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HR Support on Employee Health Care Benefits
Editor's Note: Health care benefits can serve as a recruitment and/or retention tool.
Overview: Health care benefits are an important part of the overall compensation package and employee benefit program that employers use to attract and retain workers. Employees value health care benefits because they soften the financial impact of a catastrophic, unanticipated illness or injury.
Employees are typically provided an opportunity to participate in the employer's group health plan. Eligibility for participation may depend on a number of factors including working for a required period of time and/or an individual's employment status (e.g., full time or part time).
Most health care benefit packages include medical and prescription drug coverage, but many employers offer more comprehensive packages that include dental and vision benefits as well. Basic health insurance covers costs related to hospital care, including hospitalization, inpatient surgery and doctor fees related to the hospitalization.
Trends: The requirements of the Affordable Care Act pose some real challenges for HR professionals and its requirements have a significant impact on how both employers and employees view health care benefits.
Tracy Morley, SPHR, Legal Editor
Latest items in Health Care Benefits
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DOL Issues Temporary Guidance on Required Notice of Exchange Requirements
The US Department of Labor released temporary guidance on the notice of health insurance exchanges required under the Affordable Care Act.
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2014 Health Savings Account Contribution Limits Added
The Taxation of Employee Benefits section of XpertHR's Payroll chapter has been updated to include the 2014 inflation-adjusted health savings account contribution limitations as determined under § 223 of the Internal Revenue Code.
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Health Savings Account Limitations Adjusted for 2014
The Internal Revenue Service has released the calendar year 2014 inflation-adjusted amounts for health savings accounts (HSAs) as determined under § 223 of the Internal Revenue Code.
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Taxation of Employee Benefits
Employee benefits, such as health insurance, sick pay, disability pay, workers' compensation insurance and retirement savings plans, may be subject to withholding for federal income taxes (FIT), Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes or federal unemployment (FUTA) taxes. This section assists HR professionals in understanding how each particular type of benefit plan must be structured and how to properly tax and report contributions, reimbursements and distributions in order to ensure compliance with the Internal Revenue Code.
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Health Care Benefits: Rhode Island
In-depth review of the spectrum of Rhode Island employment law requirements HR must follow with respect to health care benefits.
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Health Care Continuation (COBRA): Rhode Island
In-depth review of the spectrum of Rhode Island employment law requirements HR must follow with respect health care continuation (COBRA).
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Retail Resource Center for HR
XpertHR's Retail Resource Center for HR helps retail employers handle their most vexing employment issues by bringing relevant resources together in one place for easy access.
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Feds Release Additional Guidance on Affordable Care Act's Summary of Benefits and Coverage Requirements
The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Treasury released a set of frequently asked questions on Summary of Benefits and Coverage.
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New Quick Reference Chart on State Health Insurance Exchange Decisions Added
The Affordable Care Act requires every state and the District of Columbia to establish a health insurance exchange. XpertHR has added a quick reference chart that identifies state decisions for creating health care exchanges.
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State Health Insurance Exchange Decisions - Chart
The Affordable Care Act requires every state and the District of Columbia to establish a health insurance exchange, or to default to a federally facilitated exchange operated by the US Department of Health and Human Services. This quick reference chart identifies state decisions for creating health care exchanges.
About this topic
HR guidance on understanding the value of health care benefits.