Tag: benefits

Private Sector Criticizes DOL Proposal to Let States Run Retirement Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor laid the groundwork for states to run ERISA-covered auto-enrollment individual retirement accounts and multi-employer retirement plans for people without workplace savings options, issuing proposed rules and an interpretive bulletin for that purpose. The so-called open MEPs give employers that don’t want to offer their own 401(k) plan a way to join with other companies […]

Saving and Investing: The Great Recession’s Impact on Millennials

Your 401(k) plan is designed to help everyone in your workplace to save for retirement—from the youngest employee to the oldest. In the last few years, you may have emphasized the importance of saving early and enough. It can be challenging to reach a diverse group of employees with a message that encourages action, because […]

BP Litigation: Plan Sponsor Not Liable for Employees’ Failure to Inform

Fiduciary status under ERISA “is not an all-or-nothing concept,” according to a recent federal district court ruling that found BP and its North American unit were not liable for their retirement plan employees’ breaches of fiduciary duty. The lawsuit arose from a BP company stock plan available as investment to plan participants that plunged in […]

Technology and ICD-10 Give Plans New Recovery Powers

Health plans are unlocking the power of ICD-10 codes and using modern technologies to identify and track the progress of cases to maximize recoveries when plan members have been reimbursed twice for injuries caused by liable third parties, Elizabeth Longo, general counsel for Discovery Health Partners, explained. Unlock the Power of ICD-10 Using data mining […]

When Is ‘Ineligible’ Employee Covered By FMLA?

By Valeria Gomez, JD It’s no secret that the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides leave benefits only for employees who fit the strict eligibility requirements set forth in the statute. Recently, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—ruled that an employer may not be […]

Health Management: A Smarter Approach to Health Care

By Keith Soranno, Keas More than half of the U.S. population accesses health benefits via employer provided-benefit plans, and employers collectively spend over a trillion dollars providing them. A significant amount of this money has been wasted due to poor utilization and a lack of understanding by employees on how to effectively utilize these benefits.