Opinions Archives | Page 26 of 51

Opinions | February 17th, 2012

403(b) Plans, Post-Final Regulations – A Work in Progress

February 17, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - Ice the bubbly and line up your designated drivers; we will soon be celebrating the fifth anniversary of the publishing of the...

Opinions | February 8th, 2012

Covering Women’s Preventive Care – Part I

As we have reported previously, in August 2011 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted several new preventive care guidelines for women.

Opinions | January 25th, 2012

SECOND OPINIONS: PPACA Form W-2 Reporting Requirement

The IRS recently issued additional interim guidance (Notice 2012‐9, the "Notice") on reporting the cost of employer-provided health care coverage on Form W‐2 (new Code "DD" reporting).

Opinions | January 24th, 2012

Properly Terminating a 403(b) Plan

January 24, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Included in the new 403(b) regulations is the rule allowing plan terminations as a distributable event.

Opinions | January 10th, 2012

SECOND OPINIONS: Which Health Plan Benefits Are "Essential" under PPACA?

On 12/16/11, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), which operates under the Department of Health and Human Services, issued a bulletin outlining the process it...

Opinions | January 6th, 2012

Review Season Approaching. Run Tight Meetings or Run the Risk

January 6, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - If you can’t prove that you have reviewed your plan’s performance and operations and made changes as appropriate, you will have little...

Opinions | December 27th, 2011

SECOND OPINIONS: PPACA Coverage Mandate Penalties

What are the penalties for violating the PPACA waiting period limitation and the other PPACA coverage mandates?

Opinions | December 6th, 2011

New Hire Eligibility Waiting Periods

Does the PPACA regulate eligibility periods imposed by individual companies for new hires to wait before they can participate in a company-sponsored health plan?

Opinions | December 2nd, 2011

Options for Employers not Eligible to Sponsor a 403(b)

December 2, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - As with many employers, it is possible for a 403(b) plan sponsor’s tax status to change, or for the plan sponsor to...

Opinions | November 22nd, 2011

PPACA: What Should be on Your 2012 Checklist

As we all know, there was a big push under PPACA for plan sponsors to amend health plans for the 2011 plan year. While there are not as...

Opinions | November 18th, 2011

Board Member best practices: A “heads-up” regarding the retirement plan responsibility chain.

November 18, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - To non-profit organization board members: Thank you for your service, without which the good work of non-profit organizations wouldn’t be able to...

Opinions | November 15th, 2011

Second Opinions: Time to Update Your EOB Checklist!

As we have discussed in this column previously, there have been a number of changes under PPACA to the claims and appeals rules, including a new external review...

Opinions | November 9th, 2011

Proposed Regulation on Exchange Eligibility (Part II)

On August 17, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed regulation (the...

Opinions | November 1st, 2011

Proposed Regulation on Exchange Eligibility (Part I)

On August 17, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed regulation (the "Proposed Regulation") that clarifies the duties of Exchanges with respect to...

Opinions | October 31st, 2011

IMHO: Thanks Giving

October 31, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A few weeks back we announced that, after a dozen years here at PLANSPONSOR, effective November 1, I am joining the Employee Benefit Research Institute...

Opinions | October 25th, 2011

IMHO: Lessened, Learned?

October 26, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - When I’m talking to plan sponsors (and advisers) about the challenges of being an ERISA fiduciary, I’m generally inclined to emphasize the...

Opinions | October 25th, 2011

Enrollment Materials Are a Good Time To Provide Annual & PPACA Notices

October 25, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Many plans are in the midst of annual enrollment, so we have been receiving questions about what notices plans must provide this year...

Opinions | October 21st, 2011

Preparing for the 403(b) Prototype Program

October 21, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR (b)lines) - One of the more significant changes included in final 403(b) regulations, which became effective in 2009, was the written plan requirement.

Opinions | October 19th, 2011

IMHO: Catching Your Drift

October 19, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - I recently found myself driving in an unfamiliar city without the aid of a GPS (global positioning system).

Opinions | October 18th, 2011

External Review: To Delegate or Not Delegate, That is the Question

October 18, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The new external review rules for self-funded plans include a number of obligations for the plan sponsor.