The verdict is in, but while the Supreme Court ruling on PPACA offers some clarity for individuals, families and businesses on the future of the health insurance industry, the scramble to sort out the details and address unanswered questions is likely to continue for a long time.

As the insurance industry continues to prepare for the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on healthcare reform, due out any time, there’s at least one thing everyone agrees on:  the rules have changed forever.

COBRA compliance can be tricky for both COBRA participants and COBRA administrators. Sending the wrong COBRA notices or even the right notices at the wrong time can have costly consequences as the employer in our tale discovered.

One of the most significant aspects of the new healthcare reform law is the creation of health insurance exchanges. And yet with all of the confusion surrounding the new law, this provision could easily be the one your employees and/or clients know the least about.

The administration of health benefits is likely one of your biggest headaches, and it’s vital to keep yourself informed and up to date on the changing laws and compliance requirements.

With all of the provisions of healthcare reform legislation going into effect, you no doubt have plenty of questions you need answered so you can understand the new law and make sure you’re in compliance. One great resource for up to date information on HR issues, and answers to your most pressing questions is the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration website. With regular updates, they can help you stay on top of the latest changes.

With Healthcare Reform in flux, it's a confusing time for employers and healthcare brokers. However, one thing that's not confusing is the future of COBRA administration. Regardless of the Healthcare Reform outcome, COBRA compliance will continue to be a requirement. To help you separate fact from fiction, we've tackled three common COBRA administration myths below:

Test your COBRA compliance knowledge: Are you required to offer COBRA for your vision plan? What about life insurance? Get the low-down on COBRA Compliance requirements here.

In March of 2012, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published revised audit guidelines for COBRA compliance. The revised COBRA guidelines are intended to encompass laws enacted over the last decade that overlap with COBRA administration such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Instant messaging, also known as IM, has become prevalent at work, and is fast becoming a management and HR issue. In fact, a report issued by Radicati.com, states that in 2011 there were nearly 2.6 billion IM accounts worldwide and that number is expected to grow to over 3.8 billion by the end of 2015.  According to Radicati, that’s a growth rate of 11% per year. IM isn’t necessarily bad or disruptive for businesses IF it’s used correctly and for the right purposes.