Janice Scherwitz
Janice Scherwitz is a Senior Analyst, Benefits Compliance at TriNet
25 Articles
Benefits
Five Steps You Can Take if Your Health Insurance Claim is Denied
It can be worth the effort to advocate for yourself should your health insurer unexpectedly deny a claim to pay for a medical treatment or procedure. In this post, we provide helpful steps you can take in the event you receive a claim denial.
August 14, 2019 ・5 mins read
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Benefits
ACA Fines Are on the Way. Here’s How You Can Prepare for Reporting Season
The IRS has released details regarding how penalties for noncompliance with the employer shared responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be communicated. Although no penalties have been assessed to date, the fact that the IRS has now formalized this process is a tell-tale sign that penalty collection is on the way.
December 5, 2017 ・8 mins read
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Benefits
Voluntary Benefits: A Winning Strategy for Employers and Employees
As benefits products become more standardized, employers are looking for ways to make themselves stand out from the pack in order to compete for top talent. Voluntary benefits are a great way to help accomplish this goal.
November 15, 2017 ・7 mins read
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Benefits
Considerations for Choosing the Right PTO Policy for Your Business
While large companies seem to have an advantage in terms of flexibility and resources when it comes to offering their employees paid time off (PTO), small and mid-size companies also have an opportunity to create a PTO policy that helps them stand out as the employer-of-choice.
February 28, 2017 ・7 mins read
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Benefits
President Trump Has Taken Office: Here Is What You Need to Know About the ACA Developments
President Trump has already gotten to work on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, we can expect extensive delays before we see any significant changes to the ACA.In the meantime, companies are advised to continue to comply with the ACA to avoid penalties, including “pay or play” mandate for Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) to offer ACA compliant coverage and Section 6056 reporting.
January 31, 2017 ・3 mins read
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Benefits
New Law Will Allow Small Employers to Sponsor Health Reimbursement Arrangements
A new law, that was signed by President Obama on Dec.13, 2016, will impact employee health benefits offered by small employers. If you are a qualified small employer, you can now sponsor health reimbursement arrangements which until now were only available to applicable large employers.
January 3, 2017 ・4 mins read
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Benefits
What You Need to Know About the New Proposed Benefits and Payment Parameters for ACA Marketplace Plans
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have made proposals to change the benefit and payment parameters for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health insurance marketplace for 2018. If HHS and CMS’s proposed changes are finalized, they will be effective for plan years that begin on or after January 1, 2018.
October 14, 2016 ・4 mins read
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Benefits
What SMBs Should Think About When Creating and Managing an Employee Benefits Program
The competition for great employees is stiff these days, so if you aren’t offering employees the benefits they want, you are going to have trouble attracting and retaining the top talent you need to succeed.
August 2, 2016 ・3 mins read
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Benefits
Check Your Mailbox: ACA Subsidy Notices Are Coming Soon!
One provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is employer shared responsibility, also known as “pay or play” penalties. Under this provision, if an applicable large employer (ALE) does not offer affordable health coverage providing minimum benefits to full-time employees and their dependents, the employer could be subject to a penalty. This penalty helps to offset the cost of the premium tax credit or any subsidies that employees who have coverage through the health insurance marketplace may have received.
July 15, 2016 ・5 mins read
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Benefits
What the Orlando Nightclub Shooting Can Teach Managers About Helping Employees Through Tragedy
On June 12, a devastating event occurred inside Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida when a gunman opened fire, killing 49 people and wounding many more. While those far and wide have been personally affected by this tragedy in some way or another, you may think this incident does not directly affect your business. However, this isn’t necessarily the case.
June 22, 2016 ・4 mins read
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Benefits
Benefits 101: How to Help Your Employees Help Themselves When Selecting Benefits Options
Employers who struggle to communicate their benefits options to their employees may see those same employees failing to select the best options for themselves and their families. These employees won’t appreciate the value of your benefits offering because they may not be getting the benefits they need. Of course, satisfaction with employee benefits, which are a crucial component of your compensation package, can go a long way to overall employee satisfaction, which is key to attracting employees to your company and retaining the ones you have. Here are some tips for communicating more effectively with your employees about their benefits.
・4 mins read
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Benefits
How Does the 2016 Presidential Election Outcome Impact the Affordable Care Act?
The 2016 election is over and a new president will take office on January 20, 2017.Throughout his campaign, President-elect Trump made it very clear that he intends to repeal the Affordable Care Act. So what does it mean for the provisions of the Act itself if he is successful?
・4 mins read
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Benefits
What do You Mean I Can’t Change my Benefits? A Quick Guide to Open Enrollment and Changing Your Benefits Elections
Many employees believe that they should be able to change the group health benefits offered by their company at any time. Unfortunately, though, strict rules and regulations govern employer benefits plan elections. Here are some important aspects of employee benefits that you can use to arm yourself when making – or changing – your benefits options.
・10 mins read
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Benefits
How to Choose Your Benefits Wisely During Open Enrollment (and Why You Should)
Because our healthcare needs and the needs of our families change over time, our benefits needs may change as well. Open enrollment is an opportunity to review the changes that have taken place in your life, anticipate changes to come and adjust your benefits plan accordingly. Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing your medical insurance during your employer’s next open enrollment period.
・4 mins read
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HR News
Mental Health Parity: What Employers Need to Know
Mental health parity describes the equal treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders in insurance plans. It is important for business owners to be aware of laws around mental health parity to avoid contracting with an insurance carrier whose plan design does not meet the standard. True mental health parity may be a work in progress but as an employer, you can take steps to minimize the impact of mental health issues in the work environment.
・4 mins read
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Benefits
Suddenly Unemployed? Healthcare Options You Should Consider
COVID-19 has impacted people’s lives across the globe and has slowed down the global economy. Millions of Americans are currently unemployed which could mean loss of company-sponsored health insurance for them. We want to highlight the health coverage options that are accessible to help get through these challenging times.
・6 mins read
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Benefits
The 2016 Presidential Election and the Affordable Care Act: Where do the Candidates Stand?
It’s election season in America and, although it may seem like campaigning has been going on for a very long time, November 8 is rapidly approaching. Since the Affordable Care Act affects all employers, TriNet is taking a look at the two major party candidates to get their take on ACA.
・4 mins read
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Benefits
Do You Owe an ACA Penalty? Here's How to Tell
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already started sending subsidy notices to employers’ mailboxes. Now is a good time to ask yourself some simple questions to determine whether your company owes a penalty.
・6 mins read
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Culture
What Employers Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA
As more people get vaccinated and workplaces reopen, employers should be aware of issues related to the Americans With Disabilities Act or ADA, that may affect the return to the office. Understanding what is required of an employer covered by the ADA (generally, private employers with 15 or more employees) can help to make the return to the office safer for all concerned.
・12 mins read
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Industry Insights
Commemorating the ADA’s 30th Anniversary - Importance of Creating an Inclusive Workplace Culture
The 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a great opportunity for businesses to review their recruiting and hiring practices to ensure that they are welcoming qualified persons with disabilities as an important step towards a more inclusive workplace culture.
・6 mins read
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Benefits
The Newly Hired Employee’s Guide to Choosing a Medical Plan
Familiarizing yourself with the processes and culture of your new company can be all-consuming in those first few weeks of employment. One of the most important things you’ll do, almost right away, is elect your medical benefits. Here are some tips to save you time and set you on the right path when choosing your medical plan.
・7 mins read
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