Tip Tuesday! Health Care Reform Basics: What You Need to Know for 2011

Visit Benefit Advisors’ Newsroom to view a quick summary of the Health Care Reform Basics for 2011. 

The summary covers the following topics: 

 

1.      Health Plan Coverage for your Dependents

2.      Preventive Care

3.      Lifetime and Annual Limits

4.      Emergency Room Services

Link to Summary Topics at Benefit Advisors Newsroom

Weigh In on Health Care Reform

The IRS wants to hear your thoughts on one of the most controversial provisions in the healthcare reform law: the shared responsibility mandate. But you don’t have much time to respond.  Employers have until June 17, 2011, to submit public comment to the IRS.

Commonly referred to as “Play or Pay,” the shared responsibility provision would require firms with at least 50 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees to pay a penalty if they fail to offer FTE workers healthcare coverage – or if they offer coverage that’s unaffordable or doesn’t provide minimum value, starting in in 2014.

Full Article

IRS Sets 2012 HSA Limits | HR Morning

Hot Off the Press: The Internal Revenue Service just released the 2011 cost-of-living-adjusted HSA limits.

The following takes effect calendar year 2012:

Annual contribution limits

• The annual limitation on deductions for an individual with employee-only coverage under a high deductible health plan (HDHP) is $3,100 — up $50 from 2011.
• The annual limitation on deductions for an individual with family coverage under a HDHP is $6,250 — up $100 from 2011.

Link to Article: Read More About Minimum Deductible & Out-of-Pocket Max

Why the New ADA’s an Even Bigger Pain Than You Thought | HR Morning

The new ADA substantially expanded the pool of employees who might be classified as disabled. But there’s more: It will also affect how you handle FMLA leave and potential GINA violations.

As you know, the new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAAA) recently expanded the definition of “disability,” meaning more people than ever qualify as disabled.

But that expansion has also affected other employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GINA).

Here’s a look at just how the new ADA will affect your dealings with the FMLA and GINA, courtesy of Robin E. Shea of Employment and Labor Law Insider.

Link to Whole Article Here from HR Morning

Tip Tuesday: Managing Intermittent FMLA: A Guide to Staying Safe

Managing intermittent FMLA leave is no easy task for supervisors and employers. Here are some guidelines for handling it properly and keeping your company safe.

When leave begins
As soon as it’s determined that an employee is in need of intermittent leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), it’s time to verify that the leave is medically necessary. Until a doctor certifies that it is, your company’s under no obligation to provide intermittent leave.

A smart thing to do: Have a policy in place stating that an employee is required to give written notice of leave prior to missing work — unless, of course, it’s an emergency or special circumstances exist.

 More Tips Here: Read the Whole Article from HRMorning.com

Little Mistakes, Big Headaches: Top 3 Payroll Mistakes

Few groups are as precise and detailed oriented as Payroll. That’s what makes them perfect for the job, right? But they’re not infallible.

Mistakes do happen. And when those mistakes involve overpayments, they bring an avalanche of headaches with them.

After all, people’s paychecks are as sensitive a subject as you get.  And telling employees your company paid them too much and now have to correct that will never be well received.

Link to: Read The Whole Article On CFO Daily News

CFODailyNews.com delivers the latest Finance news once a week to the inboxes of over 200,000 Finance professionals.

Tip Tuesday: Did you know that Guardian's Maximum Rollover helps extend benefits for your employees and dependents?

In 2010, Guardian rolled over $400 million into our members' Maximum Rollover Accounts! Guardian was one of the first to introduce Maximum Rollover®, which lets members who visit their dentist each year, but don't need extensive dental work, roll over part of their annual maximum into their Maximum Rollover Account for future use. This not only encourages them to visit their dentist and take care of their oral health, but also provides them with the assurance of more dental funds in case the need for additional treatment arises. Plus, Maximum Rollover promotes in-network utilization by offering rewards for using an in-network dentist. This means more savings for both you and your employees. Guardian offers one of the nation’s largest networks, and with discounts averaging 30%, it’s easy to save. As dental benefits become more valued than ever, Maximum Rollover is an outstanding way to help your employees and dependents.

Visit Us On Facebook!

IRS Offers New W-2 Relief … to some companies

Good news, particularly for Payroll: Your company may have just been handed an extra year before it has to report employees’ health insurance costs on their W-2s. Does your company qualify?

Link to Article on CFO Daily News

WebMD Launches Interactive 'Fit Teen' Website

'Fit Teen' is a fun and interactive website with Move, Mood, Food and Recharge Tips! There are also interactive sites for 'Fit Juniors' and 'Fit Kids'! 'Fit Junior' is coming soon!

Ask to Bookmark the sites in your toolbar and use them to get your Move, Mood, Food and Recharge Tips and Scores! Good for you!

Link to: 'Fit Teen' website...

Link to: 'Fit Kids' website...

Tip Tuesday: Cayenne Pepper May Burn Calories, Curb Appetite (WebMD)

Study Suggests Pepper May Help Weight Loss When Combined With Other Weight Loss Efforts

Red cayenne pepper may help burn calories and curb appetite, especially in people who aren’t used to eating it, says a new study that was partly supported by the National Institutes of Health and the McCormick Spice Company.

Study researcher Richard Mattes, PhD, RD, distinguished professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., thinks that the pepper is stimulating the trigeminal nerve, one of the main nerves in the head and neck.

“Chemesthesis is the term for chemical irritation, and that’s the sense that this work focused on,” Mattes says. “What we were interested in is, does activation of that system lead to increases in energy expenditure, alterations in appetite and food intake, and so on.”

More Info Link: Cayenne Pepper article and study information on WebMD... 

Social Page Link: Add us for more great info on Facebook!
Social Page Link: And follow us on Twitter!

We welcome your comments!
Have a nice Tuesday!

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer can form in any part of the mouth or throat. Most oral cancers begin in the tongue and in the floor of the mouth. Anyone can get oral cancer, but the risk is higher if you are male, over age 40, use tobacco or alcohol or have a history of head or neck cancer. Frequent sun exposure is also a risk for lip cancer.

Symptoms of oral cancer include

• White or red patches in your mouth
• A mouth sore that won't heal
• Bleeding in your mouth
• Loose teeth
• Problems or pain with swallowing
• A lump in your neck
• An earache

Oral cancer treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Some patients have a combination of treatments.

Link: For more information about oral cancer research, treatments, journal articles, videos and to receive oral cancer updates by e-mail...

Link: Oral cancer Patient Handouts available in English and Spanish...