allergies flu COVID

Is it Allergies, Flu or COVID?

From hayrides and warm apple cider to Halloween festivities and Thanksgiving homecomings, people look forward to Fall. But the return of cooler temperatures also brings an increase in hay fever and a rise in cold and flu rates – and there could be another COVID wave. When you sneeze or

Inflation Reduction Act May Impact Group Health Plans

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on August 16, 2022. Among other provisions, the IRA: Here’s how the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) expects these provisions to impact employer-sponsored group health plans. ACA Subsidies Extended to 2025 The American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARPA) expanded

3 Ways to an Easier Enrollment

Is your company getting ready for open enrollment? It can be a stressful time for HR and employees alike. An estimated 45% of workers say they are apprehensive about the open enrollment process. Here are three ways to help ease the stress of enrollment season. #1: Take Active Steps to Fend

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Debit Cards are a Benefits Must Have

During the pandemic, the use of debit and credit cards has soared. A 2021 MarketWatch analysis found that debit card transaction volumes continue to surge, while growth in credit transactions has remained essentially flat. Always a possible addition to tax-advantaged benefit accounts, debit cards have increasingly become a benefits “must

Some Nutritional Needs Qualify as FSA/HSA-Eligible Expenses

No, you can’t use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) for straight food purchases like meat, produce and dairy. But you can use them for some nutrition-related products and services. To review, tax-advantaged accounts have regulatory restrictions on eligible products and services. The products and services

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Reducing Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Women and Children’s Preventive Care

New preventive care and screening guidelines aimed at reducing out-of-pocket expenses for women, infants, children, and adolescents were recently announced by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) The new guidelines take effect for plans starting in 2023. Under the Affordable

New Year, New You with Employee Wellness Programs

As we welcome a new year, many of us are focused on how we can better ourselves and are making new resolutions. Some are emphasizing physical health, vowing to eat better and exercise more. Others are targeting their financial health, making an effort to spend less and save more. Some

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No Surprises Act and Medical Bills

Did you know more than a third of employees say the medical bills they receive after seeking care are “always or usually” a surprise? But 28% pay them anyway because they don’t want to have to deal with the insurance company. Insurance plans cover some of the cost of medical

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Boost Retirement Funds With Your HSA

Pandemic-related losses have business owners looking for ways to cut costs. High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) help employers provide healthcare options while minimizing expenses. Due to the higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, employers often pair a qualified HDHP with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). In addition to helping employees meet healthcare

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How Can Employers Attract and Retain Top Talent

When the pandemic hit, workers were being furloughed or laid off in droves as forced shutdowns shrank, if not entirely closed, many businesses. With states having reopened and companies attempting to hire people back, another phenomenon has taken shape: Workers are refusing to go back to previous jobs or quitting