Compliance Risks in Open Enrollment: 5 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them | VA Benefits Agency

Open enrollment is a hectic and critical period for employers that often brings a risk of compliance errors. These mistakes can confuse employees and cause missed benefits, while also exposing employers to legal risks. This article highlights five common compliance pitfalls to avoid during open enrollment: Ineffective Communication of Benefit Changes – Benefit offerings often change … Continued

What Brokers Should Be Doing Now to Get Clients ACA-Ready | Virginia Employee Benefits Agents

How to position yourself as a trusted ACA compliance advisor For brokers and benefits advisors, Q4 planning doesn’t start in October. It starts now. September marks a critical moment in the annual ACA compliance cycle, when employers begin thinking about year-end strategies, benefits renewals, and how to avoid last-minute reporting panic. That makes now the perfect … Continued

Form 5500 Filing Requirements: Deadlines, Penalties, and Compliance Options | VA Employee Benefits Advisors

If your company provides an employee benefit plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), you are likely obligated to file Form 5500. This annual report discloses key details about your organization’s benefit offerings, such as welfare benefit plans (including medical, dental, life, and disability coverage), retirement plans, fully insured plans, and self-funded … Continued

The Clock is Ticking: Don’t Miss the EEO-1 Report Deadline | Virginia Employee Benefits Consultants

The annual EEO-1 Report, mandated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is a cornerstone of workplace diversity and anti-discrimination efforts in the United States. This data collection provides a demographic snapshot of America’s workforce, helping to monitor for discrimination and promote equal employment opportunity. Missing the deadline can lead to serious consequences, making it … Continued

Compliance Overview: Voluntary Benefits – ERISA Compliance Exemption | Virginia Benefits Group

Voluntary benefits are optional benefits that employers may offer to enhance their traditional benefits packages. Offering voluntary benefits allows an employer to include a variety of benefits that are attractive to employees in their benefits package without adding to their organization’s costs. While voluntary benefits are typically employee-paid, payments can be automatically deducted from employees’ … Continued

Benefits Breakdown February 2024 | VA Employee Benefits Partners

Key Takeaways From the CAA-mandated Prescription Drug Cost Report The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) mandates that group health plans and health insurance issuers submit annual data on premiums, enrollment, medical spending and prescription drug rebates to various departments to address this. This initiative, known as the Prescription Drug Data Collection (RxDC), aims to enhance … Continued

The Pay or Play Percentage Increase for 2025 | VA Employee Benefits Team

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires large employers to offer affordable health insurance coverage to their full-time employees or face a penalty known as the “Pay or Play” tax. This tax is based on the employer’s average monthly wage (AMW) and the number of full-time employees.  The affordability rate for employer-sponsored health coverage will increase from 8.39% to … Continued

Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) Rebates: A Timely Reminder | Virginia Benefits Group

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) introduced the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) to ensure that health insurance companies spend a significant portion of premiums on medical care and quality improvement activities rather than administrative costs and profits. When insurers fail to meet the MLR threshold, they are required to issue rebates to plan sponsors. Understanding MLR … Continued

PCORI Fee Filing Deadline | Virginia Benefits Advisors

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund fee, often referred to as the PCORI fee, can be a source of confusion for employers offering health insurance plans. This article aims to simplify what the PCORI fee is, why it exists, and how it impacts your business. What is the PCORI Fee? The PCORI fee is an … Continued