes Than on Health Law Exchanges - Commonwealth Fund

Erin Mershon wrote in the Washington Health Policy Week in Review, "large employers are expecting employee health benefit costs to rise by five percent in 2017, less than half the increase expected for consumers who purchase health care on the public exchanges created by the 2010 health law."

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More Small, Midsized Firms Choose To Pay Workers’ Medical Costs Directly - Kaiser

Kaiser Health News has released an article by Michelle Andrews, discussing the trend of self-funding among smaller organizations. "Instead of buying a health insurance policy to cover their workers, a growing number of small and midsized companies are opting to pay their employees’ medical claims directly."

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Higher Benefit Plan Penalties Loom, Putting Employers on Guard - SHRM

Image: SHRM

Stephen Miller writes for the Society of Human Resources Management, “On July 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published an interim final rule with a list of increased penalty amounts for violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and other employee benefit and pay statutes.

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Employee satisfaction high but workers still want better benefits - Benefits Pro

Photo: BenefitsPro

Rebecca Greenfield from Bloomberg writes for Benefits Pro about a strange new contradiction in the workplace - employee satisfaction is at its highest level in 10 years, yet workers report low satisfaction with their benefits, compensation, time off, and "respectful treatment of employees" at work, according to an annual survey of 600 employees by the Society for Human Resource Management.

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Workers Overwhelmed by Healthcare Decisions - Benefits Pro

Image: iStock

Jack Craver writes for Benefits Pro about how a recent study by Alegeus demonstrates the stress and overwhelm many consumers feel when faced with healthcare decisions. Topping the list are how to plan for out-of-pocket costs (2/3rds of respondants) and choosing a benefits plan (55%).

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Obamacare’s Skyrocketing Premiums? Why the Sky Isn’t Falling - NEJM

Benjamin D. Sommers takes a look at why the annual Spring panic around premium increases for ACA marketplace plans is “overblown.” The fact that most increases will be reduced before open enrollment and that most consumers received premium tax credits are both cited as reasons the initial proposed increases are not a big deal.

Read the full article on The New England Journal of Medicine.

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Healthcare spending growth rate rises again in 2015 - Modern Healthcare

Bob Herman writes for Modern Healthcare, “The U.S. healthcare system spent $3.2 trillion in 2015, or almost $10,000 for every person, according to the latest federal projections."

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Obamacare didn't lead to cuts in job-based health coverage - CNBC

Dan Mangan recently wrote about Obamacare for CNBC, stating that "There were no significant differences in the percentages of adults getting or being offered health insurance through an employer."

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The Most Important Question A CEO Should Ask Their HR Leader - Forbes

Dave Chase advocates for CEOs to question where health plan documents that their organization operates under come from – internally or from the health plan carriers themselves?

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As healthcare costs continue to rise, employees shoulder the burden - Benefits News

A TransUnion Healthcare study has found more evidence that employees are bearing the brunt of healthcare costs in the form of deductibles and OOP maximums, with a 13 percent rise in both between 2014-2015. 

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6 Ways To Protect Yourself Against Rising Health Care Costs - Forbes

"With health care costs jumping in 2016, Americans should prepare for the unexpected," writes Lucy Mueller for Forbes.

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How the right healthcare benefits can increase employee engagement

Matt Straz recently wrote for Entrepreneur about why employers' engagement strategies aren't hitting their marks, citing only a 1.1% increase in employee engagement over the last five years (according to Gallup).

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The Next Big Debate in Health Care - The Wall Street Journal

Drew Altman, President and Chief Executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, shares his perspective on how affordable the Affordable Care Act really is, for both those insured in the marketplace and through employers.

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GOP Announces ACA Replacement Strategy - Mercer Signal

House Republicans released a white paper outlining their plan to provide “High Quality Health Care for All” – the GOP’s proposed approach to replace the ACA. Tracy Watts broke down the new plan for Mercer Signal.

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Uphill battle to get seasonal farmworkers health insurance - Modern Healthcare

Photo: Planet Matters and More

The Associated Press recently wrote about a growing issue in health care - seasonal agriculture workers are required to have health insurance, but reaching them can be an uphill battle.

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ACA Round-Up: June 2016

Image: Awane

The GOP may be offering up alternatives to the ACA, but for now the universal health plan is here to stay and keeps chugging along. Below is a quick round-up of relevant ACA news that came out this month, and could help keep you on track and in compliance.

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Hospitals, community health centers compete for primary-care doctors - Modern Healthcare

Federally qualified health centers that serve mostly poor and low-income families in distressed or rural communities have always had a tough time recruiting physicians. And now, it's getting even harder. - Steven Ross Johnson, Modern Health Care

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Why Do Health Costs Keep Rising? These People Know - The New York Times

Robert Pear recently wrote for the New York Times, saying how "actuaries normally toil far from the limelight, but their calculations are feeding a roaring national debate over insurance premiums and the Affordable Care Act."

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Why and How You Should Audit Your Nonprofit’s Employee Healthcare Program

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The healthcare industry is a rapidly changing world, with creative entrepreneurs and innovative alternatives gaining ground against the rising costs and lackluster benefits of traditional care.

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Americans are most anxious over unexpected expenses, survey shows - BenefitsPro

Many Americans are reporting increasing financial anxiety - and it's getting worse. - Marlene Satter, BenefitsPro.

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More employers cutting health benefits for employees’ spouses - Benefits News

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"As plan sponsors try to reduce the costs associated with healthcare claims, many are turning to spousal surcharges or eliminating spousal coverage altogether, according to recent research from actuarial firm Conrad Siegel," writes Sheryl Smolkin, for BenefitsNews.com.

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How Does Your Organizational Mission Support Employee Healthcare?

Photo: Huffington Post

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Top 10 Compliance Issues - Mercer Signal

Tracy Watts writes for Mercer Signal about the top 10 Affordable Care Act compliance issues employers face, and how they can avoid these compliance pitfalls.

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Self-funded health plans can save money, up risks - Crain's Cleveland

Lydia Coutre writes for Crain's Cleveland Business about how and why small to midsize companies are making the switch to self-funding, despite the risks.

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Re-Evaluating Employee Healthcare in the Face of Rising Deductibles and Stagnant Wages

Photo: smallbiztrends.com

Every day we hear again about how rising healthcare costs, especially deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs, are impacting consumers. But the real dilemma isn’t necessarily just rising deductibles and the trend of cost-shifting more and more costs to employees. It’s all of that in comparison to wage growth. Or rather – a lack of wage growth. Consider these staggering statistics:

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The ABCs of Self-Funding Health Plans - CFO.com

Eric Gulko writes for CFO.com about the trend of more employers moving to self-funding, and tells you what you need to know to make the switch.

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The Importance of Employee Benefits and The Surprising Way They Can Affect The Bottom Line

Photo:UNOmaha

We all know how employee benefits can affect the bottom line in not-so-positive ways (read: rising healthcare costs eating away at budgets). But what if we choose to walk on the sunnier side of the street, and look instead at how providing high-quality, affordable healthcare to your staff can actually support your operating funds?

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The millennial expectation of health benefits

"Millennials, the growing majority in today's workforce, want benefits that pertain to them. Are you offering them?" - a question from Jeff Oldham, who wrote for Benefits Pro about what Millennials want in the workplace.

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Finding Overhead Funding: The Challenges and Strategies for Solutions

With new laws around minimum wage being debated across the country, along with new regulations around overtime pay under the FSLA, many nonprofits are feeling the budgetary burn and wondering how to cover all of these costs while still supporting programming and staff development.

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Are High Out-Of-Pocket Costs Forcing Patients To Settle For Substandard Care? - Forbes

Peter Ubel writes for Forbes about the cost-benefit decisions doctors and patients must make in the face of rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

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Perceived barriers keep small businesses from offering benefits

"From the time it takes to administer programs to their supposed lack of value, small organizations shouldn’t let these benefits misconceptions get in the way of offering robust plans, says MetLife’s Jimbo Story, writing for eBenefits News."

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Thought Leader Discussion: Jim White, Executive Director, Nonprofit Association of Oregon

Today we welcome Jim White, Executive Director of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, to the Nonstop Wellness blog. We discuss with Jim the importance of employee healthcare and why – and how – nonprofits should continue to offer benefits even in the face of ever-tightening budgets.

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Affordable Care Act: The Gazillion-Dollar Startup Machine - Inc.

Photo: Getty Images

"Stashed away in the byzantine language of the Affordable Care Act are rules that have caused a big bang-size explosion in health care startups--led by founders who will reinvent the health care industry." -Jeff Bercovici recently commented on the opportunity the ACA presents to entrepreneurs, writing for Inc.

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Access to health care prices doesn’t lower spending, study finds - The Boston Globe

Felice J. Freyer of the Boston Globe writes about how publishing the cost of health care services does not actually lead to decreased consumer spending on those services.

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Taking the Pulse of Your Organization: Understanding Employee Concerns

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Perhaps more than in any other industry, nonprofit organizations are strongly vested in keeping their employees happy, healthy, and productive. After all, nonprofits have some of the highest turnover rates in the US workforce, which can cost 20% (or more depending on the skillset being replaced) of total salary to replace.

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Knowing What Matters Most to Employees: The Importance of Healthcare

It’s probably no surprise to hear that healthcare benefits matter to your employees. How much they matter is more likely the bigger question.Eighty-nine percent of surveyed employees*think that employer-sponsored healthcare is equally as important as getting a salary. What’s more, 63% of surveyed employees said that benefits play a factor in their choice to stay with their current job.

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Covered California Helps Keep Premiums in Check, UC Berkeley Study Finds - KQED

Lisa Aliferis recently wrote for KQED about the important differences between California's "active purchaser" exchange and exchanges in other states where any plan that seeks to participate is included without negotiation of premiums and benefits.

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Changes to the ACA: What’s on Your Wish List? - Mercer Signal

Employers have very apparent opinions on what they want to change about the Affordable Care Act.

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Health Plan Industry's Worst Nightmare: Employers Realizing They Are Actually The Insurance Company - Forbes

Dave Chase recently wrote for Forbes about how the irrational set of circumstances in which the healthcare industry finds itself have certain implications - the continued hyperinflation of premiums would accelerate the employer realization that they need to take matters into their own hands and disintermediate healthcare plans. A growing number of employers are doing exactly that.

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How To Know If Partial Self-Insurance Is The Right Fit For Your Nonprofit

It’s the season for mid-year healthcare plan renewals. As such, many organizations are likely re-examining their current healthcare plans (and possibly brokers) to determine if there’s any room for improvement and/or more savings. But while a large percentage of small-to-midsize nonprofits typically opt for traditional fully-funded employee healthcare, partially self-funded healthcare might actually be a better option.

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Cost-Sharing Data Sheds New Light on Employee Responsibilities For Healthcare

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This week the Kaiser Family Foundation released an insight brief on actual employee cost-sharing data for healthcare spending as reported between 2004-2014. By analyzing a sample of health benefit claims over that decade, researchers were able to identify how consumer spending on deductibles, copays, and coinsurance has changed.

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How The Right Approach to Healthcare Can Entice Talented Employees To Come On Board – and Stick Around

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Physician shortages. High turnover rates. Noncompetitive compensation packages. These are just some of the challenges community health centers face when trying to staff their valuable and much-needed clinics. And when challenges like those listed above interfere, the communities served by these health centers don’t receive the healthcare they so desperately need. In fact, health centers estimate that if staffing needs were met they could collectively serve an additional two million people.

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Employee Healthcare: A Competitive Recruitment and Retention Tool?

The dilemma of providing competitive employee healthcare while adhering to strict overhead budgets can be a never-ending challenge for many nonprofits. This is especially true for community health centers, which often struggle to provide their staff with the very thing their missions stand for – quality, affordable healthcare.

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Making Employee Healthcare Work For Community Health Centers (and not against them)

Photo: NACHC CHV

Today’s competitive job market makes recruitment and retention tricky for many organizations, but even more so for community health centers (CHCs) as they battle against physician shortages, high turnover, and an inability to compete with compensation. And while employee healthcare is a highly-valued benefit, many CHCs struggle to find the budget to accommodate a high-quality, affordable plan that appeals to the staff most needed at these organizations.

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Community Health Centers Now Have a Better Way to Access Employee Healthcare

Photo: NACHC Community Health Ventures

This month Nonstop announced a partnership with Community Health Ventures (CHV), business affiliate of the National Association of Community Health Centers, to offer its risk-free partially self—insured program Nonstop Wellness to community health centers (CHCs) around the US as part of CHV’s Value in Benefits (ViB) pilot program. Nonstop Wellness provides an immediate reduction in premiums and employee out-of-pocket costs, as well as improved and customized benefit plans.  

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Staying ACA Compliant with New Hires

Photo: Villanova.edu

When a new hire is made, there is often a litany of paperwork and to-dos that need to be completed, especially around tax and healthcare-related activities. With the ACA, it’s even more imperative to be compliant with documents and timing.

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Is Mindfulness Meditation Really Worth All the Fuss?

Photo: Dallas CTC

Mindfulness has become the new buzzword of late, touted by Fortune 500 companies, parents, the US military, and schools (just to name a few) as the answer to burnout, behavior problems, and anxiety. But the thing is – it’s more than a buzzword or the latest trend. On top of thousands of years of history, we now have thousands of pages of research proving that mindfulness actually is a solution to many of the woes of modern day society.

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The Importance of CFO Involvement in Employee Healthcare Decisions

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A recent CFO survey by Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) highlights the importance of CFO involvement in employee healthcare decisions. While cost control tops the list of CFO goals around healthcare at 44%, other top-of-mind goals include recruitment and retention (36% rank this as the most important goal), helping employees make smarter healthcare choices, and increasing worker productivity. Of those surveyed, 43% say they are equal partners with their HR department in making healthcare decisions.

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Midsize Organizations Express Concern Over ACA Compliance in 2016

In 2015, ADP conducted a survey of executives from mid-market organizations (50-999 employees) and the challenges they are facing in today’s business climate. Not surprisingly, concerns around the ACA were high on the list, more than likely for those organizations with 50-99 employees that will be required to comply with the ACA’s “pay or play” employee mandate for the first time in 2016.

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Getting In Your (Free!) Workout, Anytime, Anywhere

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For some people working out is an energy booster, but for others it’s more of a chore.  And still for others it becomes a matter of fitting a workout into busy work/travel or family schedules. But whether you love it or hate it, getting in a daily shot of fitness is a requirement for staying healthy. Luckily these days there are a million ways to get your workout into a daily routine without ever getting bored. And even better most can be found online, and are either completely free or offer free trials so you can test the waters before committing. 

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How High Deductible Health Plans Impact Healthcare

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Health Policy Brief: High-Deductible Health Plans, a new policy brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation highlights the growing popularity of high deductible health plans (HDHPs) and how they are impacting the healthcare market. The debate centers on whether HDHPs actually help reduce spending, especially the 30 percent that the Institute of Medicine calls “a waste,” but at the same time don’t prevent consumers from using insurance for necessary treatments.

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Healthy Habits for Weight Loss

January is over, which means for most of us those well-intentioned resolutions are out the window and we are back to our ever-prevailing habits. But at the same time, healthy exercise habits and weight loss are still top-of-mind and highly desired goals. And not just for us – universities and employers are also starting to demand to know the weight and fitness routines of their students and employees. While this may not be the best way to entice people to lose weight, the reality is that more than one-third of the adult US population is considered obese, which costs our healthcare system billions and billions of dollars each year.

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Human Resource Management Trends for 2016

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Human resources is becoming an exciting field of late, rapidly moving along with digital technology trends that are transforming the world of HR. As a result, so much about the way we traditionally have done business has been upended. Organizations need to think more broadly and creatively about how they manage people and meet the needs of a tech-savvy workforce that is evolving every day.

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Why You May Want to Take Advantage of Complementary Care Coverage

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An analysis of data taken from a 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) has found that 25 million adults in the US have some sort of chronic pain (at varying levels of severity), and 40 million are living with severe pain that impacts their overall health.  That means almost 30% of the adult US population is walking around each feeling some level of pain. Chances are good, you are one of them.

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Round-Up: Recruiting and Retaining the Valuable Millennial Generation

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There’s a lot of discussion in the business world right now about the millennial generation. Who they are, what they care about, how to recruit them, how to get them to stay. And all with good reason. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, millennials will make up 75% of workforce by 2030. That’s only 14 years away, so thinking now about the growth of your organization and how millennials can help shape that future is crucial to long-term sustainability.

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Round-Up: Predictions of Business Trends in 2016 and How They’ll Impact Nonprofits

December and January mark the time when round-up lists of every sort hit the stands – predictions for the year to come, best of 2015, and what to watch for in 2016. As such, business publications have put out their projections for 2016’s business trends, which have implications for both for-profits and nonprofits alike. Below is a brief round-up of some of the big topics anticipated in the corporate world this year, and how nonprofits can integrate these ideas into the workplace:

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A Better Solution to Cost-Shifting in Preparation for the (Potential) Cadillac Tax

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With the recently announced two-year delay of the Cadillac tax (from 2018 to 2020) and the pending presidential election debating the entirety of the ACA, its unclear if the 40% excise tax will ever become a reality. In theory, the tax is meant to reduce employer and employee healthcare spending and help fund the expansion of the ACA.  In reality, companies of all sizes are fighting against it saying that the toll will significantly impact the affordability and accessibility of healthcare for US workers. And with healthcare costs skyrocketing, well beyond normal wage growth and inflation, the Cadillac tax seems almost unavoidable, if it comes to fruition in 2020.

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Nonprofits Have Some Advantages in Non-Monetary Compensation for Employees

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Recruitment and retention are always top of mind for nonprofit executives, and rightfully so. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonprofits employ 10% of the US working population with a large percentage in health and social services. But attracting – and retaining – top talent continues to be a challenge, especially staying competitive with compensation packages.

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Changes to Healthcare for Same Sex Spouses and Domestic Partnerships

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As a result of both the US vs Windsor case in 2013 and the recent Supreme Court decision legalizing same sex marriage in all 50 states, same sex spouses are now able to receive spousal support for healthcare, if a company offers that benefit, without any imputation of income from the employed spouse.  Employees with same sex spouses who were previously covered under domestic partner benefits should have implemented a change in marriage status with their employer after the Supreme Court decision to ensure that income was no longer imputed for their spouse.

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New Survey Finds That Health Insurance Does Not Ensure Lower Medical Bills

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Depleting savings, working extra hours, and increasing credit card limits are just a few of the strategies 20% of insured US workers are undertaking in order to cover at least some of their excessive medical costs. This is according to a Kaiser Family Foundation/New York Times survey released on January 5th, which shows that 1/5th of Americans who are insured are facing significant economic challenges due to medical bills that are unaffordable. 

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IRS Extends ACA Filing Deadlines for Employer Mandate

The New Year brought good news for those employers required to file tax returns reflecting healthcare coverage for the first time. The IRS and the Department of Treasury have extended deadlines for the employer mandate (also known as “pay or play”) for both employee notifications and filing with the IRS.

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ACA Changes on the Horizon for 2016

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The New Year is upon us and although many organizations will remain in a 2015 state-of-mind with regard to tax returns, it is imperative that planning for changes to the ACA in 2016 be happening simultaneously. Below is a brief run-down on what businesses can expect to shift for them in the next 12 months:

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Nonstop and the Center for Nonprofit Management To Offer  Four-Day Leadership Training for Southern California Nonprofits

Nonstop for Nonprofits program subsidizes the cost for
an exclusive training to elevate board leadership

Non-traditional healthcare broker Nonstop and the Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) have partnered to offer independent sector organizations in Southern California an in-depth training designed to strengthen executive and board leadership.  Through the Nonstop for Nonprofits program, Nonstop has granted $25,000 to CNM to fund the Nonprofit Board Excellence Training – a multi-day workshop that will use collaborative “action-learning” to focus on board leadership and oversight, governance and performance, and financial sustainability and fund development.

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Top 6 Tips to Help Your Employees Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season

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The holiday season is a frantic time of year and it coincides with cold and flu season - add on top of that employees stretched thin due to work and family responsibilities, and self-care, like exercise, good nutrition, and sleep can fall by the wayside. This puts employee engagement at risk.

According to Forbes, healthy employees are essential to a high-functioning organization. Employees’ general awareness is directly related to success in the workplace, and sick employees (whether acutely ill or chronically ill) cannot focus as well on their work as healthy ones. Healthy employees who are aware of their responsibilities and can keep a clear head are better able to stay organized and to manage their stress. Encouraging and managing self-care to promote overall wellness culture in the workplace should be a primary objective, and your organization can promote a lifestyle that leads the way to better health for employees.

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Looking Ahead to 2016 – Avoiding Unintended ACA Penalties in the Coming Year


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It may seem premature to begin thinking about 2017 tax season when we haven’t even started in on the 2016 one yet, but when it comes to the ACA earlier is always better.  Especially if your organization is – or will be  - an applicable large employer (ALE) in 2016, and required to offer 95% of employees affordable healthcare. Understanding all of the employer mandates – from dependent care, to cafeteria plans, to the shared responsibility requirement – is absolutely crucial to planning for 2016 and essential to saving potentially multiple thousands of dollars in penalties.

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Understanding the Ins-and-Outs of the Employer Mandate – and Its Penalties

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Perhaps the best-known ACA requirement for organizations is the employer shared responsibility mandate – otherwise known as the “pay or play” mandate. Put simply, under the rules of the ACA, applicable large employers (ALEs; 100+ employees in 2015) must provide affordable minimum essential coverage to at least 70% of their employees (95% in 2016). If this requirement is not met, either because 1) no coverage is offered; or 2) because coverage is determined not to be affordable and/or does not meet minimum value, then organizations will be responsible for hefty penalty fees.

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Looking Beyond the Employer Mandate: Noncompliance With Lesser-Known Mandates May Lead to Large Penalty Fees

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In addition to the very well-known ACA employer mandate, there are myriad of other lesser-known ACA requirements that could pack a punch for organizations that are noncompliant when it comes to penalty fees on 2015 tax returns.  Knowing the breadth and depth of these mandates and determining if you are in compliance (or how to achieve compliance if possible) will save on surprises come 2016.

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Do You Know What “Good Faith” Means?

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The ACA has introduced a number of terms that are either brand new or newly applied to healthcare, and many are especially important to know when filling out 2015 tax returns. Besides the “pay or play” employer mandate and penalty, there are many other mandates – and corresponding penalties – that must be attended to in order to avoid noncompliance. Understanding key terminology is an important piece of the puzzle.

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2016 Tax Season Brings About Many Questions Around Compliance

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As we come up on the 2016 tax season, many organizations with 100+ full-time equivalent employees are preparing to include health insurance information in tax returns for the first time (in accordance with the ACA employer mandate). In addition, organizations are also examining all of the other ACA mandates to ensure they meet the requirements around mandates such as dependent coverage, lifetime and cost-sharing limits, waiting periods, preventive care, patient protections, and cafeteria plans.

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Preparing 2015 Tax Returns – Is Your Organization In Compliance?

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The 2015 tax year is coming to a close, which means that 2015 tax penalties for ACA noncompliance are likely top of mind for many employers right now. While the employer mandate has received much of the press and attention, there are also many more ACA mandates that require action on the part of all organizations that provide group health coverage(not just those with 100+ employees).

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Healthcare Innovation Changes the Playing Field for Nonprofits

In our rapidly changing world, innovation is no longer just a buzzword and instead has become part of the everyday business vernacular. For the healthcare industry in particular, innovation is the name of the game these days with the ACA driving creative entrepreneurs to develop increasingly progressive and transparent options – resulting in better and more affordable healthcare.  For traditional brokers and insurance carriers who have been in the game for decades, there is a sudden urgency to get on board or get off the train.

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Grandfathered Healthcare Plans: Is It Time To Transition to A Newer Option? (pt 2)

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Most grandfathered plans are offered by smaller organizations* (less than 200 people) that have typically offered traditional fully-funded plans through insurance carriers.  But while grandfathered plans may have some cost-containment advantages, they also significantly limit the amount of change that can be made to coverage – in costs, delivery, and services. In addition, grandfathered plans don’t cover many of the key consumer benefits that newer ACA plans do. Consequently, employees could face disadvantages when it comes to securing the same patient benefits, rights and regulations as those on updated plans.

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Grandfathered Healthcare Plans: Is It Time To Transition to A Newer Option? (pt 1)

As we close in on the 2016 healthcare enrollment period, it may be time to look at whether your organization still offers – and hopes to keep – at least one grandfathered healthcare plan. Employer-sponsored grandfathered plans are those that have had at least one person enrolled since March 23, 2010 and have not significantly cut benefits or increased costs for employees. Grandfathered plans are not required to cover preventative care or certain patient rights and responsibilities.

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ACA Employer Mandate:Employment Questions (part 4)

When it comes to the employer mandate, there will always be exceptions and special circumstances that will add another layer of challenge to determining full-time equivalency (FTE) – which in turn determines who receives group health coverage.  Two particular circumstances are unpaid leave (e.g. FMLA, educational employment breaks) and COBRA.

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ACA Employer Mandate:Employment Questions (part 3)

In previous posts on employment status under the ACA, we have focused on full-time equivalency (FTE) and how it’s determined for applicable large employers (ALES), and the various types of employment and how they accrue up to FTE. Today’s post centers on the ever-important measurement periods, set amounts of time that employers use to establish full-time (FT) or part-time (PT) employment status.

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Making HealthcareTruly Affordable With Innovative Solutions to Group Coverage

A recent New York Times article reported on the lack of employees enrolling in employer-sponsored healthcare, especially among small-midsize businesses that pay lower hourly wages (e.g. retail and hospitality).  One of the biggest reasons for the dearth of employee enrollment in these industries is that the government definition of “affordable” coverage (9.5% or less of annual income) can mean something very different for a minimum-wage employee. 

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Organizations with 51-100 Employees Can Maintain Large Employer Status

On October 7, 2015 President Obama signed into law the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act, allowing organizations with 51-100 employees to maintain large employer status

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ACA Employer Mandate:Employment Questions (part 2)

As part of our series around ACA employment questions – namely how to determine full-time equivalency (FTE) – today we continue with a look at the various types of employment, how/if they play a role in FTE, and calculating the number of hours worked for each employee.

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ACA Employer Mandate:Employment Questions (part 1)

In the midst of looming ACA reporting deadlines and the fast approaching open enrollment period (leading to thoughts around planning for employee health in the 2016 tax year), questions around what constitutes full-time equivalency abound.  Determining full-time versus part-time employees can prove maddening especially when variable and seasonal workers enter the fray. In addition, measurement periods play a key role in establishing full or part-time status, and therefore must be utilized properly to ensure compliancy.

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