Our Team's {Monday Motivator} today was on the topic of time management, which is relevant to both individuals and businesses. In life or business, if we don't manage our time well, we find ourselves stressed, stretched too thin, and unorganized. Some tips shared with the team were to try to do phone meetings rather than in-person, so you avoid 'down' drive time. Also, be respectful of your own schedule. But first, you must prioritize and schedule your time accordingly. 

MCS is counting down the minutes until the Illinois Health Care Exchange opens on October 1. Keep checking back for what-you-need-to-know updates!

FOR EMPLOYERS: You are required to send a letter to your employees, explaining their exchange options. We have drafted a letter for you. There are two options: one for businesses that already offer healthcare and one for businesses that do not. Contact us and we can co-brand it with your company’s information. 

FOR EMPLOYEES: If your employer doesn’t offer coverage, or you want to explore your options, we are here to give you the best health quote. We take into consideration your income, your life, and your desired level of coverage. There is a plan for everyone out there, and we can answer whether your best course of action is to go through the state, stick with your employer’s offering, or go out on your own.

Illinois opened the registration process for Producers to sign up on the Exchange on August 9. The first step is to complete the certification requirements for the Federally Facilitated Marketplace. As they say, “The course only takes 3-4 hours to complete, and it’s free.”

Our licensed agents have been attempting to complete this training for a while now, and so far, they haven’t been able to get access to the site to complete the verification process. One of them called the number listed on the site, and after being redirected to the right number (which has since been updated), was told that the site was experiencing a high volume of visitors (not surprising, since thousands of agents in the state have been waiting for access to rates and more information for their clients). He was told to try back later. Seven in the morning, eleven at night. Same error message. These lines are longer and more frustrating than the DMV! This problem is occurring with just enrolling agents--what happens if the population of Illinois wants to log on for more information? That's 12.8 million people. Facebook may be able to handle it, but we aren't sure about the Exchange.

The good news about the Exchange is that if you, as an individual, use a licensed and trained agent to find the best plan, you won’t pay a penny more than if you sat in front of the computer and dealt with the headache yourself! 

Mensing Consulting Solutions is here with the information you need to make an informed decision.

You’ve been through your files. You make sure to follow HR Best Practices. You don’t discriminate and you’ve made sure your staff has been through safety and harassment training. You’re doing everything a business owner should do. But did you know that your computer system could make you non-compliant?

According to Tech Republic, if you’re still running Windows XP, you are open to liability. On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer release security patches for this operating system, which will make it non-compliant with HIPAA/HITECH. 

For those in the medical field, now is the time to work out a plan. There are a few things to consider:

· See if your current workstations can update to a newer version of Windows or if they need to be replaced.

· Contact current vendors for updated software that will run on a newer platform.

· Analyze whether you can run outdated software on a terminal server and have clients access it remotely.

· Decide whether a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) will work for you. This would run 50-100 desktops on one physical server. 

We know you would’ve updated already if it seemed like the best option. Now may be the time to replace slow, outdated machines with new. For more information, read this article.

Even if you aren’t in the healthcare field, there may be things you can do to protect yourself from costly fines. 

By: Jodi Tahsler 

Many businesses, small and large, use benefits brokers to help them choose healthcare coverage for their employees, implement wellness and safety programs, and keep them up to date on changing legislation, including healthcare reform. 

In a recent article, Benefits Pros summarize studies that showed brokers are not able to provide companies with the service and attention they require, and a large percentage are unhappy with their experience. Even more surprising is that “nearly half of brokers aren’t confident in their future in the industry and are considering quitting.” Businesses are realizing their need for a broker more than ever, and brokers know they need to provide more than just an insurance policy. So where is the disconnect? 

Mensing Consulting Solutions is different because we can offer the “boutique experience.” Unlike brokers, which compare to the “big box stores,” we can customize your experience and tailor-make HR recommendations for your company. We don’t want to offer cookie cutter solutions, because every company is not the same. We want to work with you to find real-world, workable situations that will save you money and create a welcoming environment for employees. 

We can customize the level of coverage you need. Whether you need auditing and file compliance help, sexual harassment training, recruitment, employee engagement and retention strategies, or healthcare options and advice, we offer an option that is right for your needs. As a bonus, you get the peace of mind that you made an informed decision. 

To read more, go to: Brokers Failing Employers 

By: Mensing Consulting Solutions 

Late in the afternoon before a holiday weekend, the Treasury Department made an announcement via the Treasury Notes blog that rocked the business community.  There will be a one year delay (until January 1, 2015) of a key mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  Simply stated, the provision mandates that employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees either provide health care coverage to their full-time employees, or pay penalties.  Hence the “play or pay” analogy --  provide insurance that meets certain government standards and implement the required data collection and reporting that goes along with it, or pay a substantial per employee fine.  On July 5 of 2013 the Department of Health and Human Services issued a 606-page regulation announcing that state health exchanges would not verify the eligibility of those applying for Obamacare health insurance subsidies.  That regulation is a subject for another discussion; for now, we address the delay in enforcement of play or pay.  

Speculation was rampant as to the reason(s) – even the legality – of the Administration unilaterally changing a provision codified in law.  Is it permissible for an Administration to dispense with compliance with some or all of a law, and if so, does that apply to any Administration and any law?  Do individuals have the same right?  Was it, as stated, that the Administration had listened to businesses and wanted to provide more time to comply?  Was it that the logistics of the ACA had not been thought through well before passing the law and the government itself was not prepared to enforce it?  Was it that Federal agency staffers, tasked with the interpretation and enforcement of the ACA,  and now also impacted by both the furlough and the herculean task of revamping regulations in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), simply completely overwhelmed?  Did delaying an unpopular mandate past the 2014 elections play any role?  The reach of the delay may or may not be enormous.  No one can say for sure, but here is what we do know:

·         At first blush, the small employer might think:  “Who cares?”  Small employers are not directly impacted by the delay in the mandate, since the mandate does not apply to them.  However as small business owners know, often what is implemented first for larger businesses is a preview of what is “coming to a theater near you.”  Legislation impacting business tends to be phased in from large to small business.   Also, small business cannot escape the impacts of costs in healthcare and healthcare insurance.  Changes to key components of healthcare (see below “What stays the same”) will impact costs to all, and the ability to offer healthcare coverage has a direct impact on the ability to remain competitive, and recruit and retain talent.

Small businesses should also beware the adverse impact of increased government fines as a result of the delay of the mandate. You see, the government was planning to partially fund the cost of operating the exchange with the revenue from fines imposed on those that failed to comply with the coverage mandate. Without the revenue from fines, other government agencies will inevitably need to ramp up their audits to generate revenue from imposing fines in other areas of non-compliance; ICE, DOL, EEOC, and more! 

·         There is still a tax credit available to small, “qualified” employers providing health insurance (with lots of qualifiers to meet first).

·         So what does the delay mean?  The delay applies to the mandate on “large” employers.  For purposes of the ACA only, “large” employers are those who employ 50 or more full-time equivalents.  The delay means employers have more time to figure out:

• What is “minimum essential coverage”?
  
• What is “minimum value”?
  
• What is the definition of “affordable” to the employees of this specific business?
  
• How many “full-time equivalents” does the business employ, and is that calculated correctly according to government definition and formula?
  
• How, when, and to whom is this reported?
  

What stays the same?

·         The delay applies to the reporting and penalty portion only --  other ACA provisions stay in place, including:

• Requirements for health plans to ban annual dollar limits on essential health benefits
  
• A 90-day limit on eligibility waiting periods
  
• New out-of-pocket maximums
  
• Elimination of preexisting condition exclusions for adults
  
• Coverage of clinical trial participant costs
  
• Health plan sponsors must still pay new fees, notably “PCORI” (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute) and reinsurance fees
  
• Coverage of recommended preventative care, including contraceptive services,  with no cost-share
  
• Certain wellness program requirements
  
• Employer mandate to provide written notices about the government run exchanges (“Exchange Notice”) by October 1, 2013
  
• Mandate to determine if the employer’s group health plans meet the 'minimum value' requirements under ACA for the 2014 plan year.  Why?   This information is required to be included on the summary of benefits and coverage (SBCs) that employers must provide for coverage beginning on Jan 1, 2014 or later.  Thus these SBCs must be provided during the fall 2013 open enrollment season.
  
• Reporting health care costs on the employee’s W-2, with certain exceptions
  
• Grandfathered plans must cover dependent children to age 26 even if the child has access to his/her own employer-provided coverage
  

Every company is unique – let us help you evaluate the impact of the ACA on your company and projected growth.

By: Kandi Mensing

I just put $4,800 directly into a business owner's pockets every year.  $4,800 is the direct premium savings I was able to find them by shopping their plan. For the last 5 years, they were paying $730 per month for their family coverage with a $6,000 family deductible and $15 prescription copays. Their NEW plan, which has a monthly premium of only $330, has only a $5,000 family deductible and their prescriptions are only $4. So, if we want to get technical, we also lowered their expense risk by $1,000 annually in terms of their deductible, and saved them $132 per year on their prescriptions (savings of $11 per month). So, over the course of the next 5 years (as long as they had their old plan) they will have saved nearly $30,000 ($4,800 x 5 = $24,000, $1,000 x 5 = $5,000, and $132 x 5 = $660)! I didn't even mention that for each year that they do not exhaust their deductible, their deductible decreases by 20% the following year, up to a 50% decrease!

How can we save business owners this type of money? That's easy; we are not an insurance agency. Our income is not dependent on the amount of premium we can get you to pay. We believe in small business. We support small business. We want you and your business to feel financially stable and protected. We care about "doing right" by our clients.
What would you do with your extra $30,000?

HST Post of the Week: 
By: [email protected]

How many times do you hear someone say to you “I never get sick?” Or maybe you say that yourself. Why get health insurance coverage if there is nothing wrong with me? As the clock ticks toward the 2014 launch of the Affordable Care Act, health leaders across the nation are embarking on a tough task: persuading young adults to enroll. Their participation will be critical to balance out older, sicker patients more likely to sign up for health insurance as soon as they are able.

This has been the battle that private insurers have faced in the past as well. If any plan regardless if it is a private carrier or the plans in “ObamaCare” the only way it would ever work is if there is a “balance” in the age of the people who apply. The success of the healthcare law depends on reaching everyone who is uninsured, but particularly young people who may feel like they don’t need insurance.

Beginning in 2014, nearly everyone will be required to have insurance or face a fine — $95 or 1% of their household income in the first year. Many young adults who are not covered through work or their parents may be eligible for Medicaid or the new state-based insurance market places known as exchanges.

Health officials worry that the fine, which increases over time isn’t high enough to convince people to sign up for coverage. The penalty itself will not convince a young person or any other person. Young people will need to understand the risks of not having health insurance. If there is a lack of young people signing up there is a concern that the older, sicker generation will use up all the money that is set aside for the “Obamacare” plans

So parents of the younger generation, please call us. We can insure your son or daughter so that you will not have the stress of trying to protect them and answering to the federal government all at the same time.

In order to be eligible for your 2014 deductible to decrease by 20%, policies must be active in June. Last day to apply for a June 1 effective date is Tuesday 5/28.

By: Kandi Mensing

We talked with a local business this morning that is being sued for 'wrongful termination' after they fired a new-hire that was still in their probationary period. The former employee is claiming that they were fired because of their sexual orientation. The ex-employee has a good case because of the absence of good documentation and processes in the Company. We try to help businesses BEFORE this happens, and avoid this for our clients. Sometimes, though, it takes the business being exposed to the harsh reality that is workplace compliance before they realize they need us. The average defense costs for wrongful termination are $85,000 and the jury verdict averages $500,000.

We are working on a workplace employee survey for a client. It is awesome when employers value their employees' needs.

Employee surveys are best done by a third-party administrator (like us!) because employees will feel the most comfortable and be the most honest in our confidential setting. Employers are given summarized feedback on what their employees are saying, but all information is kept confidential as far as what each employee said. We provide the employers with a summary, reports & statistics, and suggested action plan. When employee morale is bad, or when retention is poor an employee survey can uncover what action needs taken to make improvements. Happy employees are the most productive and loyal. Turnover is expense.