Effectively communicating an employee benefits package to potential and current employees is essential to attracting and retaining talented employees. That’s why AP Benefit Advisors creates customized communications packages, developed specifically for each client. Communicating a new employee benefits plan is extremely important, as is addressing issues as they arise throughout the year. Employees need a […]
Traditionally the Internal Revenue Service provides revised retirement plan limits each year in by the 15th of October. For the second year in a row, the IRS was later than expected (Oct 20, 2011). If you already printed your 2012 Benefit Guides then you need just a little bit of an update. The limits are […]
If there is a material modification made to a plan, other than in connection with a renewal of coverage (i.e., for mid-year modifications), that would affect the content of the SBC, a Notice of Modifications must be used. A modification is “material” if alone, or in conjunction with other changes, it would be considered by an average participant to be […]
The Affordable Care Act requires group health plans to provide a standardized 4-page summary of benefits beginning in 2012, and to provide updates to that summary no later than 60 days prior to the effective date of any changes made. By requiring coverage information in a standardized format, the reform allows consumers and plan participants to make direct comparisons between the […]
Each year, Medicare beneficiaries are allowed to voluntarily enroll in a Medicare outpatient prescription drug program (“Medicare Part D”). The law that authorizes this Medicare benefit also imposes an obligation on employers and plan sponsors that provide prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries. Employers must disclose to all group members (members, retirees, spouses and […]