The NYS 2020 Rate Requests filings were released today. The total weighted average increases were a modest 8.4% for Individual Market and 12.0% Small Group Market. Final rate approval expected early August. The past reductions averaged 10-50%.
The lower requests reflect a stabilizing ACA market. Insurers’ financial performance improved nationwide last year to its highest level since the passage of the law. The average medical-loss ratio, which represents the portion of premiums spent on medical claims and quality improvement, was 70% last year in the individual market nationwide. That led to plans paying $800 million in rebates for failing to meet requirements on medical spending, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
This early filing request deadline request requirement is not an Obamacare requirement. As per NY State Law carriers are required to send out notices of rate increase filings to groups and subscribers.These are simply requests and the state’s Department of Financial Services has authority to modify the final rates. But they are the first indication of what New Yorkers can expect when shopping for health insurance on the individual marketplace at the end of this year.
Background:
By contrast last year’s NYS 2019 Rate Request early filing request were higher at 7.5% small group and an astounding 24% for individuals. The NYS final August 2020 rate approval are expected to be lower. For example, the final filing rates were approved NYS 2019 Final Rates Approved at a modest 3.8% small group and 8.6% for individuals. Using these past figures one projects a 2019 Final Rates of 5% small groups and 8% individuals.
A spokeswoman for the state Health Plan Association said insurers have worked to control costs, which have been driven up by rising prescription drug prices and state mandates that require coverage of certain services.
“Our member health plans have been committed to making health care more affordable, working hard to rein in rising health care costs and contain their own costs,” she said. “The proposed premium rate requests are reasonable, reflecting the cost of care.”
In the small-group market, insurers asked for a weighted average 12% boost in 2020 after they were granted a 3.8% bump for this year. UnitedHealthcare’s Oxford, which controls more than half of the small-group market, asked for a 15.9% increase, which was the highest among all plans. Oscar, at 15.8%, was close behind. Notably, Healthfirst has requested a 5% reduction.
Conclusion
Defined Contribution Choice: Instead, the correct approach for a small business in keeping with simplicity is a defined contribution model using a Private Exchange. This is a true defined contribution empowering employees with the choice of leading insurers offering paperless technologies integrating HRIS/Benefits/Payroll. Both employee and employers still gain tax advantage benefits under the business. Also, the benefits, rates and network size are superior under a group plan as THE RISK OUTLINED ABOVE ARE HIGHER FOR INDIVIDUAL MARKETS THAN SMALL GROUP PLANS.
To be clear: These trends affect a small subset of the insurance market—non-group plans that cover less than 2 percent of the population. Many qualify for tax credits that lower their net costs and reduce or eliminate the impact of year-to-year rate increases.However, non-group customers with incomes above 400% of the poverty level ($48,560 for a single adult) get no subsidy—and feel the full brunt of any hikes.
Resource
You may view the NYS 2019 Rate Requests DFS press release, which includes a recap of the increases requested and approved by clicking here.
For a custom analysis detailing YOUR upcoming 2019-2020 renewal please contact our team at Millennium Medical Solutions Corp (855)667-4621. We work in coordination with Navigators to assist with Medicaid, CHIP Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicare Dual Eligibles. We have Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew speakers available. Quotes can also be viewed on our site.
The IRS has released the 2020 Health Savings Account (HSA) inflation adjustments. To be eligible to make HSA contributions, an individual must be covered under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) and meet certain other eligibility requirements.
New HSA 2020 limits are as follows:
2020
2019
HSA Annual Contribution Limit
$3,550 $7,100
$3,500 – Single $7,000 – Family
HDHP Minimum Annual Deductible
$1,400 $2,800
$1,350 – Single $2,700 – Family
HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum
$6,900 $13,800
$6,750 – Single $13,300 – Family
Age 55+ Catch-Up Provision
$1,000 $2,000
$1,000- Single $2,000 – Husband/Wife
Age 55 Catch Up Contribution-As in 401k and IRA contributions, you are allowed to contribute extra if you are above a certain age. If you are age 55 or older by the end of year, you can contribute additional $1,000 to your HSA. If you are married, and both of you are age 55, each of you can contribute additional $1,000
HSA/HDHP Market Growth
HSA holders own the assets in the accounts and can build up substantial sums over time. Enrollment in HSA-compatible insurance plans has increased to 10 million earlier this year, from 1 million in March 2005, according to, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade group.
HSAs were authorized starting in January 2004. Since then, AHIP has conducted a periodic census of health plans participating in the HSA/HDHP market.
The number of people with HSA/HDHP coverage rose to more than 11.4 in January 2011, up from 10.0 million in January 2010, 8.0 million in January 2009, and 6.1 million in January 2008.
30 percent of individuals covered by an HSA plan were in the small group market, 50 percent were in the large-group market, and the remaining 20 percent were in the individual market.
14% of all workers in the private sector that have access to a Health Savings Account acc. to Bureau of Labor Statistics.
States with the highest levels of HSA/HDHP enrollment were California, Ohio, Florida, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota.
HSA Advantages:
Opportunity to build savings – Unused money stays in your account from year to year and earns tax-free interest. The HSA also gives you an investment opportunity.
Tax-free contributions and earnings – You don’t pay taxes on contributions or earnings.
Tax Free Money allowed for non traditional Medical coverage– As per IRS Publication 502, unused moneys can be used for dental,vision, lasik eye surgery, acupuncture, yoga, infertility etc. Popular Examples
Portability – The funds belong to you, so you keep the funds if you change jobs or retire.
Our overall experience with HSAs have been positive when employer funding is at minimum 50% using either the HSA or an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account-employer keeps unspent money). Traditional plans trend of higher copays and new in network deductibles has also led to the popularity of an HSA.
For a copy of Revenue Procedure 2017-37 please click on the link below: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-18-30.pdf
Is your HSA compliant? Which pre-tax qualified HSA, FSA, HRA spending card is right for you? Please contact our team at Millennium Medical Solutions Corp (855)667-4621 for immediate answers. Stay tuned for updates as more information gets released. Sign up for latest news updates.
Governor Murphy announced that the state will seek to run its own ACA marketplace in 2021 to allow greater control over its health insurance market. New Jersey took this step to “protect New Jersey from actions taken by the Trump Administration to roll back the hard-fought protections afforded by the ACA,” according to Governor Murphy.
Running a state-based exchange will give the state more control over different aspects of the market. These aspects include having control over the open enrollment period, having more access to data, the ability to conduct targeted outreach, and allowing user fees to fund exchange operations, consumer assistance, outreach and advertising.
New Jersey has already passed a few laws that have decreased average rates by 9.3% in 2019. The laws include an individual mandate, a reinsurance program, and legislation that protects consumers from surprise balance billing. The individual mandate’s penalty is related to the average cost of a bronze plan in New Jersey, and will be assessed on state tax returns. The revenue collected from this penalty will go into state funding for the reinsurance program. The reinsurance program was approved by CMS in August 2018. The reinsurance program reimburses insurers for 60 percent of the cost of claims over $40,000, up until claims reach $215,000.
New Jersey is also proposing codifying major ACA provisions into state law. The protections the Murphy Administration is looking into codifying include:
prohibiting preexisting conditions exclusions
requiring dependent coverage to age 26
requiring coverage of Essential Health Benefits
prohibiting lifetime and annual limits
requiring coverage without cost sharing for preventative services
NJ’s announcement that they will run a state-based exchange comes at a time when President Trump’s Administration has declared that it backs a full invalidation of the ACA. This position furthers the earlier decision by the administration when the Justice Department argued that there were only grounds to strike down the ACA’s consumer protections.
If you would like to know more about MMS Corp and pre-tax benefits for your company, contact us today.
On March 1, 2019, New Jersey established a transit benefits requiring employers to offer employees pre-tax commuter transit benefits.
Background
Qualied transportation fringe benets under Section 132(f) of the Internal Revenue Code allow an employer to provide commuter and transit benets to their employees that are tax-free up to a certain limit. This employer-provided voluntary benefits program allows employees to effectively reduce their monthly commuting or transit costs. In 2019, the monthly limit is $265 for any commuter benet or transit pass. While such benefits provide a tax benefits to employees, under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, employers are no longer allowed a federal income tax deduction for qualied transportation fringe benefits. The Act also requires tax-exempt employers to pay unrelated business income taxes on such benefits.
New Jersey Requirements
Covered employers in New Jersey will be required to offer a pre-tax transportation fringe benet to their employees. It appears that covered employers means employers with at least 20 employees, regardless of whether they all work in the State of New Jersey; however, clarication from the regulators on this would be helpful.
An employee under the new law is identied as anyone hired or employed by the employer and who reports to the employers work location, and mirrors the denition used in the unemployment compensation law. Certain temporary or limited exceptions exist for employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement and those employed by the federal government.
Some of the details regarding implementation of the program are still outstanding and the Commission of Labor and Workforce Development will adopt rules and regulations concerning the administration and enforcement of the benefit. Civil penalties will apply for non-compliance with this new law.
Some of the details regarding implementation of the program are still outstanding and the Commission of Labor and Workforce Development will adopt rules and regulations concerning the administration and enforcement of the benefit. Civil penalties will apply for non-compliance with this new law.
Employer Action
While the ordinance takes effect immediately, it will not be enforced until final rules and regulations are released. The earliest enforcement is anticipated to be March 1, 2020, but is subject to change. Employers should determine whether their current employee demographic would require these benefits to be offered to their employees. Employers currently offering transportation fringe benefits to employees should review their current program to ensure compliance with the final rules and regulations in New Jersey once those are released.
If you would like to know more about MMS Corp and pre-tax benefits for your company, contact us today.
In honor of the end of football season, here is a a list of Top 10 Best Healthcare Apps of 2019. For those of you hitting the ground running on your New Years health resolutions will find these apps helpful ranging form habit trackers to meditation.
Strides Habit Tracker: Best Self-Care App to Track Important Daily Habits
What We Like
Strides works on all Apple devices, including the Apple Watch.
It tracks all of your goals and daily habits in one place, in checklist form.
What We Don’t Like
You need to add each of your goals and habits separately before you can start tracking.
Are you drinking enough water? What about getting enough sleep? The Strides Habit Tracker makes it easy to track those goals and habits you need to be your best self. After adding each of your individual goals and healthy habits, you’ll be able to see a daily checklist of tasks to keep you on target.
Strides will also send notifications on your device to remind you of your goals. You can also see your daily and long-term progress using the in-app charts. Strides is currently available for free for all iOS and watchOS devices, but for unlimited trackers, web syncing, and data protection, there’s Strides Plus for $29.99 per year.
MyFitnessPal: Best Self Motivation App for Tracking Fitness Goals
What We Like
Tracking your daily calorie count is easy with the built-in menu offering thousands of products to choose from.
What We Don’t Like
Isn’t completely ad free without purchasing the pro version.
If exercise and healthy eating habits are part of your personal self-care routine, then MyFitnessPal is an excellent app to have in your arsenal. You can count your daily calorie intake using the in-app menu, or track your exercise. MyFitnessPal keeps track of your weight, fitness, and more to help you reach your goals.
MyFitnessPal is available for both iOS and Android devices. It’s free to download and use, but to remove ads, you’ll need to upgrade to Premium for either $9.99 a month or $49.99 a year.
Grateful: A Gratitude Journal: Perfect Self-Care Journal for Showing Daily Gratitude
What We Like
The interface is easy to use and uncluttered.
The journal is prompt-based for easy recording.
What We Don’t Like
The free version only allows you to enter 15 entries.
Studies have shown that showing gratitude is a surefire way to improve your mental and emotional health. However, we’re often too busy to whip out a journal and pen. The Grateful gratitude journal is right on your phone, making it perfect for quick use. It offers daily prompts to help you record your thoughts and even allows you to take photos in the moment.
Grateful: A Gratitude Journal is free to download for iOS devices, but, to unlock unlimited journal entries, you’ll need to purchase the premium version for $4.99.
The quick conversations help you better understand your mood or situation.
You can see an overview of your various emotions over the course of time.
What We Don’t Like
The guided meditations can’t be accessed without going through the Youper Assistant.
Sometimes, you just need someone, or something, to talk to, right? The Youper AI Assistant helps you understand and record your emotions through in-app conversations. As you converse with Youper, the app will learn more about you and what makes you tick. Over time, you’ll be able to see what makes you feel certain emotions to help you better manage your emotional health.
Youper starts by asking you how you are. As you record your emotions and answer questions, Youper gives you options such as guided meditations and thought processing. Youper is free to download and use for both iOS and Android devices.
Day One Journal: Great Self-Care App for Journaling Your Way to Better Health
What We Like
You can use multiple journals for multiple things.
Day One allows you to write, take photos, and record moments all in one app.
What We Don’t Like
To use the multiple journal feature, you’ll need to upgrade.
Journaling is a vital habit, especially for self-care. The Day One Journal makes it easy by giving you everything you need in one app. Record your thoughts, ideas, goals, and aspirations with text or photos using the easy interface. Your data is also encrypted with end-to-end encryption inside of the app.
Take a few moments each day to record what makes you happy, what inspires you or what lights your fire using the Day One Journal. It’s free to download for both iOS and Android devices, but to unlock features such as multiple journals, you’ll need to purchase the premium version for $24.99 a year.
Pzizz: A Self Help App to Get Better and More Restful Sleep
What We Like
Separate settings for sleeping, napping, and focusing makes this app extremely easy to use.
What We Don’t Like
The subscription after the one-week free trial is pricey.
A critical part of self-care is ensuring you’re getting enough sleep. Pzizz helps you get the best sleep of your life thanks to in-app “dreamscapes,” or optimized mixes of music, voiceover, and sound effects. These dreamscapes change each night, helping to quiet your mind and wake up feeling refreshed.
This app also allows you to take power naps using the dreamscapes or focus on work using “focuscapes.” Hailed as a winning app by The Duke of York and J.K. Rowling, it’s known for causing blissful sleep.
Pzizz offers a free 7-day trial on both iOS and Android. However, after the trial, you can expect to pay $49.99 per year.
Daylio: A Self-Care App For Tracking Your Every Mood
What We Like
Daylio is a simple mood tracker that allows you to capture how you feel on a daily basis.
What We Don’t Like
The interface is a bit busy compared to other tracking apps on this list.
How do you feel in this very moment? Those who are focused on self-care often take note of their mood using a mood tracker. The Daylio mood tracking journal allows you to track your mood and what you’ve been up to with cute icons. You can also write journal entries each day to go with your moods.
Daylio is free to download for both iOS and Android devices, but for unlimited moods, a pin lock, advanced stats, and more, you’ll need to purchase the premium version for $5.99.
Aloe Bud: Your Companion for Tracking Your Self-Care Efforts
What We Like
The design of this app is by far the cutest and most original in this list.
What We Don’t Like
It’s not as user-friendly as the other apps in this list.
To make sure you’re taking ample time out of your day for self-care, Aloe Bud allows you to track your self-care methods. From hydrating to breathing to being around those you love, Aloe Bud ensures you do what makes you happy each and every day. Plus, the icons are enough to make you smile.
Aloe Bud is free to download for iOS. To download premium and custom reminders, you’ll need to purchase premium for $4.99.
Motivation Quotes: Best Self Motivation App to Stay Inspired Throughout the Day
What We Like
You can customize your own motivational quote themes.
Thousands of quotes in many different categories.
What We Don’t Like
The subscription price is hefty compared to other similar apps out there.
Everyone could use an ounce of extra motivation each day. The Motivation Quotes app delivers thousands of quotes from many different categories straight to your phone. You can change your theme, save the quotes for later, search based on how you’re feeling, and more.
Motivational Quotes is free to download for iOS and Android. However, to unlock all categories and complete access, you’ll need to purchase the premium version for either $35.99 annually or $59.99 for lifetime access.
Breathe+: Great Self Help App for Relaxing in Moments of Stress
What We Like
The visuals are totally relaxing, making it easy to breathe correctly to reduce stress.
What We Don’t Like
There are ads that pop-up randomly while you’re using the app.
Visualizing your breathing is a great way to relax in moments of stress. The Breathe+ app allows you to breathe with in-app visualizations, relaxing your mind and training your breath. You can create custom settings to breathe as long as you need. The visualizations are beautiful and calming to the eye.
Breathe+ is available for free on iOS, but to remove the in-app ads, you have to purchase premium for $1.99.
Another Patriots Super Bowl can give a Jets fan such as myself heartburn but with good reason. As folks gear up for Super Bowl Sunday to watch the New England Patriots face the LA Rams they’ll indulge in their favorite game-day foods, share a few laughs and lament the fact that the Monday after the Super Bowl is not a recognized as a national holiday.
Eight Super health facts as presented by Hartford Healthcare.
Player size has changed (and it matters): One of the biggest differences between Super Bowl I and Super Bowl LIII is the size of the players. This year, the averageNFL player stands 6 feet 2 and weighs almost 250 pounds. Contrast that to Super Bowl I, when the biggest football player on the world champion Green Bay Packers roster was Gale Gillingham, who was only 255 pounds. The average adult male in the United States is 5 feet 9 and 195 pounds. The United States has the highest rate of obesity in the world with more than 109 million people considered obese. When comparing that to the country’s population, more than 30 percent of people in America are overweight.
Concussion is a MUCH bigger deal than ever before: Recent concussion tests have sparked nationwide conversation surrounding the connection between head injuries and contact sports, specifically football. In high schools across the country, 47 percent of all reported sports concussions are from football. Dr. Subramani Seetharama, a physiatrist and sports medicine specialist at the Hartford HealthCare Bone & Joint Institute who is also the medical director of the Sports Health and Concussion Clinic programs, says parents and athletes should not get caught up in the moment when dealing with potential concussions.“I tell kids, if you have a headache, get off the field immediately,” said Dr. Seetharama. “Studies show if they continue playing, there is a 40 percent chance they will have a prolonged symptom scale and they’re going to miss school.”
Sprains, strains and ACL injuries, too:Aside from concussions, there are other dangers to the body from playing football. The most common
football injuries are musculoskeletal injuries, such as ligament sprains and muscle strains. Knee injuries are common in football, with most occurring in the anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs and PCLs). Most ACL injuries in football happen on non-contact plays, usually when the foot becomes stuck on the playing surface.“Not everyone who tears their ACL will hear or feel a pop,” said Dr. Clifford Rios, orthopedic surgeon and board-certified in sports medicine at the Hartford HealthCare Bone & Joint Institute. “When an ACL injury typically happens, the play goes one way and the athlete plants a foot with the knee partially flexed. Then they’ll try to turn the body away from the direction their foot is facing and push off to change direction, ultimately causing the injury.”
Football players like to eat – a lot: The average person in America eats approximately 3,600 calories a day – that’s quite a bit more than the 1,800-2,200 calories a day recommended for the average adult male. Unless, of course, you are a pro football player. The average 300-pound NFL player may eat up to 9,000 calories a day.“There isn’t a ‘magic number’ to determine how many calories you should eat,” said May Harter, MS, RD, CD-N, a registered dietitian at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. “The amount of calories you should eat per day really depends on a variety of factors, including your age, gender, medical history, and how much daily physical activity you typically engage in.”
Chicken wings are a BIG thing (so is pizza): This Super Bowl weekend, nearly 1.3 billion chicken wings will be consumed in the country. To give perspective, imagine a straight line of chicken wings end-to-end from Hartford to Los Angeles – 28 times over. The pizza company industry is also grateful for the biggest sporting event of the year, as many businesses will see their orders double on Super Bowl Sunday.
Don’t forget the guacamole: Wings and pizza aren’t the only items on the menu on Super Bowl Sunday. More than 8 million pounds of guacamole will be consumed as well. The good news for guacamole lovers? Avocados are on the healthier side, low in saturated fat and packed with about 20 vitamins and minerals.“Avocados are loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids that are good for your heart health,” says Harter. “Like any food, they are good in moderation. They can lower your cholesterol while increasing your fiber and potassium intakes.”
The high-fat spread is delish — but at what price to your health?:All that delicious food can comes at a price. Antacid sales are expected to increase by roughly 20 percent on the day after the Super Bowl. And 6 percent of people in America will call in sick the day after, and not all of them are just hoping to celebrate their team’s victory for an extra day. A recent Tulane University study found evidence that Super Bowl parties help spread the flu. The study showed that between 1974 and 2009, cities with teams in the Super Bowl experienced an 18 percent increase in influenza deaths that season. Be sure to wash your hands before and after eating and don’t forget your hand sanitizers!
The Super Bowl wasn’t always an evening affair: Once the big game is over and you finally climb into bed, you may realize it’s only a short while before you need to be back up and ready for work the next day. One major difference between the first Super Bowl and now is the game’s start and end times. This year’s Super Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. Factor in all the commercials and a halftime show that’s 30 minutes long (15 minutes longer than the average football game halftime), and the game can easily go past 10 p.m. The first Super Bowl started at 1 p.m. EST (which was 10 a.m. local time in Los Angeles, where the game was held) and the game ended well before anyone’s bedtime. Though it may be tough to get enough sleep after the Super Bowl, Dr. Brett Volpe, a board-certified sleep specialist at MidState Medical Center’s Sleep Care Center, stresses the importance of getting back on a regular sleep schedule for the rest of the week and staying away from caffeine when possible. “A lot of people don’t realize that caffeine has a half-life of 12-16 hours,” said Dr. Volpe. “High-caffeine foods and drinks we take in the morning can potentially affect our sleeping that night, especially in younger adults and children. An irregular sleep schedule makes it harder for our brain and body to rest properly and it’s almost like intentionally putting yourself through jet lag.”
It’s a super caloric day but if you fall from your New Year’s resolution let it be just one day – SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. Enjoy!
A Texas federal judge ruled late Friday that the health coverage of some 20 million Americans in limbo by ruling Obamacare as unconstitutional. The entire Affordable Care Act must be scrapped because Congress repealed the individual mandate penalty for failing to obtain insurance coverage last December as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Why it matters: The ruling, which will appealed, would be particularly perilous for states like New York that have fully embraced its provisions and receive billions in federal funding tied to it.
3 things that wont change for Employers:
1) There is no change to the law. A statement from White House that pending the appeal process, the law remains in place. ACA reporting requirements remain and penalties are unchanged.
2) Texas ruling expected to be overturned. The ruling will be appealed, ultimately to the Supreme Court if it gets that far and may take years to appeal. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the constitutionality of the ACA twice in previous court challenges, and experts (including those who are both for and against the law) widely expect the Court to do the same in this case.
3) ACA is actually becoming more embraced overall. More states are choosing to expand Medicaid, some are creating their own individual mandates, and employer mandate penalties are being enforced by the IRS. Any change to the law that would take away affordable healthcare coverage from those who currently receive it could be a major political challenge for the governing party.
For ALE (applicable large employers) who are preparing for 2018 Forms 1095 and 1094 reporting, the Texas ruling has no immediate impact. The Employer Mandate is in full effect and the IRS continues to assess potential penalties for non-compliance. We’ll keep our current clients informed of any changes of substance.
If you would like to know more about MMS Corp and Health Care Reform for your company, contact us today.
All businesses today are aware that a healthy workforce translates to a happier and more productive employee. Nearly a quarter of participants in SHRM’s latest benefits survey plan to increase their Health & Wellness benefits, whose percentage was higher than other categories such as professional and career development, flexible work schedules, retirement and family-friendly policies. One unusual offering, workstations that allow people to stand, soared to 44% from just 13% in 2013 when the data was first tracked.
Helping your employees strive towards physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual well-being can lead to increased productivity and employee longevity. But how can you offer wellness programs that your employees will actually use and find beneficial? There’s no one size fits all solution, and the best way to get started is to invite employee input. Need some inspiration? Here are 5 employee wellness programs that might be the right fit for your company this coming year:
1. Online Wellness/Health Screening
Did you know many health nurses today pay their employees to take an online health risk assessment? Covered members receive a lump sum benefit payment once a year if they complete certain health-related activities (i.e. routine screenings, programs like smoking cessation and weight reduction, and more). Payment options range from $50 to $150. Empire Blue Cross, for example, pays up to $300 for this including a smoking cessation online questionnaire and flu vaccination.
2. Gym Reimbursements
You might not be able to build a gym at the office, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of your neighborhood businesses. Did you know most healthcare compare today to offer up to $400 annual gym reimbursement? Most include a $200 spousal gym reimbursement as well.
3. Start a Walking Group
This solution is easy, free, and can be employee-driven. Failing to take breaks leads to burnout and eventually employee resentment. Encourage employees to take frequent breaks, but not just to the break room for more artificial lighting and a caffeine boost. Rally eager employees to lead morning, lunch, and/or after-work walking groups. The fresh air is energizing, boosts creativity, and helps feed social wellness needs, too.
4. Create a Healthy Challenge That Isn’t Based on Numbers
Although some businesses have success with Biggest Loser-style in-office challenges, it can also trigger disordered eating. Instead of focusing on numbers, focus on more subjective goals—like how many consecutive days fresh, local fresh vegetables can be part of a lunch. Kicking off these challenges with a brief intro to the importance of a healthy diet for life can help employees re-think their choices.
5. Seek Help from Outside Resources
There are several organizations that employers can turn to for information, research, and guidance on wellness programs. Below are just a few for you to explore for helpful ideas on how to develop a culture of health in your organization.
HERO is a national non-profit dedicated to identifying and sharing best practices in the field of workplace health and well-being (HWB). Their mission is to improve the health and well-being of workers, their spouses, dependents, and retirees. Check out the wealth of information on their site, including research studies and a blog.
The Health Project is a tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation formed to bring about critical attitudinal and behavioral changes in addressing the health and well-being of Americans. The Health Project focuses on improving personal healthcare practices and supporting population health by reaching adults where they spend most of their waking hours: at work. Many organizations have adopted health promotion (wellness) programs that encourage good health habits and an improved understanding of how individual workers and their families can more effectively use health services.
Harvard Health Newsletters are free newsletters targeted to individuals with the purpose of providing educational information to help them invest in their own health or the health of their families.
CLICK HERE
Contact us to learn more about how health and wellness benefits can help you attract and retain your top talent.
Breaking: IRS released Notice extending the due dates for the 2018 information reporting requirements for employers to furnish information on returns and statements regarding minimum essential coverage provided to individuals.
Specifically, the notice extends the due date for furnishing the following to individuals: the 2018 Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and the 2018 Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, from January 31, 2019 to March 4, 2019.
Lastly, IRS extends the good-faith relief in Notice 2016-70 that applied to filings in 2015 to 2016 and 2017 and now to 2018. This relief applies to missing and inaccurate taxpayer identification numbers and dates of birth, as well as other information required on the return or statement.
To show good faith efforts to qualify for this relief, filers must meet applicable deadlines. However, IRS recognizes that late filers may still be able avoid penalties by showing reasonable cause for missing the due dates.
Contact Us Now Sign up for compliance alerts. Learn how our Agency is helping businesses thrive in today’s economy. Please contact us at info@medicalsolutionscorp.com or (855)667-4621.
The information provided herein is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Entitiesor persons distributing this information are not authorized to give tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek specific advice from their personal tax orlegal counsel.
NJ Paid Sick Leave Law Update: Required Notice for Employers Released
Employers in New Jersey employers will be required to comply with the state’s new Paid Sick Leave Act on Oct. 29, and the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development has published both proposed regulations to implement the law and a new mandatory workplace poster.
Timeline
The notice must be distributed to all existing employees by November 29, 2018
The notice must be distributed to all new employees at the time of hire so it should be immediately added to New Hire Kits
The notice must be posted in a place frequented by employees (such as a break room or communal area) by October 29, 2018
Benefit
The poster is a written notice. Employers must provide up to a total of 40 hours of earned sick leave every benefit year, with the worker accruing earned sick leave at a rate of one hour per 30 hours worked, up to a maximum benefit of 40 hours per benefit year.
Available use begins after 120 days from employment.
Cost
The program is financed by worker payroll deductions. Starting January 1, 2018, each worker contributes 0.09% of the taxable wagebase. For 2018, the taxable wage base is $33,700, and the maximum yearly education for Family Leave Insurance is $30.33. Thetaxable wage base changes each year.
Claim Events
Acceptable reasons to use earned sick leave:
The worker needs diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery for a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or he/she needs preventive medical care.
The worker needs to care for a family member during diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery for a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or the family member needs preventive medical care.
The worker or a family member has been the victim of domestic violence or sexual violence and needs time for treatment, counseling, or to prepare for legal proceedings.
The worker needs to attend school-related conferences, meetings, or events regarding his/her child’s education or to attend a school-related meeting regarding a child’s health.
The worker’s business closes due to a public health emergency or he/she needs to care for a child whose school or child care provider closed due to a public health emergency.
Click here for the employer notice. NJ Paid Sick Leave Law mw565sickleaveposter
Applying for Benefits
You can apply online for Family Leave Insurance benefits:
Atwww.nj.gov/labor/fli2
Download an application (DS-1) and mail to: Division of Temporary Disability Insurance PO Box 387, Trenton, NJ 08625-0387 or fax to (609) 984-4138 Request an application by phone (Customer Service Section): (609) 292-70
The information provided herein is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Entitiesor persons distributing this information are not authorized to give tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek specific advice from their personal tax orlegal counsel.
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perspective, imagine a straight line of chicken wings end-to-end from Hartford to Los Angeles – 28 times over. The pizza company industry is also grateful for the biggest sporting event of the year, as many businesses will see their orders double on Super Bowl Sunday.
The Super Bowl wasn’t always an evening affair: Once the big game is over and you finally climb into bed, you may realize it’s only a short while before you need to be back up and ready for work the next day. One major difference between the first Super Bowl and now is the game’s start and end times. This year’s Super Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. Factor in all the commercials and a halftime show that’s 30 minutes long (15 minutes longer than the average football game halftime), and the game can easily go past 10 p.m. The first Super Bowl started at 1 p.m. EST (which was 10 a.m. local time in Los Angeles, where the game was held) and the game ended well before anyone’s bedtime. Though it may be tough to get enough sleep after the Super Bowl, Dr. Brett Volpe, a board-certified sleep specialist at MidState Medical Center’s Sleep Care Center, stresses the importance of getting back on a regular sleep schedule for the rest of the week and staying away from caffeine when possible. “A lot of people don’t realize that caffeine has a half-life of 12-16 hours,” said Dr. Volpe. “High-caffeine foods and drinks we take in the morning can potentially affect our sleeping that night, especially in younger adults and children. An irregular sleep schedule makes it harder for our brain and body to rest properly and it’s almost like intentionally putting yourself through jet lag.”
ormation reporting requirements for employers to furnish information on returns and statements regarding minimum essential coverage provided to individuals.
