Alera Group, Inc.

Alera Group Insights

Perspectives from our thought leaders and experts across the country.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Employee Benefits

Avoiding an Employee Lawsuit Over a Tobacco Surcharge Claim

Tobacco surcharges on health insurance premiums for employees who use tobacco products are attractive options for employers looking to keep their workforce healthy while lowering their organization’s healthcare costs. But surcharges can go too far, and many employers may be unaware of the limitations. Alera Group's new whitepaper on tobacco surcharges is designed to assist employers in complying with federal regulations.

November 19, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Q4 Considerations: New HIPAA Privacy Considerations

Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Final Rule titled HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy.

November 15, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Spotlight on 2025 Benefit Limits

The IRS has released the 2025 benefit plan limits. The following chart shows some of the key limits for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 tax years.

November 15, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Courts Ablaze with Tobacco Surcharge Class Action Lawsuits

Tobacco surcharges, or an increase in premiums for employees who use tobacco products, are attractive to employers looking to keep their employee population healthy and lower their healthcare costs. But they can go too far, and many employers might not be aware of the limitations.

November 15, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Key Considerations for All Employers: Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAE) Final Rule

This September, the tri-agencies (Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, and Health and Human Services) released the long-awaited Final Rule regarding the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAE Final Rule). The Final Rule, which is effective on November 22, 2024, has a series of enforcement dates, most of which begin on plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

November 15, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Webinar Preview: ‘When Captive Insurance Makes Sense’

As healthcare costs — including those for pharmacy — have continued to skyrocket, the urgency to control healthcare and pharmacy spend has elevated as well, and Captives have surged in popularity. Alera Group's webinar on Captive Insurance will help you determine whether forming or joining a Captive is right for you.

November 7, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Are You Prepared to Comply With the New Mental Health Parity Final Rule in 2025?

On September 9, 2024, the DOL, IRS and HHS released a final rule for the Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA Final Rule). The MHPAEA Final Rule is similar to the proposed rule released on July 25, 2023, with some marked differences. While the MHPAEA Final Rule is effective as of November 22, 2024, the requirements become enforceable at different times. Most apply to plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, with other requirements becoming enforceable for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

October 25, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Legal Alert: IRS Adjusts Health Flexible Spending Account and Other Benefit Limits for 2025

On October 22, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Revenue Procedure 2024-40, which increases the health flexible spending account (FSA) salary reduction contribution limit to $3,300 for plan years beginning in 2025, an increase of $100 from 2024.

October 23, 2024

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Employee Benefits

Webinar: Meeting the Needs of an Aging Workforce

Why is recognizing and addressing the priorities of older workers an imperative? Because, as Bain’s analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data determined, workers 55 and older will exceed a quarter of the workforce among G7 nations, including the United States, by 2031. Older workers typically have different priorities and needs compared to their younger colleagues, as Alera Group will examine and discuss on October 17 during the next event in our Engage series of employee benefits webinars, “Meeting the Needs of an Aging Workforce.”

October 3, 2024

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