Education Blog
Construction Contracts – Insurance and Beyond
It goes without saying that any contract should be carefully reviewed before signing. But construction contracts can be especially tricky, given their unique language and the potentially far-reaching consequences when something goes wrong. This is why we highly recommend a lawyer or in-house counsel review all contracts. Here’s an overview of the highlights – and…
Read MorePay or Play Enforcement for Health Insurance Begins
As 2018 drew to a close, the IRS began sending enforcement letters related to employer compliance with shared responsibility rules under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for calendar year 2016. Let’s take a look at what this means. The document in question is known as Letter 226-J and informs employers of their potential liability for…
Read MoreEmployer’s Alert: New Health Insurance and other Benefit Plan Limits for 2019
Annual dollar limits affect many employee benefit plans, and are periodically adjusted to allow for inflation. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced a series of such cost-of-living adjustments for various welfare and retirement plan limits for 2019. Annual limits for these benefits vehicles will increase for the coming year: High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and…
Read MoreMaryland License Renewal and the REAL ID Act
If you or your family members need to renew a Maryland driver’s license, be aware that you’ll now need additional documentation. The changes stem from the REAL ID Act, a federal law passed by Congress in the wake of September 11, 2001 attacks. The REAL ID Act establishes specific minimum federal standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and…
Read MoreWorkers’ Compensation Audits – Don’t Get Hit in the Wallet
One unhappy trend we’ve been seeing lately is more and more employers being hit with audit noncompliance penalties from their workers’ compensation carriers. These penalties can be very significant, up to twice the annual premium, so let’s take a look at how to avoid them. Like any insurance policy, a workers’ compensation policy is a…
Read MoreTelemedicine Benefits & Compliance Issues
Telemedicine is becoming increasingly popular, and with good reason … a telemedicine program allows individuals to use technology such as videoconferencing in order to access medical care without actually visiting a provider. For many less-complex medical issues, a virtual visit to a medical professional can be a big saver of time and money. There are,…
Read MoreAruba, Jamaica … or Stuck in Newark? The Case for Travel Insurance
There’s no doubt that the Age of the Internet has changed the way we travel, from the way we book airfare and hotels to options that didn’t exist a few short years ago like Airbnb and other home-sharing services. The one thing that hasn’t changed about vacationing, though, is that things can and do go…
Read MoreIs Your Prescription Drug Coverage Creditable?
Employers providing prescription drug coverage to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D must inform both the individuals and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether their prescription drug coverage is “creditable.” Let’s take a look at what that means: The prescription drug coverage in a group health plan is considered creditable…
Read MoreNew I-9 Form In Effect September 18th
In July of 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an updated version of Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). Under federal law, every employer that recruits, refers for a fee or hires an individual for employment in the United States must complete a Form I-9. While there has been a grace period…
Read More2018 ACA Reporting Draft Forms Now Available
The Internal Revenue Service has released draft versions of 2018 forms for Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting under IRS Code Sections 6055 and 6056. Specifically, Forms 1094-C and 1095-C are now available in draft versions for reporting under Section 6055 and 6066, as are Forms 1094-B and 1095-B for reporting under Section 6066. Here’s what…
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