CMS Issues FAQ’s on Essential Health Benefit Coverage & the Coronavirus To remove barriers and financial disincentives to COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) on essential health benefit (EHB) coverage. EHB is a core set of items and …
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act) into law. The Act requires employers to provide paid leave for some employees related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, among other measures. The leave provisions of the Act take effect no later than 15 days …
A patient’s ability to better access healthcare and overcome traditional barriers of time and distance comes with the help of innovative technologies. To keep up in a world consumed by tech, the healthcare industry continues to listen to the demands of its consumers with further acceptance and utilization of telemedicine. …
When an individual is searching for a job or is already currently employed, health benefits remain a high point of interest, a necessity, especially in a strong economy and tight labor market. Recent surveys suggest, 80% of employees would choose additional health benefits over a pay raise. This explains why …
On June 24, 2019, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at improving price and quality transparency in healthcare. Click here for more information. On November 15, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury (Departments) issued a proposed rule regarding transparency in coverage …
The Internal Revenue System (IRS) recently announced the 2020 dollar limits for employee benefits including: High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPS), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Transportation Benefits, and Adoption Assistance. As cost of living expenses continue to rise due to inflation, the IRS annually adjusts contribution limits …
Amazon has announced that it’s launching a virtual health clinic for Seattle-based employees and their families. What is the goal of this virtual health clinic? It will aim to provide telemedicine, in-person services, in-home follow-up appointments for employees, as well as serve as a vehicle for prescribing medications. This new …
The Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services and the Treasury Departments have finalized resources to promote compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). These resources include: Final FAQs on mental health parity; A final model form that plan participants may use to request information …
Creative Benefits, Inc. has been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal!  Coming in at… #11 on PBJ’s 2019 Employee Benefit Consultants Firms Ranked by Number of Employee Benefit Professionals List #13 on PBJ’s 2019 Women-Owned Businesses in the Philadelphia Region Ranked by Revenue List As the eleventh largest firm …
What Is An HSA? An HSA is your Health Savings Account, available to individuals enrolled in high deductible health plans (HDHPS). Individuals can use their HSAs to pay for expenses covered under the HDHP until their deductible has been met, or they can use their HSAs to pay for qualified …
Beginning in 2020, a new California law requires employers that sponsor flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to notify employees of any deadline to withdraw FSA funds before the end of the plan year. This requirement applies to the following types of flexible spending accounts (FSAs), but is not limited to, dependent …
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes an annual, non-deductible fee on the health insurance sector, allocated across the industry according to market share. The applicable amount in the past for each fee year was: $8 billion for calendar year 2014; $11.3 billion for calendar years 2015 and 2016; $13.9 billion …
The IRS has updated their Questions and Answers (Q&As) on the employer shared responsibility rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to include adjusted penalty amounts for 2019 and 2020. According to the FAQs, the penalty amounts will be increased as follows: For calendar year 2019, the adjusted $2,000 amount …
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 …
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 …
