Taking A Strategic Look at Health Insurance and PPACA
Originally posted February 05, 2014 by Thom Mangan on https://eba.benefitnews.com
I checked in with Peter Freska, CEBS, Benefits Advisor with UBA Partner Firm, The LBL Group, and asked him what he’s seeing in the employer-sponsored insurance marketplace. Peter specializes in the large employer market and emphasizes long-term strategic planning to his clients.
Thom: Peter, what are you seeing as the top questions on employers’ minds as they begin to plan (if they have not already) for how best to adapt to the changing health insurance market?
Peter: Healthcare.gov offers some interesting insight into what business owners are asking, with the following questions:
While these questions may be a good place to start, employers are still faced with rising insurance premiums and reduced benefits. Planning for next year has always been important, but unfortunately, many employers only look as far ahead as the next renewal. The health care landscape is rapidly changing. With the current insurance companies re-filing new plans and networks, and new companies trying to break into the health insurance market and the continued vertical and horizontal integration of health care delivery systems — well, the times they are a-changin’.
Thom: What, currently, is the most pressing aspect of health care reform in the eyes of many employers?
Peter: As it sits, the “Cadillac Tax” legislation that’s slated to take effect on January 1, 2018.
Employers who provide health plans that are too rich (“Cadillac plans”) must pay a non-deductible 40% excise tax on the value of health plan coverage that exceeds $10,200 (indexed) for individual coverage and $27,500 (indexed) for family coverage. Value is based on both employer and employee contributions for medical coverage, health FSAs, HRAs, onsite clinics and employer HSA contributions.
Thom: Yes, according to the most recent UBA Health Plan Survey, employers in the Northeast are particularly at risk of facing the “Cadillac Tax” because of their high annual cost per employee (total cost). The Northeast has the highest total cost in the country at $10,808 per employee, which also saw the largest increase in cost at 5.35% (mostly because they still offer low deductible plans). The Southeast, however, remains the lowest cost region at $7,846 per employee with a renewal of 1.98%. A combination of non-deductible plans in the Northeast with a prevalence of massive state-mandated benefits is what’s driving the high costs of the Northeast (if fully insured).
So this impending tax poses some interesting questions for employers. What are they doing to prepare for this event?
Peter: Good question, Thom. Some wonder if they even should plan for this event! Many feel that these limits are too low, as there are plans today that exceed these numbers. Others feel that the inflation rate that the health plan values are indexed to after 2018 (CPI-U + 1%) is too low, stating that it does not meet medical inflation rates (Health Policy Briefs – Excise Tax on ‘Cadillac’ Plans).
But ultimately, when coming face-to-face with this excise tax, businesses will have to get their costs under control in order to avoid it. The question is, how do they do that?
We’ll likely see more of the same that they have done for many years: more managed care and cost shifting through contribution and benefit changes. The question that remains is, “will this be enough?” As medical costs continue to rise and more minimum value plans are offered by employers, when will the wiggle room be gone?
Employers with a strategic viewpoint are working with their trusted advisor to review the possibilities. They are strategizing on options now so that they are prepared for what lies ahead. There might be changes to the “Cadillac Tax,” but this is only one of several taxes under PPACA. Additionally, there are employer reporting requirements going into effect. Employers have more to manage than ever before. It is more important than ever to partner with an advisor that understands these new responsibilities, and is able to work with an employer to meet their goals. Always review the scope of work from an advisor to make sure it can align with the strategic goals of the organization. With or without PPACA, this is how an employer can make a difference in how it provides benefits.
Thom: Yes, although challenging, it’s an exciting time to be a benefits advisor. Thank you, Peter, for sharing this information.
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll for January 2014
Originally posted January 30, 2014 on https://kff.org
January 1st may have been a monumental date for those working on and closely following the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds little change in the public’s knowledge and views of the law. With enrollment in new coverage options underway, a majority of the public believes that only “some” of the ACA’s provisions have been put into place, while just about one in five think “most” or “all” of the law has been implemented. Awareness of the law’s individual mandate and health insurance exchanges has increased slightly since last year, but about four in ten of the public overall and half the uninsured remain unaware of other major provisions. For the third month in a row, overall views of the law remain at their post-rollout more negative levels (50 percent unfavorable, 34 percent favorable), though over half the public – including three in ten of those who view the law unfavorably – say opponents should work on improving the law rather than keeping up efforts to repeal it.
Among the uninsured – a key group for outreach under the law – unfavorable views now outnumber favorable views by roughly a 2-to-1 margin (47 percent versus 24 percent). This is a change from last month when 43 percent of the uninsured had an unfavorable view and 36 percent were favorable. More of those without coverage say the law has made the uninsured as a group worse off (39 percent) than better off (26 percent). Despite these views, large shares of the uninsured see health insurance as “very important” and say they need it, while four in ten say they’ve tried to get coverage in the past 6 months, and half expect to get it this year.
January 1st Didn’t Register With The Public
The latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that even after most of the ACA’s major provisions took effect on January 1, a large majority of the public (62 percent) continues to believe that only “some” provisions of the ACA have been put into place thus far. Only about one in five (19 percent) say “most” or “all” provisions have been implemented, up somewhat from 9 percent last March.
When it comes to the individual elements of the law, awareness has increased slightly for two of the big ones: the individual mandate (81 percent now say it is part of the law, up from 74 percent last March) and the health insurance exchanges (68 percent, up from 58 percent). Still, large shares of the public – and even higher shares of the uninsured – remain unaware of some other major provisions of the law. For example, roughly four in ten adults overall, and about half of the uninsured, are not aware that the law provides financial help to low- and moderate-income Americans to help them purchase coverage, gives states the options of expanding their Medicaid programs, and prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.
| FIGURE 2: Many Uninsured Remain Unaware Of Some Major ACA Provisions | ||||
| Total public | Uninsured, age<65 | |||
| To the best of your knowledge, would you say the health reform law does or does not…? | Yes, law does this | No/Don’t know | Yes, law does this | No/Don’t know |
| Require nearly all Americans to have health insurance or else pay a fine | 81 | 19 | 79 | 22 |
| Create health insurance exchanges or marketplaces where people who don’t get coverage through their employers can shop for insurance and compare prices and benefits | 68 | 31 | 62 | 38 |
| Provide financial help to low and moderate income Americans who don’t get insurance through their jobs to help them purchase coverage | 63 | 38 | 54 | 46 |
| Give states the option of expanding their existing Medicaid program to cover more low-income, uninsured adults | 58 | 42 | 49 | 51 |
| Prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s medical history | 54 | 46 | 48 | 53 |
On a more personal level, 44 percent of the public overall – including 66 percent of the uninsured –continue to say they don’t have enough information to understand how the law will impact their families.
Overall Views Remain Negative, But Public Wants Opponents To Work On Fixes Rather Than Repeal
Views of the law overall remain more negative than positive this month, with 50 percent saying they have an unfavorable view and 34 percent favorable, almost identical to the split in opinion since November. Still, more than half the public overall, including three in ten of those who view the law unfavorably, say opponents should accept that it’s the law of the land and work to improve it, while fewer than four in ten want opponents to keep up the repeal fight.
Most Continue To Say They Haven’t Felt An Impact From The ACA, But More Feel They’ve Been Affected Negatively Than Positively
At the same time, most Americans continue to report no personal experience with the law to date. Roughly six in ten say they haven’t been directly impacted by the law in a positive or negative way, though the share who perceive that they’ve been negatively impacted continues to be larger than the share who feel they’ve benefited (27 percent versus 15 percent). Those who feel they’ve been negatively impacted by the law are most likely to point to high costs of health care and insurance as the reason. With official data showing that only a very small share of the public overall have enrolled in the ACA’s coverage arrangements so far, these shares likely reflect people’s perceptions of being helped or harmed by the law, rather than actual experiences with new insurance options under the ACA.
Among The Uninsured, Unfavorable Views Outnumber Favorable By 2-to-1, And More Believe They’re Worse Off Under The Law Than Better
Among the uninsured – a key group targeted by the ACA – views of the law shifted negative this month. A quarter (24 percent) of those who currently lack coverage now say they have a favorable view of the law, while nearly twice as many (47 percent) have an unfavorable view and about three in ten (28 percent) decline to offer an opinion. In December, views among the uninsured were more evenly split (36 percent favorable, 43 percent unfavorable).
More than half of the uninsured (54 percent) say the law hasn’t made much difference for their families, and the share who feel they’re worse off as a result of the law is more than twice the share who feel they’re better off (30 percent versus 13 percent). When asked about the uninsured as a group, those without coverage are more likely to say the law has left this group worse off than better (39 percent versus 26 percent). We will continue to track these perceptions as more of the uninsured gain coverage.
Most Uninsured Say They Need Coverage; Four In Ten Have Tried To Get It In The Last 6 Months; Half Expect To Get It This Year
The survey also finds that most of the uninsured see health insurance coverage as very important (70 percent) and something they need (73 percent). Among those who currently lack coverage, four in ten say they have tried to get it in the past 6 months, including about one in five each who tried to get coverage from Medicaid (19 percent), directly from a private insurance company (19 percent), and through a state or federal health insurance exchange (18 percent).1
When told or reminded of the law’s requirement that most Americans obtain insurance or pay a fine, half the uninsured say they expect to get coverage, including about one in five (18 percent) who expect to purchase it themselves (either from a private insurance company or through an exchange), 8 percent who expect to get it from Medicaid, and 6 percent who expect to get coverage from an employer. A sizable share (17 percent of the uninsured overall) say they expect to get coverage but are unsure where.
Four in ten of those without coverage say they expect to remain uninsured, with most of these saying they don’t think they’ll be able to find an affordable plan. As noted above, many of the uninsured remain unaware of the additional options available to them under the ACA, including the insurance exchanges, subsidies, and expanded Medicaid in some states.
A Quarter Of The Public Overall Report A Change In Their Insurance Situation In The Past 6 months, Including One In Ten Who Attribute It To The ACA
As we pointed out in this Data Note [hyperlink], national public opinion polls aren’t the best vehicle for measuring the experiences of the small group of people who’ve actually gained coverage through the ACA so far. One thing we can do on the Kaiser Health Tracking Poll is to measure people’s perceptions about changes in their insurance situation and what role they think the law has played in those changes. This month’s poll finds a quarter (24 percent) of the public reports that they’ve had a change in their health insurance situation in the past 6 months, and four in ten of these (10 percent of the public overall) believe this change was a result of the health care law.
Among the 10 percent who perceive that their insurance status has changed as a result of the ACA, twice as many believe it was a change for the worse rather than for the better. However, about half this group currently has coverage through an employer, and most report that the change in their coverage was a change from one plan to another, suggesting that many of them may be attributing regular changes in insurance coverage to the law.
| FIGURE 11: Perceptions And Demographics Of Those Who Believe They Had A Change In Insurance Status As A Result Of The ACA | |
| Among the 10% who had a change in insurance status and believe it was a result of the ACA | |
| Would you say the change in your health insurance situation was a change for the better or a change for the worse? | |
| Better | 29% |
| Worse | 61 |
| No difference/Don’t know/Refused | 10 |
| Which best describes the change in your health insurance situation? | |
| Changed plans | 45 |
| Lost or dropped coverage | 14 |
| Got health insurance after being uninsured | 15 |
| Costs went up (vol.) | 12 |
| Some other change | 10 |
| Current health insurance status/type | |
| Insured (NET) | 92 |
| Employer | 50 |
| Self-purchase | 19 |
| Medicare | 6 |
| Medicaid | 13 |
| Other coverage | 3 |
| Uninsured | 6 |
| Don’t know/Refused | 2 |
More Report Seeing News Stories About Negative Rather Than Positive Impacts On People
This month’s poll also examined views of the media environment surrounding the ACA, and finds the majority say coverage of the law is focused more on politics and controversies (56 percent) rather than on how the law might impact people (6 percent), shares that have held steady since last fall. When it comes to personal stories in the news, about half the public (47 percent) reports hearing at least one story in the last month about an individual or family who was impacted by the law, with about twice as many saying they saw more stories about people being harmed (27 percent) as saying they saw more stories about people being helped (13 percent).
1. Multiple responses were allowed, since people may have tried to get coverage from more than one source in the past 6 months
Be careful about what constitutes affordable care
Originally posted December 13, 2013 by Keith R. McMurdy on https://eba.benefitnews.com
When considering what constitutes affordable coverage under the Affordable Care Act, some employers have come to me and said “Well, I will just charge everybody 9.5 percent of employees’ pay.” And on its face, that seems to be what the rule permits. But, as with other components of the ACA, Congress may have overlooked that our old friend ERISA already has a little something to say about what employees can be charged as a contribution.
Generally, ERISA does not require plans to provide the same benefit coverage to all employees. But the plan’s offerings have to be made in a manner that is non-discriminatory. HIPAA makes it illegal to charge different contributions to employees based on health factors. Specifically, an employer cannot charge some employees more than any other similarly situated individuals based on medical conditions, claims experience, receipt of health care services, genetic information or disability. But HIPAA does allow an employer to make other distinctions in benefits that are offered in the cost to employees, provided the distinctions are not discriminatory.
In order to avoid discrimination, plans have to limit their distinctions between employees to “bona fide employment-based classifications.” The most common examples are things like full-time or part-time status, geographic locations and salaried versus hourly employees. In some instances, it may even be permissible to charge different rates based on time of service, but employers have to be wary of age discrimination rules. However, what is clear is that the plan has to define the rules and explain how the rules apply to each classification of employee.
What employers should be considering as they prepare their compliance program for 2015 is how they define these job classifications. For example, take two employees who do the exact same job, but one makes $10 per hour and the other makes $10.50 per hour simply because they have been employed a year longer. If the employer charges both of these employees 9.5% of their wages for health insurance contributions, there would be discrimination between them because they are similarly situated employees being charged two different rates for the same benefit coverage. Absent plan rules that explain the distinction, this difference in contributions would be discriminatory and arguably impermissible under ERISA.
So before assuming that everyone can be charged 9.5% of box 1 of their W-2s, consider what ERISA already has in place. It is not that it can’t be done this way, it is only that it has to be done properly, with the right plan language and with the correct limits in place. The ACA compliance is also ERISA compliance and employers should seek assistance for staying in line with both.
The information in this Legal Alert is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as specific legal advice.
Healthcare Reform Curbs Full-Time Hiring
Originally posted December 12, 2013 by Jon Jimison on https://medcitynews.com
Almost half of U.S. companies are wary of taking on full-time employees as a result of the Affordable Care Act.
And 20 percent are likely to hire fewer employees while 10 percent may actually lay off employees in response to what's been dubbed "Obamacare."
That's according to the findings from Duke University/CFO Magazine's Global Business Outlook Survey, which was concluded Dec. 5.
The survey found American chief financial officials indicated that because of the Affordable Care Act, they may reduce employment growth or even shift toward part-time employees. In fact, more than 40 percent of companies will consider targeting part-time workers for future employment, the survey found.
"These are some negative, perhaps, unintended consequences of the Affordable Care Act that companies are wrestling with right now that might dampen the hiring horizon a bit," said John Graham, Duke Fuqua School of Business finance professor and a director of the survey.
There was, however, a silver lining in the survey. It found that underlying economic conditions are expected to improve next year. Fifty-two percent of U.S. business leaders believe economic conditions for their firms will be better in 2014.
There will still be some expected employment growth, but health care reform has reduced that growth from what it could have been, Graham reported.
Capital spending among businesses might fare better, increasing up to 7 percent next year.
President Barack Obama's signature 2010 health care law requires many companies to provide insurance to all full-time workers, which the law defines as those who work 30 or more hours per week. Some businesses reportedly have given part-time schedules to their former full-time staffers to skirt insurance requirements.
Larger companies that employ 50 or more people are required to provide health insurance under the law. Smaller companies can opt out.
"The inadequacies of the ACA website have grabbed a lot of attention, even though many of those issues have been or can be fixed," Graham said. "Our survey points to a more detrimental and potentially long-lasting problem. An unintended consequence of the Affordable Care Act will be a reduction in full-time employment growth in the United States. Companies plan to increase full-time employment by 1.4 percent in 2014, a rate of growth which is down from last quarter and unlikely to put a dent in the unemployment rate. CFOs indicate that full-time employment growth would be stronger in the absence of the ACA."
"I doubt the advocates of this legislation would have foretold the negative impact on employment," said Campbell Harvey, finance professor at Fuqua and a director of the survey. "The impact on the real economy is startling. Nearly one-third of firms may either terminate employees or hire fewer people in the future as a direct result of ACA."
Health care in a top local concern as well, officials have said.
Changes to health insurance requirements top the list of concerns for local businesses, Christy Proctor, Wilson Chamber of Commerce chairwoman-elect, previously said.
Most Americans will be required to have health insurance in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act. The law requires coverage and includes fines for not getting insurance. There are subsidies for people who fall below certain income levels. Under the law, residents can't be refused coverage for a pre-existing condition.
The issue has become a heated political debate.
Republicans are quick to point out problems with the government-run website. They also point out Department of Health and Human Services enrollment data showing that fewer than 9,000 North Carolinians enrolled from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30.
Democratic Sen. Kay R. Hagan said she and others called for an investigation into the contracting process related to healthcare.gov">healthcare.gov. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesdsay announced that the inspector general of the agency will conduct such an investigation.
"I am pleased that the administration has agreed to investigate the contracting process related to healthcare.gov as I urged them to do last month," Hagan said in a statement. "There is no excuse for not having the website ready from day one, and we must learn whatever lessons we can to ensure we never again have an issue like the initial failures of healthcare.gov">healthcare.gov. I will continue to monitor the progress of this investigation to ensure it is completed in a timely and transparent manner."
Another PPACA deadline delayed
Originally posted December 12, 2013 by Allison Bell on https://www.benefitspro.com
The Obama administration has issued new regs that public exchanges – and participating carriers – can use to cope with startup problems. Most importantly, it pushes the selection and payment deadline for Jan.1 plan coverage to Dec. 23.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has given the batch of “interim final regulations” the title “Maximizing January 1, 2014, Coverage Opportunities” and is preparing to publish the regs in the Federal Register next week.
The Dec. 23 deadline applies to all sorts of exchange plans, including Small Business Health Options Program QHPs, multi-state plans and standalone dental pans, officials said. The original deadline was Dec. 15.
Insurers selling commercial plans through the exchanges with coverage dates starting Jan. 1 now must accept premium payments as late as Dec. 31.
State-based exchanges can set later deadlines for either individual or SHOP coverage.
Managers of state-based exchanges who want to offer more flexibility can push the payment deadline for coverage that starts Jan. 1 back to Jan. 31, “if a QHP issuer is willing to accept such enrollments,” officials said.
Officials also included rules for provider directories.
If a QHP issuer has trouble keeping its provider directory up to date, it should add consumer safeguards, such as using the version of a provider directory available to consumers in a given month to determine whether care from a provider will be classified as in-network care, officials said.
It was the second PPACA-related delay a day after HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before Congress.
Almost Half Of Workers Don’t Know What Impact Affordable Care Act Will Have On Them
Originally posted November 06, 2013 on https://www.insurancebroadcasting.com
Online resources cited as most reliable source of information about law
COLUMBIA, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A survey conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company shows nearly half of American workers don’t feel knowledgeable about how the Affordable Care Act will impact them personally.
“Despite all the attention the Affordable Care Act has received in the past few years, nearly half of American workers still say they don’t know much about it”
In a poll of more than 1,000 U.S. employees (full-time and/or part-time)1, 47 percent of workers say they are not very knowledgeable or not at all knowledgeable about the impact the Affordable Care Act will have on them. Thirty-three percent say they’re not very knowledgeable about the law and its proposed personal impact, and 14 percent say they’re not at all knowledgeable.
“Despite all the attention the Affordable Care Act has received in the past few years, nearly half of American workers still say they don’t know much about it,” says Steve Bygott, assistant vice president of core market services at Colonial Life.
In other survey findings, 48 percent of workers say federal government websites are the most reliable source of information about the ACA and its personal impact on them. They rated internet or other online news sources as the next most reliable, cited by 44 percent of employees. Other sources viewed as reliable options include:
Their employers or HR departments
36 percent
Insurance company websites or literature
30 percent
TV news programs
25 percent
Printed magazines or newspapers
20 percent
Family or friends
18 percent
Other
8 percent
“Workers clearly need help understanding this law and its personal impact on them and their families,” says Bygott. “Because employers are viewed as one of the top three sources of reliable information on this topic, they have a tremendous opportunity to help their workers get the information they need when they communicate their benefits programs.”
Survey results were included as part of a white paper recently published by Colonial Life called “Beyond Health Care Reform.” The research paper outlines what employers should know about health care reform, employee benefits and the subsequent need for increased benefits education.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Colonial Life from September 3-5, 2013 among 2,046 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 1,023 are employed full-time or part-time. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Jeanna Moffett at Colonial Life at JMoffett@ColonialLife.com.
1 Online survey conducted within the United States for Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company by Harris Interactive, Sept. 3-5, 2013, among 2,046 U.S. adults age 18 and older, among whom 1,023 are employed full-time or part-time.
IRS loosens employer mandate reporting requirements
Originally posted September 9, 2013 by Gillian Roberts on https://eba.benefitnews.com
In a follow-up to the Obama administration’s July 2 employer mandate delay, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service issued a proposed rule late last week that would make certain reporting requirements in the provision of the Affordable Care Act voluntary. According to a statement by the department, “The regulatory proposals reflect an ongoing dialogue with representatives of employers, insurers, other reporting entities, and individual taxpayers.”
The changes include:
- “Eliminating the need to determine whether particular employees are full-time if adequate coverage is offered to all potentially full-time employees.”
- “Replacing section 6056 employee statements with Form W-2 reporting on offers of employer-sponsored coverage to employees, spouses, and dependents.”
- “Limited reporting for certain self-insured employers offering no-cost coverage to employees and their families.”
“Today’s proposed rules enable us to continue engaging on how best to implement the ACA reporting requirements in a more streamlined and focused manner,” said Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Mark J. Mazur in the statement. “We will continue to consider ways, consistent with the law, to simplify the new information reporting process and bring about a smooth implementation of those new rules.”
The full statement can be found here and the full rule, with details to provide comments, can be found here.
Proposed rules would ease employers' health plan reporting burden
Originally posted September 6, 2013 by Jerry Geisel on https://www.businessinsurance.com
Newly proposed Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department health care reform regulations would ease the amount of employee plan coverage information employers would have to report to federal regulators.
Under the proposed rules, released Thursday, employers would not be required to report cost information related to family coverage.
In addition, employers would have to report how much of the premium employees will have to pay for single coverage only.
Limiting that reporting requirement to single coverage is appropriate, the IRS and the Treasury Department said because a health care reform law affordability test applies only to single coverage — not family coverage.
Under that test, if the premium paid by employees for single coverage exceeds 9.5% of household income, the employee is eligible for a federal premium subsidy to purchase coverage in a public insurance exchange. If the employee uses the subsidy, the employer may be liable for a $3,000 penalty.
No penalty is assessed regardless of how much the employer charges for family coverage, making the need to collect such information unnecessary, regulators said.
“Because only the lowest-cost option of self-only coverage offered under any of the enrollment categories for which the employee is eligible is relevant to the determination of whether coverage is affordable — and thus to the administration of the premium tax credit and employer shared responsibility provisions — that is the only cost information proposed to be requested,” according to the proposed regulation, which is scheduled to be published in the Sept. 9 Federal Register.
While regulators have reduced the amount of information to be reported, “it is only limited relief. There still will be a massive amount of work to meet the reporting requirements,” said Rich Stover, a principal with Buck Consultants L.L.C. in Secaucus, N.J.
The proposed rules, though, could pose problems in other areas. For example, employers would be required to report tax identification numbers of employees' dependents.
Employers do not always have such information for every dependent, said Amy Bergner, managing director of human resources in Washington for PricewaterhouseCoopers L.L.P.
35 Things More Fun To Do Today Than Health Care Reform
Need a distraction to take your mind off the mayhem of Health Care Reform?
Have a little fun on us…courtesy of Google
35 THINGS MORE FUN TO DO TODAY THAN HEALTH CARE REFORM
Article brought to you by Saxon Financial Consulting
It seems that the changing landscape of Health Care Reform is never ending. Just when we think we have it all figured out we are dealt another change, shift, slide or bump.
Considering the punch that compliance fines will pack if you aren't in line with what you need to have done by the 2014 and 2015 deadlines, the topic of Health Care Reform & PPACA in general has been on everyone’s mind…. Relentlessly. With the small reprieve the government just passed down for employers, we thought we would share some fun for a change!
All kidding aside, we all know how important it is to stay updated on Health Care Reform and we don’t want you to worry or stress about trying to keep up with it all! We make it easy for you with our HCR Milestone Manager tool. The updates are free and straight from the experts. The updates are written in a way that is organized, actionable and simply makes sense! Get the bottom line on HCR delivered straight to your inbox by signing up today!
35 FUN GOOGLE SECRETS, PRANKS, TEASERS AND TRICKS
Google has long been known for its whimsical nature, and over the years has brought us engaging and thought provoking art simply by visiting the home search page of the industry giant. However, the fun doesn’t start there and, unless you start letting a bit of geek bleed through, you may not know about many of the secret surprises Google has built in for a daily amusement!
Whether it’s a short-lived ‘Let It Snow’ to bring the outdoors in, April Fool’s Day fun or hidden Easter Eggs (not the kind the bunny brings, but rather that of code which is a trigger to make hidden things happen by using a certain combination of keystrokes or actions) Google has never let us down.
So here is a list for you with links to see for yourself that is aimed to distract, detain, entertain and ultimately put a smile on your face when you least expect it! By the way, when your boss taps you on the shoulder and tells you to get back to work – blame it on Google, not this article!
Let’s have some fun!
1. Search Term: Askew (Careful, watching may cause the desire to lean)
2. Go to Google Homepage, Type in Chuck Norris and click I’m Feeling Lucky button
(depending on your search settings, this button will appear under the search bar, OR as you type a drop down list with suggestions will appear one of which will be something like Chuck Norris google. If you mouse over that the I’m Feeling Lucky links shows up to the right and you can click there).
3. Search Term: Google Gravity - In the same way as # 3 (using I’m feeling lucky)
4. See a bunch of the fun archived Google search pages here: https://elgoog.im including Mirror google, a personal favorite Terminal Google, Underwater Google (always the kids favorite), Musical Google (can you play the Harry Potter tune?), I See You Google, Google Snakes and Google PacMan
5. Search Term: recursion
(If you look too hard you might miss the laugh… Be sure to catch the Did You Mean: at the top of the search results.)
6. Gaze into the April Fool’s mentalplex by clicking https://www.google.com/mentalplex/
(Don’t miss the comedy within the page by clicking on the FAQ and illustrations links in the page)
7. Search Term: Google Pacman Doodle
(My personal favorite way to lose minutes and hours of productivity – Don’t forget to insert coin!)
8. Search Term: the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything
(Think Hitchhiker’ Guide to the Galaxy)
9. Search Term: the loneliest number
(I said search – don’t sing)
10. Search Term: once in a blue moon
(this can be quantified, apparently)
11. Search Term: Atari Breakout then click Images
(or just search Google Images from the get-go)
12. Search Term: define anagram (check out the Did you mean: at top of search results)
13. Search term: do a barrel roll (and hang on!!!)
14. Search term: zerg rush (you better hurry up and find what you are looking for!)
15. Search term: bacon number *enter famous actor/actress name here*, ex. Bacon Number Kevin Bacon will return a result of “0” (think Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon…)
16. Using Google Voice (click microphone on search bar) and say: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood
17. Using Google Maps search Legoland California, Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, CA, then zoom in and drag the Peg man onto the location (watch the Peg man change!)
18. Using Google Maps search Half Moon Island, Antarctica then drag peg man to blue location on island (watch the Peg man change)
19. Click here to search in the foreign languages of
Elmer Fudd: https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-elmer,
a Pirate https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-elmer,
Pig Latin https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-piglatin,
Klingon https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-klingon,
and a Hacker https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-hacker
20. If one sets the iGoogle theme to the "Beach" option, then at 3:14 am every morning, the Loch Ness Monster surfaces for 1-minute, then at 3:15 dives back under. The reason for the timing of 3:14 is rumored to be a tribute to the number pi. Additional 3:14 eggs include the "Seasonal Scape" showing off the Northern Lights, the "City Scape" with UFOs, the "Spring Scape" with a monster, the "Sweet Dreams" with the stars aligning to the shape of the symbol pi, and the "Tea House" that has spirits in the mist.
21. Get all the secrets behind Google’s search results with Pigeon Rank: https://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html
22. Drink the Google juice at Google Gulp https://www.google.com/googlegulp/
23. Check out Google’s prank on online dating services: Google Romance https://www.google.com/romance/ (by all means don’t forget the Tour, PR and FAQ!)
24. A little sarcasm goes a long way: Check out these links for Google Paper from 2007 –
Paper Index https://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/index.html,
Announcement of Service https://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/more.html,
Policies https://mail.google.com/mail/help/paper/policies.html
25. How’s your internet service in the toilet? Google provides a service for that… TiSP (Toilet Internet Service Provider) - Be sure to click around on all the different links – this one is loaded with laughs! https://www.google.com/tisp/
26. A going green ‘press release’ from Google Talk: https://googletalk.blogspot.com/2008/03/google-talk-goes-green.html
27. In coordination with Virgin Group – Google launched efforts to start a permanent human settlement on Mars:
Press release https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/announcing-project-virgle.html,
More about the project https://www.google.com/virgle/index.html,
Application page https://www.google.com/virgle/application.html,
and of course the ever famous FAQ https://www.google.com/virgle/faq.html
28. Google’s innovative take on Australian Football: https://www.google.com.au/intl/en/gball/
29. Explore Google earth’s 3D showcase: https://www.google.com/earth/explore/showcase/ (not just fun, but really cool actually)
30. Google voice’s STANDARD Voicemail mode: https://www.google.com/googlevoice/standard_voicemail.html (feeling a little nostalgic?)
31. Travelling with your pet and need to ensure translation is possible for them? Introducing Google Translate for Animals: https://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/landing/translateforanimals/
32. Announcement of Treasure Hunt on Google Maps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qFFHC0eIUc
33. Google Nose: Adding Smell to your Search: https://www.google.com/landing/nose/
34. The launch of Gmail Blue: https://mail.google.com/mail/help/intl/en/promos/blue/index.html
35. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Here is an oldie but a goody blog post from Mashable that catalogs some of the infamously, hilarious ‘fake (or are they)’ product release videos: https://mashable.com/2011/04/01/april-fools/
Whew! Tired yet?
Seriously…. If you reached the bottom of this list you should REALLY go back to getting some work done! Be sure to share this fun list with friends and family – guaranteed Kid Approved!! We know we missed a few, but hopefully captured most of the best from the Google archive of fun and ensured you weren't thinking about what is going on with Health Care Reform for at least a little while.
Don’t forget, if you want to easily stay up-to-date with all the latest Health Care Reform news, updates and more, sign up for the HCR Milestone Manager tool. The updates are free and straight from the experts, and written in a way that is organized, actionable and simply makes sense! Get the bottom line on HCR delivered straight to your inbox by signing up today!
Employers test mix of strategies to avoid PPACA
Original article from https://www.benefitspro.com
By Allen Greenberg
Employers that have pruned the hours of part-timers in response to PPACA have generated plenty of headlines, mostly negative. But it’s not the only strategy they’re testing in hopes of sparing themselves the expense of buying health insurance for everyone.
Around the country, companies are beginning to share employees.
They’re also increasingly turning to temporary staffing agencies.
When and where possible, they’re using independent contractors.
And, in some instances, they’re turning to professional employer organizations.
Often, none of these options are ideal but are viewed as the best way forward, especially for businesses subject to the law because they employ 50 or more people.
Concerns have been running high about how PPACA will impact business. A recent Gallup survey found that 48 percent of small-business owners say the law is going to be bad for business, compared with 9 percent who say it’s going to be good, and 39 percent who expect no impact at all.
The headline-grabbing response from business has, in part, included trimming of the part-time workforce. The law requires large employers offering health insurance to include part-time employees working 30 hours a week or more. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found that 11 percent of employers are shifting to more part-time employees or planning to do so in response to the new healthcare requirements.
But HR managers, small-business interest organizations and others say many companies also are doing what they can to preserve jobs.
It isn’t altruism alone; these business owners also are motived by a desire to keep their companies growing, if not thriving.
Kevin Kuhlman, the Washington, D.C.-based manager of legislative affairs for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said few of his organization’s members like the idea of “shrinking their businesses.”
That’s why, he said, “we’re seeing a lot of creative strategies” when it comes to addressing the employer mandates of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
“Folks are concerned about the sustainability of their business,” Kuhlman said. “Some might try to survive by atrophy, which isn’t a great approach, or try to find ways to be more productive with fewer employees.”
But rather than “resisting growth” or overwork employees, many companies are trying out new ways of getting the job done.
Sharing, for example.
Some businesses, especially those in the food-service world, are increasingly banding together to split an employee’s workweek between themselves and competitors. In other words, a cook might work 15 hours at one restaurant, put in another 15 at another eatery and wrap up with 10 hours at a third.
Labor interests might object that this approach amounts to exploitation, but advocates say it helps keep people fully employed, if not insured by an employer.
Employers also are turning to temporary staffing agencies as a possible solution.
Many temporary staffing firms are going to be considered large employers under Obamacare, meaning they’ll be compelled to provide health benefits or pay the penalties. But employers who turn to staffing agencies can save money because the cost of the benefits will be lower for a large employer.
How well this strategy will work is unclear. “The issue, of course, is what will the temp agency charge?” asked Dwight D. Menke, the owner of an eponymous brokerage in Topeka, Kansas.
The same goes for professional employer organizations, or PEOs.
ESCO Communications, an Indianapolis-based audio/visual equipment installer, turned to a PEO, WorkSmart Systems, after it faced a 40 percent hike in the company’s health plan last year.
"Health insurance was the real driver" for making the switch, CEO Chip Roth told Entrepreneur magazine. "By joining a larger pool and spreading the risk around, we were able to keep our rates the same as they were."
PEOs also handle an array of administrative HR tasks, so it’s no wonder Matt Thomas, founder and president of WorkSmart, says his company is seeing solid growth. "A lot of that has to do with the Affordable Care Act," he said. "Even larger companies that wouldn't normally look at PEOs are looking now, so they can avoid some of the ramifications of (the law)."
The biggest loser when a company goes the PEO route? The in-house HR staff.
Meanwhile, employers also are turning increasingly to independent contractors to get work done.
Companies that use these “freelancers” generally don’t have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments they make to them and are not required to provide them with health insurance. The IRS, however, has been cracking down on the abuse by companies of the independent contractor classification and many employers have been fined.
Still, it’s a risk more employers are reportedly taking so long as they feel comfortable they can prove that the contractor’s services are not an integral part of their principal business.
Compliance, as the NFIB’s Kuhlman points out, is a big concern for most employers, and whether some of these strategies are ultimately seen as legitimate by the government remains to be seen.
In the end, many employers may decide they don’t like giving up the control they have over employees who suddenly are working for a temp agency, or a PEO or have become independent contractors.
Kuhlman expressed concerns that “some folks are throwing good money at bad advice.”
“They’re sick of waiting so they’re doing things like splitting up their businesses” into smaller units with fewer employees, he said. “But that’s not going to work, because they (the regulators) are aggregating business owners with multiple entities into one entity.”
In other words, those companies will still be subject to the law.
John Duczak, senior VP at The American Worker, a Hoffman Estates, Ill., benefits company, points out the law itself might offer relief to at least some employers, even those with thousands of workers on their payroll.
The legislation’s “variable hour accommodation” allows employers to determine whether someone is a fulltime or part-time employee by the average number of hours that person puts in over a 12-month period. “Some companies are going to become very skilled in their management of that position” as a way of avoiding Obamacare’s coverage mandate, he said.
Turnover in the ranks also will help a lot of companies, especially those in the retail and hospitality industries.
Duczak noted that one of his clients hires 18,000 people a year, 11,000 of whom have moved onto new jobs or situations after six months.
The problem, he said, “takes care of itself,” at least for those employers.