Category: Benefits and Compensation

This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.

ACA

ACA Repeal Proposal Released; Cadillac Tax Remains

On March 6, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) released long-awaited proposed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through a budget process known as reconciliation—a process that allows legislation to be passed with a simple majority in the Senate. The legislation is part of House Republicans’ American Health […]

HIPAA

Misuse of Former Employee’s Login Credentials Leads to $5.5 Million HIPAA Settlement

Memorial Healthcare Systems (MHS) has paid the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) $5.5 million to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules. MHS has also agreed to implement a robust corrective action plan. MHS is a nonprofit corporation which operates six […]

High Deductible Health Plans Have Mixed Results

If you are among the employers offering an high deductible health plan (HDHP), it’s likely you see it as a way to reduce health care costs for the company. It can also be a helpful step on the path toward creating better health care consumers, by allowing employees to understand the real cost of their insurance – an important aspect of containing costs.

New Benchmarking Analysis Identifies Recent Trends in Balancing Benefit Costs and Attracting Top Talent

When employers have a sense of how their peers’ benefits and compensation approaches measure up to their own, they can more confidently identify opportunities for improvement. The Best-in-Class Benchmarking Analysis produced by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher) examines the strategies and tactics used by high-performing organizations to control healthcare cost spending while competing for […]

banking

CMS Releases 2016-2025 Projections of National Health Expenditures Data

National health expenditure growth is expected to average 5.6% annually over 2016-2025, according to a report compiled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Office of the Actuary (OACT). These projections are constructed using a current-law framework and do not assume potential legislative changes over the projection period.

pension

DOL Proposes June 9 Delay for Fiduciary Rule, Opens Comment Periods

by Jane Meacham, Contributing Editor The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on March 1 proposed a 60-day delay to June 9 of its so-called fiduciary rule on investment advice conflicts of interest and related exemptions, pushing back the rule’s original effective date of April 10. The DOL also opened two comment periods related to the […]

bonus

Attention Hiring Managers: Too Little Pay Could Cost You Top Talent

The low unemployment rate, coupled with a looming labor shortage, has resulted in organizations having to work much harder to attract and retain top talent. In its annual 2017 Salary Guides, Randstad US, an HR service and staffing company, provides job seekers with insight into how their compensation stacks up with others and helps employers […]