HHS Announces Proposed Rule to Strengthen Nondiscrimination in Health Care
On July 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a proposed rule implementing Section 1557 of the...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Aug 12
- 1 min
Federal: ACA Affordability Threshold Decreases
On July 25, 2022, the IRS announced that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) affordability threshold will be 9.12 percent, reduced from 9.61...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Aug 11
- 1 min
Inflation Subsidy Act - ACA Subsidy Extension
On Sunday August 7th, the U.S. Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This bill contains a $64 billion, 3-year extension of...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jul 19
- 5 min
Employee Benefit Trends That Are Shaping 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic shifted just about every aspect of our lives – including how we work, where we work, and what we want from our...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 27
- 5 min
Employer Considerations for Coverage of Abortion Benefits
In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade, states...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 13
- 3 min
Distributing Required Notices: What You Need to Know
There are a lot of notices and materials that employers are required to distribute to their employees each year. The requirements for...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 8
- 2 min
Question of the Week
Do we need to offer summer interns group health insurance? Whether you need to offer benefits depends on your health plan eligibility...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- May 12
- 1 min
Timeline of Benefit Notices for Group Health Plans
THIS TIMELINE PROVIDES GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING FEDERAL BENEFIT NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYER-SPONSORED HEALTH PLANS. ADDITIONAL...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- May 9
- 1 min
State Disability Insurance Mandates
Currently, five states require employers to provide Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) wage replacement benefits to their employees who...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Apr 25
- 3 min
Infertility HRAs: Compliance Considerations for an Emerging Trend
In an effort to offer more robust and cost-effective infertility coverage to employees, the Infertility HRA is an increasingly popular...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Apr 20
- 1 min
Business Owners - Planning Opportunities
PRESENTED BY PRINCIPAL Business owners faced historic challenges during the pandemic, but now they’re gaining confidence. A record 36%...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Feb 1
- 2 min
FDA Authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 Treatment Pill
On Wednesday, December 22, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorization for an antiviral...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jan 25
- 2 min
PCORI Fee Amount Adjusted for 2022
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued Notice 2022-04 to increase the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Oct 12, 2021
- 4 min
5 Strategies for Reducing Health Benefits Costs in 2022
For the past two decades, health costs have increased each year. This happens for a variety of reasons, such as inflation or, say, a...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 30, 2021
- 1 min
The Importance of Preventive Care
Photo: Pixabay Seven out of 10 Americans die each year from chronic diseases, many of which are preventable. When preventive care is used...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 22, 2021
- 1 min
Benefits Debit Cards
Photo: Pixabay Benefits debit cards are a valuable asset if you participate in flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Jun 16, 2021
- 1 min
Understanding Accident Insurance
Photo: Pixabay Whether you suffer a concussion falling off a ladder or dislocate your shoulder moving the couch, injuries can lead to...
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Apr 1, 2021
- 1 min
Understanding Prescription Drug Pricing Trends
In 2019, the United States spent nearly $370 billion on prescription drugs, keeping trend with significant increases year over year....
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Mar 25, 2021
- 1 min
CMS Extends Individual SEP
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has extend the Marketplace Special Enrollment Period (SEP) through August 15, 2021....
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Karl J. Ruth Jr.
- Mar 9, 2021
- 1 min
Surprise Billing From Out-of-Network Providers.
In 2020, two bills were signed into Michigan Law to protect individuals from surprise billing from out-of-network providers. In...
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