The annual open enrollment period is a critical time for employees to sign up for, change, or drop their health coverage. Open enrollment allows employees to evaluate their current coverage, consider changes, and make informed decisions about their healthcare needs for the upcoming plan year. Requirements Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), employers are required to provide an annual open enrollment period of 30 days. During this time, employees have the right to: Enroll in coverage if they have not previously done so Change their health plan if more than one is offered Add or drop dependents…
Author: ericjohnson
In an increasingly diverse workforce, it’s important for employers to be mindful of the languages their employees speak and understand. When it comes to providing necessary health plan and employment-related notices, many employers question whether there’s a legal requirement to provide these documents in languages other than English. What the Law Says As of the time of writing, there’s no general federal law requiring employers to translate employment-related notices into other languages. However, certain specific laws do have requirements in this regard. For instance, the Affordable Care Act requires that certain notices be provided in a culturally and linguistically appropriate…
As we increasingly shift towards digital communication, many employers are exploring electronic delivery as a method for providing necessary employee benefits notices. However, it’s crucial to understand that there are specific rules regarding electronic vs. non-electronic (paper) delivery of these notices. This article will shed light on these different rules and provide some best practices for employers. Non-Electronic Delivery Non-electronic delivery is the traditional method of delivering employee benefits notices. Typically, this means handing the notices directly to employees or mailing them to the employees’ home addresses. The rule of thumb with non-electronic delivery is that the method used should…
As employees approach age 65, they become eligible for Medicare and must navigate a new set of rules and responsibilities related to their health coverage. Employer-sponsored coverage operates differently from Medicare, which can be confusing for employees transitioning from one to the other. This article will outline some of the key obligations that Medicare-eligible employees need to be aware of. Creditable Prescription Drug Coverage One of the key requirements for Medicare-eligible individuals is to have creditable prescription drug coverage. This means that the coverage is expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare’s standard prescription drug coverage.…