The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently finalized the second Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP) for 2022. The final notice — which follows the first final 2022 NBPP published on January, 19, 2021 — sets forth payment parameters and provisions related to the risk adjustment program …
IRS Extends HSA 2020 Contribution Deadline
On March 29, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2021-21, which extends tax deadlines to May 17, 2021 for individuals filing Form 1040 series returns and making 2020 IRA and HSA contributions. This decision follows a previous announcement from the IRS declaring that the federal income tax filing …
Employer Strategies to Reduce 2021 Benefit Costs
Due to COVID-19 and the current state of economic uncertainty, employers may be facing limited budgets. Seeking new ways to structure employee benefit plans could put your organization in a better financial position heading into the new year. To reduce healthcare spending, employers can consider several benefit design strategies opposed …
Our New Website Has Launched!
We are pleased to announce the successful launch of Creative Benefits’ new website! In alignment with our ongoing commitment to invest in our brand and technology, we decided to refresh our website to reflect how we’ve evolved over the last 35 years. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight …
What If the Employer Mandate Is Repealed?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer affordable, minimum value health coverage to their full-time employees in order to avoid possible penalties. Because this employer mandate has been criticized as burdensome for employers and an impediment to business growth, it seems likely that its repeal …
Affordability Percentages Will Decrease For 2018
On May 5, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2017-36 to index the contribution percentages in 2018 for purposes of determining affordability of an employer’s plan under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For plan years beginning in 2018, employer-sponsored coverage will be considered affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does …
Our Strategic Sourcing Strategy Drives Client Success
In 2017 the Creative Benefits team launched a timely campaign, Employer Empowerment. Since the kick-off meeting, in early January, we are ahead of schedule with the successful completion of 3 strategic initiatives aimed to optimize the customer experience and drive desired outcomes. Providing our client stakeholders, the: CFO / Owner HR Director Employees …
The Presidential Election and the Affordable Care Act
Interesting times…. The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) and its volumes of regulations have been the law of the land since 2010. Implementation was sometimes messy (the exchange websites), confusing (1095-C coding), and unreliable (late December extensions of filing deadlines). However, it is the law, and employers have spent billions of dollars to …
A Successful Insurance Renewal & Open Enrollment: Part I
It’s that time of year again. Temperatures are falling, days are getting shorter, and at Creative Benefits, we have insurance renewals and open enrollment on our minds. Most companies schedule health insurance renewals and open enrollment in December and January so the time to start thinking about these things is …
Telemedicine Gains Popularity as a Convenient Alternative to Traditional Care
For most of us, seeing the doctor means making an appointment, trekking to the doctor’s office and having a face-to-face meeting. With its increasing accessibility and popularity, however, many consumers are turning to telemedicine as an alternative to a traditional doctor’s office visit. At Creative Benefits, we have observed a …
Creative Benefits Elevates Customer Service from Good to Great
For the average person, almost anything related to health insurance is complex and overwhelming. Therefore, when problems occur—as they often do—people feel frustrated. However, employees whose health insurance benefits are brokered by Creative Benefits enjoy a very special benefit—instant access to the Employee Services Representative (ESR) Team. The ESR Team …
Customizing Disability & Life Insurance Plans: Higher Value for Better Outcomes
On the surface, disability and life insurance policies may seem more or less interchangeable, but a savvy benefits administrator knows how to adjust these products to make them better. When customized appropriately, disability and life insurance products are anything but cookie-cutter. Designing insurance policies can be compared to choosing options …