Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Final Rules Released

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The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health & Human Services released much anticipated final rules further clarifying and implementing the requirements related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

The goal of the MHPAEA is to make sure that health plans cover mental health (MH) and substance use disorders (SUD) fairly. The law and its related regulations require all applicable plans to ensure that any plan’s financial requirements and coverage terms related to MH/SUDs are “in parity” with (meaning no more restrictive than) the requirements related to substantially all medical/surgical (M/S) services in the same benefit category. Read more

ACA Affordability Percentage Remains Below 9.5% for 2025

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One of the most well-known components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is that it requires applicable large employers (ALEs), meaning those employers that averaged at least 50 full-time and full-time equivalent employees during the previous calendar year, to (1) offer minimum essential coverage (MEC) to at least 95% of their full-time employees and the dependent children of those employees and (2) ensure that minimum value (MV) coverage is affordable to their full-time employees at the lowest-cost, employee-only coverage level. Full-time employees that do not receive an affordable MV offer from their ALE can receive a subsidy for enrolling in Exchange coverage, which exposes the ALE to employer mandate tax penalties. ALEs are not required to offer affordable coverage to the spouses and dependents of full-time employees, though these individuals can also enroll in subsidized coverage through an Exchange if the employer-sponsored coverage they have access to is unaffordable. 

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Mastering Open Enrollment: Strategies for Employers to Engage and Collaborate

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Employee benefits is a big investment, and can average about 30% of an employer’s total budget. Open enrollment is more than something you do every year—it’s an opportunity to get a positive return on that investment, engage your employees, ensure they understand their benefits, and demonstrate your commitment to their well-being. While the process can be complex, with careful planning, clear communication, and strategic collaboration with your broker, open enrollment can be a smooth and successful experience for everyone involved. 

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Generative AI: A Tool, Not a Strategy

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Generative AI (or GenAI or simply AI) has emerged as a helpful and now ubiquitous tool in the workplace. It can complete numerous things: from streamlining workflows to automating repetitive tasks to crafting personalized content. This gives you and your employees time to focus on strategic and creative endeavors, refining strategies, and fostering client relationships. 

But here’s the catch—while AI can enhance productivity (up to 40% compared with people who don’t use it), relying on it as a replacement for strategic areas like content creation, HR, customer support, and project management is a misstep. It is a valuable tool and can be part of an overall strategy, not a replacement for strategy.  Read more