Benefit Briefs for June 2014

The Total Benefit Solutions team...Working for your benefit!

IBC: New Lab Provider Effective July 1-IMPORTANT NOTICE

Effective July 1, 2014, Quest Diagnostics laboratories will be an out-of-network p rovider for Personal Choice and Keystone Health Plan East. IBC will continue to contract with certain local and regional laboratories...click here for more

Health Reform: Updated COBRA Notice

A revised Model COBRA Election Notice is now required for group health plans to inform eligible employees and dependents of the right to continuation of coverage under federal law and how to make an election when a qualifying event occurs. The updated model notice includes information regarding coverage alternatives that will be available through the new Health Insurance Exchanges (also known as Marketplaces). Click here to learn more.

Ask us today to learn more about our COBRA administrative services now including Mini-COBRA!

Happy Independence Day!

From all of us at Total Benefit Solutions, wishing you, your family, friends and co-workers a safe and happy Independence Day.

Our office will be closed on Thursday July 3rd and Friday July 4th in honor of the holiday. However e-mail and voice mails will be checked regularly.

Health Reform: Penalties for Using Individual Insurance

IMPORTANT Blue grunge stamp on white background

IRS Highlights Stiff Penalty for Reimbursing Individual Premium Unlike Notice 2013-54, this recent FAQ shines a spotlight on the consequences for employers operating employer payment plans to reimburse employees for the cost of individual health insurance policies. Click here to read the FAQ.

Click here for all of the latest updates. Bookmark this link as we update this site multiple times each week!

H.S.A. Limits for 2015 Released
The IRS has released the 2015 cost-of-living adjustments affecting HSAs and HDHPs. The 2015 IRS HSA limits are increasing for 2015.
Click here to learn more.

Now More Than Ever, Stay Informed

Things change faster now in weeks, than they used to in years. Clients often ask us why we do not send out bulletins more often. The answer is simply because if we did we would be sending you notices many times each month, cramming your inbox.

In order to avoid overloading you with emails, we post updates multiple times each month at our website,

www.totalbenefits.net

There you can always search for answers to your questions, or use your newsreader to folow the feed as changes are posted. The latest changes always appear on the right hand side of the site. You can also folow us on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get notified when updates occur.

We also provide theHR360 service for our clients which can be a great resource for reform information, as well as many other related labor compliance concerns. If you don't have a login, just ask and we can send you one! Don't worry if you aren't our client yet, we can give you a free trial test drive. You can also feel free to call us with any questions, at any time! Have a great summer!

We try to keep this newsletter brief and to the point to respect your time and inbox space. In these times of so much change that certainly is a challenge. Thank you for subscribing!

Warm Regards,

Edward T. MacConnell CBC, CHRS
Certified Healthcare Reform Specialist

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