The New Year brings several HR changes that impact employers of all sizes. We’re providing you with a 2021 HR Compliance Checklist, brought to you by our partner and HR Consultant extraordinaire, Solvere HR Consulting. This helpful guide includes several federal and state employment law changes you need to be aware of. 

This year has been filled with many questions and not so many clear answers. One of the trickiest ACA issues that Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) have to navigate through is how measurement periods apply during furloughs and leaves of absences due to COVID-19. It’s important for ALEs that offer affordable and minimum essential health insurance coverage to be able to identify their full-time employees and offer group health benefits at the appropriate times; otherwise the employer may be subject to costly penalties.

The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has created new challenges for families and employers, and has sparked much discussion about a more formal Family and Medical Leave policy. On the upcoming Colorado November ballot is Proposition 118, which introduces a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program for eligible employees with benefits that would begin in 2024. 

All health plans are required under HIPAA to distribute certain notices, such as the Notice of Special Enrollment Rights when employees become eligible, and the CHIP notice which must be sent to employees annually. But there are quite a few other requirements that sometimes catch employers off guard.

The rules and regulations around ERISA compliance can be challenging to navigate. Many mistakes are made because a provision is omitted or misunderstood, which can be costly because the fines for non-compliance are staggering, even for small employers. To dispel the fiction out there about ERISA, we’ve created this list of common myths that are keeping employers from fully complying.

Another year and renewal season have zoomed by, and while it’s tempting to sit back and relax until the next renewal period, there are several benefit-related projects that you should tackle before then.

Most HR professionals have heard of a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), but may be unsure about the different types and how they can help both employers and employees save significantly on healthcare costs. There are now several types of ACA-compliant HRAs, but this month we’re focusing on Group Coverage HRAs. 

Another year has zoomed by and 2020 will be here before we know it! For many employers, the end of the year means another renewal season. Even if your company does not renew on January 1, our tips for a successful renewal will help guide you to success! 

Employers are often considering ways to enhance their benefits packages and attract great employees. Some employers might increase their contributions towards the health plans or 401(k) matching contributions, but another option is to offer an opt-out payment for those employees waiving the company-sponsored health coverage. At Fall River we are asked about this option frequently, and we continue to evaluate the pros and cons as well as the rules of doing so.

Over the past year, Fall River has seen an increase in a provider practice called “surprise medical billing” or “balance-billing.” Out-of-network providers will bill the patient even though they were seen at an in-network hospital and had no choice in who they were treated by. We have been anxiously awaiting legislation that would better-protect patients, and in early May Colorado lawmakers passed the Out-of-network Healthcare Services bill to address this issue.