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DOL Audits

DOL AUDITS ON THE RISE

The Department of Labor (DOL) has broad authority to investigate or audit an employee benefit plan’s compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Audits are performed by the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). To perform these audits, EBSA employs over 400 investigators working out of field offices, many of whom are lawyers or CPAs or have advanced degrees in business and finance.
Did you know that the Department of Labor (DOL) can audit an employee benefit plan’s compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Now that the DOL has started enforcing compliance with the ACA, health plan audits are on the rise.

Do you know how to minimize the risk of your organization being selected for an audit and are you providing all the required disclosures to your plan participants?

Robert C Placak & Associates has created a DOL Audit Guide for Employee Benefit Plans to assist employers in preparing for an audit.
If you are interested in learning more about what we have to offer please contact our benefit specialists today. (415) 507-1440 or [email protected].

Transition Policy for Canceled Health Plans

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The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes key reforms that create new coverage standards for health insurance policies, beginning in 2014. For example, effective for 2014 plan years, the ACA imposes modified community rating standards and requires individual and small group policies to cover a comprehensive set of benefits.

Millions of Americans received notices in late 2013 informing them that their health insurance plans were being canceled because they did not comply with the ACA’s reforms. President Obama was criticized that these cancelations went against his assurances that if consumers had a plan that they liked, they could keep it.

Responding to pressure from consumers and Congress, on Nov. 14, 2013, President Obama announced a transition relief policy for 2014 for non-grandfathered coverage in the small group and individual health insurance markets. If permitted by their states, the transition policy gives health insurance issuers the option of renewing current policies for current enrollees without adopting all of the ACA’s market reforms for 2014.

Employer Mandate Final Rules

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Final Employer Shared Responsibility Regulations Issued

Provided by Robert C Placak & Associates Insurance Services

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) imposes a penalty on large employers that do not offer minimum essential coverage to full-time employees and their dependents. Large employers that offer this coverage may still be liable for a penalty if the coverage is unaffordable or does not provide minimum value. The ACA’s employer mandate provision is often referred to as the “employer shared responsibility” or “pay or play” rules.

On Feb. 10, 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department released final regulations implementing the employer shared responsibility provisions of the ACA. The regulations are effective upon publication in the Federal Register.