Posted: 10.05.2010
Affordable Care Act - Sept. 23rd

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, employers must comply with new disclosure requirements in regards to their group health plan. The DOL has recently issued model notices to assist employers with these requirements.

There are currently 4 model notices that are available:

• Dependent Coverage - Group health plans are required to cover children to age 26. If a child was terminated from the health plan prior to age 26 due to previous plan regulations, employers must provide the child (or parent of the child) written notification of the opportunity to re-enroll. This enrollment opportunity must be at least 30 days long. The written notice must be provided no later than the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. The model notice can be accessed at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/dependentsmodelnotice.doc.
  
• Grandfathered Plan Status - To maintain status as a grandfathered health plan, a plan must include a statement in any plan materials provided to a participant or beneficiary describing the benefits provided under the plan, informing the participant or beneficiary that the plan believes it is a grandfathered health plan and providing contact information for questions and complaints. The model notice can be accessed at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/grandfatherregmodelnotice.doc.
  
• Lifetime Limits - A notice must be given to group health plan
  participants informing them that lifetime limits no longer apply and that an individual, if covered, is once again eligible for benefits under the plan. In addition, if the individuals are no longer enrolled in the plan, the plan must provide them a written notice of the opportunity to re-enroll. The notices must be provided beginning no later than the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. Notices may be included with other enrollment materials that a plan distributes to employees, provided the statement is prominent. The model notice can be accessed at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/lifetimelimitsmodelnotice.doc.
  
• Patient Protection - A group health plan must provide notice to participants of their rights, if applicable, to (1) choose a primary care provider or a pediatrician when a plan requires designation of a primary care physician; or (2) obtain obstetrical or gynecological care without prior authorization. The notice must be provided whenever the plan provides a participant with a summary plan description or other similar description of benefits under the plan. The notice must be provided no later than the first day of the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. The model notice can be accessed at: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/patientprotectionmodelnotice.doc.

Brown & Brown is dedicated to helping its clients understand which notices they must provide to their employees. If you have any questions regarding these notices, please contact your Brown & Brown representative. It is our objective to assist you in making sure that the appropriate notices are provided to your employees.
 
This Brown & Brown Alert is not intended to be exhaustive and should not be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice.

Posted: 04.01.2013
Save Health Care Costs BY OFFERING AN ON-SITE PRIMARY CARE CLINIC...

Posted: 04.01.2013
Insurance Costs Rising Across Many Categories...

Posted: 04.01.2013
BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT WORKPLACE VIOLENCE...

Posted: 04.01.2013
401(k) Fiduciaries: Is Your Plan Putting You At Risk?...

Posted: 04.01.2013
DOL Delays “Notice of Coverage Available Through the Exchanges” Requirement for Employers...

Posted: 12.18.2012
Save money on your retiree health insurance with an EGWP...

Posted: 12.18.2012
Protect Yourself with EFT Fraud Coverage...

Posted: 12.18.2012
How to Use Individual Driver Motor Vehicle Records to Manage Risk...

Posted: 12.18.2012
Great News!...

Posted: 09.04.2012
Major Trends Driving Need for LTC as an Employee Benefit...

Posted: 09.04.2012
The decision has been announced....

Posted: 09.04.2012
Credit Insurance...

Posted: 09.04.2012
Why borrowing from your 401(k) may not be in your best interest...

Posted: 06.19.2012
Changes in Worker’s Comp Calculations Will Cost You $1,000’s of Dollars...

Posted: 06.19.2012
Not all Marine Vessels (or Insurance Policies) are Created Equal...

Posted: 06.19.2012
How Effective is Your Wellness Education?...

Posted: 06.18.2012
Supreme Court Hears Affordable Care Act Arguments...

Posted: 03.23.2012
Retirement Planning Tips for 2012...

Posted: 03.21.2012
Do You Know the Six Factors Affecting Your Property Insurance?...

Posted: 03.21.2012
Rebating Health Insurance Premiums to Employees...

Posted: 12.30.2011
Secure Your Assets with a Micro Captive...

Posted: 12.30.2011
Texting While Driving...

Posted: 12.30.2011
Helping Employees Bridge the Gap with Accident Insurance...

Posted: 10.04.2011
Disease Management...

Posted: 10.04.2011
What is your Cyber Risk?...

Posted: 10.04.2011
Control Workers Comp Costs...

Posted: 10.04.2011
Steps to Filing a Flood Claim...

Posted: 10.04.2011
Should I Invest in a Roth 401(k) or a Traditional 401(k)?...

Posted: 07.05.2011
The Sky Really Can Fall...

Posted: 07.05.2011
Directors & Officers Liability Insurance...

Posted: 07.05.2011
Health Care Reform...

Posted: 07.05.2011
For Your Information...

Posted: 04.06.2011
Repealing Health Care Reform...

Posted: 04.06.2011
Help Your Employees Comply with New Over the Counter Rules...

Posted: 04.06.2011
Tax Act - President Significantly Changes Federal Estate Tax Law...

Posted: 04.05.2011
Solving the Myster Behind Equipment Breakdown Coverage...

Posted: 12.20.2010
"Everything you need to know" about Grandfathering your Health Plan...

Posted: 12.20.2010
The Importance of Employee Benefit Liability & Fiduciary Liability Due to Health Care Reform...

Posted: 12.20.2010
IRS Delays: W-2 Health Cost Reporting Requirement...

Posted: 12.20.2010
Preventive Care Coverage for Adults & Children...

Posted: 12.20.2010
Brown & Brown of Detroit is honored for the third time...

Posted: 10.05.2010
Understanding Fiduciary Liability and why ERISA bonds are not enough...

Posted: 10.05.2010
Renting a Car? Make Smart Choices Before You Visit the Rental Counter...

Posted: 06.21.2010
Health Care Reform - Are You Ready?...

Posted: 06.21.2010
Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association Assessment Increases...

Posted: 06.17.2010
Health Care Reform Time Line...

Posted: 06.17.2010
For Lease Property Vacancy...

Posted: 03.22.2010
Wellness Incentives - How They Work Through Encouragement and Reward...

Posted: 03.22.2010
Tuition Insurance Program Keeps Students in School “While Protecting School’s Cash Flow”...

Posted: 03.22.2010
Estate Tax Changes: What does it mean?...

Posted: 03.22.2010
When is Flood Insurance Needed? ...

Posted: 03.22.2010
HIPAA Breach Notification Requirements...

Posted: 02.20.2009
New COBRA Premium Subsidy...

Posted: 02.10.2009
ALCOS Transitions Name to Brown & Brown of Detroit...

Posted: 11.20.2008
FMLA – “Final Rule” Becomes Effective on January 16, 2009....

Posted: 11.03.2008
Michelle’s Law – Continued health coverage for college students...

Posted: 10.22.2008
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008...

Posted: 08.01.2008
Strategies to Wring Out Savings in your Health Plan - By Steve Hettrick...

Posted: 06.03.2008
BCBS issuing redesigned member ID cards...

Posted: 03.27.2008
Changes Affecting the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)...

Posted: 03.13.2008
Health Savings Accounts – The Healthcare 401k...

Posted: 02.15.2008
Proposed Rule Changes to FMLA; Submit Your Comments to the DOL...

Posted: 09.06.2007
Communicating the “Big Picture” Can Lessen the Pain of Benefit Changes...

Posted: 09.01.2007
ALCOS Expert Speaks about Wellness in the Workplace. ...

Posted: 07.06.2006
Wellness Program Spawns Camaraderie, Fitness and Health...

Posted: 04.10.2006
ALCOS and Management Impact Partner to Help with HR Issues...

Posted: 10.20.2005
MYWave HR Assistant Launched...

Posted: 10.10.2005
Voluntary Benefits Give your Employees Choices While Keeping Costs Down...

Posted: 06.16.2005
Medicare Part D: What Employers Need to Know...

Posted: 03.31.2005
New COBRA Notice and Disclosure Rules Now in Effect...

Posted: 03.30.2005
New System for Blue Cross Blue Shield Pharmacy Claims; Benefits Do Not Change...

Posted: 09.31.2004
Step Therapy: A Strategy to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs...

Posted: 06.10.2004
Look Before You Leap: The Attraction of Health Saving Accounts...