The IRS has proposed that the issuers of fully insured and self-insured health plans be responsible for paying fees to fund the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Background

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCOR) was established as a provision of the Affordable Care Act. “The purpose of the Institute is to assist through research, patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policymakers in making informed health decisions. This will be done by advancing the quality of clinical effectiveness through research.”

How this Affects Plan Sponsors

This directly affects clients with HRA plans. Sponsors of HRA plans will be expected to pay the fees if their plan year ends on or after October 1, 2012 and before October 19, 2019. “The fee is $1.00 multiplied by the average number of covered lives.” The fee then increases to $2.00 for plan years ending on or after October 1, 2013. For subsequent plan years the fees will increase based on health care inflation.

Plan sponsors who have two or more self-insured plans with the same plan year, will be treated as a single plan leaving only one fee to be paid instead of two. Examples of this would be an HRA and a self-insured medical plan or an HRA and a self-insured prescription drug plan.

There is still time to turn in written or electronic comments about the fees by July 16, 2012. Requests to speak at the public hearing and outlines of topics must be turned in by July 30, 2012.  A hearing is scheduled for August 8, 2012.

What do we know?

• Plan Sponsors with HRA plans are effected
• The fee is $1.00 for first year, $2.00 for second year and will be subject to adjustment based on changes in the per capita National Health Expenditures as reported by the Treasury
• Plan Sponsors only have to pay one fee if they have two or more self-insured plans with the same plan year
• This proposal is still in progress as of 5/11/2012 – changes will be coming
• Public hearing on 8/8/2012

For more information please go to:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-04-17/pdf/2012-9173.pdf

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One of the best ways to avoid libel is to check facts. Responsible journalism demands this practice. Never rely on commercial sites for accurate information. Wiki sites are also bad sources for information. Anyone can add text to them, so it is easy for inaccurate stories and figures to surface. If a specific piece of literature lists a person or organization as the main source of information, contact the main source for verification. Quotes and testimonials should also be verified before printing. If a libel suit surfaces, it is important to have a list of sources to back the information. If it is impossible to verify a piece of information directly, be sure to clearly cite the source where the words came from.

In addition to avoiding misquoting people, it is important to avoid trade libel. Making disparaging remarks about a product or the company producing it is considered trade libel. After purchasing a defective product, it is easy to vent personal frustration online. In some cases, people simply want to alert others about a bad experience. However, it is best to contact the offending company directly. If the matter cannot be solved, contact the Better Business Bureau to resolve the issue. Never post insulting comments about a company or product online. Many social media profiles are public, and a quick Internet search for a person’s name may show several social media posts. Avoid jokes that may be interpreted as libel.

Overall, the main idea to remember is to test a comment or statement before posting it. Think carefully about the comment. Would it hurt a company’s reputation? Is it personally insulting to a certain individual? If it may be damaging and cannot be verified completely, avoid posting it.

2011 Employee Survey About Benefits

While the economic downturn brought mostly negative changes, one positive change that took place was the sharper focus on health spending and retirement security. With higher health costs and financial losses, more workers value security and want to pay for guaranteed benefits. A 2011 survey was performed to evaluate workers’ attitudes toward their employers’ benefits, their individual household finances and their retirement issues. This extensive survey also examined the impact of health and retirement benefits on retaining and recruiting employees.

Of all the findings in this survey, one that should be especially important to employers is the percentage of employees who said they were willing to pay more for good benefits and security. The survey showed that more than half of the respondents said they would be willing to trade some form of pay for better benefits. Most of the respondents in this percentage were older employees or younger males. Healthy workers and high earners also comprised a notable portion of that number. It is likely that the concerned older workers are still feeling the negative effects of their home values and individual retirement account balances deteriorating.

Comparing the Results

In comparison with data from prior years, the percentage of employees willing to pay more for good benefits is a substantial change. In 2009, only 46 percent were willing to pay more. As people gain experience with financial market volatility, their worries about the economy’s future continue growing. This prompts the rise in interest for solid benefits. Employees have learned from the financial crisis, and they know that future benefit cutbacks are possible.

The number of employees who would be willing to sacrifice more take-home pay for solid benefits is expected to rise. Many are willing to sacrifice bonuses and other incentives to enjoy more predictable health costs and better retirement benefits. A significant number of workers are also willing to give up paid time off for these positive changes. These issues are all important considerations for employers. Offering good benefits is a great way to attract and retain quality employees. To learn more about benefit changes, discuss the options with an agent.

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To get the IRS refund – How it works

The IRS will refund up to 35 percent of premiums you pay towards your employer group health insurance plan, in the form of a credit against your business income taxes. If your organization is tax-exempt, you may qualify for a credit of up to 25 percent.

To qualify for the credit, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must have fewer than 25 full-time equivalents.
• Your average worker must earn less than $50,000 per year from his or her employment with you.
• You must pay at least half the premium to cover your employees, although not your employees’ dependents.

If your business has fewer than 10 employees, and you pay them annual wages of $25,000 or less, you may be able to qualify for the full credit. The credit phases out as you add more employees, and pay them more, until it phases out completely at the 25 worker and $50,000 mark.

The IRS does not count leased employees, nor owners of sole proprietorships, partners, or shareholders with more than a 2 percent ownership interest in an S-corporation or a 5 percent interest in a C-corporation. The IRS also typically does not count family members against you for the purpose of determining your credit.

Limitations on Annual Premiums

The IRS has placed limits on the amount of annual premium you can apply towards the credit. However, the precise limits vary depending upon your state. For information specific to your state, or for businesses with operations in multiple states, please don’t hesitate to give us a call for a free consultation.

How to Claim the Credit

To claim the credit, fill out IRS Form 8941 – Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums, and submit it with your tax return for the year. Incidentally, the credit has been in effect since tax year 2010. If you would have qualified and simply weren’t aware of it then, or missed it, you may be able to claim the credit by filing an amended tax return for years 2010 and 2011. We do not provide specific tax advice, however. For information specific to your individual situation, it’s important to speak to your own qualified tax advisor.

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Helping Employees Care About Their Health
Employers are realizing that simply offering options to employees isn’t enough. They know that employees must receive incentives for doing something difficult that ultimately benefits the employer. In addition to providing employees with the necessary tools to become better healthcare consumers, employers must also give them a reason to use those tools. For example, many pharmacies have varying prices among brand-name drugs and generic equivalents. Educating employees about this difference is important. If they realize all their HSA, HRA or FSA fund allowance will be used to pay for the expensive name-brand drug, they’ll be more driven to shop smart and use the generic equivalent.

Implementing Consumer-Directed Plans

Many companies that are designing plans are using consumer-directed health plans with health reimbursement arrangements or health savings accounts. To learn how these plans work, discuss the details with a qualified consultant. Some employers are now offering more options for their employees. However, reaching optimal health and maintaining it is the overall goal. Many companies are realizing the importance of trying to run an active health plan to encourage a healthy lifestyle instead of just offering a sick plan to deal with illnesses.

Offering Attractive Incentives

The efforts employers have made to help their employees save for retirement with defined contribution plans are similar to their efforts to move employees toward better health care consumerism. The main similarity is that both plans involve a greater amount of responsibility being placed on employees. While they face more responsibilities, their employers use incentives to offer rewards for desired behavior. Just as employers use matching contributions to retirement plans to encourage participation, many are now offering contributions toward HSAs and HRAs to encourage participation and better health care consumerism.

Keeping On Track

In order to keep health care consumerism alive, employers must keep track of their efforts. This allows them to determine whether employees are changing their behaviors or not. Some companies have developed special systems for tracking progress. One company developed a helpful dashboard of metrics, which is reviewed monthly for success. It shows the progress of employees as they work toward earning incentives. It also shows interaction rates with health plan representatives through the company’s work sites. There are several ways to implement these valuable changes. To learn more, discuss the possible options with a qualified consultant.

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My grandmother once told me that she would save her allowance all month to walk three miles to the soda fountain for a single milkshake. From ready-made foods at the market, to the fast-food drive by, to diet pills purporting instant and effortless weight loss, our culture today is all about instant gratification and results. The basic fact that not everything is obtained without an effort and/or wait seems to be a lost concept.

When it comes to a person changing their mindset to adopt healthy habits and rid unhealthy habits, results and gratification take time. It takes a commitment and constant effort to succeed at losing weight, exercising regularly, tobacco cessation, and other habit changes. If they’re to be successful, workplace wellness programs not only need to recognize the above, but also to understand what elements will engage employees over the long-term.

Let’s say you’ve hosted a health benefits presentation on active lifestyles and eating right. The employee turnout is high, and you had a lot of sincere interest from your employees. However, you observe a week later that very few have made any of the recommended changes. Within a few months, even most of those that made an attempt are back to their regular routines.

Tips to Motivate Your Workforce

The above is an all too common scenario that confirms the reality that most people are more well-intentioned than self-motivated. Therefore, motivation should be one of the key elements provided by your wellness initiatives. Here are a few tips to help you inject motivation into your workforce:

* Make the experience personal for employees through offering a health risk assessment that will show an employee their own unique health risks and what steps he/she can take to address each risk.

* Completion of the assessment and any resulting follow-up recommendations should be tied to the health risk assessment incentives you’re offering, such as reduced health plan premiums.

* Keeping in mind that an individual must be willing, ready, and able to make a behavior change, you might focus on those that express a desire to make positive lifestyle changes. Aside from offering incentives, you might also help employees see the risks of failing to make positive changes, such as by posting charts with comparative lifespan stats on individuals that are smokers and non-smokers; pre-hypertensive, hypertensive, and of normal blood pressure; and are overweight, obese, and of normal weight.

* Provide/encourage support system structures, such as employee-based walking clubs, sponsoring a biggest loser competition, subsidies for joining certain fitness centers, or newsletter articles featuring health-successful employees.

Change is rarely easy for any of us. Employers must be careful that they don’t get so caught up in the black and white of a wellness program that they forget to address what will make or break it – human nature.

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Many employers are using employee benefit statements to remind their employees of the various benefits they receive as part of a benefits education program. Benefit statements and total compensation statements also prove to be a highly effective means of showing employees the company-paid dollar value of their benefits in addition to their paycheck. Employees sense their personal value to the organization when they realize the amount of money invested annually in their health and welfare.

In a world where many employees have experienced salary freezes or witnessed their colleagues being laid off, it’s important for employers to invest more time in communicating benefits options with them. This makes employees feel valued. Research shows that most employees don’t feel that they are valued in the workplace, so this issue should be a top priority. In an economy with jobs in high demand, employees feel more insecure and replaceable. They may not know how expensive and detrimental it is for employers to replace them and hire new employees. They may also doubt the longevity of the companies they work for. It’s important for employers to show how much they value their employees. They should shift some of their attention from the areas in which their business is affected by the economy to finding better ways of engaging employees with benefits education.

A benefits education program that is structured properly may have a significant impact on workforce satisfaction. If employees rate their benefits education favorably, they are more likely to rate their employers as very good or excellent. The same ratings usually also apply to the workplace. However, if employees feel that their benefits education is poor, they’re more likely to give their employer and workplace poor satisfaction ratings. Employees who rate their benefits education highly also say they would be more likely to continue working for their current employer. They usually say that they would stay with the employer if they were offered identical benefits packages and pay elsewhere. Workers give life to businesses. They’re the most important elements for success in such a challenging business world. In the fluctuating economy, employers must work hard to show their employees how much they care. Neglect or care for an individual’s well-being is often what destroys or builds loyalty. If the employees experience benefits, the entire business also benefits. It’s much more difficult for a business to survive without content employees.

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The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, commonly shortened to ERISA, is a federal law enacted to set minimum standards for the majority of voluntary pension and health plans in the private industry to protect involved individuals. This federal statute went into effect on September 2, 1974. ERISA requires plan sponsors to provide participants with thorough information about features and funding. In addition to this, the statute mandates fiduciary responsibilities for managers and controllers of plan assets. The statute also requires plans to have an established grievance and appeals process that is easy for participants to use in order to get benefits from their plans. Participants who are the victims of fiduciary duty breaches have the right to sue under this statute’s provisions.

Important ERISA Changes To Be Aware Of

Over the years, there have been several amendments made to the ERISA statute. These changes were made to further the protections offered to health benefit plan participants and beneficiaries. One of the most important amendments is the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act, which is more commonly known as COBRA. This amendment provides selected workers and their families the opportunity to continue their health coverage for a specified amount of time following the loss of a job or other certain events.

Another important amendment to the ERISA statute is the Health Insurance Portability Act, which is commonly known as HIPAA. This provision created new protections for workers and their families with preexisting medical conditions. Such individuals would have likely faced discrimination in applying for health coverage prior to this act. The Mental Health Parity Act, Newborns’ & Mothers’ Health Protection Act and the Women’s Health & Cancer Rights Act are also important changes made to ERISA.

Definition Of Responsibilities
Employers who are fiduciaries need to be familiar with the amendments made to the ERISA statute. This knowledge is helpful in understanding responsibilities. All fiduciaries have an important set of responsibilities since they act on behalf of the plan participants and beneficiaries. The following are important responsibilities to memorize:

• Act in the interest of the plan participants and beneficiaries with the purpose of providing them with their benefits.

• Follow plan documents that are consistent with ERISA.

• Carry out all duties in a prudent manner.

• Hold the assets of plans in trusts.

• Only pay reasonable plan expenses.

Prudent action requires extensive expertise. This is one of the most important responsibilities employers have under ERISA. Fiduciaries lacking such expertise must hire a professional who has the proper knowledge to complete those functions. Prudence requires excellent skills in making fiduciary decisions. Every decision must be documented properly. It’s best for fiduciaries hiring service providers to interview several candidates, make comparisons and then make a decision. Following plan terms is also a vital responsibility. This includes memorizing the plan, reviewing it regularly and keeping it current.

Employer Liability Information

It’s important to know the potential liabilities that accompany employer responsibilities. Any fiduciaries who don’t follow standards of conduct face personal liability for restoration of losses to the plan. They also must restore profits that were obtained through personal misuse of plan assets. Fiduciaries have the ability to limit their liability in some circumstances. Proper documentation is an essential way to reduce the likelihood of undue liability issues arising.

Fiduciaries may also hire service providers to handle their responsibilities. In doing this, it is essential to include verbiage in the service contract that places responsibility of mismanagement of the plan on the service providers. Employers are responsible for the selection of service providers. However, they’re not liable for the decisions and actions of the providers they choose. It is important to remember that monitoring the service providers is essential. Keep documentation of all periodic monitoring to further reduce liability risks.

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MIAMISBURG, OH (September 27, 2011) – BusinessPlans, Inc. -  myBenefitStatements today announced the results of its 2010-2011 Annual Client Survey. myBenefitStatements was recognized for its high level of customization and overall design features, as well as for its commitment to personal service and smooth processes.

Of the clients that responded to the survey, 100% said that they would recommend myBenefitStatements’ services! This is no surprise to myBenefitStatements, which has been in the business of producing total compensation or benefit statements for over 25 years and often receives unprompted accolades and referrals from its clients.

myBenefitStatements asked survey participants to rate their satisfaction in a number of areas using a five-point scale ranging from “Very Dissatisfied” to “Very Satisfied”. The following is a list of the results of those respondents who are “Very Satisfied”.

• Set-Up Phone Meeting
• Customization of Statement Design
• Implementation Process
• On-time Delivery of Statements
• The Finished Project

The dedicated Project Managers myBenefitStatements assigns to clients were also graded – with over 90% of the responses being “Very Satisfied” for all areas scored. Along with graded scores, survey participants were given the opportunity to share “…anything else we should know…” about myBenefitStatements. Here’s a sampling of what a few clients had to say.

“The process was so easy with myBenefitStatements! My project manager was so easy to work with. I have never done statements before and he had great suggestions, was easy to get a hold of and delivered on what he said he could do! I don’t know that I would have done statements if the process hadn’t been this easy.” – Sr. Benefits Specialist, Denver, CO

“The process is already so easy and effective… We could not be happier with the product and project manager. The process is so simple and the statements are very cost effective that we have been 100% satisfied with it every year.” – Human Resources Specialist, Indianola, MS

“Great experience. Working with my project manager was easy, efficient, and he took the time to understand our benefits. He was easy to work with and went out of his way to meet deadlines and was always easily accessible for questions.” – HR Consultant, Portland, OR

myBenefitStatements, like all the divisions of BusinessPlans, Inc., is all about providing high-quality results and staying true to the BusinessPlans’ mission of Happy Employees, Happy Employers™ – which means the company is always looking for ways to innovate and improve services in an effort to better serve our clients. “We’ve just raised the bar,” said Craig Schrolucke, Director of Marketing and Innovation. “With the installation of a state-of-the-art printer solution, myBenefitStatements’ clients will see unparalleled results in our final products when compared to others in the industry.”

About BusinessPlans, Inc.
Located in Miamisburg, Ohio for more than 25 years, BusinessPlans, Inc. has been building relationships with companies throughout the U.S. by offering pre-tax employee benefits, COBRA administration and communication solutions through their three divisions:

myBenefitStatements – Charts, graphs and tables are just a few of the ways myBenefitStatements personalizes employee total compensation statements. However, myBenefitStatements is more than just a total compensation statement provider – it is a one-stop provider for customized employee communications! www.myBenefitStatements.com

myCafeteriaPlan® – myCafeteriaPlan professionals help to design a plan tailored to company needs. Whether a company is looking for a simple Premium Only Plan, a Flexible Spending Account, a Medical Reimbursement Plan, Retiree billing, a Health Reimbursement Arrangement, Health Savings Account or a Qualified Transportation Plan, clients and participants will receive responsive, reliable and knowledgeable administrative services.  www.myCafeteriaPlan.com

myCobraPlan – As a comprehensive COBRA Administrator, myCobraPlan provides clients and participants peace of mind about COBRA eligible benefits. myCobraPlan focuses on the administrative details, allowing clients time to focus on mission critical projects. www.myCobraPlan.com

Contact:

Craig Schrolucke

BusinessPlans, Inc.

Craigs@BusinessPlansInc.com

937.865.6501

###

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MIAMISBURG, OH (September 20, 2011) – BusinessPlans, Inc. -  myCafeteriaPlan® today announced the results of its annual online client and participant survey. myCafeteriaPlan received glowing endorsements from its participants and clients in the myCafeteriaPlan Participant and Client Satisfaction Survey – 2011. Each year, myCafeteriaPlan engages participants and clients using their pre-tax benefit platform to evaluate their account representatives, their customer service staff, their Web site, plan enrollment and their overall performance.

According to the responses from more than 3,000 survey participants, myCafeteriaPlan continues to be recognized for its commitment to outstanding customer service and as a trusted business partner.

myCafeteriaPlan asked survey participants to rate their satisfaction in a number of areas using a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being very “Unsatisfied” and 10 being “Very Satisfied.” The average scores were:

• Client Satisfaction with myCafeteriaPlan – 9.15
• Likely to Recommend myCafeteriaPlan – 9.13
• Interest in Solving Problem (Customer Service Representative) – 9.45
• Responsiveness (Customer Service Representatives) – 9.42
• Professionalism (Account Representatives) – 9.25
• Helpfulness (Account Representatives) – 9.10

Along with graded scores, survey participants were given the opportunity to share “…anything else we should know…” about myCafeteriaPlan. Here’s a sampling of what a few participants had to say.

“myCafeteriaPlan has by far the best customer service. Response time is excellent and we have never had to worry about not hearing back or receiving incorrect information.” – Deputy Finance Director, Ohio

“Seriously, you guys are the best people to work with.  Phone calls always returned, e-mails answered promptly, reliable processing of  125 checks and if a problem occurs it is taken care of immediately.“ – Accountant, Ohio

“The friendliness, knowledge and professionalism is what Customer Service should be all about.  You get it right!” – HR Assistant, Florida

“We are extremely pleased with our cafeteria plan.  Customer Service is one of the very best.  Very timely response to questions, further information to help us spend wisely.”- Office Manager, Maine

“myCafeteriaPlan is the best of the providers we use.  They are always responsive, friendly and extremely helpful.”- HR Director, Ohio

“myCafeteriaPlan stands out for their Customer Service because (1) there is always a person who answers the phone (2) I always get a prompt response when I have a request, and (3) everyone is very knowledgeable and professional.” – Plan Administrator, Tennessee

“I have always been impressed with the service our company has received from everyone we’ve come in contact with at myCafeteriaPlan.  We are a mid-sized company with low enrollment, but any time I have called your company I either get an immediate answer or if the person does not know the answer, they find the answer and get back with me.  I cannot think of one occasion where I did not receive a call back in a timely manner.” – Executive Director, Pennsylvania

Doug Griffith, President, says, “the survey results were gratifying because BusinessPlans, Inc. – myCafeteriaPlan’s vision is to provide positive experiences and unparalleled service and support.  The BusinessPlans’ mission of Happy Employees, Happy Employers™ means the company is always looking for ways to innovate and improve our services in an effort to better serve our clients.” Mr. Griffith continued; “We are excited about a number of product upgrades and service enchantments that will be announced in coming weeks – largely as a result of direct feedback  from the survey.“

About BusinessPlans, Inc.
Located in Miamisburg Ohio for more than 25 years, BusinessPlans, Inc. has been building relationships with companies throughout the U.S. by offering pre-tax employee benefits, COBRA administration and communication solutions through their three divisions:

myBenefitStatements – Charts, graphs and tables are just a few of the ways myBenefitStatements personalizes employee total compensation statements. However, myBenefitStatements is more than just a total compensation statement provider – it is a one-stop provider for customized employee communications! www.mybenefitstatements.com

myCafeteriaPlan® – myCafeteriaPlan professionals help to design a plan tailored to company needs. Whether a company is looking for a simple Premium Only Plan, a Flexible Spending Account, a Medical Reimbursement Plan, Retiree billing, a Health Reimbursement Arrangement, Health Savings Account or a Qualified Transportation Plan, clients and participants will receive responsive, reliable and knowledgeable administrative services.  www.myCafeteriaPlan.com

myCobraPlan – As a comprehensive COBRA Administrator, myCobraPlan provides clients and participants peace of mind about COBRA eligible benefits. myCobraPlan focuses on the administrative details, allowing clients time to focus on mission critical projects. www.myCobraPlan.com

Contact:

Craig Schrolucke

BusinessPlans, Inc.

Craigs@BusinessPlansInc.com

937.865.6501

###

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