News – Integrated Benefit Solutions

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 COBRA FAQ

FAQS ABOUT COBRA PREMIUM ASSISTANCE UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 April 07, 2021 Set out below are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding i...

New York Issues New Guidance on COVID-19 Leave

Employees May Take Leave for Three Periods of Quarantine or Isolation Employers who prohibit employees not in quarantine or isolation from coming to work f...

Biden Issues Executive Order to Strengthen the ACA

The Order Directs Federal Agencies to Review Existing Policies to Determine whether they Undermine the ACA On Jan. 28, 2021, President Joe Biden issued an e...

New York State Paid Sick Leave Goes Into Effect Sept. 30, 2020

New York State Paid Sick Leave New York state’s sick leave law requires employers to provide between 40 and 56 hours of paid leave per year, depending on the...

Employer’s Coronavirus Guide

Employers may download our free guide below to supplement their current internal policies. This guide compiles all the latest regulatory information regardin...

New York State releases slew of employee protection laws

Equal Pay Law – New Law Becomes Effective Oct. 8 Beginning Oct. 8, 2019, New York state law will prohibit employers from paying different wages to employees...

New York Adopts Equal Pay Law

New Law Becomes Effective Oct. 8 Beginning Oct. 8, 2019, New York state law will prohibit employers from paying different wages to employees solely because ...

Trump administration to require hospitals to publish the prices negotiated with insurers

The Trump administration is proposing a rule that would require hospitals to publish the prices that are negotiated with insurers or risk being fined. The pr...

Trump Signs Executive Order Compelling Disclosure of Health Care Prices

By Stephanie Armour and Anna Wilde Mathews Updated June 24, 2019 5:25 pm ET President Trump on Monday pushed for greater price disclosure in health care, s...

4 Things to Know Before Buying Life Insurance

Photo by Pexels Life insurance. It’s the kind of thing that no one wants to talk about, yet everyone needs to think about. That’s partly because, in many...

New York Employers Must Now Provide 3 Hours of Paid Voting Leave

New Law Currently in Effect As a result of a new law, New York employers must provide 3 hours of paid voting leave to their employees for any election. Addit...

Can Employees Decline FMLA Leave While Using Paid Time Off?

By Lisa Nagele-Piazza, J.D., SHRM-SCP April 2, 2019 DOL opinion letter says no, but an appellate court ruled otherwise Once an employer knows that a leave of...

Recent ACA Developments

Court Strikes Down Association Health Plan Rule DOL Rule Called ‘End-Run’ Around Affordable Care Act A federal judge has ruled that two parts of the Departme...

Important Deadlines and Reminders for 2019

DOL Releases New Model Employer CHIP Notice Notice Information Current as of January 31, 2019 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released a new model Emp...

End of year updates

Retirement Plan Contribution Limits Increased for 2019 401(k) Contribution Limit Increased to $19,000 The IRS has announced that the amounts employees can co...

How To Plan For And Anticipate Your Long-Term Care Needs

Photo via Pixabay by Almadrava | Article by Guest Author June Duncan How To Plan For And Anticipate Your Long-Term Care Needs Planning for and anticipating...

New York State Releases Final Mandated Sexual Harassment Policy

UPDATE: Low cost training now available from Integrated Benefit Solutions New York State Releases Final Model Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Program a...

Amid changes at federal level, New York state sets health insurance rates

By Allissa Kline – Reporter, Buffalo Business First Aug 7, 2018, 6:29am EDT Updated a day ago Health insurance rates for individuals will rise next year...

CMS Issues Final Rule on Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance

Background The Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services published a proposed rule to consider allowing short-term, limited-duration ...

NY Legislature Adds Bereavement Leave to NY Paid Family Leave Law

New York state lawmakers want to require businesses to give workers three months of paid bereavement leave so they have ample time to mourn when a loved one ...

DOJ announces biggest health-fraud takedown ‘in history’

600-plus charged for unlawful opioid prescriptions, other crimes Federal agents carried out the biggest health care fraud takedown “in history” on Thursd...

DOL’s Final Rule on Association Health Plans Expands Options

Stephen Miller, CEBS Jun 20, 2018 Small businesses can avoid some small group market requirements A rule finalized by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on J...

Update: OSHA 2017 Form 300A Electronic Data Submission Due By July 1st

Employers in 7 States Lose Exemption The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced that covered establishments in all s...

Obamacare Is Still with Us, and Getting Worse

Speaking at a campaign-style rally in Michigan last week, President Trump declared Obamacare dead. “Essentially, we are getting rid of Obamacare. . . . Som...

NY: Employers Required to Adopt Sexual Harassment Policy and Training Program

State Expected to Produce Model Policy and Training Program A new law requires employers in New York to adopt a sexual harassment policy and training program...

New York Paid Family Leave: Updated Guidance on Deductions and Voluntary Coverage

Updated Employee Calculator Available New York has updated two provisions of its paid family leave guidance regarding deductions from employees’ wages and vo...

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Loosen Curbs On Short-Term Health Plans

Insurers will again be able to sell short-term health insurance good for up to 12 months under a proposed rule released Tuesday by the Trump administration t...

Changes for the New Year

Tax Reform New Tax Law Repeals Individual Mandate, Eliminates Tax Breaks for Several Fringe Benefits President Trump has signed into law the Tax Cuts and Job...

Tips for Eliminating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

EEOC Recommends Certain Actions to Prevent and Correct Harassment Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. The U.S. Equal...

Update – Certain Paid Family Leave Forms Now Available

New York: Additional Paid Family Leave Forms Now Available Updated on May 9th 2018 03:06 PM PFL Resources The following resources (among others) are now avai...

OSHA Finalizes Dec. 15 as Electronic Recordkeeping Submissions Deadline

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has finalized December 15, 2017 as the date by which certain employers are required to elect...

IRS to block, suspend tax returns that lack Obamacare disclosures

IRS to block, suspend tax returns that lack Obamacare disclosures The IRS says it will not accept electronic tax returns that do not disclose whether the fil...

Trump signs order to eliminate ACA insurance rules, undermine marketplaces

President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday intended to allow small businesses and potentially individuals to buy a long-disputed type of health in...

HIPAA Guide for All Employers

Employers who sponsor group health plans and wellness programs must comply with certain provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act...

Senators close to bipartisan deal on health exchanges: Schumer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. senators from both parties are close to finalizing a bipartisan deal to shore up the health insurance exchanges created under...

Reminder: Medicare Part D Notice Due Before October 15

Your HR Updates from Integrated Benefit Solutions HR Updates September 25, 2017 Reminder: Medicare Part D Notice Due Before October 15 In preparation for t...

Integrated Benefit Solutions announces new partnership with the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce

Official Release: a new addition to our chamber The Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce our newest member that we think is going to be...

6 Simple Ways to Improve Open Enrollment

It’s that time of year again. There’s a crispness in the air combined with an energy that is simultaneously exciting and scary. As the shadows cast longe...

New York Issues Final Paid Family Leave Regulations

Regulations Currently in Effect New York has issued final regulations for its Paid Family Leave (PFL) law. Highlights of the regulations are presented below....

How to Keep HSAs Exempt from ERISA

Employers should not, through good intentions, become overinvolved in employees’ decisions to invest in health savings accounts (HSAs). Over-involvement coul...

HR Issues Small Businesses Face

Originally posted at http://www.post-journal.com/news/business/2017/07/hr-issues-small-businesses-face/ By Elizabeth Cipolla While it is certain that all org...

The ACA Remains, So What’s Next for Employers?

HR must stay compliant with ACA obligations despite prospects for bipartisan relief With the Republicans’ failure to pass a bill to repeal and replace the Af...

OSHA Proposes 5-Month Delay to Electronic Recordkeeping Submission Deadline

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a proposed rule seeking to extend the date by which certain employers are require...

Senate Republican leadership releases long-awaited healthcare bill

Senate Republican leadership released its long-awaited healthcare bill Thursday, ending weeks of speculation and a secretive process that frustrated Democrat...

Avoid These Common Mistakes When Completing Form I-9

The Form I-9 is a complicated document that recently has been changed, so employers should be vigilant about avoiding common mistakes when filling it out, ca...

Blue Cross seeks 48.8 percent hike for individual plans on state exchange

By Henry L. Davis via The Buffalo News Those who buy health plans through New York State’s insurance marketplace will face extremes next time they shop – s...

Employers Guide to the NY Paid Family Leave Act

PFL Information for Employees Starting in January of 2018, all employees who are covered under an employers’ NYS DBL policy will be required to purchase a p...

Fiduciary rule for retirement advisors to take effect June 9th

via CNBC A controversial rule that requires financial advisors to work in the best interests of their clients will go into effect next month as scheduled, La...

NY health insurers expected to seek double-digit rate hikes this week

By James T. Mulder | jmulder@syracuse.com via newyorkupstate.com SYRACUSE, N.Y. – New York health insurers are expected to ask this week for double-digit pre...

Aetna fully exits Obamacare exchanges with pull-out in two states

Via Reuters Health insurer Aetna Inc (AET.N) said on Wednesday it will exit the 2018 Obamacare individual insurance market in Delaware and Nebraska – the two...

Republican Obamacare replacement bill passes House

After years of debate, the House on Thursday voted to repeal key parts of the Affordable Care Act and replace them with new provisions. The vote, which Presi...

A Good Time Was Had By All

Our 3rd Annual Charity Wine Tasting Event was a success. This year it was held at Liberty Vineyards on Route 20 in Sheridan to benefit Chautauqua Hospice & P...

State releases $200 million for drug manufacturing plant in Dunkirk

By Stephen T. Watson via the Buffalo News The state has released $200 million in aid for a drug manufacturing plant that Athenex intends to build in Dunkirk,...

Please Join Us For Our 3rd Annual Charity Wine Tasting Event

Please join us Thursday, April 27th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm for our 3rd annual wine tasting event to benefit a local charity. This year, all proceeds will ben...

House passes Small Business Health Fairness Act

Legislation aims to boost health insurance by expanding coverage and lowering costs for working families In a bid to improve the health insurance purchasing ...

Chautauqua Hope And Healing Events Planned

The Chautauqua Alcohol and Substance Abuse Council is teaming up with local organizations once again for Hope and Healing For Chautauqua beginning on May 16....

Ex-New York assemblyman, doctors charged in illegal opioid prescription scheme: officials

A former New York assemblyman and a dozen pain clinic workers were arrested on Friday, accused of operating some of the largest “pill mills” in the northeast...

President Trump repeals law allowing OSHA to fine for “Continuing Violations”

Rule Previously Became Effective on January 18, 2017 President Trump has signed into law House Joint Resolution 83, which repeals the “Volks Rule,” an Occupa...

Focus Turns Back to Regulatory Relief As ACA Remains Law

Now that House leaders have withdrawn the GOP’s American Health Care Act from further consideration, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will stay in effect and at...

Key Points of GOP Healthcare Bill

Here are just some of the preliminary changes the American Health Care Act will repeal/replace from the Affordable Care Act: Tax credits Both the GOP bill an...

NYDOL Releases Proposed Model Templates for Written Notice and Consent under New Wage Regulations

Update 2/22/2017 The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) issued final regulations in September 2016, significantly restricting the use of payroll deb...

Top and Bottom Earners Responsible for Most Health Care Spending, Study Shows

Middle-range earners had lower use, and less misuse, of health services High-wage earners spend the most, per patient, on health care in the U.S., a new stud...

Medicare Glossary: a Guide to Terminology

There’s a lot to know about Medicare, including many terms associated with the insurance program that you’ll need to understand when signing up for and using...