Alliant Employee Benefits- Western Region

Compliance FAQ of the Week Q: We want to add a Musculoskeletal (MSK) Health benefit to our existing group health plan benefits offering, are there compliance considerations? A: Yes, MSK point solutions can be structured in a variety of ways and how they are structured can impact group health plan compliance. It is key to understand the exact scope of services offered. Some MSK vendors are not providing medical care and will not be part of the group health plan. Their services may include education and prevention programs as well as programs limited to occupational health and workplace safety. To the extent a MSK offering provides medical benefits, which would include providing injections and other medical surgical avoidance treatments, those MSK point solutions will be part of the group health plan and are generally subject to COBRA, HIPAA ERISA and the ACA. If the scope of medical care is limited or “not significant,” the offering may qualify as an excepted benefit. This eliminates the applicability of ACA market reform rules and integration requirements. As an excepted benefit eligibility can also be open to non-medical plan enrolled members. Note that the MSK vendor should be able to address whether their offering is or is not an excepted benefit. Where a MSK vendor provides significant medical care, the recommended approach is to offer MSK point solutions tied to major medical enrolment with as much coordination as possible to ensure the plan satisfies ACA integration requirements.

The insurance industry often conjures images of spreadsheets and policies, but for Peter Carpenter, COO of Alliant, it’s about something far deeper (https://bit.ly/3Dru5W5). At the heart of his leadership philosophy is a commitment to empowering people and creating meaningful impact. "Leadership isn't about being ‘the boss’ or sitting in an ivory tower. It's about empowering others,” he says. It is this focus on “entrepreneurial leadership” that makes Alliant a premier destination for the industry’s top talent. Read more on Peter’s leadership philosophy and how investing in others is always great business. #AlliantInsurance

This Employee Appreciation Day, we’d like to thank our incredible team. Your dedication and hard work is what makes things possible, and we couldn’t achieve our goals without you! Thank you for your continued commitment and passion — you are truly the heart of everything we do.

Compliance FAQ of the Week Q: We are a new Applicable Large Employer (ALE) preparing to file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the IRS, do we have to file/submit these forms electronically? A: Yes, beginning in 2024, all ALEs must file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C electronically with IRS. In 2023, the IRS substantially expanded mandatory electronic filing of these forms. Beginning with forms required to be filed after December 31, 2023, the threshold for required electronic dropped from 250 forms to ten forms. Moreover, the ten form threshold includes both 1095-C forms and W-2 forms.

We are pleased to welcome client services expert Ashley Powers to Alliant Employee Benefits - Western Region (https://lnkd.in/g22Wxxtb)! Ashley joins our team as Senior Vice President in Irvine, California, where she will focus on enhancing business process efficiencies and driving innovation for Alliant’s western region benefits operations. Ashley is a proven leader in operational excellence, benefits administration, consulting, and customer service. With more than 13 years in the benefits industry, she has experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering solutions that enhance operational efficiency and drive revenue growth. Her combined experience in client service, benefits consulting, and operations further strengthens Alliant’s position in Southern California and across the western region.

Compliance FAQ of the Week Q: Is Medicare entitlement a COBRA qualifying event for active employees? A: No. Medicare eligibility or enrollment is not a COBRA qualifying event for active employees. Although Medicare entitlement is a listed COBRA qualifying event, if a COBRA qualifying event does not cause a loss of plan eligibility, there is no qualifying event and COBRA does not need to be offered. Importantly, Medicare entitlement cannot cause a loss of group health plan eligibility for active employees because of the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) rules that generally apply to employers with 20 or more employees (for age-based entitlement). These rules broadly prohibit a group health plan from "taking into account" the Medicare entitlement of a current employee or a current employee's spouse or family members. This means employers may not limit eligibility, place restrictions on benefits, or otherwise incentivize Medicare eligible employees to enroll in Medicare as opposed to the group health plan. However, it is permissible under the MSP rules for Medicare entitlement to cause a loss of coverage for certain covered retired employees.

Medical and stop loss carriers typically try and justify their increase in premiums and self-funded claim projections, but one of the biggest mistakes companies can make is taking that at face value. An experienced broker can help you leverage data to push back. Find out how: https://bit.ly/41woBlU #AlliantInsurance #employeebenefits #humanresources #hr #cfo

Recently, the Alliant Employee Benefits – Western Region team came together for a memorable conference at the Sonesta Hotel in Irvine. The event’s theme, “Amplify. Bringing Your Voice,” perfectly captured the spirit of the conference where everyone had the opportunity to speak up, actively engage in meaningful discussions, and participate in a philanthropic event with TeamNEGU: Never Ever Give Up!. In an era dominated by virtual meetings, we felt it was essential to meet in person to collaborate, learn, and innovate. Throughout the conference, we were joined by many exceptional speakers both within Alliant and out. Chris Waddell Inc. and?Jenn Walsh provided inspirational stories but also practical advice for both professional and personal lives. And our Alliant team members brought fresh, innovative ideas that will undoubtedly help us move forward and make an impact for our clients and in our careers. We'd like to extend our gratitude to our generous sponsors— Anthem, Inc., Lincoln Financial, Symetra, and WEX—and to everyone who helped make this event a success. It was incredibly inspiring to exchange ideas and collaborate as we plan for the future.

Compliance FAQ of the Week Q: Can unused commuter benefits be refunded to an employee? A: No. Cash refunds are not permitted, even to employees whose account balances exceed their need for qualified transportation fringe benefits. However, plans may permit unused amounts that were originally set aside for one qualified transportation fringe (e.g., transit pass) to be applied to another qualified transportation fringe (e.g., qualified parking) provided the other benefit is offered by the transit plan and the maximum monthly amount for that benefit is not exceeded. Unused qualified transportation fringe benefit balances cannot, however, be refunded, transferred to a health FSA or transferred to any other benefit that is not a qualified transportation fringe benefit. In addition, a plan may not allow an employee who ceases to participate in the employer's qualified transportation plan (e.g., a terminated employee) to receive a refund of unused qualified transportation fringe benefits. Instead, unused commuter benefits are forfeited to the employer.

This Presidents' Day, we celebrate the vision and dedication of the leaders who have shaped our nation’s history. Today serves as a reminder of the resilience, perseverance, and empowerment that continue to influence us in life and in business. Our offices will be closed today in observance of the holiday. We wish you all a Happy Presidents' Day!