IN THIS ISSUE

  • Summary of Material Modifications – No Material Reductions
  • PCORI Fees (self-insured plans only, including HRAs) – Report and Pay PCORI Fees
  • TAKING THE TIME TO C.A.R.E. FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES
  • This Month’s Dish, featuring Douglas Johnson
  • Live Well, Work Well
    • Celebrate World No Tobacco Day by Learning About Smoking Cessation
    • Combating The Lonlieness Epidemic at Work
    • Sugar Substitutes and You

COMPLIANCE CHECK

what you need to know


Summary of Material Modifications – No Material Reductions – Distribute SMM for any plan changes adopted at the beginning of the year that are not material reductions in plan benefits or services. This deadline only applies to group health plans that are subject to ERISA – July 29, 2020. 

  • Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), an SMM must be provided when there is a material change in the terms of the plan or any change in the information required to be in the summary plan description (SPD).
  • As a general rule, the plan sponsor must provide the SMM within 210 days after the close of the plan year in which the change was adopted. A shorter deadline may apply in some circumstances, depending on the nature of the modification or change. If the change is a material reduction in group health plan benefits or services, the deadline for providing the SMM is 60 days after the change is adopted.
  • Employers should communicate plan changes to participants as soon as possible to help avoid benefit disputes. When plan changes will take effect at the beginning of the upcoming plan year, employers may decide to include the SMMs in their open enrollment materials, if applicable.
  • In addition, an updated SPD must be provided to participants at least every five years, if material modifications have been made during that period. If no material modifications have been made, an updated SPD must be provided at least every 10 years.

PCORI Fees (self-insured plans only, including HRAs) – Report and Pay PCORI Fees (self-insured plans only, including HRAs)

  • Employers with self-insured health plans must pay an annual fee to fund the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Self-insured health plans that are subject to PCORI fees include self-funded medical plans, as well as HRAs that are offered in conjunction with fully insured group medical plans. HRAs that are offered with self-insured group medical plans are not subject to separate PCORI fees if both the HRA and the self-insured medical plan have the same plan sponsor and the same plan year. Employers use IRS Form 720 to report and pay PCORI fees each year. These PCORI fees are due each year by the July 31 of the year following the last day of the plan year. The fees apply to plan years ending on or after Oct. 1, 2012, and before Oct. 1, 2029 (updated from Oct. 1, 2019 by a December 2019 federal law).
  • Note: if your plan was fully insured (not self-insured) during the applicable plan year, the insurance issuer will be responsible for reporting and paying PCORI fees for that year.

COVID-19 ("CORONAVIRUS") INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Employee education is one of the best lines of defense for the workplace. General preventive health practices, like washing hands, can safeguard workers even when they’re at home. Remind employees to keep up their hygiene and share their knowledge of coronavirus symptoms so they know what to look out for. Together, you and your employees can stay safe, healthy and productive. Speak with JA Benefits, LLC for more information on staying healthy in the workplace.

TAKING THE TIME TO C.A.R.E. FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES

Bringing the knowledge of our in-house experts right to you...


Having compassion in difficult situations for clients is of the utmost importance to the team. Mary noted a time when a client’s employee lost her husband and the carrier initially denied the life claim due to an error. The Solutions Team at JA got the issue corrected as quickly as possible and made sure the life claim was paid.

“That was a huge help to her. She was able to pay for the funeral expenses, and it was one less worry for her out of an already stressful situation.”

Live Well, Work Well

Health and Wellness Tips for your work and life


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HOW DO EMPLOYERS PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 IN THE WORKPLACE?

Taking precautions against the coronavirus is critical to reducing the spread of the virus, especially since there is no known vaccine for a human-contracted coronavirus. Employers should protect against coronaviruses much like they protect against the flu.

Dish Featuring Douglas Johnson

Whole Beef Tenderloin and Tinker Street


Whole Beef Tenderloin on a rotisserie grill

Directions

  1. Trim the whole tenderloin to remove any excess fat. Cover the tenderloin with a light coating of Olive oil, then rub with “Black and White” seasoning rub from the Butcher’s Block in Bloomington, Indiana (also a great place to get your tenderloin). It is a combination of salt, pepper, celery salt and some other special seasoning.
  2. Place on your rotisserie for 45 minutes to an hour depending on size. Remove when the internal temperature reaches approximately 130 degrees. It will continue to finish cooking when allowed to rest prior to carving.

Tinker Street

It’s a “Great place for local flavors for every season! Menu is always changing, but always delicious!”.

Visit Tinker Street's WebsiteView Tinker Street's MenuGet Directions

Monthly compliance updates, expertise and health and wellness tips - courtesy of JA BENEFITS.