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Description
One of the most critical issues for small employers is determining whether to establish a group health plan for employees. Before providing a group health plan, an employer must decide how to deliver those benefits and comply with federal and state regulations.
The statutory and regulatory responsibilities relevant to health and welfare benefit plans can be burdensome for small employers. The employer must be aware of and consider the special rules, limitations, and exceptions applicable to small employers before implementing any type of health plan.
Group health plans must be appropriately structured to allow both the employer and employee to benefit under the current law. Additionally, ERISA plans include rights and protections for plan participants requiring careful attention to administrative and operational guidelines.
An employer can designate a third party to administer the plan. Counsel must understand all rules associated with the design and implementation of a group health plan for small employers to ensure compliance with federal and state law.
Listen as our panel provides their insights into issues that arise in the design and administration of health and welfare plans for small employers, reporting and disclosure to government agencies and plan participants, and methods to maintain compliance.
Presented By
Mr. Bianchi is the Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice. He advises corporate, not-for-profit, governmental, and individual clients on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits issues, including qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, stock and stock-based compensation arrangements, ERISA fiduciary and prohibited transaction issues, benefit-related aspects of mergers and acquisitions, and health and welfare plans. Mr. Bianchi is nationally renowned for his advice on the Affordable Care Act's impact on employers. He represented the Romney administration in connection with the historic 2006 Massachusetts health care reform act. Mr. Bianchi has testified before the Senate Finance Committee on the subject of health care reform. His many published works include the Bloomberg/Bureau of National Affairs Health Care Reform Advisor, a comprehensive work on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on employers and employer-sponsored group health plans. Mr. Bianchi is also the current chair of the Bloomberg Tax Compensation Planning Journal Advisory Board.
Ms. Raaii devotes her practice to issues impacting group health and welfare benefit plans by counseling employers, digital health and point solution clients, plan administrators, insurers, consultants and other health plan service providers. She advises her clients on healthcare reform issues; consumer-driven health benefits; self-funded and fully insured health plans; data privacy and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); wellness programs; cafeteria plans; and regulatory, sub-regulatory and legal compliance. Ms. Raaii provides guidance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA); the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA); health plan transparency; mental health parity; the No Surprises Act; the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA); flexible benefit plans; health reimbursement accounts (HRAs); health savings accounts (HSAs); plan network design; multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs); association health plans; captive insurance arrangements; and other health benefits issues.
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Live Online
On Demand
Date + Time
- event
Thursday, May 22, 2025
- schedule
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
Outline
- Defining "small employer" or "small plan" under ERISA
- Preliminary issues in establishing a group health plan for small employers
- Plan design options and other factors to consider
- Group health pan alternatives
- Benefit plan administration and operation challenges
- Best practices and tips for ERISA counsel in advising small employers
Benefits
The panel will review these and other critical issues:
- Defining "small employer" under various regulations
- What plans can be offered by certain employers under federal law?
- Who can receive employee benefits?
- Plan design options, considerations, and alternatives
- Regulations and statutory requirements: the employer's role and responsibilities
- Retention and management of employee data and personnel files
- Use of third-party administrators
- Testing, distribution, and termination rules for qualified plans
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