Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year, marking the official start of the holiday season. As we look forward to this festive time, it's crucial to stay on top of compliance requirements. Below are some important deadlines to keep in mind that I would like to share with you:
September:
09/29/24 – Summary Annual Report (SAR): Furnish to covered participants for calendar year plans. Summarize for employees information that appears in an ERISA plan's Form 5500.
October:
10/03/24 – QSEHRA Notice Deadline (for QSEHRAs beginning 01/01/24) notice must be sent. For QSEHRAs that don't begin on 01/01/24, businesses must send notice 90 days prior to the start of each calendar year they offer the benefit.
10/15/24 – Medicare Part D Notice of Creditable Coverage must be delivered to plan participants.
10/31/24 – Quarterly tax forms 941 and 720 due to the IRS
November:
11/01/24 - Remind employees utilizing your FSA plan to submit receipts by the end of the year. Any covered expenses incurred by employees must be submitted for reimbursement before the deadline of 12/31/24.
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Now, onto the fun…Halloween is one of the reasons why I love Autumn so much. We're 'that house' on the street that goes big with decorations, and all the kids in the neighborhood are sure to stop here for some trick-or-treating, scary fun, and plenty of sugary snacks! Of course, we're in good supply, so we won't run out and leave any poor ghosts or goblins without.
Once Halloween is over, leftover candy is snacked on throughout the next several days. This, followed by the 'eating holidays' that we end our year with, is when I start gaining weight until it's time to make my New Year's resolutions to get back on track, lose weight, and exercise.
One of the best aspects of employee benefits is the included wellness programs. Carriers provide many resources and apps to keep you on track for whatever your health or fitness goal is throughout the year. From apps that house your ID card, summaries, monitoring of your benefits use, and even virtual care to online resources or challenges such as self-assessments, monetary incentives for achieving goals, self-guided health coaching, and even wellness assistants to motivate and encourage you on your health journey. There's something for everyone based on your health and needs.
These additional benefits are available. But if you're like me, they can be especially beneficial during the holiday season! Make the most of your health by exploring and utilizing these excellent additional benefits your insurance provider offers.
Reach out to your employee benefits coordinator or the carrier directly for specifics on what your plan offers!
- Anthem Blue Cross: https://www.anthem.com/member-resources/wellness-programs
- Blue Shield of California: https://www.blueshieldca.com/en/home/be-well
- Cigna: https://www.cigna.com/employers/health-wellness-programs/
- Health Net: https://www.healthnet.com/content/healthnet/en_us/health-and-wellness.html
- Kaiser: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/southern-california/health-wellness
- United Healthcare: https://www.uhc.com/employer/employer-resources/communication-resources/wellness-and-rewards-programs
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If you'd like to learn more, please contact me at:
Robert Guenther
Senior Client Manager
rguenther@venbrook.com
818.598.8935