COBRA CONUNDRUMS is reprinted from the September 2014 issue of Health Insurance Underwriter Magazine featuring our very own Robert Meyers.

Tags: cobra administration, COBRA during a merger, COBRA merger and acquisition rules

It’s time again to bid farewell to another year and sing another chorus of Auld Lang Syne. And after the whirlwind of PPACA challenges in 2014, many employers are probably happy to move on.

Tags: PPACA compliance, labor audits, PPACA audit program

Today’s post comes to us compliments of Ken Mason at Spencer Fane Britt and Browne LLP.

Tags: benefits administration, ACA penalties, FSA contributions

The office holiday party. It’s one of the most popular events of the season. It’s a great time for employees to socialize together away from work, and a chance for employers to give something back to their workers for their hard work throughout the year.

Tags: cobra administration, holiday risk management, COBRA when fired for gross misconduct

Some say the recession is finally over. We’ll leave it to the economists to make the final call, but one thing we know for sure is that voluntary benefits continue to gain popularity – with employers and employees alike.

Tags: cobra administration, COBRA for voluntary benefits, voluntary benefits

November 15 marked the launch of the second open enrollment period for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). After months of fixing glitches and replacing some key management figures, the federal government is promising a much smoother experience for enrollees this time around.

Tags: Affordable Care Act update, aca, health insurance, group health insurance, COBRAGuard blog

With employers still struggling with the long list of new rules and regulations under the Affordable Care Act, the last thing they need is a last-minute surprise.

Tags: ACA compliance, affordable care act, Minimum value plans, MVP plans, employer compliance

Prepare to be amazed!  This eye-opening infographic takes a detailed look at health care in the U.S. in comparison to other countries around the world. Discover how much health care costs, who is uninsured and why, and how the high cost of health care leads to other travesties like bankruptcy, or failing to seek treatment.

Tags: u.s. health care, health care in the u.s., cost of health care, health care costs

If you have a high deductible health plan and have been wondering about FSA/HSA eligibility issues, this article is for you. It also includes updates on the health plan identifier (HPID) analysis for HRA/FSA plans.  Technical stuff for sure, but nevertheless important. All this interesting info comes to us from our friends at ProBenefits, Inc.  Thank you, ProBenefits, for helping to keep COBRAGuard readers on the cutting edge of health care reform!

Tags: cobra administration, aca update, health reform compliance, health reform news

Now that the Affordable Care Act’s “shared responsibility” provisions are in place, it’s time to get ready for the reporting requirements that go into effect in 2015.

Tags: cobra coverage, individual mandate, affordable care act, minimal essential coverage, share responsibility penalty, ACA reporting requirements