Don't Miss Our January 31st Event!

The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act requires that employers with fifty or more employees offer adequate and affordable coverage to all employees. Noncompliance means costly penalties to your company. This penalty is calculated on the number of your full and part time employees and will be adjusted upwards to subsidize the cost of healthcare reform. Join us and your business peers Thursday, January 31st from 11:30am to 1:00pm @ La Valencia Hotel to discuss no cost actions you can take to protect your company. Complimentary lunch and valet parking included for registered guests.At the end of this one hour complimentary event you’ll be able to answer these questions: Is my current plan “affordable” to all employees according the guidelines outlined under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act? What are the penalties associated with non-compliance? What constitutes a full-time employee? What strategies can help my company maintain “Adequate & Affordable” coverage? This program has been  approved for 1.00 (General) recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

Register Now!

Did you take a pay cut this year?

On Jan. 1, 2013, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8), signed into law the following day. The legislation does no include an extension of the 2 percent payroll tax cut of the Social Security (FICA) employee tax on the first $113,700 of wages. The employee-paid portion of the Social Security FICA tax increased on all wage earners from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2013. The portion of the tax paid by employers remained at 6.2 percent of employee wages, for a total Social Security FICA tax of 12.4 percent. The Internal Revenue Service issued new tax withholding tables for employers.

      How Much Extra You Will Pay? 

When members of Congress worked out a deal to avert the fiscal cliff, they did not extend the reduction to the Social Security Tax. As of Jan. 1, that tax increased from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent.  It is an increase you'll notice in your paycheck.  If your family earns $50,000 a year, you will see an extra $1,000 deducted this year.  That comes to an extra $40 a paycheck.

Healthcare Reform Alert

IRS issues proposed rules on Employer Mandate

The Employer Mandate Employers with 50 or more full-time or full-time equivalent employees must offer full-time employees and their dependents (i.e., children up to age 26) coverage that is affordable and provides minimum value beginning in 2014 or face penalties if any full-time employee purchases coverage on an Exchange and receives a federal premium subsidy.

On January 2, 2013, Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued proposed regulations and questions and answers on Shared Responsibilities for Employers, commonly known as the “employer mandate” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Comments are due by March 18, 2013 and a public hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2013. Although these regulations are not final, the guidance indicates that employers may use the proposed regulations in making coverage and plan design decisions for 2014.

The proposed regulations include the following changes and clarifications:

Transitional Relief for Non-1/1 Effective Date Plans

Although the law states that the “employer mandate” applies beginning January 1, 2014, the regulatory guidance includes the following exceptions for employers whose plan year does not begin on January 1st:     

      For full-time employees who were eligible for coverage (whether or not actually covered) on December 27, 2012, the employer will not pay a penalty if they are offered affordable, minimum value coverage on the first day of the 2014 plan year.
            If the plan (a) was offered to at least one-third of all employees (full-time and part-time) at the most recent open enrollment period prior to December 27, 2012 or (b) covered one-quarter of employees (full-time and part-time) as of December 27, 2012, the employer is not subject to the penalty for any full-time employees provided they are offered affordable, minimum value coverage on the first day of the 2014 plan year.

Employers cannot now change their plan year to take advantage of this transitional relief for non-calendar year plans.

Requirements for Offering Coverage to Full-Time Employees & Dependents

Full-time employees are employees who average 30 hours of service per week or 130 hours per month. Hours of service include hours worked as well as hours for which an employee is paid such as vacation, holidays and paid leaves of absence.

Employers will meet the requirement to offer coverage to “substantially all” full-time employees if they offer coverage to 95% of full-time employees and their dependents. No penalties will apply for any month in which an employer offers coverage to all but 5% of its full-time employees (or five full-time employees, if greater). 

If an employer does not currently offer dependent coverage, no penalty is due for the plan year beginning in 2014 if the employer takes steps to offer dependent coverage during the 2014 plan year. For plan years beginning in 2015 or later, employers must offer coverage to full-time employees and their dependents to avoid penalties.

Dependents are defined as children up to age 26. Spouses are not included in the definition of dependents in this guidance, so employers are not required to offer coverage to spouses.

Determining if an Employer Has 50 or More Employees

Employers will use information about the number of employees they have in 2013 to determine whether they have 50 full-time employees and are a “large employer” subject to the employer mandate in 2014.

Employers can use any period of at least six consecutive months in 2013 to measure the number of full-time employees. For example, an employer could measure during the period from January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013 and then use the rest of the year to establish a plan and enroll employees.

      
·         Only employees working in the United States are counted in determining whether an employer has 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalents.

·          Companies that have a common owner are combined for purposes of determining whether they are subject to the mandate. However, any penalties would be the responsibility of each individual company.

·           If a business hires seasonal workers and the workforce exceeds 50 full-time employees for 120 days or less during a calendar year, the employer is not considered to have 50 full-time employees.

·          Teachers and other employees of educational organizations who work full-time during the academic year are considered full-time employees and cannot be treated as seasonal.

Determining if Coverage is Affordable and Provides Minimum Value

Coverage is considered “affordable” if employee contributions for single coverage do not exceed 9.5% of the employee’s wages. The regulations provide three safe harbors that employers can use to determine if employee coverage is affordable:

·         9.5% of an employee’s W-2 wages for the year

·         9.5% of an employee’s monthly wages determined by multiplying the employee’s hourly rate by 130 hours per month

·         9.5% of the Federal Poverty Level for a single individual

This regulation did not include any additional guidance about how “minimum value” will be determined. We are still awaiting the Minimum Value Calculator and safe harbor checklists.

Penalties

If a full-time employee receives subsidized coverage through an Exchange, the employer will be notified and given an opportunity to respond before the IRS requires payment of the penalty.

For more information on this topic, join us 01/31/13 @ La Valencia Hotel for our next educational luncheon. 

(source: cigna health)

15 Ways to Prevent Colds & Flu

From the latest research to time-honored remedies, here are the very best feel-good strategies for your healthiest winter ever

HERE'S A SURPRISE: You may spend more time each year nursing a sore throat, fever, and runny nose than you do on vacation. Add it up: Adults get about three colds a year on average, each lasting a week or two. On top of that, 5 to 20% of us will also get the flu, which can linger even longer. That's a month--or more!
This year, take back that time--and your health. These tested tips for fighting colds and flu can help you stay well all winter.

1. Meditate

Your mind can cut your chances of catching a cold by 40 to 50%, according to a 2012 University of Wisconsin, Madison, study. Fifty-one people who used mindfulness techniques logged 13 fewer illnesses and 51 fewer sick days than a control group during one cold-and-flu season, probably because meditation reduces physical effects of stress that weaken the immune system.

Meditation To Match Your Personality

2. Try Probiotics

"We recommend taking probiotics--foods or supplements containing bacteria that are good for your health--that include Lactobacillus, because it can reduce the risk of both respiratory and gastrointestinal infections," says Mike Gleeson, PhD, professor of exercise biochemistry at Loughborough University in England. And people taking probiotics were 42% less likely to get a cold than those on a placebo, according to a 2011 meta-analysis of 10 studies.

10 Delicious Drinks That Support Your

3. Eat More Garlic 

"Allicin, a substance in crushed garlic, helps fight viruses," says Richard Nahas, MD, assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa. In a British study, volunteers who took a daily 180 mg allicin supplement caught 63% fewer colds over 12 weeks than those taking a placebo. Garlic cloves contain less allicin (5 to 9 mg), but even two raw cloves a day may help, says Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD, medical director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine in Tucson.

Find tasty ways to add more garlic to your life with Prevention's Recipe Finder.



4. Practice Qigong

This Chinese mind-body exercise combines breath control and slow movements to reduce stress and improve focus, but it may also help combat colds. Twenty-seven varsity swimmers in a University of Virginia study learned qigong, and during their 7-week training season, those who practiced it at least once a week got 70% fewer respiratory infections than swimmers who used it less.

5 Qigong Moves That Reduce Stress

 

5. Exercise

People who exercise 5 or more days a week spend 43% fewer days with upper-respiratory infections, according to an Appalachian State University study. "I make sure I exercise to stay healthy," says lead author David Nieman, DrPH. "Aim for 30 to 60 minutes daily. It boosts blood flow so that the immune cells circulate throughout the body."

17 Ways Exercise Sends Health Soaring

6. Get Vaccinated

"For flu protection, nothing is as directly effective as vaccination," says Prevention advisory board member David L. Katz, MD, MPH. If the post-shot muscle pain makes you injection-shy (and you're between ages 18 and 64), visit fluzone.com to find a location using intradermal shots, which are injected into skin and use much smaller needles.

4 Flu Shot Myths -- Busted

7. Wash (and dry!) your hands often

Cleaning your hands frequently--especially after touching anyone or anything that may be germy--is key to defending yourself against cold and flu viruses. But drying hands thoroughly is just as important, because germs cling to your skin more easily when it's wet. Be sure to replace damp towels with dry ones often.

5 Ways To Prevent A Cold



8. Get Enough Sleep

Your immune system needs rest to keep you healthy. In one study done at Carnegie Mellon University, even if people said they felt well rested if they'd averaged fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night, they were almost 3 times as likely to get a cold as those who got 8 hours or more of sack time. (Not the best sleeper? Here are 10 tips to get your best night's sleep ever.)

9. Add Astragalus

In test-tube studies, the root astragalus (uh-STRAG-uh-lus) activates T-cells, the white blood cells that fight off viruses, and experts believe it can prevent colds in real life too. "Astragalus seems to work very well, and your body doesn't develop a tolerance to it, so you can eat it daily," Dr. Horwitz says. Use the earthy root as a vegetable, chopping up a 3-inch piece and adding it to soup. Or try 250 mg in standardized capsules twice a day.

Check out our How to Prevent Anything center for more natural home remedies.

10. Use Herbs and Spices

The oregano in your spaghetti sauce and the mustard on your turkey sandwich can boost your immune system, says Prevention advisory board member Tieraona Low Dog, MD, the author of National Geographic's Life Is Your Best Medicine. In winter, she suggests, flavor bean and poultry dishes with oregano and thyme, and add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric to 1 cup of plain yogurt for a spicy dip.

9 Power Foods That Boost Immunity

11. Cut Back on Sweets

After people in a study at Loma Linda University consumed 6 tablespoons of sugar (whether in orange juice, honey, or sugary drinks), their infection-fighting white blood cells lost the ability to fend off bacteria and viruses. Your immune system stays depressed for several hours after you eat or drink sugar, so if you down a soda every few hours (3 servings could put you over the 6-tablespoon mark), your resistance will be lowered for much of the day.

The Truth Behind 12 Confusing Foods

12. Lose Weight

If you're carrying extra pounds, the flu vaccine won't work as well, and if you do get a bug, you're likely to become sicker. After vaccination, antibodies against the flu increase normally in obese people but decline prematurely over the next few months, lowering protection. "If you're obese, be really vigilant about hand washing and other preventive measures," says Peter Mancuso, PhD, associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan. "And even a 5 to 10% weight loss can help prevent all types of diseases."

100 Simple Ways to Lose Weight

13. Drink Enough Water

If you come down with a virus, your doctor may tell you to drink plenty of fluids to reduce your symptoms. But Jamey Wallace, MD, chief medical officer at Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle, says staying hydrated may stave off infections. "Your mucous membranes and the immune cells in their secretions defend against cold viruses, and they can't work as well if you're dehydrated," Dr. Wallace says. His advice: Divide your weight by 3. That's how many ounces of fluid you need daily, plus a glass of water for each caffeinated or alcoholic drink.

Best and Worst Natural Cold And Flu Remedies

14. Take Care of Your Toothbrush

Viruses on one toothbrush can contaminate others it touches. Make sure your family's brushes are in a holder that keeps them apart, and let them dry thoroughly. (If you get a bug, you don't need to replace your brush: You already have antibodies against that virus.)

10 Worst Germ Hot Spots

15. Pop a Vitamin C

A gram a day of this old standby does help alleviate colds, Dr. Nahas found in a review of studies about integrative approaches to preventing colds. In adults, the result is a modest 8% reduction in symptoms. It doesn't sound like much, "but that can shorten your cold by 1 to 2 days," he says.

Click here for 7 additional strategies to prevent the cold and flu

(source: prevention.com)