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Kristen Russell

Kristen Russell

Kristen founded Fall River Employee Benefits as the culmination of her insurance industry career as an actuary, underwriting executive & consultant. As an Assistant Vice President at Great-West Healthcare (now part of CIGNA), she managed a $1 Billion block of health insurance. She also worked as a Senior Consultant at Reden & Anders, consulting to insurance companies and large employers throughout the country. Ms. Russell received a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration in Actuarial Science, is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and achieved Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries through a rigorous nine-year series of exams.

Kristen grew up in Iowa but has lived in Colorado since 1993, currently living near our office in the Lower Highlands neighborhood near downtown Denver.  She enjoys bicycling, hiking, traveling and has a special passion for non-profit volunteering. She is married to an incredibly talented photojournalist, has two adult stepdaughters and an adorable Border Collie/Lab mix named Chaco.

A recession is a prolonged and pervasive reduction in economic activity that can last for several months or years. Amid a recession, organizations of all sizes and sectors usually experience decreased sales and profits stemming from changing economic environments and consumer behaviors. While these behaviors can threaten the financial stability of any organization, large businesses are often better positioned to weather a recession because of their substantial revenues, excess reserves and expanded access to a wider range of credit markets. On the other hand, small businesses may be particularly vulnerable during an economic downturn, as they generally lack the additional capital necessary to offset extended periods of loss. As a result, when a recession occurs, small businesses are more likely to have to make difficult financial decisions to avoid issues such as insolvency or bankruptcy.
Tuesday, 31 January 2023 00:53

HSA Basics

Investing in a health savings account (HSA) is a rapidly growing trend. An HSA is a tax-exempt savings account used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical expenses of an individual, their spouse and dependents.
Tuesday, 31 January 2023 00:41

Telehealth Safe Harbor Extended

In December, the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 was released, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. One section of that omnibus budget law is known as Telehealth Safe Harbor. This new safe harbor is identical to both the prior safe harbors, except that it marries both the plan year approach of the CARES Act with the calendar year approach of the CAA. Both calendar and non-calendar year plans will be able to take advantage of the relief. 
An automatic 30-day extension to furnish the forms to employees. (Deadline will now be March 2, 2023, to furnish Forms 1095-C to individuals)

The deadline to file the Forms 1094-B or C and 1095-B or C with the IRS will remain February 28 for paper filings and March 31 if filed electronically.

Applicable Large Employers are still required to furnish Form 1095-C to their full-time employees. They must also complete Part III if the employee is enrolled in self-insured or level funded coverage.
Monday, 01 May 2023 00:19

Family-building Benefits

There have been shifts in the path to parenthood as many people turn to in vitro fertilization, surrogacy and egg freezing to build their families. As such, employers are responding to these modes of family-building with expanded and inclusive benefits.
Family-building benefits can support many different forms, but some of the most common include fertility treatment, donors and adoption. Family- building benefits can also include holistic support, such as emotional and mental health resources, while building a family. 
Employers of all sizes are currently facing attraction and retention challenges. These challenges will likely continue through 2023. Successful efforts to win over employees can require a time investment and carry high costs. Unfortunately, small businesses often don’t have excess resources to invest in attraction and retention efforts in today’s worker-friendly labor market; however, they have the agility to respond to the employment market with new strategies. Amid current labor obstacles, many smaller employers are focusing on what’s feasible in 2023.
If your employees miss your open enrollment deadline, they could lose coverage and be unable to make benefits changes or enroll until the next enrollment period. One exception to this rule is if they experience a life-changing qualifying event that would trigger a special enrollment period (SEP). Events such as getting married or divorced, having children or losing eligibility for other health coverage can trigger special enrollment rights.
Wednesday, 03 May 2023 23:05

HR Toolkit: Employee Engagement

Engaged employees are more than just satisfied with their jobs, they are committed to the company and its goals. They have passion, pride and energy for their work and their organization and are willing to go the extra mile on a regular basis. Employees who are truly engaged stay because they enjoy their work and support the company.

You have many choices when selecting a health insurance plan, which can make the process feel overwhelming. Health plans vary and have their own benefits and drawbacks related to coverage, primary care providers (PCPs), copays, premiums and more.

Monday, 21 November 2022 00:32

Our ACA Guide

There are a lot of details related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that impact many employers. Attached is our ACA Client Guide, a ready reference to help you understand rules, considerations and what your company may need to do.

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